Activist challenges Orange Line environmental report

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In: South-East Asia

Srisuwan Janya files a lawsuit against those who approved the improvement of the road range.

PUBLISHED: 9 Jan 2025 at 17: 25

Traffic is backed up as work begins to demolish the Charan Sanitwong flyover, one of three that will be torn down to accommodate the western extension of the Orange Line mass transit route, on Jan 7 in Bangkok. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
On January 7 in Bangkok, work will begin to dismantle the Charan Sanitwong bridge, one of three that will be torn down to hold the eastern extension of the Orange Line size travel route. ( Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill )

The commuter rail project on the Orange Line western extension was approved despite not meeting the environmental impact assessment ( EIA ) standard, according to activist Srisuwan Janya, who is asking for a court order to suspend the construction.

Mr. Srisuwan filed a complaint with the Central Administrative Court in Bangkok on Thursday in his power as the leader of the Stop Global Warming Association, which he founded 20 years ago.

Since being detained in January of last year on suspicion of trying to extort money from a civil servant in trade for dropping a problem argument, Mr. Srisuwan has maintained a low profile. Prosecutors are still deciding whether to prosecute him, but he denies the charge.

His most recent complaint names the government of Thailand’s Mass Rapid Transit Authority, the governor of Bangkok, and the council of experts who are responsible for the National Environment Board’s review of the EIA statement.

Given that they were instrumental in approving the development of the mass-transit line improvement from Taling Chan to the Thailand Cultural Centre, they are accused of dereliction of duty.

The review council gave its approval for the EIA statement on April 2, 2021, and it was approved by the atmosphere board on December 17 that same year, according to Mr. Srisuwan.

Despite the fact that the plan to destroy three helicopters in Bangkok was not included, endorsement was given. In consequence, he claimed there was no mention of a strategy to stop and correct the demolition job ‘ climate effects as required by the National Environment Act.

When well, when ideas for one stop were scrapped along with a planned area stretching 3.1 miles, the project failed to submit a revised EIA statement, said Mr Srisuwan.

According to the approved EIA report, the 365 large trees along the expansion route were evidently dying out because they weren’t removed for fostering and replanting properly, he added.