Barkar Nash (Page 1,039)

Mekong civil society groups are urging the governments of Thailand and Cambodia to shift their Mekong River policy towards protecting ecosystems and promoting environmental justice.

The environmental campaigners and activists have spoken out ahead of today’s election in Thailand and an upcoming poll in Cambodia (July 23).

They want to reverse the current stance towards hydropower investment in favour of protecting the river’s rich biological treasures and unique ecosystems, as well as the environmental rights of local communities across the region.

Plea to poll candidates

As a result of hydropower dam development in the Mekong region, the entire stretch of the Mekong River is now facing environmental crises that are damaging the river’s ecosystems and rich natural resources, on which over 60 million people across the region depend.

Chanang Umparak, from The Mekong Butterfly, an environmental group based in Thailand, said the projects may well determine the fate of the mighty Mekong. Six nations share this international river, but the matter was barely raised during the election campaign.

According to International Rivers, 11 dams are operating in the upper Mekong River in China, while two hydropower dams — the Xayaburi Dam and Don Sahong Dam — are at work on the Mekong mainstream in Laos.

Three more dams are under construction — Luang Prabang Dam, Pak Beng Dam, and Pak Lay Dam.

“Phenomena such as unseasonal fluctuations in the water level and the ‘blue Mekong effect’ from sediment loss both result from the dams on the river, but the governments [of the Mekong countries] are silent on this matter,” Ms Chanang said.

However, even though the impacts of hydropower dams on Mekong ecosystems are clear, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) earlier this year signed power deals with Laos, allowing Thailand to buy up to 10,500 megawatts of power from Pak Lay Dam and Luang Prabang Dam.

“The governments of the Mekong region normally view the river merely in terms of economic development and investment opportunity, while overlooking other vital values such as it being an important source of food and income for people, a cradle of diverse Mekong cultures, and the river being one of the major biodiversity hotspots of the world,” she said.

She urged the next government to reconsider Thailand’s energy strategy by revoking power purchase deals from harmful hydropower dams on the Mekong and stopping new projects.

She also called for a constitutional amendment to protect people’s rights to live in a clean and healthy environment, and urged the government to work with other Mekong River Commission (MRC) member states to improve the prior consultation process (PNPCA) to ensure inclusive public participation before construction affects the river.

“A new Transboundary Investment Supervision Act is also needed to make sure all Thai direct investment abroad is carried out appropriately without negative impacts,” Ms Chanang added.

Cambodian angle

Cambodia’s Environment Minister Say Sam Al says his government has no concern about hydropower projects on the Mekong, as it sees hydropower development as an opportunity to advance economic prosperity and enhance corporation between Mekong countries to establish an Asean Power Grid.

Sithirith Mak, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Environmental Unit at the Cambodia Development Resources Institute, insisted the threats from hydropower dams to the environment are real.

Tonle Sap Lake, which is the largest and most significant wetland biosphere of the Mekong River Basin, has been damaged by the impacts of upstream hydropower dams, said Mr Sithirith.

This biodiverse water body sustains more than 200 fish species and contributes to the health and prosperity of over 15 million Cambodians, according to a study by the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute under the Fisheries Department of Cambodia.

“However, ecological transformations have been underway at Tonle Sap Lake since 2019. The hydrological pattern of the annual reverse flow from the Mekong River into Tonle Sap Lake has altered drastically, resulting in rapid depletion of fish stocks in the lake,” he said.

“According to hydrological data at Tonle Sap Lake, the pattern of annual reverse flows from the river into the lake were relatively consistent every year until 2019, when the surging tide into Tonle Sap Lake came three months late and with a significantly smaller volume of total reverse flow.”

He said the annual reverse flow at Tonle Sap Lake still fluctuates unseasonably. This hydrological anomaly coincided with Xayaburi Dam commencing operation the same year. It is the first hydropower dam project to be built on the lower reaches of the Mekong River in Laos.

“As a result of the hydrological impacts, the number of fish caught in Tonle Sap Lake also fell.

“Figures show annual fish production in Tonle Sap Lake in 2020 (144,635 tonnes) has dropped by half since 2018 (291,260 tonnes),” he said.

He said the collapsing fisheries in Tonle Sap Lake will add to social and economic problems for already impoverished local communities, as people will lose their incomes and traditional livelihoods.

“The Cambodian government does not have capacity to efficiently mitigate and respond to these emerging environmental and socioeconomic problems,” he said.

“So, we would like to call on the new government to prepare strategies to address these challenges.”

He also urged the government to rethink the country’s energy development plan by promoting clean renewable energy such as solar energy and moving away from hydropower.

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Customs officials in Hong Kong early last week confiscated about 10 kilogrammes of cannabis buds worth over 8 million baht in eight parcels declared as snacks and breakfast cereals from Thailand. The cannabis buds were sent from Bangkok by airmail on May 8 and 9, according to the South China Morning Post.

Customs officials inspected the parcels and found cannabis buds in zip-lock bags that were placed inside the packages of snacks and breakfast cereals. The seized cannabis was worth at least HK$1.9 million, or 8.6 million baht.

According to Hong Kong customs officials, authorities from the narcotics investigation office disguised themselves as delivery workers and took the parcels to a place in Kwun Tong. A 64-year-old security guard connected to the seized packages was arrested and released on bail while an investigation is still underway.

Hong Kong customs officials also warned the public not to be lured into trafficking narcotic drugs. Drug trafficking in Hong Kong is an offence carrying a sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million. Hong Kong authorities confiscated more than 2,673kg of cannabis in 2022, an 105% increase from 2021.

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About 50 million Thais have the right to cast their vote today in an election to decide the future of the country, and whether it will undergo radical change or maintain the status quo. Another two million voters took part in advance voting previously.

“This election is seen as a national agenda item to express the power of clean elections,” said Election Commission (EC) chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong yesterday. “No vote-buying, no vote-selling.”

At the polling station, each eligible voter will be provided with two ballot papers — a purple ballot for choosing a local member of parliament and a green one to pick their party of choice to run the country, he said.

The EC expects an 85% of voters will turnout in today’s election. The choices for Thais are between the continued rule of the elite, whose political and economic decisions have resulted in stark inequality, or the country’s dream of having truly democratic government representatives who empower citizens and uplift those living in poverty, observers say.

A total of 70 parties, 1,898 list-MP candidates and 4,781 MP candidates have registered to contest this election, while 63 people have been named as prime ministerial candidates for 43 parties. The selection of a new PM will take place at a later date.

Mr Ittiporn said the EC is ready to organise today’s election and ensure it will run smoothly. The EC expects to begin reporting unofficial election results from 6.30pm, he said. Marked ballots from advance voting have already been sent to respective polling stations for counting along with ballots cast today, Thailand Post said.

Over 147,500 police will be deployed to ensure law and order at the close-to 95,000 polling stations nationwide today, national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas said.

These officers will be divided into teams to guard polling stations during voting hours or stand by for rapid deployment to deal with specific incidents, he said.

Ahead of the election, police cracked down on crime from May 4 to Thursday, during which close to 35,900 suspects were detained, he said. Of this number, almost 9,600 were wanted by police over weapons cases, while about 3,300 were arrested over online crime, he said.

A number of other suspects have also been arrested in a total of 184 cases related to the election, he said. Of these, the most common type of crime committed was election poster destruction, he said, adding that a total of 142 such incidents involving 939 damaged posters, most in Bangkok, were reported to the police.

About 40 suspects have been prosecuted while about 50 others have been interrogated by the police, he said. Other election-related criminal cases included attempts to disrupt an election rally, assault, carrying weapons in public without permission and criminal intimidation of election campaigners, he said.

Members of the public who observe or suspect any violations of election law are advised to report it to the authorities at the police’s 191 and 1599 hotlines or the Election Commission’s hotline, 1444, he said.

Meanwhile, voters in the deep South in particular have been told by the Fourth Army that security measures have been strengthened for today’s voting, said Lt Gen Santi Sakultanak, commander of the southern regional army.

He was speaking during an inspection of a security checkpoint in Pattani, where security was being boosted ahead of today’s election.

Tripartite security teams, consisting of soldiers, police and defence volunteers, have been deployed in Yala, Patani Narathiwat and some parts of Songkhla provinces to ensure public safety on voting day.

“People can rest assured that they can go out to vote without fear or worry about their safety today as the authorities are working to maximise security,” he said.

Security was stepped up, particularly at polling stations and areas seen as vulnerable, to prevent attacks, he said, noting that during an election in 2021, a vehicle transporting ballot boxes encountered a bomb attack.

Security officials stationed at polling stations are also being told to maintain political neutrality, he said.

EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said some marked ballots from advance voting accidentally sent to incorrect provinces for vote-counting have been re-routed to the correct provinces.

All marked ballots from advance overseas voting have been delivered to polling stations as well, he said.

For their own convenience, voters are advised to visit the Bureau of Registration Administration website to check where they are supposed to go to cast their vote today.

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A number of senators yesterday sought to reassure the public that the vote for the next prime minister will be free from influence and there are mixed opinions as to the best choice among members of the upper House.

Sen Seree Suwanpanont said senators have their own opinions and criteria when selecting the prime minister and noted that those who express their views do not represent the majority.

Mr Seree said that personally he will consider more than just votes and consider the qualifications, calibre and experiences of each prime minister candidate when casting his vote.

The number of House seats each party wins will determine if it is eligible to nominate a prime minister candidate for parliament to vote on.

“But for senators, they don’t necessarily vote the same way as the people.

“If the Senate has to vote the same way as the majority of MPs, we don’t need the Senate. This Senate has to do screening. They have a special role and they must know what their role is,” he said.

Sen Khamnoon Sitthisamarn said although the constitution does not require the Senate to vote in line with the MPs, senators can’t afford to discard the fact the government should have majority support in the House or it can’t pass key bills.

However, the Senate must also screen candidates for key public posts, and the post of prime minister is most important of all, he said.

“We don’t know who will win the election and who will be nominated. Some parties have three candidates.

“So, I think I will need room to think carefully to make a decision that will benefit the country,” he said.

Sen Khamnoon said the next government will face many challenges and the Senate wants to sure the prime minister it chooses can steer the country away from crises and make a difference on the global stage.

Sen Chalermchai Fuengkhon said he will vote for the bloc that commands a majority in the House and noted that he cannot speak for his fellow senators.

“Parties shouldn’t count on the Senate to support them.

“If they want to be the government, it is their job to gather 376 votes among themselves,” he said.

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The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will provide free shuttle bus services linking Samsen Road to areas in Thon Buri, with the aim of easing traffic congestion when schools reopen tomorrow.

Speaking after a test run, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the shuttle bus services will alleviate heavy traffic on Samsen Road which is dotted with schools.

Work on a new extension of the Purple Line (Tao Pun-Rat Burana) is also affecting traffic flow on the road and on Krung Thon Buri Bridge, which connects Phra Nakhon with the Thon Buri side, he said.

The shuttle bus services will be an alternative for parents who want to avoid traffic congestion.

They are available Monday to Friday from 6am to 9am and 3.20pm to 8pm, starting tomorrow.

An electric feeder bus can seat 20 people and has a capacity of 35 passengers. A city official will be deployed on the bus for passenger safety.

The shuttle bus will make six stops along the route — in front of Office Mate Sirindhorn Branch, a bus stop in front of the Kuakarun faculty of nursing, Soi Samsen 13, the SG Alumni Association, Soi Ratchawithi 9 and Tang Hua Seng shopping mall on Sirindhorn Road.

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The construction of an overpass over the Na Ranong intersection in Klong Toey district is expected to be completed early next month, said Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt.

An agreement was inked in 2018 to complete the overpass by 2021. However, it was hit by delays, including stoppages caused by Covid-19.

The Bangkok Post asked Mr Chadchart about the delay. He said he had “followed up on the progress of the project since assuming the position of governor.

“So far, I’ve learnt the delay was caused by a technical issue [involving] construction engineering and the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

“I’ve already instructed the Department of Public Works to expedite construction [so the overpass] can open by June 1,” he said.

Tawatchai Napasaksri, director-general of the Department of Public Works, said construction is 91% complete.

The only work that remains includes painting traffic lines and installing fences. Construction is expected to finish by June 1 as instructed by Mr Chadchart, he said.

“The Bangkok governor may not have chaired the opening ceremony of the bridge, but he may come to check surrounding traffic conditions,” Mr Tawatchai said.

“On the first day, the overpass will open in the early morning, while it will close temporarily overnight for minor works for about a month,” he said.

The department signed a contract with Sahakarn Wisavakorn Co Ltd on Sept 25, 2018, agreeing that construction would finish by Nov 11, 2021, with a budget of 1.34 trillion baht.

A 20-year-old overpass from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, along Ratchadaphisek Road, crossing the Na Ranong intersection and ending at Rama III near Penang Market has been demolished to make way for the new overpass.

The department has also asked the company to expand the four-lane overpass from the market to Nonsiwitthaya School from 1.95km to 2.65km.

An overpass crossing a railway track on Chuea Phloeng Road was also demolished and rebuilt on both sides of the road, with two lanes in each direction, while the descending section crossing the Na Ranong intersection was rebuilt near the Port Authority of Thailand on Sunthon Khosa Road.

These two sections of the project were launched last year, Mr Tawatchai said.

A source at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said the main cause of the delay was sluggish land transfer from the State Railway of Thailand and the Expressway Authority of Thailand to the BMA as well as Covid-19.

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Two people were arrested in Bangkok and charged with possessing and selling firearms without permission in a police crackdown on guns and violence ahead of the election, says the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).

Pittinan, 31, and her boyfriend Chayut, 34, were nabbed at a house in Bang Khen district during a search in which police found 17 registered guns, two BB guns and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition.

Their arrest is part of an extended investigation into the online sale of firearms and ammunition. Police launched a sting operation in which they ordered a box of ammunition and tracked it down to the pair’s house. Police then obtained a search warrant and searched the premises.

Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, commissioner of the CCIB, said some of these guns were modified from BB guns to be used with M4 ammunition. He said individuals are not allowed to possess this type of firearm, so the pair have been charged with possessing guns and ammunition and distributing them without permission.

According to the initial investigation, Ms Pittinan, who works as a nurse at a privately-run hospital, purchased a total of 21 registered guns under a welfare scheme during 2019-2020 and another one in 2022.

Ms Pittinan told police that her boyfriend made the purchases under her name and she had no idea about him selling firearms. She said he also had her deliver the ammunition but that she had no idea what was inside her deliveries.

A total of 50 people were arrested and 77 guns and 2,440 rounds of ammunition seized from 60 locations in 42 provinces since the crackdown.

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NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Many people headed to their home provinces on Saturday to exercise their voting rights, signalling a high turnout for Sunday’s general election.

People formed long queues to buy tickets at Nakhon Ratchasima bus terminal 2 on Saturday afternoon. Most had travelled from the Mor Chit terminal in Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, the gateway to the Northeast, to take interprovincial buses, mini-buses or vans to other northeastern provinces such as Khon Kaen, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Udon Thani. All vehicles were filled with passengers.

Sor Lekprakhon, 51, the operator of mini-bus No 30 on the Nakhon Ratchasima-Surin route, said he had seen a high number of passengers during the past two days. On Saturday, he had already made two trips and all seats were booked. Most passengers said they wanted to go home so they could cast their ballots on Sunday, said Mr Sor.

People were more enthusiastic about Sunday’s election than the last general election in 2019, he added.

Many people were also waiting for passenger vans to their home provinces in the Northeast. Many had travelled from Bangkok as long-haul interprovincial buses from Mor Chit to the Northeast were fully booked.

Panida Uppachanthor, 27, a native of Khon Kaen, said she and her younger sister had taken a bus from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, where they would take a van to their home province to cast their ballots on Sunday. She had missed the registration for advance voting so she had to go home, she said.

She also observed that many voters were very active this weekend. Many passengers had to wait for buses and vans for almost 3 hours, said Ms Panida.

Passengers wait for buses at Nakhon Ratchasima bus terminal 2 on Saturday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

At the van terminal in Korat, many passengers wait for rides to their provinces in the Northeast. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

Panida Uppachanthor, 27, a native of Khon Kaen, says she and her sister are looking forward to exercising their voting rights on Sunday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

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