Students to join dam protest
Bangkok Post, Oct 28, 2002
http://search.bangkokpost.co.th/bkkpost/2002/oct2002/bp20021028/news/28oct2002_news13.html
Student groups have joined the fray over the planned
closing of the Pak Moon dam sluice gates with a plan to petition cabinet not
to let it happen on Friday as planned.
They will join dam protesters in a rally at Government House tomorrow when
cabinet holds its weekly meeting.
The groups include the Students Federation of Thailand (SFT), the Committee
of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of 17 Universities, and
Ramkhamhaeng University's Student Group for Social Activity.
Cabinet on Oct 1 decided in favour of the Electricity Generating Authority
of Thailand, the dam operator, to keep all sluice gates closed for eight
months for power production, after which the gates would be opened for four
months to allow fish to spawn.
``Keeping the dam gates open for four months is nothing new. Egat usually
does that during that time of year to drain floodwater,'' said SFT's
Bhongsadhorn Sorapejnarindara yesterday.
Protesters want the sluice gates be kept open permanently. Some academics
say cabinet's decision ignored studies into the impact of closing the gates. |
