BKK POST: January 17, 1998: GAS P

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

January 17, 1998:   GAS PIPELINE PROJECT


              Pressure grows to 
              reroute gas 
              pipeline

                Conservation groups begin sit-in 
              protest

                   Chakrit Ridmontri


              Conservation groups opposing the Thai-Burmese gas pipeline 
              project have stepped up pressure on the government to resolve 
              the dispute by setting up another blockade in the lush forest to 
              prevent the pipeline laying.

              The groups announced yesterday that the new sit-in protest site 
              would be several kilometres from the first site where protesters 
              have camped for the past three weeks. They said the action was 
              aimed at pressuring the government to set up talks to consider 
              the rerouting of the pipeline to avoid going through the forest.

              Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has yet to respond to the 
              opinions from the panel of legal experts who emerged from a 
              three-day meeting to thrash out differences in the interpretation 
              of the gas deal contracts early this week.

              The majority of panelists have concluded that the pipeline 
              construction may be completed after July 1 without incurring 
              hefty fines from the gas seller and construction company.

              Pibhop Dhongchai, coordinator of the groups, said: "The action 
              is necessary because the Petroleum Authority of Thailand is 
              accelerating construction work in the forests."

              He has earlier submitted a letter to the premier urging him to look 
              into the case as quickly as possible.

              Amnuay Patisae, deputy secretary of the prime minister, who 
              accepted the letter on Mr Chuan's behalf, suggested that the 
              interruption in the pipeline construction would cause great 
              damage to national development.

              He said, however, that should new talks be initiated, the two 
              sides should try to arrive at some kind of compromise if the talks 
              were to be successful.

              Disputes between the PTT and conservation groups emerged 
              since late 1996 when the PTT made public its plan to build a 
              260km pipeline which is to receive gas from Burma's Yadana 
              and Yetagun fields. It signed contracts with the gas drilling 
              consortium in 1992.

              The pipeline is being laid from the border of Thailand and Burma 
              at I-tong village in Thong Pha Phum to a gas power plant in 
              Ratchaburi. The protest began as about 50 km of the pipeline 
              route would run through lush forests in Kanchanaburi.

              The PTT insisted the existing route is the most appropriate 
              location and wanted to complete the project by July 1. But the 
              opponents wanted the project halted so as to consider the 
              rerouting possibility.