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Thai forest- Action Alert



Urgent Action Alert  PLEASE POST TO ALL BURMA ACTIVISTS

THAI-BURMA PIPELINE.

Environmentalists camping out in the Huay Kae Yong area where the
Thai-Burmese gas pipeline is being built are under threat from the
Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) (See adjoining article)   A
warning has been received by activists in Thailand that the PTT
may use violence to force the closure of the protest camp on
January 21 or 22.  The environmentalists are determined to  stay
where they are and to continue to use non-violence.  Their camp is
situated at KM27 and in the warning received  the use of violence
and the force of villagers are being used to threaten those in the
camp.  Dialogue is currrently underway between representatives of
the Prime Miisters office and conservationists regarding the
threats against those in the camps.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Immediately fax PTT and make it clear that the international
community is watching what happens to those in the camps.  This is
an international issue in that PTT  and Unocal are involved in
this project together. Any violence used against them will be
strongly  condemned by the international community. That this is
not Burma but Thailand and any kind of violence used on innocent
people will hurt the image of Thailand and is not acceptable.

Fax the Prime Ministers Office and state your concerns of the
safety to those in the camps and that should any violence occur to
those in the camps all companies will be held responsible and will
be severely condemned by the international community which
includes the international campaigns focussed on the oil and gas
industry in Burma.  Under the new Thai constitution the people of
Thailand have the  right to voice opposition and to use violence
against them will not only damage Thailands image abroad but hurt
the Amazing Thailand campaign.

Fax Unocal both in the states and here in Thailand and let them
know that if anything happens to those in the camps they will be
held just as responsible as PTT.  Urge restraint in all faxes and
push for dialogue.

CONTACTS:

PTT:  MR. PALA SOOKAWESS (GOVERNOR)
	  MR. PITI YAMPRASERT. (He is responsible for this
	  project)
Fax # +66 2 5374389

PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND'S OFFICE:
+66 2 2801443

Unocal Thailand                                 Unocal
Headquarters, El Segundo, California VP of Planning, Patrick
Murphy          CEO, Roger Beach fax: +66-2-545-5554
fax: 310-726-7802

January 18, 1998
GAS PIPELINE PROJECT / CONFRONTATION IN FOREST

	      Protesters say leader 'faces kidnap threat' PTT
	 staff abandon tree-cutting duties

	      Chakrit Ridmontri, Thom Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi

	      The Kanchanaburi Conservation Group claimed
	      yesterday that its core leader, who is preventing
	      the cutting of trees on part
of
	      the gas pipeline route, is facing the threat of
	      being kidnapped.
		      Environmentalists said quarrels between the
	      group and the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT)
	      began a few days ago when group members persuaded
	      PTT employees, who live in the area, not to cut
	      large trees on Khao Ta Kua mountain.
		      As a result PTT's officials leading the
	      tree-cutting team were angry, said Ratchanee
	      Dhongchai, a group leader.
		      "The employees said they were also unhappy
	      to cut trees in their hometown. So they agreed to
	      stop," she said.
		      Mrs Ratchanee said supporters of the project
	      are plotting to kidnap leader Phinant
	      Chotirosseranee who is camping on the disputed area
	      with a few others.
		      "According to our sources, Mrs Phinant is
	      the target because she has been outstanding in her
	      protests against the project. If she disappears the
	      supporters believe resistance will die down," she
	      said.
		      The disputed area is at pipeline marker
	      kilometre 22, on Khao Ta Kua peak, which is covered
	      with big trees.
		      Trees measuring more than 80 centimetres in
	      diameter have been marked for cutting by the
	      Forestry Department. Others have already been
	      felled.
		      An army section sent to the disputed area
	      has camped about one hundred metres from the group's
	      blockade.
		      PTT's officials were not available for
	      comment about the alleged kidnap threat yesterday.
		      The threat of confrontation began to
	      intensify as the PTT work on the 260km pipeline
	      approached lush forest in Kanchanaburi's Thom Pha
	      Phum district.
		     The consortium working on the gas pipeline
	      project includes America's Unocal, Total of France,
	      Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, and PTTEP Ltd, an
	      affiliate of the PTT.
		     The PTT says the completion date is set for
	      July 1. On that day the PTT must finish the Thai
	      section of the pipeline or face a
daily
	      fine of 40 million baht.
		     However, legal experts with the groups say
	      the contract allows the PTT to delay completion if
	      the government orders a suspension of the project.
		     The group wants the project halted to allow
	      the pipeline to be rerouted away from forests.