February 10, 1998. GAS PIPELINE

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

February 10, 1998.   GAS PIPELINE 

              Protests have
              come too late, says
              Chuan 

              Government bound by deal with Burma 

              Suebpong Unnarat and Wasant Techawongtham

              Attempts to halt the Thai-Burmese gas pipeline have come too
              late, the prime minister said yesterday. The government can do
              nothing but abide by contracts signed with Burma.

              Chuan Leekpai's statement came the same day that Anand
              Panyarachun agreed to chair a "public information" committee to
              sort out differences on the details of the project, according to
              Pibhop Dhongchai, a leading project opponent.

              Mr Chuan said the project undertaken by the Petroleum
              Authority of Thailand must continue to completion in the interests
              of the nation.

              "PTT has to follow agreements made with its partners," he said.
              "The government cannot order the project to stop. We
              considered things were over the moment the contracts were
              signed."

              Mr Pibhop, secretary-general of Campaign for Popular
              Democracy, expressed dismay at Mr Chuan's statement,
              accusing him of undermining attempts to settle the long-running
              dispute.

              "Mr Chuan's statement will cause some problems. Our groups
              will discuss whether we can accept it," Mr Pibhop said. He
              accused Mr Chuan of having undermined similar negotiations
              several times in the past, including the recent talks among legal
              experts from the opposition, PTT and the government to
              consider conflicting claims over possible penalty if the project
              was delayed.

              Mr Pibhop said Mr Chuan "whispered to PTT to proceed with
              the construction even while the talks were in session".

              Representatives of PTT and project opponents met yesterday to
              try to agree on conditions of the public information process
              aimed at revealing relevant information to the public.

              Both sides have agreed on the candidates to sit on the
              committee. Besides Mr Anant, the former prime minister,
              members will include Ammar Siamwalla and Khunying Suthawan
              Sathierathai, economists, Chiraphol Sinthunawa, an
              environmentalist, Kaewsan Athiphoti, a legal expert, and Wisanu
              Waranyu.

              Dr Prawase Wasi, the reform advocate, Sophon Suphaphong,
              president of Bangchak Refinery, and Senator Paiboon
              Wattanasiritham will serve as advisers.

              The two sides have also agreed to a halt in the pipeline laying for
              10 days at Huay Khayeng forest between pipeline markers
              18-28 where a group of opponents has camped out to block
              construction.

              But at press time, they were still discussing a work stoppage at
              another location at Dan Makham Tia, where disputes between
              local people and PTT remain unresolved, Mr Pibhop said.

              "I wish that Mr Chuan would not close the door on the process
              to consider the damage from the project," he said. "I wish he
              would sincerely listen to the people through a public hearing, not
              through a public threatening tactic."

              Mr Chuan, meanwhile, promised he would ensure that PTT
              reafforest areas where trees would be cut to make way for
              construction.

              He said PTT had been the best state agency in carrying out the
              reafforestation programme to mark His Majesty the King's
              golden jubilee and it should be a guarantee that Kanchanaburi
              people would regain fertile forest.

              The government has tried several times to help settle the conflict
              between the state firm and conservation groups through peaceful
              negotiations but failed, he said.

              Mr Chuan said he has not yet approved the list of members of
              the public information panel because he has not seen it yet.