Senator Noraset Pratchayakorn has expressed concerns regarding the government’s swift advancement of the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) and the proposed Land Bridge megaproject. He warned that these initiatives might mainly benefit large investors while causing significant and irreversible environmental and societal repercussions.
During a Senate session led by Deputy Senate Speaker Kriangkrai Srirak, Senator Noraset addressed the government’s approach to reviewing and executing the SEC policy alongside the Land Bridge project, which aims to connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea through the provinces of Chumphon and Ranong.
The senator highlighted that several studies assessing the economic viability of the project had failed to meet essential criteria. He pointed out discrepancies between findings from the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning and those from Chulalongkorn University.
“Why is the government rushing ahead with this dream project using taxpayers’ money?” he questioned.
Noraset criticized the proposed SEC law, labeling it as a “centralisation law” that would concentrate authority and primarily cater to the interests of investors. He emphasized that the allure for investors lay not in the project’s returns, but rather in the special privileges provided by the SEC legislation, which includes up to 99-year land leases on agricultural reform and state property land.
He further inquired if the government had evaluated the potential economic losses that Ranong might incur if it were to forfeit opportunities related to world heritage recognition as a result of the project.
Additionally, he cautioned that the intended land reclamation for a port in Ranong—an area locals refer to as “the womb of the sea”—could lead to irreversible ecological harm.
“If the government genuinely believes this project will be beneficial, why not conduct a local referendum?” he urged.
In response to these concerns, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat refuted claims that the government was hastily pushing the project forward. He stated, “The project is intended to create new economic opportunities, but we fully acknowledge that environmental impacts will follow.”
Source: Bangkok Post
