Permatamas affirms its stance, asking government to reconsider plan

BANGKOK, Feb 18 (TNA) -- Permatamas, an environmental and rights protection group in the southern region, expressed its readiness to carry out movements to reaffirm its stance against the construction of a Thepha coal power plant, after the Cabinet has given a green light for the similar project to proceed in Krabi province. Permatamas coordinator Direk Hemnakhon, together with representatives from the Sonkhla-Pattani networks against the setting up of the coal power plant gave their first announcement, following the meeting of the National Energy Policy Committee (NEPC), which approved the construction of the coal power plant in Krabi yesterday. The statement said the policy to push for the construction of coal power plants in Krabi province, Songkla province's Thepha district, and in other provinces under the PDP2015 development plan, does not coincide with the trend to sustainably develop the environment and is not the demand of the local people. The latest move by the government has ensured that the project would now be proceeded according to plans, prompting all related rights protection networks in the south to stand together against the project, where Permatamas has planned to find new measures to affirm its stance. (TNA)