Mekong Watch and People Against Coal, a national network of
affected communities, local activists, advocacy groups and
environmental organizations in Thailand which include Greenpeace
and the Occupational Patients Rights Network of Mae Moh, handed ADB
representatives in Bangkok photos of the Mae Moh coal plant in
Lampang to remind them of the bank's dirty investments in Thailand.
Many have died and suffered from health problems from the pollution
caused by Mae Moh coal plant; in addition it contributes to climate
change being the largest coal power plant in Southeast Asia.
"The ADB mandate to reduce poverty sounds nice, but reality is
much different. ADB-funded energy projects in Thailand, like Mae
Moh coal plant, led to severe environmental impacts and made life
more miserable for the poor. Despite strong evidence of negative
impacts on people and the environment, the ADB continues to finance
destructive large infrastructure projects such as the BLCP coal
plant without any serious commitment towards developing appropriate
alternatives. Renewable energy resources are abundant but the ADB
has chosen to ignore it," said Tara Buakamsri, Climate and Energy
Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
ADB was established in 1966 with Thailand as one of its founding
members. Cumulative ADB lending to Thailand as of December 2003 was
US$5.39 billion, with 31% going to the energy sector many in dirty
projects.
The largest coal plant in Southeast Asia, the infamous 2,625 MW
coal-fired in Mae Moh was financed by the ADB. Mae Moh coal plant
has killed scores of Thai villagers and displaced and maimed the
health of tens of thousands in the province of Lampang. The coal
plant also continues to inflict severe damage to area's environment
and economy.
In the province of Rayong, despite the outcry of host
communities and amidst charges by the National Human Right
Commission that the proponent subverted acceptable process designed
to ensure genuine public consultation and full public disclosure,
the ADB has initiated financing for the construction of a 1,434-MW
coal plant in Map Ta Phut, an area which is already reeling from
acute pollution.
"I want the ADB to stop building power plants like the Mae Moh
coal plant in other parts of the world. We want do not other
communities to endure the nightmare suffered by our community,"
said Maliwan Nakwiroj, representative of People Against Coal and
secretary of the Occupational Patients Rights Network of Mae
Moh.
The ADB will hold its Annual General Meeting in Hyderabad, India
on 3-6 May 2006. Community representatives from Thailand, whose
livelihood has been eroded by ADB-funded projects, will attend the
meeting to intensify their challenge for the institution to stop
funding for energy projects that are detrimental to people and the
environment.