Rayong _ Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and most of his cabinet have brushed aside any suggestion of a water crisis in the eastern region and threats to protest against the government's drought relief scheme by local conservationists who are demanding the government limit the growth of industrial estates.
The prime minister, who is chairing a mobile cabinet meeting in Chanthaburi this morning, yesterday went ahead with ceremonies to celebrate the expansion of PTT Plc's fifth gas separation plant and Thai Olefins Plc's production unit in the Map Ta Phut industrial estate.
``It rained heavily today, so there is no need to worry about any water shortage,'' Mr Thaksin told industrial operators participating in the opening in Rayong's Muang district.
``You can use as much water as you want in order to promote the country's economic growth. The government will try its best to seek additional water for the industrial sector. However, you must use the resources efficiently,'' he said.
Mr Thaksin dismissed reports about widespread opposition to the government's water crisis solutions, saying the looming protest was politically motivated. Rayong residents mostly agreed with the scheme, he said.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, meanwhile, announced a plan to expand oil palm plantations from about 20,000 rai to 85,000 rai in the eastern region. About 6,000 rai of deteriorated fruit orchards in Chanthaburi and Trat would be transformed into oil palm plantations.
According to an agricultural official, areas suitable for oil palm plantations must have abundant water resources, high precipitation and humidity. Reliable irrigation systems were also needed to feed sufficient water to oil palm trees during the dry season.
The Irrigation Department also suggested that Rayong be excluded from the project due to its critical water shortage and rising demand for water resources from industrial estates.
Meanwhile, Pratya Samalapa, president of the Rayong Chamber of Commerce, reiterated there was indeed a water shortage problem in the eastern province during a closed-door meeting between private sectors and the prime minister.
He called on Mr Thaksin to overhaul the existing water distribution scheme in the eastern provinces and impose water quotas to ensure fair distribution of resources between the industrial, household and agricultural sectors.
Mr Pratya blamed lack of cooperation between government agencies, such as the Agriculture and Cooperatives, Industry and Natural Resources and Environment ministries, for the government's poor handling of the water crisis.
Prasert Bunsumpun, PTT president, however, said the firm had sufficient water to feed its gas separation and petrochemical plants, which consume about 60,000 cu/m a day.
But the company's tanker ships were ready to transport fresh water from several pumping stations across the Chao Phraya River basins if water supplies from East Water Resources Development and Management Plc (East Water) fell by 50%.
Mr Prasert said PTT's new gas separation plant would not any face water shortage problems because it uses only 300 cu/m of water a day.
Meanwhile, several hundred Rayong residents are to hold a mass rally at Prasae dam in Rayong's Klang district today to protest against the government's quick fixes to the eastern water crisis, including a plan to divert water from Prasae to Nong Plalai and Dok Krai reservoirs to feed industry. They want Mr Thaksin to receive their petition at the dam site.
Source: Bangkok Post