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Dr. Wipawadee criticizes Land Bridge project's lack of value & hidden industrial agenda

Dr. Wipawadee criticizes Land Bridge project's lack of value & hidden industrial agenda

Prachachat•General•17d ago

Reader Briefing

Expert Dr. Wipawadee argues the Land Bridge project is economically unviable for transport and primarily aims to establish a massive industrial zone, contradicting government claims.

  • •Dr. Wipawadee Phanyangnoy, an expert on community rights and development, asserts the Land Bridge project is 'not cost-effective' for transportation compared to the Strait of Malacca.
  • •The project's core objective, according to Dr. Wipawadee, is to develop approximately 70,000 rai for a large industrial zone, particularly for energy, gas, and petrochemical industries.
  • •Dr. Wipawadee highlights that the government has misrepresented the project's true purpose, focusing on transport benefits while concealing the industrial development agenda, leading to public distrust.

Overview

  • •Dr. Wipawadee Phanyangnoy stated that the Land Bridge project is not cost-effective in terms of transportation due to high costs and longer transit times than the Strait of Malacca.
  • •Dr. Wipawadee revealed that the Land Bridge's primary goal is to establish a 'large industrial zone' covering approximately 70,000 rai, rather than solely focusing on transportation.
  • •The government's communication strategy for the Land Bridge project is flawed, creating a 'large gap' between the government and local communities due to misaligned or incomplete information.
  • •The project is a continuation of a past Southern development plan that has been unsuccessful for 50 years and is designed to integrate with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
  • •Past projects faced setbacks due to the 1997 economic crisis and the 2004 tsunami, which led to relocation of certain areas, shifting from 'Thung Maprao' to 'Satun-Songkhla (Pak Bara)' and most recently 'Ranong-Chumphon'.
  • •A 2016 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) recommended 'suspending the project' due to Ranong's tourism potential and Chumphon's agricultural strengths.
  • •Areas previously identified for conservation through the SEA are now slated to become sites for heavy industrial projects, contradicting earlier environmental assessments.
  • •The project's development model is identical to the EEC, where 'government invests in infrastructure first, followed by heavy industries', with past funding and technical studies provided by the Japanese government.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Quotes

Dr. Wipawadee Phanyangnoy
"This project doesn't even need to be debated anymore."
โครงการนี้ไม่จำเป็นต้องมาถกเถียงกันแล้วด้วยซ้ำ
Dr. Wipawadee Phanyangnoy
"This confirms the Land Bridge is not just a project for transoceanic cargo transport, but its main goal is to create a 'large industrial zone'."
สิ่งนี้ยืนยันว่าแลนด์บริดจ์ไม่ใช่แค่โครงการขนส่งสินค้าข้ามมหาสมุทร แต่เป้าหมายหลักคือการสร้าง “พื้นที่เขตอุตสาหกรรมขนาดใหญ่”

Key Entities

Person

Dr. Wipawadee Phanyangnoy(ดร.วิภาวดี พันธุ์ยางน้อย)
An expert on community rights and development who critically analyzes the Land Bridge project.

Organization

Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP)(สนข.)
The Thai government agency that provided studies and is cited for its findings on the Land Bridge project.
Japanese Government(รัฐบาลญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️
Provided funding and technical studies for past infrastructure development in Southern Thailand related to the Land Bridge project.

Place

Strait of Malacca(ช่องแคบมะละกา)ℹ️
A maritime strait used as a benchmark for comparing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the Land Bridge project.
Thung Maprao(ท้ายเหมือง)
A location in the southern region of Thailand that was part of previous Land Bridge planning but was later excluded due to natural disaster risks.
Satun-Songkhla (Pak Bara)(สตูล-สงขลา (ปากบารา))
A proposed location for the Land Bridge project that was considered after Thung Maprao was deemed too risky.
Ranong-Chumphon(ระนอง-ชุมพร)
The current proposed location for the Land Bridge project.

Policy

Energy Industry(อุตสาหกรรมพลังงาน)
A key sector identified as the primary focus of the Land Bridge project, including oil and natural gas.
Petrochemicals(ปิโตรเคมี)ℹ️
A core industry identified for development within the Land Bridge project's proposed industrial zone.
Southern Development Plan(แผนพัฒนาภาคใต้)
A historical governmental plan for the southern region of Thailand, which Dr. Wipawadee claims has been unsuccessful for 50 years and the Land Bridge is a continuation of.
Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)(EEC)ℹ️
A government-backed ambitious project in Thailand's eastern provinces that serves as a model for the Land Bridge's industrial development strategy.

Law

Highway 44(ถนนสาย 44)
A highway in southern Thailand that was part of past infrastructure development efforts by the Japanese government, linked to the historical context of the Land Bridge project.
2016 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)(การศึกษาเชิงยุทธศาสตร์ (SEA) เมื่อปี 2016)
An environmental assessment conducted by OTP that recommended delaying the Land Bridge project based on regional development potentials.