Government House, The Cabinet has given the green light to request an exemption from the Cabinet resolution prohibiting the benefiting of mangrove forests in all cases, so that PTT can use the mangrove forests in the Bang Pakong River, Tambon Bang Pakong and Tambon Tha Sao, Amphoe Bang Pakong, to carry out the onshore natural gas pipeline project from Bang Pakong to the Phra Nakhon South Power Plant. Mrs. Ratklao Inwong Suwannakiri, Deputy Government Spokesperson, revealed that today (July 16, 2024), the Cabinet has approved the request for exemption from compliance with all 4 Cabinet resolutions, namely those issued on December 15, 1987, July 23, 1991, August 22, 2000, and October 17, 2000, which prohibit the use of mangrove forests in all cases, so that PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) can use the mangrove forest area in the Bang Pakong River, Tambon Bang Pakong and Tambon Tha Sao, Amphoe Bang Pakong, an area of ??approximately 3-0-75 rai, to carry out the onshore natural gas pipeline system project from Bang Pakong to Phra Nakhon South Power Plant, as proposed by the Ministry of Energy (ME). Mrs. Ratklao said that PTT is responsible for the project to increase the capacity of the onshore natural gas pipeline network to accommodate the increasing demand for natural gas from the increase in power plants in the capital region, according to the first revised version of the Thailand Power Development Plan 2018-2037. The project will be carried out by laying a 36-inch pipeline under the high-voltage power line, starting from the BP4 natural gas pressure control station in Tambon Tha Kham, Amphoe Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao Province, to the Phra Nakhon Tai Power Plant in Tambon Bang Prong, Amphoe Mueang Samut Prakan, Samut Prakan Province, a total distance of approximately 57 kilometers, under a total investment framework of 13,590 million baht, with a scheduled completion date of 2025. From the forest area survey, it was found that the natural gas pipeline of the project will pass through the mangrove forest area as per the Cabinet resolution, located along the Bang Pakong River in Tambon Bang Pakong and Tambon Tha Sao, Amphoe Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao Province, covering an area of ??3-0-75 rai (5,000 square meters), which is still a mangrove forest with mangrove species. The mangrove forest is a mangrove forest with private ownership rights for a distance of approximately 652 meters, and is a mangrove forest without land title deeds for a distance of approximately 85 meters. Therefore, PTT must request an exemption from the Cabinet's 4 resolutions prohibiting the use of mangrove forest areas from the Cabinet, covering an area of ??3-0-75 rai, and must request permission from relevant agencies in accordance with the procedures. PTT has already requested permission from the committee and relevant agencies. The Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Budget Bureau (BOE), and the National Economic and Social Development Board considered and agreed with the proposal of the NE and had additional comments, which the NE should take action on, such as if there is a natural gas pipeline construction or a natural gas pipeline construction or any other construction in the highway area, request permission from the Department of Highways according to the procedure and strictly implement the measures to prevent and mitigate environmental impacts. In addition, the cost of planting and maintaining the replacement mangrove forest is not less than 20 times the mangrove forest area that has been permitted. The NEOB agrees that PTT should consider spending from its revenue. Source: Thai News Agency
Monday, September 16, 2024