Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Environmentalists have appealed to the government of Thailand to revise its new energy plan that may have been ‘over estimated’, even as a new report reveals the human costs that the proposed Salween mega-dam project will extract in war-ravaged Shan State in Burma.
Montree Chantawong, an environmentalist from Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance (TERRA) project under the Foundation for Ecological Recovery told Mizzima on Tuesday that the recent plan of the Thai government which includes Tasang and Hat Gyi dams in Burma is not necessary for Thailand’s energy needs.
“Several studies have found that Thailand has the ability to develop alternative energy sources. It’s not necessary to buy electricity from both dams at the moment because the electricity reserve is still high,” he said.
Besides, Thailand has always targeted an economic growth, which is too high without taking into consideration ground realities, which could change such as the recent economic crisis, Montree said.
According to a statement from TERRA, the area where the dams will be built, are currently battle zones where the Burmese military and an ethnic armed group have been clashing, leading to escalated human rights violations. The evidence is the exodus of 3,500 Karen refugees who have fled to Thailand in Thasongyang district of Tak province over the last few months.
On Tuesday, Shan Sapawa, an environment organization focusing on Shan Sate in Burma released a report “Roots and Resilience”. It provides a rare glimpse into communities struggling to survive amidst civil war and abuses in the flood zone of the tallest dam planned for Southeast Asia in southern Shan State.
The report noted the ecologically unique area of Keng Kham, housing a community of 15,000, that was forcibly relocated over 10 years ago. The majority fled to Thailand. Today the estimated 3,000 that remain are ekeing out livelihoods and clinging to their culture despite constant threats by the Burmese Army and that of the proposed Tasang dam.
“Indigenous Shan cultural practices, river-fed farms, sacred cave temples and pristine waterfalls are depicted in photographs from this isolated war-zone, together with updated information about the dam project, which has been shrouded in secrecy,” a statement from the group noted.
Military tension has escalated in recent months in Shan State as the Burmese regime has been mounting pressure on the United Wa State Army to transform into a “Border Guard Force.” Abuses linked to anti-insurgency campaigns are also on the rise.
Sai Sai, a spokesperson of the Shan Sapawa Environment Organization asked “Why is Thailand accelerating plans for Tasang precisely when the situation is so uncertain? ...The dam is in a war zone. The Burmese Army has forced villagers out of the area and many have come to Thailand. If the dam is built they won’t be able to go back.”
Thailand’s support for the controversial dam was recently reiterated when the project was included in its national Power Development Plan.
The 7,110 MW Tasang Dam is the biggest of five dams planned on the Salween River. The majority of the power from the dam will be sold to Thailand. Project investors include the Thai MDX Company and China’s Gezhouba Group Company.
