Southern and Move Forward MPs unanimously voiced their opposition to the government’s ambitious land bridge mega project, questioning the credibility of its feasibility study. They remain unconvinced that the project is worth the staggering one trillion baht investment or its impacts on the environment and lucrative tourism industry in the region.
During a debate in the House today on the feasibility study, submitted by the House scrutiny committee led by Pheu Thai party-list MP Wisut Chainaroon, former Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat quoted the claim in the report that the land bridge will shorten the time and distance for freighters which currently pass through the Strait of Malacca.
He said there are three questions which need to be answered by the government. First, whether there are other more competitive options to the land bridge project. Second, how the government will manage the impacts of the project on the affected areas, which include many durian plantations, fishing grounds, forests and six world heritage sites. Finally, whether the project will ensure the utmost benefit for the country and its people.
The Move Forward chief advisor also noted that the feasibility study fails to specify how much more convenient and how much faster it would be for freighters to use the land bridge instead of the Strait of Malacca.
Another Move Forward MP, Sirikan Tansakul, said she quit the House scrutiny panel because she could express her dissenting views on the report, which has been left unaltered, noting that the government has been determined from the beginning to implement this project.
She said that she could not trust the report, prepared by the Office of Transport and Traffic Planning, regarding the maritime routes, the estimated growth of the deep-sea ports at either end of the land bridge or the projection that it will breakeven in 24 years.
After about four hours of debate, the House approved the feasibility study by 269 votes to 147.
