ANY NEW FACTORIES WOULD BE ILLEGAL

       The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) warned the government yesterday that approving more factories at Map Ta Phut industrial area - now a pollutioncontrol zone - could violate the constitution.
       Chairman of the NHRC's Committee for Civil Rights, Niran Pitakwatchara, said his panel would send a letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who chairs a joint public and private sector panel, which is looking at licences for Map Ta Phut, to warn that allowing more factories would violate Article 67 of the charter.
       He said Article 67 stipulatฌed that projects likely to have severe impacts on communities must be approved by an independent organisation made up of representatives of environmental and health groups, with health and environmental studies undertaken by institutes of higher education.
       However, while a bill to set up such an organisation had been drawn up, it had not materialised, for unknown reasons, he said.
       Although the government insisted on a Council of State recommendation to use the National Environment Act 1992 while such a body was yet to be established, in reality, use of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports under this law was not up to standard, he said.
       In the past, public hearings for projects such as the Bo NokHin Krut power plant proposed in Prachuap Khiri Khan created huge conflicts in local communities, he said.
       Thus the government could not issue factory licences until an independent body granted permission first or it would be a violation of the 2007 constitution, he said.
       In Rayong's Muang district, Suthi Atchasai, coordinator of a public network on the eastern seaboard led 200 villagers to rally yesterday outside the Map Ta Phut estate office, while police guarded the entrance.
       Carrying a coffin and wreaths to burn as part of the protest, they called for estate director Peerawat Rungreungsri to receive their formal request to stop extending factories until the provincial plan to prevent pollution was finished.
       They also called for an inquiry to find out who was paying matermind the attempt to stop.
       Suthi also said that he was asking Democrat Party's Rayong MP Sathit Pitudecha to arrange the group's meeting with Abhisit about this matter.
       If this didn't happen soon, the group would file a police complaint against the Premier, Industry Minister, as well as other related Cabinet members.
       The group would also filed a lawsuit to the Rayong Administrative Court for an injunction. The protesters then moved to place a coffin and wreaths in front of the nearby SCG, Thai Cement and PTT gas separation plants, which were reportedly applying for permission to more factory establishment.
       The protesters gave speeches and moved to Noen Samlee Intersection before dissolving.