OIC MOVES TO REVEAL HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT DATA TO PUBLIC

       The Official Information Commission (OIC) is planning to invoke the Information Act to help people know more about conditions that worry many: the healthiness of their environment and surroundings.
       They feel that depriving them of this information can put their health at risk, particularly when they live near industrial projects they oppose.
       "Now, we are in the process of asking for opinions from relevant agencies about granting access to information on environment and health to people under Clause 8 of the Information Act's Section 9," OIC member Thienchai na Nakhon said at a seminar yesterday.
       Thienchai, a former member of National Environment Board (NEB), believes invoking the Act for this purpose should be possible.
       Yesterday's seminar also addressed issues of public access to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) information.
       Currently, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (Onep) releases only EIAs that have passed the review of specialists.
       "People's access is very limited these days," Thailand Environment Institute senior director Somruedee Nicrowattanayingyong said.
       Supoj Songsiang, who represents Mae Rampeung Conservation Group, said Onep's refusal to release information caused doubts to grow in people's hearts.
       "It makes us doubt whether the authorities care just about the economy and not people's well-being," he said. Supoj's group opposes a plan to establish an iron mill in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
       Onep senior official Suchaya Amaralikhit said her office released information on complete environment assessments only, because details from ongoing EIAs could lead to confusion and hurt some parties' interests.
       "Our information disclosure is strictly in line with official regulations," she insisted.
       She said the current practice had prompted many people to lodge complaints against her office.