1 week Ago
Opponents of the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) and the Land Bridge megaproject linking the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea have vowed to launch a protest on July 1 if the government proceeds with the plan. Prasitchai Nunuan, activist and leader of the SEC Watch group -- one of 94 anti-SEC groups -- said the network would stage a blockade on roads leading to the South to protest against the bill. The network submitted a petition opposing the bill to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on March 11.
The SEC bill, currently being worked on by the government, would "allow a takeover of the South and grant privileges to foreign investors by writing it into law", Mr Prasitchai said. He compared the SEC bill to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) bill, which resulted in the expropriation of local land. "The SEC bill is a copy of the EEC bill, without a proper study into the context of the South.
.. The people-led network believes that by diverting resources, budgets, and legal rights to foreign investors, the economic foundations of the South -- particularly its limited land and water resources -- will be seriously affected," Mr Prasitchai said.
He added that the bill would also permit rapid changes to urban planning, which could harm agriculture and tourism, two crucial sectors for the southern economy. Under the bill, foreign investors would be allowed to own land and condominiums without the usual restrictions, lease public land and real estate for 99 years, and bring in migrant workers without being subject to immigration laws, Mr Prasitchai said. He argued that without investment privileges in designated industrial zones, there would be little investor interest in the Land Bridge project alone.
The network plans to submit a letter to the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) in May, demanding changes to the bill, he said. The OTP, under the Transport Ministry, which is responsible for drafting the SEC bill, is currently gathering public feedback. The measure is expected to reach the cabinet by May and parliament by July, ahead of the Request for Proposal process scheduled for December.
Panya Chupanich, director of the OTP, said most public feedback from the South and Bangkok has been positive, although some concerns have been raised. The Land Bridge project is set to feature deep-sea ports in Chumphon and Ranong, connected by a 90-kilometre railway and motorway, and is expected to open in 2030. The initial investment is estimated at 500 billion baht, with total development costs projected at around 1 trillion baht.
Due to the scale of the investment required, the government plans to allow unlimited foreign participation..
