Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras yesterday asked industrialists in Rayong to suspend the construction of new industrial projects until environmental problems are completely solved.

Meanwhile, two plans to control pollution in Map Ta Phut will be completed this month and presented to the National Environment Committee next month.

The plans are designed to curb pollution in Map Ta Phut, where toxic emissions from industrial plants have reached a critical level.

The instruction from Kosit will disrupt the expansion plans of several companies in Map Ta Phut and Rayong, the country's centre for petrochemical plants, which also includes the privately run Amata and Hemaraj industrial estates.

For instance, Dow Chemical, Siam Cement, PTT and IRPC earlier planned to expand facilities at the site. Therefore, the sector most affected by the minister's instruction is petrochemicals companies.

Kosit said firms would have to delay their investment plans, including PTT's petrochemical projects. He said he had assigned the permanent secretary of the Energy Ministry, Pornchai Rujiprapha, to negotiate with PTT to consider postponing its investment in the company's third-unit petrochemical project.

"There won't be any expansion in the area at the moment. Significantly, operators should explain their business and the environmental impact of their plants on communities," he said.

Projects halted include the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand's (IEAT) bidding plan for a new port in Map Ta Phut, which was to be held this month.

"IEAT won't consider other projects at the moment because it should focus 100 per cent on solving pollution problems," said Kosit.

After a meeting at the Industry Ministry yesterday with authorities to discuss Map Ta Phut's environmental problems, Kosit said two plans would cover industries inside and outside Map Ta Phut.

"Details of the two plans and IEAT's fund [to care for the sick] should also be declared to the public at the beginning of next month," he said.

He added that the Industrials Works Department would also set up a team to cooperate with the IEAT to solve pollution problems in the area. The IEAT is scheduled to join with officials in Rayong province to draw up details of its fund on Monday.

The IEAT last week announced plans to set up a fund to pay for the care of residents of the area who have fallen sick as a result of emissions from Map Ta Phut plants. It will initially put Bt10 million into the fund, Kosit said.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will

be responsible for setting new environmental standards, including those for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), he said.

Kosit added many problems in Map Ta Phut had already been solved. For example, more than 500 locations were earlier reported as being over VOC limits, and this has already been reduced to 150.

Kosit expects the plan to tackle pollution problems in Map Ta Phut should be finalised in March.

After the meeting with agencies, he instructed the Energy Ministry to advise energy companies - including PTT - to delay investments planned for Map Ta Phut until the problems are addressed and the public are more welcoming of the investment.

The government also plans to encourage fresh investments in a new location. The National Economic and Social Development Board is reconsidering its old study in order to present it to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who will discuss potential locations with the Board of Trade, the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Bankers' Association in a meeting next Thursday.

Kosit said a new location had not yet been chosen, but added that wherever it was, public acceptance was essential to ensure smooth operations.

Meanwhile, the country really needs a new area to support future industrial expansion, he added.

"The most important thing at this moment is that authorities, operators and communities should find appropriate solutions together," he said.

Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul

The Nation