Admin court offers expertise on environmental disputes

"Environmental laws are there to protect people. If they need help in this area, they can turn to us," an official at the Supreme Admin-istrative Court said yesterday.

He said the court had already set up 18 umpires to deal with environmental cases, each with special expertise.

"For example, there's one about land and another about environmental laws," he said on condition of anonymity.

The court had also invited legal experts to help with the cases.

The Administrative Court has already received as many as 4,000 cases about environmental issues.

The same official hoped people would understand that they could turn to the Court if they wanted help on an environmental dispute.

"The judicial system can provide solutions," he said.

He cited the injunction against 76 industrial projects in Rayong's Map Ta Phut area as an example of what the Court could do.

The Supreme Administrative Court is currently looking into an appeal against the injunction.

Yesterday, the court ordered the president of Stop Global Warming Association and people affected by the projects to testify.

Also summonsed to the trial were representatives of Siam Cement Group Plc and PTT Plc. The injunction has affected the companies' projects, causing them adverse impacts.

The next hearing on the case will be on November 12.