Problems should take no over five months: Anand

Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, chairman of the panel, promised to take 4-5 months to end the controversies once and for all, particularly finding urgent resolution for the 76 suspended industrial projects.

"The committee will not pinpoint who's right or wrong, but focus on fact finding and opinion exchange. This is for coexistence, not (to tell who are) winners or losers," he said.

Though the panel can't influence the administrative court on the injunction, within 4-5 weeks, measures to help the 76 projects are expected. The panel will also find ways to mitigate impacts of 200 projects which may face environmental lawsuits.

"If government will not comply with the resolutions proposed by this panel, it must take all responsibilities by it own," Anand said at the press conference.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday promised that the government will listen more to others' opinions before making any legal moves. Before making a move on the 76 projects, the government would also wait for the Supreme Administration Court's ruling on the appeal against the lower court's injunction.

The draft, before submitted to the parliament, failed to win civil society's approval, in the way that members of the independent environmental body are to be appointed and withdrawn by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

While National Health Commission's expert Detcharat Sukkhamnerd, a member of joint committee, said insisted that the withdrawal will not delay the 76 projects, the private sector showed satisfaction over the panel's moves.

Federation of Thai Industries vice chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol, also a member of the committee, said the first meeting at Ban Phitsanulok was peaceful as all parties shared the same direction to solve the environmental problems and ease the conflict between industries and local communities. All parties want to ensure that the laws and regulations are applied to all industrial plants nationwide and meet the international standards.

"What the private sector's concerned about the most is the 76 projects, and the committee agreed to prepare the solutions for the projects in two scenarios  if the projects msut be suspended, or if they are allowed to continue," he said.

The committee agreed to hold the meeting twice a week and invite environmental law specialists to join. Members would also visit Map Ta Phut during December 56 to explore more information.

At the next meeting, the committee sets to revise the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's legal amendment to ministerial regulations that would result in environmental impact assessments (EIA), health impact assessments and the environmental independent body.

Anand announced that the committee is empowered to seek information including on illness from relevant agencies regarding to Map Ta Phut. Upon completing the resolutions, the committee will submit them to the government and it is up to the government how to proceed with them.

Anand also vowed to revise and improve any government's regulations or announcements related to environmental issue for longterm solution.

Detcharat said the draft must be withdrawn as it did not win civil society's approval, in the way that members of the independent environmental body are to be appointed and withdrawn by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

Detcharat said he was positive to the panel and believe that this panel could find the way out for the chronic dispute problem of Map Ta Phut area.