End to Map Ta Phut woes in six months : PM

However, the PM declined to fully reply to a question about why normal health impact assessments (HIA) - a new requirement needed court approval for frozen projects - took longer than six months. He said each individual project and relevant HIA tasks involved different details.

"All problems relevant to Map Ta Phut projects should be over within six months. The clarity in terms of implementation and operational readiness of all relevant government agencies is the vital factor.

"But whether all processes in all projects in all cases will be complete by then, no one can answer."

Asked to comment on the overall financial damage caused by the court injunction halting the remaining 66 projects, he said: "It's difficult to estimate the total cost. It would depend on coming court orders on a case-by-case basis. For example, if the court permits certain projects later on, the damage estimates on unemployment and chances wasted will decrease, proportionally."

Meanwhile, a panel to seek 13 members of a national independent commission tasked with ending the legal deadlocks was appointed yesterday, with former PM Anand Panyarachun chairing it. Anand already chairs a four-part committee tasked with solving problems surrounding the mega-projects. More than 60 projects were put on hold after a Central Administrative Court verdict that they could not continue without mandatory health - and environment - related assessments.

The panel's 18 members have been nominated and will be endorsed by Cabinet at its weekly meeting today. Most serve on the four-part panel: activists allied with local residents affected by industrial operations, senior government officials serving on an ex-officio basis, and a Cabinet member, Deputy Premier Korbsak Sabhavasu.

After being appointed, these 18 will seek out 13 members of the national commission tasked officially with ending problems at Map Ta Phut projects.