Sukhumvit tunnel, Laem Chabang expansion among projects to get funding
PM Yingluck Shinawatra meets
with 150 handicapped students from the Redemptorist School for the Disabled.
Phasakorn Channgam
The Cabinet’s recent two-day meeting in Pattaya resulted
in the approval of billions in baht for projects to dig a tunnel under
Sukhumvit Road, deepen three Pattaya-area reservoirs and expand Laem Chabang
Port.
Ministers gave thumbs up June 19 to more than 10 billion
baht in budget requests from Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai for the
controversial infrastructure projects.
The funds will be used to begin the three-year, 120
billion baht Laem Chabang expansion, which calls for construction of a third
wharf and twin rail tracks to connect the port to the northeast. The
expansion is opposed by a broad range of environmental and small-business
groups. (See related story page 3.)
About 30 million also will be available to begin deepen
Mabprachan Reservoir to ease Pattaya water-supply issues and to dredge Huay
Khainow and Mapwaisom reservoirs in Khao Maikaew to feed more water to
Mabprachan.
The budget would also give start funds for the widely
criticized plan to build a traffic-bypass tunnel under the intersection of
Central and Sukhumvit roads. Construction on the 800-meter tunnel could
begin as early as November.
“The transportation system, whether on land, sea or in
the air, must be improved to better connect different modes,” Transportation
Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said.
The cabinet session was an opportunity for governors of
Chonburi, Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat to lobby for funding of infrastructure
and pork-barrel projects. In Chonburi’s case, Khomsan was seeking 105.8
million baht in handouts to cover Chonburi road projects and
drainage-pipeline construction in Huay Kapi, Panthong, Mabphai and Muang
districts. Another 19.9 million baht was sought for an anti-drugs campaign
sports field in Bangpra.
Other items approved include 6 billion baht for road
repairs in Sriracha.
Not acted upon, however, were proposals related to
further expansion of U-Tapao-Pattaya International Airport. Due to
controversy over requests from the American government to use U-Tapao for
humanitarian aid and atmospheric study centers, all action related to
economic development at the airport was tabled.
Yingluck used the time before and during the cabinet
meeting to meet Eastern Seaboard residents, hear their concerns and see the
areas at issue herself.
During a June 17 visit to the Maptaput industrial zone in
Rayong, the prime minister checked on the progress of fire-fighting water
systems at Elastomer Co., the site of an earlier fire, and reviewed action
plans related to environmental protection in factory-heavy neighborhoods and
emergency-response drills at PTT Co.
Residents talked long and loudly about their opposition
to Rayong’s growing industrial sprawl, pushing the premier to close down the
Bangkhai industrial estate and not approve any new factories. She promised
to send the requests for further study.
At the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, site of the cabinet
meeting, Yingluck later met with 150 handicapped students from the
Redemptorist School for the Disabled. They presented her with flowers and
thanked her for support of the “1479 Empowerment of People with
Disabilities” program.
Finally, the cabinet also approved bonuses for Pattaya
elected officials and bureaucrats.
Security was tight for the meeting with more than 500
Region 2 officers assigned to protect the premier and legislators. But
rumblings of protest actions proved untrue and the session went off without
a hitch.
