Oil drilling protest greets senate panel

About 1,000 local people, tour operators and administrators have rallied on Koh Phangan to protest against petroleum exploration projects near the tourist islands of Surat Thani.

The rally took place yesterday while the senate committee on tourism was visiting Koh Phangan. It was the second mass rally against petroleum exploration in the area after a protest on nearby Koh Samui earlier this month.

The protesters gathered at Thong Sala pier where they were led by Montri Phetkhum, president of the Surat Thani provincial administrative organisation (PAO), Prasop Thuaycharoen, president of the Koh Phangan district's village heads club, and Wannee Thaipanich, president of the Koh Phangan Tourism Association.

They said petroleum exploration projects near Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Ang Thong archipelago were expected to harm the environment and tourism, and should be stopped.

Mr Prasop said residents opposed government concessions granted to Chevron Petroleum Co, Pearl Oil Co, Salamander Energy Co and NuCoastal Co.

"The projects are just 62 kilometres to 115 kilometres away from Koh Phangan, so could cause harm," he said. "Residents are entitled to their say under Section 67 of the 2007 constitution. I call on the government to review its policy to permit petroleum production in tourist areas."

The village heads club would join residents of Koh Samui in filing a complaint with the Administrative Court. Surat Thani MPs have refused to act on residents' concerns, he said. Mr Montri said he would lead a protest against the projects at the Surat Thani provincial hall. If the government refused to listen to residents' concerns, he would take the protest to Government House in Bangkok.

Ms Wannee said the cost of possible environmental damage caused by drilling for oil would be greater than the income which the government stood to make from the concessions. "We cannot drill for oil in tourist destinations," she said. "It must be stopped. No one believes the government when it says the projects will have no impact. "We will adopt every means we can to stop concessionaires from entering these areas."