Environmental NGOs' International Symposium on Dams

People Movement Against Dams in Thailand

Chainarong Sretthachau Southeast Asia Rivers Network (SEARIN)

Background of Dam Building Policies in Thailand

With more than 40 large scale dams constructed between 1960 and the present, the number of big dam projects in Thailand is much greater than in neighboring countries.

The Thai State dam building policies regarding large-scale dam projects were started in the 1950's. The policies came as a result of Henry Truman's New Deal Method and the New World Order. After WWII the U.S. and several other 1st world nations occupied Thailand and cooperated with the state to develop Thailand as a symbol of capitalism in this region. This was during the "golden era" of dam construction in the U.S., so when they used the New Deal Method to develop Thailand and other 3rd world nations, their main emphasis was on building dams for electricity and irrigation. When the Thai government began creating the dam building policies, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Bureau of Reclamation, the two largest dam builders in the states, came to Thailand to

establish feasibility studies. They focused particularly on the mainstream of the Mekong, in Northeast Thailand. At this time there were many 1st world nations, led by the U.S., involved in the development of Thailand. The United Nations and the World Bank, both of whom being strongly influenced by the U.S., played major roles in the development process of Thailand. UN and World Bank strongly encouraged and supported the Thai government in creating the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). Also, in 1957 the UN and several 1st world nations established the Mekong Committee, whose main objective was to develop the Mekong River for power and electricity through the construction of dams. The Mekong Committee was created as a result of U.S. interest in the development of dams in Thailand, and its beginnings can be traced back throughout U.S. involvement. UN and World Bank were the 2 major international agencies involved in the development process, but many 1st world countries also had national agencies supporting the various development projects. Among these were the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA), and other overseas development agencies. The Colombo Plan was another tool used by 1st world nations to develop dams in Thailand. During this period over 50 dam projects, indeed every dam project in Thailand, were planned by the 1st world nations.

The second stage of dam development in Thailand occurred during the Indochina wars, at the end of the 1960's. At the beginning of the wars, the U.S. sent several thousand army troops to occupy the Thai-Laos border. The U.S. established many

army bases throughout Thailand, with the main concentration being in the Northeast Region. During this time many dams were constructed to supply water and electricity to U.S. troops. Others were also raised to flood areas known to contain communist forces, as in the case of Sirinthorn Dam, which also supplied electricity to U.S. troops.

In 1976, at the end of the second stage of development, the Americans were forced to leave Thailand due to heavy pressure from the Thai people's movement. However, the World Bank maintained its influence in the dam projects of Thailand after the U.S. had withdrawn. The Mekong Committee was also halted due to the war, but it still had small amounts of work under the name Interim Mekong Committee.

During the first 2 stages of dam projects in Thailand, the U.S. played the most influential role in development, with Japan coming next. But after 1980, with the U.S. presence no longer felt in Thailand, Japan became the key international player in the dam projects. This marks the beginning of the 3rd stage of development. Japan used the same tactic that the U.S. had, creating a policy similar to the New Deal Method, to develop 3rd world nations. The Japanese had planned to build 15 mega-projects around the world, the major projects being dams. One of these mega-projects is dam construction on rivers at the feet of the Himalayas. Between 1980 and the present, the Japanese have planned and commenced preliminary studies on more than 30 dam projects and around 10 large scale water diversion

projects. The latter aim to channel water from the Salween and Mekong Basins to existing dams in Thailand.

Near the end of the Cold War, the other 1st world nations returned to Thailand and recovered the dam projects, particularly in the Mekong Region of Northeast Thailand. The Mekong Committee was recovered and changed its name to the Mekong River Commission. The Pak Mun dam marked the return of the 1st world nations to Thailand and the Mekong Region.

At present, several dam projects are in the process of being planned. Even though Thailand is facing an economic crisis, the Thai dam building agencies still support the very costly large-scale dam projects, claiming that this will put an end to the drought and prevent flooding. But in reality, the Thai dam building agencies are working in cooperation with the international dam builders to create work for themselves.

People Movement Against Dam

The people's movement against dams in Thailand can be divided into 3 periods of time.

The first began in 1960, when the Bhumipol dam was built in Northern Thailand by a business company from the U.S. During that time Thailand was under the dictatorship, giving villagers little power to stop the dam. However, they did not

agree with the relocation program and refused to leave their villages. All of the dams constructed at this time required that villagers be relocated, and the compensation for affected villagers was very minimal and sometimes nonexistent. The dam builders never conducted an environmental impact assessment report (EIA) at any time during construction. Many villagers strongly opposed the dam projects not only because compensation was so poor, but also because they wanted to preserve the environment and their communities. No rallies or protests were staged, the villagers simply remained in their communities, praying to the local spirits to stop construction of the dam, until the water flooded their villages.

At the beginning of the Indochina wars, near the end of the 1960's, many groups of affected villagers were protesting the dam projects. In 1973 the dictatorship was replaced by a democracy, and this gave the people more power against state policies. Human rights also became a major issue of concern. Because of the democratic atmosphere, the groups of villagers affected by development projects formed the Thai Farmers Federation. This organization was at the forefront of the groups opposed to state policies, which included dam projects. Even though the affected villagers had gained much strength, the government still refused to acknowledge them. The state officials did, however, start using violence to intimidate the protesting villagers. In August of 1974, 2 village leaders who opposed the Mab Prachan dam in Eastern Thailand were killed. Between 1974 and '77, state officials used much violence against the protestors. In the case of Huai Luang dam in Northeast Thailand, which the government wanted to build to supply water to the

US Army Base Headquarters in Udon Thani, about 200 villagers were killed by the border police. Several times the policemen and soldiers placed landmines around the village. A group of local men, who had been given special state training, raided the village several times. State officials told this group that the protesting villagers were communists. Sometimes, when student activists would join the villagers' protests, the police and state officials would arrest the students. Then they would parade them around the city, announcing over a loud speaker that the students were communists.

In 1976, after the October bloodshed in Bangkok, the students' movement and the Thai Farmers Federation were destroyed. Many farmers leaders were killed, and those who remained joined communist forces to fight against the government. This period marked the end of the democracy, as well as the end of the rural people's movement against dam projects.

In 1980, the people's movement against dams was reestablished, particularly in the case of Nam Choan dam in Western Thailand. The movement against this dam came not only from the local villagers, but from students and the middle class in the cities as well. With Nam Choan dam, the dam issues became a major concern of the Green Movement in Thailand. Many different classes of people joined in the demonstrations against the Nam Choan dam. The middle class from the cities, as well as NGOs, were getting involved in the dam projects for the first time. After fighting against the dam builders for 10 years, the people's movement finally won out and construction of Nam Choan was cancelled. This victory for the people's

movement created momentum for groups opposed to dam projects. Around Thailand, the opposition to dams became much stronger, and several dams were stopped by the people's movement. Local villagers, student groups, environmental groups, and NGOs also held many campaigns to include affected people in the decision-making process on dams, as well as improve the Environmental Act (EA). Specifically, they demanded that any large-scale dam project conduct an EIA before approval of the dam. Finally, in 1992 Parliament passed a new EA requiring big projects to conduct an EIA before approval of the project. In 1997, a new Constitution was written stating that dam builders must have a public participation process with affected people on any big dam project. However, in reality the dam builders are not much concerned with the new EA and Constitution, which is made abundantly clear in the case of Rasi Salai dam. Rasi Salai dam was built in 1992 without an EIA or proper public participation. The Department of Energy Development and Promotion (DEDP) did not release any information about the dam, claiming that they would only build a 4.5 meter rubber weir. What they actually built was a 9 meter concrete dam that inundated over 100 square kms of land.

For Thai society, as well as the Green Movement, the main emphasis is placed on forest degradation. In fact, the main impacts of recently constructed dams have been on fisheries and local communities whose livelihood is based around the river. So dam builders were able to construct Pak Mun and Rasi Salai dams because there was no impact on the forests. But thousands of people have lost their ways of life, communities, and source of food and income because of these dams. The state and

dam builders have also developed the tactic of bribing local villagers, headsmen, and powerful local politicians so that they will fight against the people's movement. So in 1993 the affected villagers began establishing a network of people affected by dam construction in each region. In 1995 they held a Pak Mun declaration announcing the network. Other groups of villagers affected by different development projects and state policies joined the network and the Assembly of the Poor (AOP) was established. Between 1996 and '97 many demonstrations were staged in Bangkok under the new AOP title, the longest of which lasted 99 days in front of the Government House. The demonstrations were successful because the government appointed the Adhoc Committee to review the 4 planned dam projects. The Committee was to focus particularly on the people participation process. The Cabinet also approved a budget to compensate affected villagers from 9 existing dams, including Pak Mun and Rasi Salai. However, in October of 1997, when Mr. Chuan Leekpai became Prime Minister and the government changed over, a new Cabinet Resolution was passed that canceled the promised compensation. It said that no compensation would be paid to people affected by dam construction in the past.

The new government also tried to push forward with the 4 planned dams, as well as 4 new dams and water diversion projects. Because the middle class strongly supported the Chuan government, it was difficult for AOP to demonstrate in Bangkok. The locals claimed that the demonstrators were troublemakers for creating traffic and disrupting business. So the people's movement developed a

new method of protesting. They are now occupying 4 dam sites, including Pak Mun and Rasi Salai. This is the last resort of the affected people, they've tried everything else and nothing has worked. In the case of Rasi Salai, the villagers are determined not to move until they achieve justice, even though they risk drowning because their village is in the reservoir.

In the future, the people's movement will work to prevent the construction of any new dams in Thailand. As for the existing dams, the villagers will continue to protest until they are given compensation. The reason they demand compensation however, is because they have been left with no other options. Money cannot replace their lost livelihoods and destroyed communities. Their long-term goal is removal of the dams, so that they may regain the ways of life they once enjoyed. The level of hardships these people have endured is enormous, and the only thing that can truly compensate them for their loss is removal of the dams.

Thailand was the first country in its region to construct a dam, and hopefully it will be the first to remove a dam