In a bid to create the impression that the coal-fired power plant in Krabi has won backing from locals, Krabi governor Pinit Boonlert submitted a list of supporters' signatures last week, totalling 15,000, to the government. He made the comments in response to the fresh round of protests by anti-coal supporters at Government House last month. Needless to say, the Krabi governor's move indicates an escalating conflict and confrontation between supporters and opponents of the controversial power plant, proposed by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat). The referendum-style tactic will blur the facts regarding the power plant project and its negative effects on the environment which are crucial for a province which depends so heavily on tourism. It will disregard some issues like the excessive energy reserve margin that resulted from the erroneous demand forecast in the national power development plan (PDP).

Source: Bangkok Post December 03, 2016 00:09 UTC