Chiang Rai News

Thai Residents Not Reassured by Pledge to Review their Concerns Over Laos Pak Bang Dam

Thongsuck Inthawong, Ban Huay Leuk village head, addresses his concerns over the Pack Dan Hydropower dam project.

CHIANG RAI – Residents living along the Mekong River in Thailand have expressed concerns over the Pak Bang Dam in Laos and urged the Lao government to reconsider the project amid worries it could cause major flooding in Chiang Rai and destroy people’s livelihoods.

However, the Water Resources Department said yesterday at the final public hearing regarding the dam in Chiang Rai’s Wiang Kaen district that people’s concerns would be presented to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in line with the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA).

Plans for the dam would be adjusted to mitigate transboundary impacts, the department added.

Residents in Chiang Khong District register before entering the public hearing on the Pack Dang Hydrodam Project.

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Ban Huai Leuk village head Thongsuk Inthawong said at the forum that his greatest concern was that the dam would cause major flooding in Wiang Kaen district, with 50 per cent of the arable land submerged and many families forced to relocate.

“The backwater from the Pak Beng Dam will surely reach Thailand and cause severe impacts for people who live along the Mekong River and its tributaries, since the backwater will not only flood fertile farmland on the river banks, but water levels will also rise in tributaries and flood paddy fields in the area,” Thongsuk said.

“We also worry about the impact to the Mekong River ecosystem, since the life of local people depends heavily on the river.”

He said he was also unsure who would be responsible for transboundary damage since the Lao government had not been clear on the subject.

View of the Mekong River taken in Chiang Khong District.

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“I don’t think the Lao government will compensate us every year for the chronic impact of the dam. It is unfair that the Thai people will have to bear the burden from a foreign project, so the Lao government should really reconsider the project,” he said.

Jirasak Inthayot, the coordinator for Rak Chiang Khong, or the “Love Chiang Khong”, group also expressed concerns over the impacts to the river ecosystem and people’s livelihood.

Jirasak said Chinese dams on the upper part of the Mekong River had already affected the environment and the new dam in Laos would make the situation worse. People would be unable to identify which project caused the impacts, making compensation claims difficult, he said.

He added that the PNPCA procedures did not prevent harmful impacts on the river, since there was no guarantee that the project developer would take people’s concerns seriously and prevent impacts for the entire river basin.

“People have not had a chance to read the information about the dam before raising their voices in the forum, since the booklet about the dam was just handed to attendees at the registration point and most information was very technical and in English, which is very hard for local people to understand,” he said.

However, Mekong River Management Bureau director Nuanla-or Wongpinitwarodom said people’s concerns would be conveyed in the PNPCA process presented to the Lao government so the project developer could improve the plan.

“We cannot ask them to stop the project, as it would violate the sovereignty of their territory, but Laos also has to respect our rights to use the river, so they have to consider our concerns,” Nuanla-or said.

She added that all concerns and suggestions from local people would be summarised in the report submitted to the MRC, which would be discussed at a meeting on June 19.

“This is not the end of the story, because we can submit our concerns directly to the Lao government or the MRC after the PNPCA process, if it seems that the dam project will cause transboundary impacts to Thailand.”

According to the MRC, the Pak Beng Dam will be a 912-megawatt, run-of-river hydropower development project with investment from the Chinese firm China Datang Corporation. The dam is expected to create a 559-million-cubic-metre reservoir, with the backwater predicted to reach Kaeng Pha Dai at the Thailand-Laos border in Wiang Kaen district.

The dam site is about 97 kilometres downstream from Wiang Kaen district, while 90 per cent of the electricity produced at the dam is intended to be sold to Thailand.

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM

The Nation

Chiang Rai News

Chiang Rai Man Kills Woman’s Infant Daughter When She Refuses His Sexual Advances

Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.

Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai

On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.

After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.

She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.

Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.

Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.

When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.

He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.

After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.

Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Police in Chiang Rai Launch Crackdown on Cyber Criminals in Golden Triangle

CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.

On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.

His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.

According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.

They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.

The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.

The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.

In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.

They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.

According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.

The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.

When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.

Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.

Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.

During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.

The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.