Phuket Governor’s New Committee To Check All Projects

Intent on property reforms, the Governor of Phuket, Wichai Praisa-nob, today called on firms involved in checking the environmental effects of development projects to perform their role diligently.

He also has plans to improve public access in future to Phuket’s beaches, and to more strictly control the 80 metre building limit.

Khun Wichai said he was anxious to make sure that Phuket’s environment is protected, especially in sensitive areas near mangroves or beaches or around smaller islands.
With that in mind, he has set up a new review committee to assess projects, one by one.

The committee places an additional layer of scrutiny on the existing approvals system, he added.
”We need the truth about environmental effects,” he said. ”This is not about large fees but about professional accuracy.”

The governor said that he would make sure any firm involved in environmental examinations that passed on false information would be banned from operating on the island.

He believes Phuket needs its own special set of laws to govern future development properly.
There were no penalty at present for false declarations about environmental conditions, the governor said.

More than 30 people with vested interests in the processes and the outcomes of environmental assessments were at today’s meeting at Provincial Hall.

”I plan to protect the interests of the people and Thailand,” he said.
”We aim to process projects through this new step as fast as we can. Everything should be done within 45 days.”
He made the point that there would no longer be the opportunity for developers to ”privatise” beaches by minimised access from adjoining land.

The new Natural Resources and Environment Approvals Board, consisting of 13 members, was established on August 17 and approved by the governor on August 26.
The governor will chair the committee, which will oversee IEE and IEA certification.

Handed out today at the meeting was a statement announcing the rationale for the new structure and emphasising the importance of environmental protection.

The committee would meet at least once a month, the statement said.
The governor added that any project where construction was on a slope of more than 35 degrees would not win approval.

All projects on public land would be included.
The governor came to Phuket earlier this year with a reputation for expertise on issues relating to property.

News from : phuketwan.com 28-08-09