Thai PTT takes steps to end industrial estate row
BANGKOK, Oct 22 (Reuters) - PTT PCL (PTT.BK), Thailand's top energy firm, said on Thursday it would take steps to comply with environmental health regulations in a bid to end a row that has halted some operations at the country's largest industrial complex.
Its move was in response to a Thai court's injunction on Sept. 29 to suspend $9 billion worth of operations at 76 industrial plants at Map Ta Phut in the eastern province of Rayong, home to the world's eighth-biggest petrochemical hub, because of environmental and health issues.
State-controlled PTT said in a statement it had joined with government agencies to seek practical ways to assess the health impact of its 25 projects worth a combined 120 billion baht ($3.6 billion).
Among the projects are its sixth gas separation plant, a gas-fired power plant and gas pipeline projects, plus projects belonging to PTT affiliates including PTT Aromatics and Refining PTTAR.BK and PTT Chemical PTTC.BK.
"PTT will conduct the HIA report, which will be incorporated into previous environmental impact assessments of the 25 projects," the statement said, referring to health impact assessments (HIA).
Among the 76 projects affected by the suspension are some run by foreign companies, including a Thai unit of Germany's Bayer (BAYGn.DE), India's Aditya Birla Chemicals (ADYA.BO) and Australia's BlueScope Steel Ltd (BSL.AX).
The National Health Commission has issued rules on HIAs, aiming to protect villagers from health hazards caused by industrial projects and development schemes.
On Wednesday, the Thai Bankers Association sent an open letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, asking the government to settle the dispute quickly because it would affect not only industrial operators but also their partners, financial institutions and the public.
Under Thailand's 2007 constitution, companies must receive approval for new industrial projects that might be harmful to people and the community.
Before 2007, industrial plants needed only to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) at Map Ta Phut.
Most companies complied with EIA rules but failed to meet HIA requirements because the government had not set up an independent organisation to oversee the health impact. ($1=33.40 Baht) (Reporting by Khettiya Jittapong; Editing by Alan Raybould)
