Xayaburi Dam Opponents Appeal Against Administrative Court Ruling | The Nation
This article originally appeared in The Nation.
Residents affected by the Xayaburi Dam living in eight provinces along the Mekong River appealed to the Administrative Court Monday against five Thai government agencies that backed the building of the dam.
The appeal called for the court to reverse its previous verdict by making the five defendants - the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), the National Energy Policy Council, the Energy Ministry, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Cabinet - to adhere to relevant laws.
They want state bodies to complete environmental studies, health and social impact reviews, and arrange proper public hearings before purchasing any power from the Xayaburi Dam.
The recent lawsuit came after the Administrative Court delivered a verdict in favour of the defendants on Christmas Day last year, reasoning that the five government agencies had fully complied with formal procedures under a power purchasing agreement and had properly disclosed information on the dam deal.
