Thailand: Alro to wrap up wind farm study

Thailand: Alro to wrap up wind farm study

The Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro) will conclude its examination of
whether wind energy projects comply with Sor Por Kor land lease contract
requirements in the next 45 days, Agriculture and cooperatives Minister
Chatchai Sarikulya says.

Gen Chatchai said Wednesday he had ordered Alro's secretary-general to
conduct inspections into activities run by private companies receiving
approval to lease Sor Por Kor (Alro) land in Nakhon Ratchasima and
Chaiyaphum provinces.

The inspection procedures will take around 45 days to finish, he added.

He was speaking after talking with Energy Minister General Anantaporn
Kanjanarat over the misuse of Sor Por Kor land.

The meeting was attended by relevant officials from the Ministry of
Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Energy. The session was
aimed at ensuring understanding among relevant officials about the issues.

The meeting concluded that 15 companies in Nakhon Ratchasima and Chaiyaphum
provinces including the Thep Sathit Wind Farm run wind farms, with five of
them being operational and the remainder under construction, according to
Gen Chatchai.

He said he had ordered officials to conduct field inspections into wind
farms in question and interview the locals about their activities.

Gen Chatchai said the inspections will focus on two aspects: to find out
whether activities companies are engaged in are for agricultural purposes;
and whether the activities offer direct benefits to farmers.

Earlier, the Nakhon Ratchasima Administrative Court ruled the Chaiyaphum
land reform committee's decision to lease the land to Thep Sathit Wind Farm
Co was unlawful and ordered it revoked.

According to the court, the land lease for the company breached the
agricultural land reform law which requires that use of Sor Por Kor land for
activities other than agriculture can be done only if the activities are in
the interests of farmers.

The court said wind farms generate electricity, which is in the interests of
the public. However, they are also a profit-making business and do not offer
direct benefits to farmers.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1199193/alro-to-wrap-up-wind-farm-st
udy

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com