Plodprasob, the deputy prime minister, announced to downsize the project and change its host from the Royal Irrigation Department to the commission which he is chairman as the opposition Democrat party is to question the prime minister on Mae Wong dam project today in Parliament.
He said that as the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the environment and health impact assessment (EHIA) conducted by the department were rejected by environmentalists, it was agreed that the project should be scrapped to pave the way for the restudy of the impact.
He said that as the Mae Wong dam project is a part of his commission’s 350 billion baht water and flood management scheme, it would be better for new study of its impact and then sound out public opinions again.
He said that the Chinese firm, ITD Power China Joint Venture, has been tasked to redesign and construct the dam.
He said that the Mae Wong dam project had earlier been approved by previous government to be constructed with a budget of around 13 billion baht, and to be hosted by the Royal Irrigation Department.
But he said now after scrapping it, the water and flood management commission would take charge of it.
He said that the new EIA and EHIA studies could begin immediately after the commission has completed its public forums on its 350-billion baht water and flood management scheme.
At the same time yesterday Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called on those environmentalists to sit down at talks with the Water and Flood Management Commission, saying the government was ready to listen to all their voices as the government also wanted to balance nature and flood problems too.