Pak Chong Residents Erupt in Protest: Rejecting Waste-to-Energy Power Plant Over Pollution Concerns

On February 17, 2026, residents of Pak Chong gathered in front of the district office to protest a proposed 9.9-megawatt waste-to-energy power plant. Led by Saman 'Uncle Boom' Kobrumay and supported by local tourism businesses, hotels, restaurants, dairy farmers, schools, and religious institutions, the protesters held signs with messages like 'We Don't Want Trash' and 'Stop the Waste Power Plant'. The demonstrators marched through the city, using sound systems to voice their opposition. Concerns primarily centered on potential environmental pollution affecting groundwater, air quality, and the region's tourism industry. Benjaporn, a 43-year-old representative, emphasized that Pak Chong is a world-class ozone-rich destination and that such a plant would inevitably damage local tourism. Local residents accused government authorities of not listening to community concerns and approving the project without proper consultation. They argue that the waste management facility, planned to process trash from five districts, was secretly developed without transparency, potentially benefiting only a few investors at the community's expense.