Prachinburi Villagers Unanimously Reject Biomass Power Plant
Around 200 residents from 11 villages in Kabin Buri, Prachinburi, packed a meeting at the Ban Na SAO to oppose a proposed biomass power plant. After hearing the developer's promises of jobs and pollution controls, a village health volunteer warned of severe PM2.5 pollution observed at similar plants in the north. The crowd unanimously voted against the project, demanding the company provide written confirmation that it would not be built.
Residents from 11 villages in Kabin Buri district, Prachinburi province, rallied at the Ban Na Subdistrict Administrative Organization (SAO) in a show of force to oppose the Kabin Buri Clean Energy Power Plant project by ACE Kabinburi Power Plant Co., Ltd. (Public Company Limited). The gathering followed an invitation by project officials for the SAO president, kamnan, village headmen, and community representatives to hear a presentation on the benefits of a biomass power plant (using wood chips, bark, sugarcane leaves, and palm fronds).
The company brought eight sweet-sounding promotions: promoting energy crop purchases for income, creating 100-150 jobs, reducing PM2.5 from open burning, solving power outages, a local development fund supporting schools and healthcare, CSR activities, stimulating local shops, and a closed-loop dust capture and wastewater system with zero external discharge.
However, before entering the meeting room, Ban Na Kamnan Ekachai Singthongda addressed the villagers outside, declaring emphatically: "Today they opened the stage for us to listen; we listened. If we don't want it, we don't want it. It's not up to the kamnan or the president; it's up to all of us brothers and sisters. Want it? Want it. Don't want it? Don't want it. Just tell them that!" prompting roaring cheers.
Thirty village representatives then entered the meeting room for over 45 minutes. When questions were allowed, Ms. Kanlaya Chaiprempridi, a village health volunteer from Ban Na, took off her cap and spoke pointedly. She said she had visited similar plants in the north and found PM2.5 levels extremely high. "Our home is in a different province; the air and environment are already good. Just today we have pig and chicken farms, with manure spilling and causing foul smells. Villagers and local leaders are already exhausted solving these problems!"
"We're not narrow-minded, but we're living well and happily already. Please, go build it somewhere else! We ask for our space, we ask for clean air, we ask for oxygen without toxins. When a factory first comes, they say there's no impact, everything is good. But once built, problems come flooding in. By then, opposing it will be too late," the female volunteer said with emotion.
After the presentation, the villagers of Ban Na reached a unanimous resolution: "Do not accept and absolutely do not allow the construction of a power plant in this area!" They immediately demanded the company sign a written record as evidence.
Before leaving, all villagers gathered in front of the Ban Na SAO, raised their fists in a symbolic gesture, and chanted in unison "Don't want! Don't want! Don't want!" shaking the SAO building before dispersing peacefully under the close watch of officials.
