“The government is not sincere in following the Constitution,” Srisuwan said. “I’m not denying development, but development should be based on standards, not just ‘come and take.’”
Heavy pollution from the estate was first noticed in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until 1997 that villagers began to form a green movement after children attending a neighboring school were taken ill.
The school was moved out of the area and further scientific research was carried out. The National Cancer Institute in 2003 found that the highest rates of cancer in Thailand were in Rayong Province, where Map Ta Phut is located.
Lawyer Srisuwan said he would back the villagers all the way, whatever the economic consequences may be.
He said he retaliated for the government’s successful appeals against some of the suspensions by lodging a further nine complaints with Thailand’s administrative court, and said he was working on more than 170 other new cases.
“Don’t talk with me about the economy. I’m ready to fight every organization so that these people can receive justice,” he said.
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