The meeting, held at 2pm yesterday (Aug 27) and chaired by Thalang District Chief Siwat Rawangkun, brought together key local representatives including Udomsak Samran, representing Phuket MP Thitikan Thitipruethikul.
Also present were Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) Member Nonthakan Kanchanasawat, the Director of the Engineering Division, environmental officers, Village Headman of Moo 5 Kittiwut Samran, and representatives of the developer.
Residents voiced frustration at the dust, noise and safety concerns caused by the ongoing work, calling for stronger oversight of the project, reported the Thalang District Office.
Their demands included a temporary halt to construction to allow the developer and contractor to address impacts, and the immediate installation of walls to block dust and reduce noise and air pollution.
The residents also called for a review of the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), as residents questioned the transparency of the existing report and said photos had been used without their consent.
Villagers stressed they were not opposed to development in principle, but wanted the project to proceed responsibly, with respect for community rights and long-term impacts.
Following lengthy discussions, the fact-finding committee made three key conclusions.
The committee agreed that greater community involvement must be ensured. While the developer had planned a walk-through survey to gauge opinions, locals argued this method was insufficient and left many residents unaware of the project’s impacts.
The committee recommended full public hearings or community meetings to gather concerns before the revised EIA is submitted to the Phuket Provincial EIA Committee, and later to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning.
Cherng Talay Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) has been tasked with inspecting construction activities to ensure compliance with the EIA conditions.
Inspectors found that the developer had not yet established the required monitoring unit and admitted to failing to implement several key mitigation measures, including noise- and dust-reduction walls and road safety controls for heavy machinery.
A monitoring unit will be established from Sept 1. Meanwhile, the Cherng Talay OrBorTor will order the developer to halt construction within seven days unless the deficiencies are corrected.
If improvements are not made, construction will be suspended until full compliance is achieved, Thalang District Office reported.
Concerns were also raised over a waterway passing through the project area. While documents described it as a public canal, its status remains unclear. The fact-finding committee will request clarification from the Thalang Land Office.
In the meantime, the developer has been instructed to preserve the canal area, remove any structures encroaching on it, and restore the watercourse to its original condition pending an official ruling.
Thalang District Chief Siwat said the findings will be forwarded to the relevant agencies for enforcement and review.
“The community has made clear that development must not come at the expense of residents’ health, safety or environment,” he said. “Our duty is to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness for all parties involved.”