APIC ’07: New Thai petchem complex unlikely

18 May 2007 09:55  [Source: ICIS news]

TAIPEI (ICIS news)--A proposal to set up an alternative petrochemical zone in Thailand's violence-plagued southern state of Pattani is unlikely to materialise because of logistical and infrastructure limitations, an executive at a PTT subsidiary said on Friday.

“The current zone at Map Ta Phut is where the heart of the petrochemical industry is and will stay,” said the executive on the fringes of the annual Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference.

He said the controversy surrounding pollution at the Eastern Seaboard-based Map Ta Phut petrochemical zone was “white noise” and wouldn’t effect investment at the park in the future.

The government recently re-approved cracker projects for petrochemical giant PTT and Siam Cement after a freeze on projects to investigate allegations of spiralling pollution levels.

The zone has come under scrutiny after environmental activists said cancer causing agents had seeped into ground soil and that pollution levels from companies were to blame.       They had called for future investments to be halted.

The troubled Pattani province was designated a possible alternative as were other sites including Sichol in Nakorn Si Thammarat province because of pressure from activists.

“Thailand is too small to cater to more petrochemical zones. We are only the size of Texas,” the executive said, adding there was no infrastructure to support a site and security would be a major problem.

In a speech to delegates earlier in the day, Supachai Watanangura, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries Petrochemical Industry Club said companies had exercised great care in terms of environmental stewardship and business was ‘dead serious’ about protecting communities.

“No matter how stringent our standards are, how well we treat our stakeholders, sadly, perception is larger than reality,” said Supachai.

“And some people bring the matter to an overblown magnitude to their own personal advantage,” he added.

By: Matt Kovac
+65 6780 4359

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