SEAD (Scottish Education and Action for Development)

For years, the people of Prachuap Khiri Khan opposed the plans by US energy company Edison and Thai company Gulf Power to build two coal-fired power stations in the region. The proposed plants were funded by a consortium of US, Japanese, Hong Kong and Thai companies.

“Thailand does need energy, but we don’t want dirty, old fashioned technology dumped on us from the US by Edison,” said one campaigner, Penrapee Noparumpa, “We want clean renewable energy that is not going to destroy the climate or the local subsistence livelihoods.”

One villager, Charoen Wataksorn, was murdered by gunmen outside his home. Charoen was an experienced activist who worked closely with Greenpeace in the successful battle against the proposed coal power stations in Bo Nok and Ban Krut. He was unswerving in his dedication despite numerous threats against him and his family. He was murdered shortly after testifying to a parliamentary committee against powerful figures involved in community land grabs.

The successful campaign to stop the dirty coal plants of Bo Nok and Ban Krut was lead by Chareon in an incredible example of grassroots organising. It is the story of a whole community fighting back against large industrial projects, corruption and bad investments that threaten the local people, communities and the environment. It is an inspiration for the whole environmental movement. Sadly Charoen’s death is not an isolated case. Almost on a daily basis, many community activists, mostly from poor villages in developing countries, face this kind of a threat from vested interests. Sadly, similar cases have gone unreported.

Coal is a fuel of the past – renewable energy is the future

The cancellation of these two coal-fired power plants marked the turning point in Thailand’s clean energy future. Had these plants been built, Thailand would be importing coal from Indonesia and Australia, fuelling global warming and racking up huge debts. Now, the country has domestic options ranging from greater energy efficiency to developing new renewable electricity sources for its energy needs. Charoen also led in this area, helping to install a solar power system on the temple where he lived.

Globally, this campaign is probably the first time ever that two major coal power plants have not been developed once the companies involved had committed to them. It was not an easy victory! The proponents of the Bo Nok plant spent millions on greenwashing their proposal with misleading adverts in national newspapers about ‘Clean Coal’. They also got the US Ambassador to threaten Thailand’s government with ‘capital flight’ and divestment if such major projects were cancelled.

Community action to tackle climate change

In the struggle to stop global warming, it is key to reduce the uptake of coal in economies that largely exist without it. The action taken by Bo Nok and Ban Krut represents a community that has chosen a path towards a clean energy future for themselves and future generations. Their courage and determination should inspire us all to take action on climate change for a cleaner and healthier environment for us all to live in.

Some may not think such local struggles are important in the grand scheme of things as we try to negotiate global emissions reduction targets. Yet we must not forget that dealing with climate change means that above all else we must find practical means of keeping fossil fuels in the ground. It has been said by leading climatologists that burning the earth’s remaining coal, oil and gas would guarantee dramatic climate change, resulting in a different planet from the one on which civilisation developed.