Page 32 - รายงานการปฏิบัติตามกติการะหว่างประเทศว่าด้วยสิทธิทางเศรษฐกิจ สังคม และวัฒนธรรม

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large industrial undertakings cast negative impact on people living in

the area in many similar ways to those of Map Ta Phut. The current

NHRCT has received up to the present 373 complaints since it

assumed office in June 2009, an average of about 60 out of over

600 complaints it receives in a year, or about 10 percent of all the

complaints received. Major cases of concern include oil drilling in

the northeastern provinces of Khon Kaen, Kalasin and Udon Thani,

the construction of a deep sea port at Pak Bara in the southern

province of Satun, Potash mining in the northeastern provinces of

Chaiyaphume and Udon Thani and gold mining in the northern and

northeastern provinces of Pichit and Loei. On the gold mining case,

people who had suffered serious health problems believed to be

caused by the contamination of heavy metals in the soil and water

sources around the gold mine areas filed a lawsuit at an administrative

court in late 2010 seeking a court order to revoke the patent permit

issued to the gold mine operators. The fact that the problems have

not yet been resolved with any concrete results shows that the Thai

government attaches importance to economic and industrial development

over improvement in the well-being of the people.

17. The NHRCT is of the view that the government should implement

a development policy that is in line with the Declaration on the

Right to Development and the National Economic and Social

Development Plan. It should respect the rights of the people and

promote their meaningful participation in the development process