As the government is pushing for a massive expansion of sugarcane and the construction of 29 new sugar mills in the Northeast, many communities are pushing back. But others welcome the development projects, hoping for a boost of local economies.
An analysis of Thailand’s sugar industry hampered by low world sugar prices, farmers consistently growing at a loss, and local opposition to new sugar mills as the government champions “Smart Farming,” an 80 percent increase of sugarcane production by 2026, and 29 new mills in the Northeast. How do these plans square up with reality?
Representatives of Mitr Phol Group and the Office of Cane and Sugar Board talk about sugarcane in the Northeast and their role in the region’s sugar scheme.
Northeast Thailand has the potential to become a solar power hub. But with high installation costs, the government should do more to promote the use of alternative energy.
Locals in Mueang Phia were ready to put up fierce opposition against the construction of a sugar mill and power plant close to their homes. But in an unexpected move this week, the company announced to postpone the project that is feared will pollute the air and damage the delicate ecosystem of Lake Lawa.
A local protest group in Ban Phai District in Khon Kaen Province opposes a sugarcane factory and power plant project planned in the area.
Locals affected by pollution from a power plant in Roi Et Province are planning to sue after the number of cases of respiratory diseases more than tripled in the past few years.
