ADB Officials Visit and Offer Little Joy for Villagers by Phairath Khampha 30 June 2000 The Asian Development Bank on June 22, 2000 sent two senior officials to visit the area surrounding Thailand's ADB-financed Klong Dan wastewater treatment plant. ADB president Tadao Chino had promised the visit to one of Thailand's most controversial ABD-funded projects at the bank's annual meeting in Chiang Mai in May when protestors had demanded that the ADB answer in more positive terms to their concerns that the bank's agenda and programs in Thailand were damaging the livelihoods of ordinary Thais while protecting the interests of the economic and political elite. Chino promised a review of the project in the wake of the massive protests and kept his promise to send offiials. Klong Dan village leader, Chalao Thimthong, on June 22 took the two ADB officials on a boat trip around coastal areas which vwould be negatively affected by the project. The officials were shown large mussel farming operations, covering more than 10 km of coastline. After the tour, ADB Bangkok office resident engineer Craig Steffenson said he had no doubts about why the villagers opposed the project. "If I were them, I would do the same thing. I believe they are sincere in [their] opposition to the project, and they [have brought up] many reasonable points," Steffenson said during the trip. After the boat trip, the officials were taken to the Klong Dan community, where 300 villagers waited to further discuss the project. The villagers were from two sub-districts, tambol Klong Dan and tambol Song Klong, near the centre of area most likely to be affected. The bank officials were initially reluctant to enter discussions as they thought their personal safety was at risk, although why thay thought so was not clear. It is not like Thais would attack them out of anger. It is not in the Thai culture to behave in that manner with important guests. One elderly villager suggested that obviously their two guests understood little about Thai culture and traditions. Following guarantees of their safety, they agreed to talk to the villagers. "We are almost all female, and mostly old," said one of Klong Dan's leaders, Dawan Jandrahasadi. "What makes you think we can hurt you? Any one of you could easily beat me up. Come in and have a talk," she said. The villagers carried banners condemning the project and its potential impact on their community. As community leaders discussed the project with the bank officials in the home of Klong Dan Tambol Administration Office chief Narong Yordsirajina, villagers maintained a vigil outside. Some addressed the open-air gathering, relaying their concerns about the project. Inside, the bank's representatives relayed the ADB's official stance--that withdrawal of the loan was impossible. "There are only two ways to withdraw the loan," said Steffenson. "One is that the Thai government proposes its withdrawal, and the other is that the ADB finds the government has violated our loan agreement," he said. "After the protest in Chiang Mai, we reviewed both of these options and found neither was possible," Steffenson said, "The ADB has a program here that involves globalising the world economy and assisting Thailand to enter that new economic system. By following these options we would be denied further involvement in the process which would not be good for Thai businessmen." Dawan argued the bank had rights, and authority, over the use of its own money, even if it was being channelled through the Thai government. Dawan said that although they were poor villagers they could read and understand, and they knew what the bank's policies are and that it can stipulate or influence how projects that it finances are carried out. However, Dawan said, she would not push the bank's officials into a corner because it would not be polite and thus not Thai style. If the representatives were limited in their decision-making ability, she said, she would like them to send a message to the ADB--please properly review the wastewater treatment project and not just talk for our sakes. In other words, she hoped the ADB would not just pay lip service to the Thai people. Dawan also asked the bank to show its sincerity about a review, by pushing the Thai government to organise a public hearing about the project--and temporarily suspending construction works until the review was complete and proper solutions to the problems were formulated. The talks would mean nothing if construction continued, she said, even if it some rich contractors who are friends or family of the politicians lose a little bit of money. They are very rich anyway. "The hearing must be aired on television, so the general public can [see] our reasons for opposing this project," she said. "We believe our reasons will win the public's heart." No concrete conclusion was reached during the meeting. The two officials finally agreed to send a note to the Thai government informing it of the villagers' requests. "Every note the bank sends to the Thai government will be forwarded to the villagers as well," said Graham Jackson, a senior ADB project engineer from the bank's head office in Manila. Jackson heads the Klong Dan project and with it, associated conflicts. Steffenson told village leaders they had put pressure on the wrong group. They should take their demands to the Thai government, he said. "But that is a waste of time," said Dawan to Mr. Jackson, "And if you knew enough about our country you would know that and you would know why."