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Dialogue Forum 8 (in Thai) The Environmental Challenges under Thailand’s Constitutions: Progress and Setbacks
24 November, 2020 @ 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Protection of natural resources and the environment as well as access to the resources have long been an issue no less critical than politics or economic issues. To say the least, the issue itself is political.
In 1997, the Constitution firmly acknowledged people’s rights to the resources and the environment as well as their rights to join the state in protecting those resources and the environment for the first time, shifting an ownership status as well as the relationship between the state and people over the resources and the environment towards more of partnership.
However, it had hardly been enforceable and materialized due to the lack of legal mechanisms to support it up until it was scrapped due to the coup in 2006.
The 2017 Constitution is seen as another attempt to address the issue. This time it has tried to materialize people’s rights with more concrete approaches; be they stating firmly the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, stating the duty of the state to fulfil such the task for the people, stating several prime environmental issues to be tackled under the state’s policies, and last but not least, stating natural resources and environmental management as part of the reform’s efforts.
As pointed by some constitutional drafters, all these are meant to help secure people’s rights over the resources and the environment as supposed to be.
Still, some flaws and loopholes are observed, particularly the point that what addressed in the Constitution have rather steered the efforts backwards, while failing to keep up with rapid change.
When there are growing calls for a major amendment of the 2017 Constitution, it would also be a good time for concerned parties to look back what has been attempted to as much as what has been achieved and failed, regarding our natural resources and environment, and find the best way to address them together for the best interests of the country and the people at large as a new opportunity is provided as such.
The Dialogue Forum, therefore, would cordially like to invite you to explore the way to address natural resources and environmental management fort the best interests of the country and the people in this challenging time in its Dialogue Forum 8: The Environmental Challenges under Thailand’s Constitutions: Progress or Setbacks at SEA-Junction 408, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, on November 24, 2020 (4.30 pm-7 pm).
Contact:
Bangkok Tribune coordinator: Piya Wong @089 920 8027/ Bangkok Tribune News FB Messenger
**In accordance with the COVID-19 regulation, please confirm your participation ahead of the event (limited seats available).
***You can also watch the event live at FB Live: Bangkok Tribune News FB Page
Partners
- Thai Society of Environmental Journalists
- Project SEVANA South-East Asia
- SEA-Junction
- Bangkok Tribune News Agency
Supported by: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Thailand Office)
Program
| 4.30 pm | Registration |
| 4.55 pm | Brief introduction of the forum and the topic of the forum |
| 5.00 pm | Overview: Addressing natural resources and environment and community rights in Thai Constitutions; 2 decades of transition |
| 5.10 pm | Forum discussion: The Environmental Challenges under Thailand’s Constitutions: Progress or Setbacks |
| 6.30 pm | Q&A session |
| 7.00 pm | Wrap-up and closing of the forum |
Speakers:
- Prof. Dr. Jade Donavanik, a former advisor to the 2017 Constitution’s Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC)
- Professor Narong Jaiharn, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
- Apichat Sirisoontorn, Chair of the House’s Standing Committee on Land, Natural Resources, and Environment/ Move Forward Party MP
- Supaporn Malailoy, Manager, Environmental Litigation and Advocacy for the Wants (EnLAW)
- Orapin Lilitvisitwong, Editor, Thai PBS’s website, Decode
