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dam-l Pak Mun: One Month On

Assembly of the Poor Demonstration at Pak Mun: One Month On
Ubon Ratchathani April 23, 1999 

Assembly of the Poor (AOP) has been demonstrating for justice since 
March 23, 1999 at Pak Mun Dam site in Ubon Ratchathani. More than 
5,000 villagers have set up a temporary village on the riverbank. Despite 
the hot weather and heavy rain conditions, they continue to 
demonstrate. They have realized that just providing food and funds is not 
enough. They have to mentally prepare themselves because the occupation 
could continue for quite some time. 

In the beginning, organizing over 5,000 people seemed very 
complicated. The first week they had to put up tents and temporary 
houses and organize restrooms, water supply, and document preparation. 
Public outreach was organized for villages around
 the area to explain the reasons for the demonstration. Many groups have 
been set up in the community such as children, young adults, women and
senior groups. 
They have established many organizational committees, such as volunteers
for public health, 
information and reception, security, recreation and stage, culture, job 
training and development, negotiation, campaign, registry, official 
coordination, special events, data and documentation, news analysis and 
press coordination, alliance coordination and international coordination. 

The government and local officials have not only ignored the Assembly of 
the Poor (AOP) demonstration, but have also made false charges against the 
demonstrators. The Government has alleged that opposition parties are
supporting the AOP, with the ultimate aim of bringing down the government.
While local officials state 
that they don’t have the ability to correct the problems, the Electricity 
Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), who oversees the dam, has 
requested that the demonstrators be arrested for unauthorized access to the
dam site. Because of these reactions, AOP has thus far refused to negotiate
with either the government or EGAT. 

This AOP demonstration at Pak Mun Dam site is now based on three 
separate issues. Those being the dam issues network, land right issue 
network and governmental project issue network. 

With respect to the Pak Mun Dam (Pak Mool), it has blocked the migration 
of fish from Mekong river to Mun river. Communities along the Mun river 
who once depended on fishing as their sole resource, can no longer 
catch fish and as a result, have lost their fishery income. Moreover, 
schistosomiasis has infested the river, a life threatening disease which 
affects an individual’s liver and intestines. More than 3,084 families have 
been affected by the dam and in turn demand land compensation of 15 
Rai (2.4 acres) per family for losing their fishery income and more 
importantly, the negligence on the government’s part for not preventing 
this situation from ever occurring.

Sirindhorn Dam. On April 17 and 29, 1997, the Cabinet of Gen.Chawalit’s 
Government approved 1,200 million baht compensation to provide 15 Rai 
(2.4 acres) each of 2,526 families affected by dam;  but the Chuan 
Government canceled this agreement, arguing that it can not give 
compensation to villagers affected by dams which were completed so 
many years ago. The villagers now have the same demands as those 
from Pak Mun. 

Lam Can Chu Dam: Villagers from Chaiyaphum province demand the 
Government compensate them 15 Rai (2.4 acres) for each family and the 
Royal Irrigation Department provide an irrigation canal and irrigation 
system.

Huai Pai Dam: Villagers from Amnat Charoen Province demand that the 
Government compensate them for flooded land, while the Royal Irrigation
Department states that it does not have any compensation policy for small
dams and villagers will have to sacrifice themselves.
In the villager's view, they were not allowed to participate in the
decision making process from the 
beginning. When the dam was completed, they lost their jobs because 
their small lands were all flooded. 

Phrong Khun Pet Dam in Chaiyaphum province and Lam Dom Yai Dam in 
Ubon Ratchani province: (in the planning stage) Villagers demand that 
the projects are cancelled because they fear the environmental and 
social impacts. On April 29, 1997, the Cabinet established a committee to
look into the problems of these two dams. The committee commissioned
environmental and social impact studies of these dams. While these studies
have not yet been completed, the Government has allowed the project owners
to continue working on their projects.

Huai La Har Dam in Ubon Ratchani province: (a small dam) Villagers
affected by this dam, which was completed 20 years ago, demand compensation 
for loss of their lands to flooding.

Dong Phu Lon and Pa Lang Phu National Reserve Forest, Pha Taem 
National Park and Pa Lang Phu Public Land Use in Ubon Ratchani 
province: The territory of the National Reserve Forest overlaps the 
villagers’ land.

Dan Chong Meg Thai-Laos boarder Development Project in Sirindhorn 
district, Ubon Ratchani province: The government forced villagers to 
leave their land and move in to market center village at the Thai-
Laos boarder. This was very expensive for the villagers. Without land 
rights, they will forever be tenants. Villagers demand that the government 
let them live on their land and recognize their rights to the land. 

Written by Assembly of the Poor. Translated from the Thai by 
Teerapong Pomun.




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Aviva Imhof
South-East Asia Campaigner
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley CA 94703 USA
Tel: + 1 510 848 1155 (ext. 312), Fax: + 1 510 848 1008
Email: aviva@irn.org, Web: http://www.irn.org
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