Residents of Chumphon’s Phato district opposing the government’s Land Bridge megaproject say it brings no clear benefits to locals while endangering their livelihoods, the environment, and community ties.
At a public forum held on Tuesday in Phato, opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and a team of People’s Party (PP) MPs met with around 200 villagers to discuss the controversial Chumphon-Ranong Land Bridge.
Participants overwhelmingly rejected the project, citing concerns that it would harm the district’s agricultural economy and disrupt the region’s ecological balance.
Benjawan Thapthimthong, leader of the Rak Phato Network, said that 97% of Phato’s population depends on agriculture, generating over eight billion baht annually.
Yet, only a quarter of local farmland has proper land titles, leaving many vulnerable to expropriation.
She warned that the project would turn landowners into wage labourers while devastating farmland, forests, and waterways across Phato, Lang Suan, Thung Tako, and Lamae districts.
Covering more than 18,000 rai, she said, the planned industrial zones, transport routes, and deep-sea ports could dry up rivers and pollute the environment.
Ms Benjawan questioned the rationale for promoting industrialisation that might contaminate local produce. “If our durians become tainted and rejected abroad, who will buy them?” she asked.
She also criticised the drafted Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) bills, arguing that they give sweeping privileges to foreign investors and allow unrestricted foreign labour, even in jobs reserved for Thais.
Somchok Jungjaturant of the Chumphon-Ranong Land Protection Network added that many villagers lack formal land rights, making it easier for authorities to suppress opposition.
He called for a comprehensive land survey, the repeal of outdated land laws, and stronger protection of community rights.
Mr Natthaphong reaffirmed the PP’s opposition to the drafted SEC bills, saying they lack strategic environmental assessment, fair public participation, and could violate constitutional rights.
He warned that the governments, under the Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai parties, are prioritising investors over people, deepening inequality and damaging the South’s natural and cultural heritage.
Local residents urged the government to invest in sustainable agriculture, tourism, and fisheries — industries that are rooted in the region’s strengths and traditions. They said true progress should build prosperity without sacrificing land, water, and community values.