Radical reform of ‘outdated’ environmental laws urged
Academics and legal experts on November 9 called for radical reforms of decades-old environmental laws, with public participation to ensure the rights of all citizens to live in healthy surroundings. The call was issued as the Law Reform Commission and the Good Governance for Social Development and the Environment Institute hosted an academic forum yesterday titled “Environmental Law Reformation” at the Sukosol Hotel in Bangkok.
The forum stressed the need to significantly revise the Enhance-ment and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act, which is 24 years old and currently under review. Phairoj Pholphet, a former member of the Law Reform Commission and chairman of the Human Rights Lawyer Association chairman, said it was clear that the existing law had seen little success in preventing environmentally harmful projects and could not ensure proper public participation in decision-making.
