2025-01-12
Planned dam in Ratchaburi sparks protests from Karen people
Ratchaburi, Thailand - A new dam is planned to be built in Pa Chee, Ratchaburi, but the project has faced strong opposition from The Karen people who live in the area. They fear the construction will force them to move again, which would be yet another in the series of forced displacements their community has suffered.
The planned dam, "Nong Ta Dang Dam", is part of a government initiative to improve irrigation and water supply in the region. Authorities say the project is necessary for agriculture and water supply, but local people see it as a threat to their way of life and rights to the land.
The struggle of the Karen people for their land
The Karen people in the area already have a history of forced displacement. In the past, many families have been forced to leave their homes in Kaeng Krachan Forest, part of UNESCO's World Heritage Site, to make way for nature conservation areas and development projects.
Now they face the same threat again. Many believe that they have already adapted their lifestyle to living sustainably in the forest and that a further move would destroy their traditional lifestyle and connection to nature.
“We have already been told once that we have to leave our land and start over. Now they want to do it again. But this is where we belong,” says an elderly member of the community.
Environmental effects and the government's arguments
According to environmental groups and activists, the dam would lead to overflowing 3 hectares of forest flooded, which would damage the local ecological balance and threaten animal life. Studies show that Karen communities often have sustainable agricultural practices that contribute to forest conservation, rather than harming it.
However, the Thai government maintains that the dam is important for water supply, irrigation and economic development in the region. According to the authorities, the area where the dam is to be built is state-owned land, but the Karen community says they have lived there for generations.
Right now, the project is in an evaluation phase, but activists warn that if approved, it could lead to mass protests and further legal battles over the rights of indigenous peoples in Thailand.
The Karen people
The Karen people are one of Thailand's largest ethnic minorities and live mainly in the border areas between Thailand and Myanmar.
The number of Karen in Thailand is estimated at approx a million, but many more live across the border in Myanmar. They speak various Karen dialects and some even Thai.
The religion of the Karen people varies between Buddhism, Animism and Christianity, and their traditional lifestyle is based on sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry and handicrafts.
In modern times, many Karen communities have suffered land conflicts and forced displacement as forest and mountain areas became national parks or converted for other development projects.
Text: The editorial staff
Image license: Julius Silver, Pixabay, original image