The building, they complain, will be higher than the monument, meaning it will “look down” on the figures of the two heroines, Thao Thepkrassattri and Thao Srisoonthorn.
As a result, the provincial Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) committee chaired by Vice-Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak today (December 1), has requested the jewellery company, Royal Gems, to adjust the plan.
“The three-story building, which would be 12 metres high, should be redesigned so that it is lower than the top of the monument,” he said.
He noted, “There is nothing illegal in this case but it affects local people’s feelings about structures looking down on sacred items.
“Villagers in the area said they were not informed about the details of the project, and community leaders complained to Provincial Hall as soon as they heard about it.
“We believe [the planners of] big projects should listen to the local community before planning construction. This does not need to be as big a process as a public hearing, but they should at least make sure that people living nearby will not be affected by the project in any way.”
Asked about existing buildings near the Heroines that are higher than the monument, the Vice-Governor said this topic was not before the committee for consideration, and in any case, many buildings on the island were built before EIAs were introduced.
However, he said, from now on, anyone planning a new building must be aware of the rules and local sensitivities.
Asked about why the committee takes so long to approve EIAs, V/Gov Somkiet explained that the process is very intricate. Officers have to make sure that the environment will not be affected by construction or by the completed structure.
“It is a very detailed process, especially in Phuket, with its high population density and limited natural resources. We have to be very careful about the environmental impact.
“Every month the committee looks at and makes decisions on 10 to 20 projects,” he added.
“People – especially foreigners – may not understand why it takes such a long time but each case has to be considered by a provincial committee of around 20 officers from sections involved, such as the Provincial Environment Office, the District Chiefs and the Land Office, and chaired by the governor or a vice-governor.”
He added that one of his most serious concerns is that, once they have receive EIA approval, the owners of projects do not build the structure in a way that was approved by the committee.
“There are frequent cases where this happens. They build differently from what they filed when they asked for EIA approval.”
“After the assessment is approved by the provincial committee, the Provincial Environment Office is responsible for following up and checking if the builder is proceeding according to the EIA.
“If the building is different from the plans provided to the committee, the builder has to pull down and reconstruct the building or the part of it [that does not conform with the EIA].”