Protest Planned Over Southern Economic Corridor, Land Bridge Projects in Thailand
THAILAND — A coalition of 94 groups opposing the government’s Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) and land bridge megaproject has vowed to stage protests on July 1 if the legislation advances without major revisions.
Prasitchai Nunuan, leader of the SEC Watch group, said the network plans to block roads leading to Southern Thailand as part of the demonstration. Protesters argue that the SEC bill — currently under government review — could enable the “takeover” of the south by granting excessive privileges to foreign investors.
Critics liken the SEC bill to the controversial Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) bill, which they claim resulted in forced land acquisitions and lacked a genuine understanding of local contexts. Prasitchai warned the SEC project could similarly disrupt agriculture, tourism, and the livelihoods of southern communities by reallocating land and water resources.
Specific concerns include:
- Allowing foreign ownership of land and condominiums.
- Permitting public land leases of up to 99 years.
- Easing restrictions on hiring migrant workers, bypassing immigration controls.
The activist network believes the land bridge project alone would not attract sufficient investor interest without additional incentives like those proposed under the SEC bill. They plan to formally request changes by submitting a letter to the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) in May.
The government, led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has yet to respond to the growing backlash.
