"Sync up our green goals", 7 November 2025

Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin made a bold pledge this week to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 -- 15 years earlier than the earlier deadline.

The big question is whether the country can achieve that. It is worth noting that at least half of Thailand's energy comes from fossil fuels and natural gas, and that less than 20% of the energy consumed in the country is renewable.

As the government shows off its green sustainability goals, the reality on the ground offers a different picture.

…, villagers from Khao Hin Son in Chachoengsao province's Phanom Sarakham district are camping in front of Government House in Bangkok.

The villagers are campaigning under the "Chachoengsao RE-Power" network. They left their hometown on Nov 1 and started marching to the capital city, over 120 kilometres away.

Their goal is to warn Prime Minister Anutin Charvirakul about the dangers of the Burapa gas-fired power plant project, which is to be built near their community.

The villagers are upset that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approved an electricity generation licence for the project ...

The ERC had promised to visit the designated site … to examine environmental and social conditions and also conduct meaningful public consultations, but this never happened.

The network said it had submitted a written request to the ERC, questioning its "rushed action" on the project.

It wants a transparent and fair process that respects the community's right to participate in the development of their community. Until now, there has been no response from the ERC to the villagers.

Without a doubt, the rushed approval of the licence raises questions about whether the ERC is on the same page as the national government on the net-zero goal, not to mention concerns about public participation, a right enshrined in the constitution, and the potential environmental and health impacts…