AFFECTED INVESTORS GO FOR SEPARATE APPEAL AGAINST RULING

       Companies involved in the 76 industrial projects worth more than Bt400 billion that were halted will file separate appeals against the Central Administrative Court's injunction against them.
       "We have decided to file the appeal by October 28 and will simply ask the court to cancel the suspension order," Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) vice chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol said yesterday after an informal meeting of the companies.
       The companies, including the PTT and Siam Cement groups, were asked to gather more information. They will meet again today to discuss the matter in greater detail.
       After the court put a brake on the projects, which were taken as evidence of the government's failure to comply with Article 67 of the Constitution, the government early this month appealed the injunction. Private companies and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce have cried foul, saying the projects should be allowed to proceed, because they had passed environmental-impact assessments (EIAs).
       At a separate meeting yesterday, members of the Joint Private Committee on Commerce, Industried and Banking resolvejd to establish a special team to provide facts on industrial development in Map Ta Phut and nearby areas in Rayong province to all parties. FTI representatives will lead the team, which will be the first of its kind, and they will initially boost coordination with provincial state agencies, local communities and non-governmental organisations.
       "We want to tell everyone that we [the private sector] are just as environmentally concerned as anyone else. Most of the 76 projects are joint ventures with multinational firms that emphasise environmental protection, in order to ensure their products are sellable in developed countries," said Dusit Nontanakorn, chairman of the Board of Trade and the Thai Chamber of Commerce.
       Thai Bankers Association chairman Apisak Tantivorawong said Thai banks remained unaffected by the incident. Only half of the total investment was raised from bank loans and debentures.
       The Cabinet today will consider legal options to ease the private sector's difficulties. A law could pave the way for establishment of an independent environmental body, while a set of EIA and health-impact assessment guidelines wil be issued.
       Regarding the NGO's requests for similar moves against any polluter among the 500 projects that won EIA approval after the Constitution took effect, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the government was prepared to look into each case.
       He said if a petition was filed, the government would appeal against the case.
       Regarding complaints from industrial companies, the Royal Bank of Scotland said in a report that since the Supreme Administrative Court had accepted the government's appeal to revoke the temporary injunction, a final verdict could be expected within four to six weeks and would ultimately favour the private companies.