Such activities have intensified, posing increasing threats to locals in recent years, according to Tuenjai Deetes, a National Human Rights commissioner. Tuenjai said previous forums revolved around disparate issues such as human rights violations by the sugar-crane processing industry in Cambodia and coal-fired power plants in Lao. Niwat said very often community rights are overlooked by development projects, with current regional mechanisms failing to deal with the problem. From Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos, to Indonesia, the impacts from transborder investments were discussed at the forum organised by Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission and Forest People Programme. Dr Cheah Swee Neo, a representative from Malaysia’s national human rights commission, said the body has been in contact with Myanmar’s national human rights commission to resolve some transborder investment cases concerning oil palm plantations in the south of Myanmar.

Source: The Nation Bangkok September 09, 2018 10:30 UTC