Bangkok: Deputy Prime Minister Thongsak presided over the inaugural meeting of the National Environmental Committee, granting approval for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for five significant infrastructure projects. The committee also implemented enhanced controls on transboundary hazardous and plastic waste, aiming to promote sustainable national development.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsi chaired the second meeting of the National Environmental Committee in 2026, held at Room 301, Command Building 1, Government House. The meeting was attended by various committee members, experts, and representatives from relevant agencies. Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilapraphan served as the first Vice-Chairman, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Prasert Sirinapaporn served as the second Vice-Chairman, and Secretary-General of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Bannarak Sermthong, served as a committee member and secretary. The main focus was to determine the direction of key environmental measures to support balanced and sustainable national development.
The committee approved the EIA reports for five major infrastructure and development projects, which include the Bangkok Mass Transit System Project, Silom Line Extension, Section 3 (Bang Wa - Taling Chan), a four-lane highway project in That Phanom District, and the Chiang Mai Mass Transit System Project, Red Line. Other projects include the mining project of industrial limestone by Chemiman Public Company Limited in Saraburi Province, and Suvarnabhumi Airport's 3rd and 4th runway construction project.
The eastern extension of the passenger transport network aims to develop transportation networks and logistics systems for cross-border trade, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance international air travel and tourism capacity. This development is expected to increase access to public services and improve public safety.
Moreover, the committee approved measures to elevate environmental standards and waste management, focusing on controlling the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and the export and transit of non-hazardous Y48 plastic waste. These measures aim to prevent illegal pollutant imports, reduce environmental and public health risks, and strengthen confidence in the waste management system to meet international standards. Additional approvals included setting wastewater treatment service rates for Patong Municipality in Phuket Province and the results of the Environmental Performance Index in the context of Thailand (EPI Thailand).
The committee emphasized that infrastructure development and economic growth must align with environmental quality preservation and the quality of life of the people, with the approved measures serving as a mechanism to achieve sustainable growth and environmental security in Thailand.