Dozens hurt in anti-pipeline protest in Thailand
Date: 23-Dec-02
Country: THAILAND
Troubled erupted at around nine p.m. (1400 GMT) after riot police tried to disperse around 1,000 villagers outside the JB Hotel in the town, 900 km (560 miles) south of Bangkok.
They were protesting against planned construction of a 366 km (229 mile) pipeline over the next two years linking gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand with Malaysia.
Villagers and environmentalists say it will pollute their land and destroy fishing grounds.
Forced away from the hotel, some of the demonstrators then ran through the town, smashing telephone boxes and traffic lights, witnesses said. Riot police carrying batons and riot shields chased the demonstrators through the streets.
Police said they arrested 12 people. Dozens of demonstrators were injured, they said, but gave no further details.
The Thai and Malaysian governments say the $700 million pipeline project, which involves building a gas separation plant near Hat Yai, will bring jobs to the region and help supply gas to the Malaysian peninsula.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad are due to discuss the plan yesterday.
