Public Participation Process in the Implementation of a Development Project: A Case Study of Metro Industrial Estate Park Project, Prachin Buri Province

Abstract

This research studied the public participation process in preparing the environmental impact assessment (EIA), evaluating the effectiveness of the public participation process, and presented guidance for improving public the participation process in the EIA process. The author explores the case of the Metro Industrial Estate Park Project in Prachin Buri by collecting data via semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, non-participant observation, and a site survey. The period of data collection was five months. The results showed that the public participation process was an obstacle and did not cover all stakeholders. Some people did not get enough project information. The project opponents united and did not participate in the public participation process. For the public hearing process, it was found that the people did not have enough time to prepare to listen to the project’s information. As a result, the public did not believe in the decision-making process of the authorities. This study found that for the public participation in the environmental assessment to succeed, the government and the project developer must be aware of the importance of public participation in the process, provide transparency in the implementation of the project, provide information related to the project correctly and completely, and receive public comments from the start of the process to determine the real needs of the people in the area. The public needs to learn about the environmental impact assessment process and the requirements of public participation, including relevant laws.