The house accepts the report on the earth bridge project despite the opposition.

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MPs from the Southern and Move Forward parties have unanimously expressed their opposition to the government's ambitious earth bridge megaproject, doubting the credibility of the feasibility study. They remain unconvinced as to whether the staggering sum of one trillion baht is worth investing in the project or what its impacts on the environment and the lucrative tourism industry in the region will be.

During a debate in Parliament today on feasibility issues presented by a parliamentary scrutiny committee led by Pheu Thai MP Wisut Chainaroon, former Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat quoted a claim in a report that an earthen bridge would shorten the time and distance for trucks currently passing through the Malacca Strait. He said there are three questions the government must answer. First, whether there are other more competitive options for the earthen bridge project. Second, how the government is going to manage the impact of the project on the affected areas, including many durian plantations, fishing grounds, forests and six World Heritage Sites.

Finally, whether the project will maximize benefits to the country and its people.

The Move Forward chief counselor also noted that the feasibility report did not indicate how much more convenient and faster it would be to use an earth bridge instead of the Malacca Strait. Another Move Forward MP, Sirikan Tansakul, said she left the parliamentary scrutiny committee because she could not express her dissident views on the report, which remained unchanged. She said the government was committed to the project from the beginning. She said she could not trust a report prepared by the Office of Transportation and Traffic Planning regarding marine routes, the projected growth of deep-water ports at both ends of the earth bridge or the projection that the project would pay for itself in 24 years.

After about four hours of debate, Parliament passed the feasibility report with 269 votes in favor and 147 against.