Nasa will withdraw
its request to conduct weather research at the U-tapao airbase if the Thai
government fails to approve it by next Tuesday, Foreign Minister Surapong
Towichukchaikul said yesterday.
A
letter from Nasa, delivered by the US Embassy in Bangkok, indicated that the
agency might not have enough time to prepare its equipment for the project if
the government gave it a nod far too late, he said.
Nasa
wants to use the U-tapao airbase for its weather-research aircraft in August
and September this year, so they need to start preparing by July, he said.
"Unfortunately, we will lose the chance to gain scientific knowledge for
rain forecasting, if we cannot approve the project on time. It might also
affect our reputation because other countries such as Cambodia and Singapore
are ready to join," Surapong said.
He
added that he would encourage the Cabinet to make a decision before time runs
out. The Cabinet was supposed to consider Nasa's proposal weeks ago, but
concerned agencies have yet to send their opinion on the project in writing, he
said.
Nasa
signed a joint statement with the Science Ministry's Geo-Informatics and Space
Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) since September 2010 to show their
intention to conduct research in U-tapao. Communication between Bangkok and
Washington began last June, when the United States proposed to hold a meeting
between concerned agencies to consider details of the research. Later, Thailand
asked the US to seek the opinion of governments from neighbouring countries
about whether they had any concerns or reservations about the project, Surapong
said.
Thailand
has already sought China's opinion and Beijing has said it has no problems with
the project, he said. In addition, the US had informed the Foreign Ministry
earlier this year that Cambodia and Singapore had no problems if Nasa and Thai
research aircraft flew over their sovereign skies, he said.
The
Foreign Ministry submitted the proposal for Cabinet consideration on June 4 and
sought the opinion of other concerned agencies, including the military, he
said.
The
agencies in charge of national security raised no concerns, he said, adding
that the Foreign Ministry's Treaties and Legal Department and the Council of
State had indicated that the Cabinet had the authority to make a decision on
the issue, without seeking approval from Parliament.
The
project became a hot political issue when the opposition Democrat Party started
accusing the government of offering Nasa the use of U-tapao in exchange for a
US visa for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and demanded that the issue be taken
to Parliament according to the charter's Article 190.
Defence
Minister Sukampol Suwannathat also insisted that the Nasa project was purely
scientific without having any implication on security matters and that China
had not raised any concerns.
Meanwhile,
opposition Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was prime minister of the
previous government, challenged Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee to
take the matter to the anti-corruption body if he saw any wrongdoing by the
Democrats on the project.
On
Wednesday, Plodprasob released a statement saying that Nasa and GISTDA had
signed the deal since September 2010 during Abhisit's tenure and implied that
the previous government's act was unconstitutional as it had failed to take the
issue to Parliament.
"If
the government considers our action wrong, then it should lodge a petition with
the National Anti-Corruption Commission," Abhisit said.
"If
the government has nothing to hide, it should tell the public about all details
of the project," he said. "It's strange that you say it is nothing,
but you give us no details."
Abhisit
did not explain why his government did not take this project to Parliament.
News
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