BANGKOK (Sputnik) — This is the second complaint after Thailand's Office of the Ombudsman dismissed a similar motion against US-based Apico and its subsidiary Tatex Thailand, filed by the Commission on behalf of affected villagers in three northeastern provinces of Khon Kaen, Kalasin, and Udon Thani.
Around 200 Thais signed a complaint that American companies used the controversial extraction technology known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The ecologically invasive technology involves pumping water mixed with highly-toxic chemicals underground under high pressure to fracture shale rock and release the gas. The method is known to cause water pollution and localized earth tremors.
Apico denied fracking in the area, although its documents indicate that fracking was attempted in those locations at least once.
Another concern is that gas drilling close to residential areas has caused health problems in the local population, including skin and respiratory conditions, while wastewater from the process became mixed with irrigation water rendering the latter unusable.
