IEAT, state agencies prep SEMs

The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) is working with state agencies to develop the Smart EIA Management System, or SEMs, in a bid to improve the process to make mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) among factories and reduce their conflicts with nearby villagers over the adverse impact of industrial projects.

SEMs will gather information about projects, investment scale and possible environmental impact and help factory operators to manage and assess the data.

“SEMs is a digital platform that aims to facilitate the EIA-making process and reduce its unnecessary steps,” said IEAT governor Somchint Pilouk.

She signed a memorandum of understanding on SEMs development yesterday with the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Department of Energy Business, the Energy Regulatory Commission and national oil and gas…