Health Impact Assessment for Participatory Public Policy Development in Preventing and Reducing Impacts from Biomass Power Plants in Northeastern, Thailand

The production of biomass energy in the Northeastern region of Thailand has impacted the health, social, and economic conditions of the local populace. The objectives of this research were to: (1) develop participatory public policy proposals for preventing and reducing impacts, and (2) analyze the methods for advancing these proposals for implementation. The research was conducted using participatory action research methodology from April 2020 to September 2023, involving 110 participants from various sectors. Data collection tools included group interviews, group meeting records, and health status data analysis. Content analysis was used for data interpretation. The results indicated that biomass power plants have significant health and environmental impacts. This led to the development of seven public policy proposals for participatory development that cover: (1) Strategic environmental assessment, (2) Improvement of impact assessment processes, (3) Enhancement of participatory impact assessment, (4) Reform of impact analysis mechanisms, (5) Establishment of monitoring committees, (6) Development of compensation systems, and (7) Support for health impact assessment mechanisms. These proposals were successfully pushed through the National Health Commission meetings, which approved: (1) the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to improve the environmental and health impact assessment systems for power plants of all sizes, (2) the Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, and Ministry of Energy to enhance the Code of Practice for power plants under 10 megawatts, (3) the establishment of area-based monitoring committees involving community participation, and (4) the development of more tangible compensation mechanisms for affected populations.