In late 2025, a new natural gas power plant was rushed into construction at Chachoengsao’s Industrial Zone 304 despite strong local opposition. The project faces three major criticisms.

First, Thailand’s electricity reserves already exceed international standards, making this 25-year contract unnecessary and risking technological obsolescence as clean energy advances. Second, the plant exacerbates severe local water shortages by draining shared sources, forcing residents to purchase drinking water at significant personal expense. Third, the installation of high-voltage transmission lines has severely restricted land rights. Regulations forbidding tall crops have ruined agricultural livelihoods and decimated land values for local farmers.

As a result, the once-vibrant provincial landscape is now overshadowed by a gloomy, tense atmosphere. The community is left grappling with suspicion, resignation, and the devastating impacts of unwanted industrial development.