Following to the review of the License Agreement objectives for resettlement, relocation and non-relocation villages, THPC assessed the progress of its social and environment programs and determined that substantial completion of the project was achieved by the end of 2017, consistent with the end of the Resettlement Implementation Period.

THPC created a ten-year period of Social Management Plan for Operations and Environment Management Plan for Operations (2018-2027). This plan sets outs the social management and monitoring activities and the environmental risks and associated management and monitoring activities to be undertaken by THPC from 2018 until the end of 2027. Whilst ensuring continuity with the existing plans and ongoing environmental obligations. This document fulfils the obligation in Annex E and F of the License Agreement, which states that THPC will review and submit a revised Social and Environmental Management and Mitigation Plans to the Ministry for Natural Resources and the Environment by the end of 2017 and every ten years thereafter.

The framework for implementation and monitoring of all THPC social and environmental activities is provided by the Environmental Management Plan for Operations (EMPO) and the Social Management Plan for Operations (SMPO), both of which were updated at the end of 2017. These ten-year plans provide for implementation for obligations that will exist beyond the resettlement implementation period as well as for community development activities. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and other government agencies monitor THPC’s compliance with all obligations, national regulations and policies.

social managements

The overall objective of this Social Management Plan for Operations (SMPO/2018-27) is to provide a plan for continued management and monitoring of social risks and impacts associated with the operation of THPC’s hydropower facilities. The SMPO/2018-27 plan ensures that THPC’s established management and monitoring programs continue to provide relevant operational controls addressing the risks of the Operational Phase.

The SMPO/2018-27 is designed to ensure that the company, in partnership with local communities and authorities, satisfies all commitments and obligations that exist for the full term of THPC’s License Agreement or have not yet been completely fulfilled, while also providing a development framework to foster sustainability.

It is recognized that due to the long-time frame, a ten-year plan is not able to define all operational levels in detail. For this reason THPC will review the plan every five years in accordance with Article 41 of the Prime Minister’s Decree on Environmental Impact Assessments (No.21, dated 31 January 2019).

THPC Community development Program consists of three main themes:

1. Village Development Funding – driven by bottom up planning
2. Subsidy Program – offsetting the cost of agricultural water
3. Vulnerability Program – assisting the poorest and encouraging inclusiveness

environment managements

The overall objective of this Environmental Management Plan for Operations (EMPO/2018-27) is to ensure continued management and monitoring of environmental risks and impacts associated with the operation of THPC’s hydropower facilities. The EMPO/2018-27 ensures that THPC’s established management and monitoring programs continue to provide relevant operational controls which address the risks of the operational phase.

The management and monitoring approaches of the next operations phase are consistent with the program-specific methodologies used during the first years of the operations phase. The plan sets out all ongoing and unfinished environmental management and monitoring following completion of the first EMPO, which ended in 2017.

There has been continual improvement of monitoring, based on ongoing evaluations carried out during the previous implementation period, to ensure that the EMPO/2018-27 is effective and up to date.

It is recognized that due to the long-time frame, a ten-year plan is not able to define all operational levels in detail. For this reason, THPC will review the plan every five years in accordance with Article 41 of the Prime Minister’s Decree on Environmental Impact Assessments (No.21, dated 31 January 2019).

Whilst the fisheries management and monitoring of downstream erosion and water quality are considered long-term activities. A reassessment of the scope of work was undertaken six months prior to the end of the first EMPO in accordance with the License Agreement as part of an adaptive management approach.

The environmental monitoring programs are following:

1. Water Quality Monitoring
2. Downstream Riverbed and Erosion Monitoring
3. Waste Management for Operation
4. Biodiversity Protection – Nam Gnouang South Forest Protection
5. Fisheries Monitoring & Management