Construction at some 64 plants was frozen by court order in September 2009 after environmental groups filed a law suit against the companies who make steel, petrochemical and paper products to conduct health and environmental studies.

Community leaders say the government does not take seriously the health and environmental concerns of the community and are only concerned with economic growth.

Some 300 villagers have fallen ill with respiratory diseases, skin problems and cancer in the past years as industrial estates have expanded extensively, turning Map Ta Phut and nearby areas into a competitive petrochemical industrial region.

The court suspension prompted foreign investors to protest the ambiguity surrounding Thai environmental laws.

Foreign investors have complained that Abhisit´s government has been slow to address the problem.

The Map Ta Phut estate in eastern Rayong province has grown at a staggering rate over the past 13 years and a local environmental group claims more than 2,000 people have died of cancer related to pollution from the plants, however, doctors have not concurred with that evaluation.

The Supreme Administrative Court gave the green light to just 11 of 76 new plants on the estate.

The central bank has said the suspensions could cut GDP growth by up to 0.5 percentage point this year, while an industry ministry estimate in December said a protracted legal stand-off could cost as much as $18 billion.