Thomas Chan Explained

Thomas Shun-Kuei Chan
Native Name:詹順貴
Office1:Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection Administration of the Republic of China
Minister1:Lee Ying-yuan
Term Start1:20 May 2016
Term End1:8 October 2018
Birth Date:3 January 1964
Nationality:Republic of China
Party:Green Party Taiwan
Alma Mater:National Taiwan University

Thomas Shun-Kuei Chan (; born 3 January 1964) is a Taiwanese lawyer and politician. He was deputy minister of the Environmental Protection Administration between 20 May 2016 and 8 October 2018.

Early life

Chan obtained his bachelor's degree in law from National Taiwan University in 1985.[1] He then worked as an environmental lawyer.[2]

Taitung Miramar Resort case

Thomas Chan is known for his volunteer (pro bono) work on the build–operate–transfer (BOT) Taitung Miramar Resort case. [3] On 23 December 2008, in conjunction with community plaintiffs (including indigenous land rights activist, Lin Shu-ling) and Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Chan challenged the validity of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) retrospectively conducted by the Taitung County Government in relation to the Taitung Miramar Resort.[4] This case would ultimately lead to Supreme Court rulings barring Miramar from opening.[5] Chan has called for the resort to be demolished. [6]

Political career

Chan was a member of Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee of the EPA in 2005–2007, member of National Planning Commission and member of Regional Planning Committee of the Ministry of the Interior in 2007-2011 and 2009-2011 respectively, member of Trust Law Amendment Study Sub-committee of the Ministry of Justice in 2010-2016 and member of Legal Affairs Committee of the Council of Indigenous Peoples in 2011–2016.[1] Chan assumed office as deputy minister of the Environmental Protection Administration in May 2016. He tendered his resignation for the first time soon after Lin Chuan left the premiership in September 2017.[7] A year later, Chan notified the Executive Yuan that he intended to resign.[8] His second resignation was not accepted until October 2018, when Chan posted about it on social media.[9]

References

3. Lin, Chia-nan. "INTERVIEW: EPA’s Chan addresses wind farms."

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Deputy Minister Thomas Shun-Kuei CHAN. 20 May 2016. Environmental Protection Administration Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan). 9 November 2016.
  2. News: Lin. Chia-nan. EPA official storms out of public meet. 7 June 2017. Taipei Times. 7 June 2017.
  3. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/print/2012/11/09/2003547264 Taipei Times, 2012, Lawyers call for support for judiciary
  4. http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/focus/breakingnews/1143176/print Taipei Times, Miramar Resort EIA to be revoked, court rules, 2014
  5. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2016/04/02/2003642979 Taipei Times, Miramar Resort: tourism gone wrong, 2016
  6. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/04/30/2003358848 Taipei Times, Miramar broke law with Taitung project: advocates, 2007
  7. News: Lin . Chia-nan . EPA deputy quits, cites Lai pressure . 9 October 2018 . Taipei Times . 9 October 2018.
  8. News: Wu . Hsin-yu . Hsu . Elizabeth . Deputy environmental protection minister announces resignation . 8 October 2018 . Central News Agency . 8 October 2018.
  9. News: Ku . Chuan . Hsu . Elizabeth . Resignation of environmental official approved after online appeal . 8 October 2018 . Central News Agency . 8 October 2018.