Radioactive Caesium-137 found in smelting works - factories sealed off

[webfact]

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that radioactive material - Caesium-137 - had been found after checks at two smelting works in the Kabinburi Industrial estate.

 

On Sunday the provincial governor Ranarojng Nakhonjinda and Permsuk Sajjaphiwat from the Office of Atoms for Peace had been called in to examine a large amount of waste metal.

 

Hand held geiger counters found suspicious waste in a mountain of scrap metal that is brought in and processed at the factories.

 

The factories were sealed off to protect the public. No further details were given about the origin of the waste.

 

The media said that Ranarong would be holding a press conference to explain more in the central Thailand province at 10 am today.

 

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[jvs]

Not really important if you are running for a re election?

Nobody dead yet,mai pen rai.

[Cricky]

20 minutes ago, jvs said:

Nobody dead yet,

YET. ????

 

Maybe in a few years time.

 

It's very important that this was found.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Cricky

[soi3eddie]

The things these scrappies will do for some Baht. Like those that decided it was a good idea to use an oxy-acetylene torch to cut up an unexploded WW2 bomb in northern Bangkok a few years ago. It wasn't unexploded then!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/02/second-world-war-bomb-explodes-bangkok

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Bangkok_in_World_War_II

[brianthainess]

Safe and Trusted Thailand. LMFO  now get back to building that space ship.

Edited March 20, 2023 by brianthainess

[phetphet]

Close call. There could have been a lot of radioactive steel floating about.

[Tom H]

Ohhh, me so happy mag mah.

Me not scared anymore????

[markclover]

So that's why urine glows in the dark.

[mran66]

Surprised a Somchai did not require a ransom for his valuable piece. 

[webfact]

Missing caesium-137 detected in foundry in Kabin Buri industrial park

 

 

The governor of Thailand’s eastern province of Prachin Buri has ordered the immediate closure of a foundry and declared the plant off-limits to unauthorised personnel after radiation from caesium-137 was detected among other metallic scrap.

 

The finding of the radioactive material, sealed in a steel cylinder, ended the frantic search, which began on March 10th when it was discovered that it was missing from a steam power plant in Si Maha Phot district.

 

Officials from the Office of Atoms for Peace, the provincial administration and the industrial works office searched two foundries in Kabin Buri industrial park yesterday (Sunday).

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/missing-caesium-137-detected-in-foundry-in-kabin-buri-industrial-park/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-20

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Cricky said:

YET. ????

 

Maybe in a few years time.

 

It's very important that this was found.

If it was found.

[smedly]

5 hours ago, Cricky said:

YET. ????

 

Maybe in a few years time.

 

It's very important that this was found.

it could have been smelted and ended up in anything metal, scary

[Cake Monster]

7 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Safe and Trusted Thailand. LMFO  now get back to building that space ship.

I hope more paint is applied to the space ship than was applied to this seriously dangerous piece of equipment.

[webfact]

Caesium-137 already melted, 70 people tested for radiation exposure

 

 

About 70 employees at a foundry in the Kabin Buri industrial park and some people living near the plant will be tested by health officials after it was discovered that the missing ceasium-137 has already been melted, along with other metallic scrap at the facility, Prachin Buri Governor Narong Nakornjinda told a news conference this morning (Monday).

 

He has also ordered the plant closed and declared off-limits to unauthorised personnel after officials detected radiation at the foundry, one of two searched yesterday by officials from the Office of Atoms for Peace.

 

The governor said that, after several checks, officials were confident that the radiation they detected at the site came from the caesium-137 contained in a steel cylinder, which went missing from a steam power plant in Si Maha Phot district. Caesium-137 does not exist naturally.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/caesium-137-already-melted-70-people-tested-for-radiation-exposure/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-21

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[Cricky]

13 hours ago, hotchilli said:

19 hours ago, Cricky said:

YET. ????

 

Maybe in a few years time.

 

It's very important that this was found.

If it was found

Found 

[Cricky]

13 hours ago, smedly said:

19 hours ago, Cricky said:

YET. ????

 

Maybe in a few years time.

 

It's very important that this was found.

it could have been smelted and ended up in anything metal, scary

Yep, this is what's happened. 

[Furioso]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

the missing ceasium-137 has already been melted, along with other metallic scrap at the facility,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's already melted? WTH!!?? 

Does this mean they've contaminated a large area with radioactive gas/dust? 

[Cricky]

12 minutes ago, Furioso said:

It's already melted? WTH!!?? 

Does this mean they've contaminated a large area with radioactive gas/dust? 

A mini Chernobyl 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Cricky

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

About 70 employees at a foundry in the Kabin Buri industrial park and some people living near the plant will be tested by health officials after it was discovered that the missing ceasium-137 has already been melted, along with other metallic scrap at the facility, Prachin Buri Governor Narong Nakornjinda told a news conference this morning

Oooop's

[RichardColeman]

In celebration of being found not contaminated the local people held a night party 

[RobU]

in another report I read that 70 workers were not allowed to leave the factory. So it seems the authorities are punishing all the workers by forcing them to remain in a potentially radioactive environment. Update: radioactive poisoning is NOT a communicable disease

[scottiejohn]

49 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

In celebration of being found not contaminated the local people held a night party 

Yes I see they had some glowing recommendations afterwards!

[IamNoone88]

Police, meanwhile, said that all the people who are responsible for the safe keeping of the caesium-137 will be questioned to discover how one of the canisters went missing from the power plant.

 

Easy it was sold a few Baht, probably together with plastic bottles and other scrap metal.

[Elkski]

So it's now soot? But it also can contaminate the vessel?  Explain that.  Did any get poured into products?   How many tons does 

 the crucible hold?

I hope no one gets to sick. 

[Furioso]

Here's a few notes/updates:

1. 25 kg cylinder containing cesium-137 was stolen from a coal power plant sometime between 17 Feb-10 March. 

2. Officials found what remains of the cylinder on Sunday..by detecting radiation emanating from a metal foundry in Prachin Buri(east Thailand).

3. The readings came from scrap metal that had already been compressed into cubes ready to be smelted on Sunday evening. 

3. Cesium-137 has a half life of 30 years, it remains in the environment for over 300 years. 

If this is true the original cylinder is now just metal cubes, the extremely radioactive cesium-137 is released into the environment, that whole plant and surrounding area must be contaminated. More info to follow...

[Henryford]

No one seems to asking how "it went missing".  Is it not a controlled substance?

[UbonEagle]

A small source which I imagine was from a level transmitter (common in older industrial plants, I have worked in plants with lots of these) is IMO no cause for panic even for people who had close up exposure unless it was for sustained periods of time which is probably unlikely.

Imagine they were decommissioning some old plant and some one thought they’d just take some to the scrappers, how that happens is beyond me but lol TIT ????

Edited March 21, 2023 by UbonEagle

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, Henryford said:

No one seems to asking how "it went missing".  Is it not a controlled substance?

It is a highly monitored substance in most Countries around the World as it has the ability to be a component of a dirty bomb.

 

[CanadaSam]

I'd be more interested to know if the melted, now radioactive, metal has made it's way out of the foundry and into the market!

[CanadaSam]

Well, looks like they found some of it, in RAYONG of all places!

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/12-4-tonnes-of-radiation-contaminated-metal-to-be-returned-to-prachin-buri/