Caesium case: Thai media draws parallels with radiation incident in Bangkok area in 2000

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath drew some parallels with a well known radiation leakage incident in the Bangkok area 23 years ago after an incident at a metal factory in Prachinburi.

 

Officials from the Office of Atoms for Peace have stated that hazardous Caesium-137 contamination found in the factory in Kabinburi has been safely contained.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The contamination was contained within the factory and no radiation leakage was found in a five mile radius. The plants 70 emploees were clear of contamination.

 

A large tube of Caesium-137 had gone missing, presumed stolen. It has still not been found.

 

Thai Rath called for the authorities in Thailand to heed the warning from a a catastrophe that occurred in January and February 2000.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Scrap metal dealers cracked open a device and then took it to a scrap yard on Soi Wat Mahawong in Phrapradaeng, SE of the Thai capital Bangkok.

 

It came from a disused item used in a hospital's radiotherapy department that had come into the hands of the scrap yard dealers.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Ten people were exposed to serious radiation levels. Some lost fingers.

 

Three died including two workers and the wife of the owner of the yard in the weeks following the incident that became known internationally as the Cobalt-60 radiation accident in Thailand.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

In hospitalizations and deaths it was believed that more than 1,800 people had received significant exposure.

 

International as well as local criticism followed as to how the incident was handled and the lack of prosecution by the police in the case.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

There was also years of wrangling over compensation as potentially people could develop cancer up to two decades after exposure.

 

Thai Rath called on all concerned in the latest incident to remember what happened back in early 2000.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

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[leither69]

Highly unlikely, let's hope it was contained in time!!

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Officials from the Office of Atoms for Peace have stated that hazardous Caesium-137 contamination found in the factory in Kabinburi has been safely contained.

So there is contamination?

[klauskunkel]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

A large tube of Caesium-137 had gone missing

hazardous Caesium-137 contamination found in the factory in Kabinburi has been safely contained

… in another tube.

[Sweet Swede]

I remember the case from 2000. We  had RA sources in the mud systems on the oil rigs to measure mud density, but with much better control of the source, not like what we see here. However, I think that today other measuring devices are in place to protect workers.