Thailand Investigates Illegal Import of 10,000 Tonnes of Radioactive Waste

[snoop1130]

Photo courtesy of The Nation

 

The Ministry of Industry has launched an urgent investigation into the illegal importation of over 10,000 tonnes of radioactive waste inaccurately labelled as zinc concentrate. This material, tainted with hazardous caesium-137, was clandestinely brought into Thailand, raising serious concerns about the nation’s waste management protocols.

 

Industry Minister Akanat Promphan disclosed the investigation on March 25, following discovery of counterfeit documentation utilised to evade customs. The focus is on KMC 1953 Co., accused of importing the hazardous material from various countries between July 2024 and January 2025.

 

Preliminary findings reveal the use of 33 falsified documents by the company to mislead customs officials. Caesium-137, a dangerous byproduct from iron smelting, demands careful handling and strict adherence to Thai law and international controls, such as the Basel Convention, governing hazardous waste.

 

 

 

Under Thailand's regulations, specific authorisation from the Department of Industrial Works is mandatory for such imports, which KMC 1953 Co. lacked. Further investigation into how these imports occurred highlights the falsification of documents issued by the Chon Buri Provincial Industrial Office, allowing the import of caesium-137 disguised as “red dust.”

 

Minister Akanat expressed concerns about potential involvement of officials with the company, committing to a comprehensive probe to hold accountable those responsible. As authorities unravel the extent of the breach, efforts are underway to assess any further illegal imports threatening public and environmental safety.

 

The Ministry of Industry is determined to rectify this serious protocol violation, pledging necessary measures to safeguard both public health and the environment from such hazardous incidents, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-26

 

 

[terryq]

Classic misunderstanding .

 

Person reading the handwritten description of the cargo just misread the Cs as Zn and wrote that on the waybill. So easy to do. Case solved.

 

So sorry na.

 

 

[worgeordie]

10,000 tons , how did that sneak in , 

 

regards worgeordie

[Pouatchee]

return to sender

[hotsun]

Thailand is Chinas dumping ground

[drgoon]

Shake the head...  nothing changes. Money money money...  nothing else matters

[Jim Blue]

So that's why my hairs gone green !

[TorquayFan]

Shocking - where is this stuff now ?

[watchcat]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Ministry of Industry has launched an urgent investigation into the illegal importation of over 10,000 tonnes of radioactive waste inaccurately labelled as zinc concentrate.

 

Wonder what PM is going to say to her new friend Xi?

[newbee2022]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Photo courtesy of The Nation

 

The Ministry of Industry has launched an urgent investigation into the illegal importation of over 10,000 tonnes of radioactive waste inaccurately labelled as zinc concentrate. This material, tainted with hazardous caesium-137, was clandestinely brought into Thailand, raising serious concerns about the nation’s waste management protocols.

 

Industry Minister Akanat Promphan disclosed the investigation on March 25, following discovery of counterfeit documentation utilised to evade customs. The focus is on KMC 1953 Co., accused of importing the hazardous material from various countries between July 2024 and January 2025.

 

Preliminary findings reveal the use of 33 falsified documents by the company to mislead customs officials. Caesium-137, a dangerous byproduct from iron smelting, demands careful handling and strict adherence to Thai law and international controls, such as the Basel Convention, governing hazardous waste.

 

 

 

Under Thailand's regulations, specific authorisation from the Department of Industrial Works is mandatory for such imports, which KMC 1953 Co. lacked. Further investigation into how these imports occurred highlights the falsification of documents issued by the Chon Buri Provincial Industrial Office, allowing the import of caesium-137 disguised as “red dust.”

 

Minister Akanat expressed concerns about potential involvement of officials with the company, committing to a comprehensive probe to hold accountable those responsible. As authorities unravel the extent of the breach, efforts are underway to assess any further illegal imports threatening public and environmental safety.

 

The Ministry of Industry is determined to rectify this serious protocol violation, pledging necessary measures to safeguard both public health and the environment from such hazardous incidents, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-26

 

 

More important:

What happened with the waste?

And where is it now?

Dumped into the sea???😳

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Ministry of Industry has launched an urgent investigation into the illegal importation of over 10,000 tonnes of radioactive waste inaccurately labelled as zinc concentrate. This material, tainted with hazardous caesium-137, was clandestinely brought into Thailand, raising serious concerns about the nation’s waste management protocols.

 

[KireB]

5 hours ago, hotsun said:

Thailand is Chinas dumping ground

Are you guessing, or are yo in the know'?

[PETERTHEEATER]

19 hours ago, worgeordie said:

10,000 tons , how did that sneak in , 

 

regards worgeordie

It didn't Geordie it was unloaded ex-ship in sealed containers in plain sight but badged as Zinc concentrate which itself is toxic.

[Purdey]

What about the workers who handled this material? Are they glowing in the dark?

[xtrnuno41]

Im puzzled, where and when did they find out, it was Caesium?

Imported by ship then? After all it is just 10000 TONS !

Or is this in the time limit told?

Then there must have been a snitch.

Where is your Geiger teller when you need it.

[cynic1]

Wow! That's international news and should be.

[drgoon]

On 3/27/2025 at 2:20 PM, newbee2022 said:

More important:

What happened with the waste?

And where is it now?

Dumped into the sea???😳

Probably

[mfd101]

Obviously money must have changed hands. But apart from that, why would anyone think that importing 10,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate would be a good idea? Who was the 'end user' supposed to be?

[watchcat]

On 3/26/2025 at 10:01 PM, hotsun said:

Thailand is Chinas dumping ground

 

Isn't this the reason they have colonies, extract everything that  has some value and dump the rest

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 3/27/2025 at 10:09 AM, KireB said:

Are you guessing, or are yo in the know'?

 

Recently, several Chinese persons and nominee companies have been discovered recycling hazardous waste illegally.

[rickudon]

I do not understand what Caesium 137 has to do with Iron smelting - it is a product of Uranium fission so only found in nuclear waste or radioactive fallout and is practically unknown in the natural environment. How the hell did it end up coming out of iron smelting?

[PETERTHEEATER]

On 3/27/2025 at 5:54 AM, Purdey said:

What about the workers who handled this material? Are they glowing in the dark?

They could give it to children and watch their little faces light up.🫠