Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

The Ministry of Industry in Thailand has launched an investigation into Sin Ke Yuan Steel Co., Ltd. after the company was found to have illegally stockpiled more than 43,000 tonnes of hazardous red dust (slag), a byproduct of steel smelting, in a significant violation of environmental and industrial regulations.

 

On 3 April, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), the Environmental Crime Division (Bok Pattha), and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), discovered the massive stockpile at the company’s factory in Ban Khao, Rayong Province. The factory had previously reported a much smaller quantity of 2,245 tonnes of red dust between 2016 and 2022, leading to suspicions of serious discrepancies.

 

Further investigations by the Ministry’s “Sut Soy Inspection Team” revealed that the actual amount of red dust exceeded 43,000 tonnes, valued at over 1.7 billion baht. Company officials have claimed that the discrepancy in the reported figures was due to changes in staff responsible for data entry, making it impossible to identify the original source of the figures.

 

As a result of these findings, the Department of Industrial Works and the Rayong Provincial Industry Office have suspended the removal of any red dust from the factory premises. The dust has been seized, and samples are being tested for further investigation. The company has been given until 10 April to provide a clear explanation of the origin of the stockpiled material.

 

The Ministry has warned that if the company fails to account for the origin of the red dust, it will face severe legal consequences, including potential criminal charges. The case may be escalated to a special investigation by the DSI for more rigorous and expedited action.

 

The Ministry has also indicated that the company’s licence to dispose of waste materials from the factory may be revoked if it fails to comply with the investigation.

 

 

-- 2025-04-05

 

Is there any Chinese company in Thailand that has not broken the law?

1 hour ago, JimHuaHin said:

Is there any Chinese company in Thailand that has not broken the law?

Is there any Chinese company in Thailand that has not broken the law?