Dsi To Hold Rogue Factories Accountable

[Lite Beer]

DSI to hold rogue factories accountable

BANGKOK, 26 May 2012 (NNT) – The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is poised to track down unscrupulous factories found to have discharged untreated toxic waste into public waters.

The DSI has assigned its detective teams to comb different areas particularly those in the eastern region for those factories.

Inspections during April and May found that a huge pond covering more than 10 rai in Chon Buri province was used by a factory as a dump site of industrial waste with the land owner’s consent.

Apart from Chon Buri, the dumping of hazardous residues has expanded to other provinces including Samut Prakarn, Chachoengsao, Rayong, Nakhon Prathom, Samut Sakhon, Saraburi and Ratchaburi. Civil servants and politicians at national and local levels are also involved in the practice.

The DSI is now in the process of asking the court to issue arrest warrants for the suspects.

Despite the Justice Ministry’s support, the DSI head Tarid Pengdit disclosed that there were attempts by unknown groups of people to eliminate the evidence at the site in Chon Buri. Police have been dispatched to the area to guard the dump site; Chonburi Industrial Office has also been asked to file a complaint against local authorities for their dereliction of duty before the DSI could take the case as a special one.

The DSI chief added that once the agency took over the case, it would be ready to eliminate the entire network of culprits.

-- NNT 2012-05-26

[ratcatcher]

I hope the government, the police and the newspapers somehow keep this investigation on the front burner.

The televised images of thousands of litres of toxic waste liquid just dumped by tanker trucks into open fields is very disturbing.

This water leeches into klongs and then into the sea.

I hope the perpetrators of this crime on the environment are brought to public attention.

But, sadly, like everything else here, money will change hands and that will be it. I hope I am wrong.

[OzMick]

I hope the government, the police and the newspapers somehow keep this investigation on the front burner.

The televised images of thousands of litres of toxic waste liquid just dumped by tanker trucks into open fields is very disturbing.

This water leeches into klongs and then into the sea.

I hope the perpetrators of this crime on the environment are brought to public attention.

But, sadly, like everything else here, money will change hands and that will be it. I hope I am wrong.

The first thing Tarit will want investigating is their political connections. If strong enough, and in the right direction, toxic waste dumping might actually become "unusual Fertilisation" or some such, not worthy of pursuing.

Edited May 26, 2012 by OzMick

[WhizBang]

The televised images of thousands of litres of toxic waste liquid just dumped by tanker trucks into open fields is very disturbing.

This water leeches into klongs and then into the sea.

I hope the perpetrators of this crime on the environment are brought to public attention.

Not into the sea, but into the groundwater, which is where we get our drinking water.

There is less than zero awareness of the environment in Thailand, so I expect absolutely nothing to come of this investigation, especially given the money involved. The DSI will be bought off, if they haven't already.

[MEL1]

While they're at it, regarding waste, why don't they start charging 7/11 for giving 2 plastic bags for 2 things bought?

The amount of plastic bag residue left around the natural areas of Thailand is a disgrace. The amount of plastic bags issued by Tesco Lotus, for example, is tantamount to negligence. You can buy 4 different classes of food and get upto 8 bags.

I usually make queueing people wait, take out and exchange my foods to the correct bags, frozen with frozen, veg with veg, toiletries and sanitores, and tinned foods with pre-packed foods etc and hand back half of what they issue to me, and say thanks but no thanks.

Toxic waste is a serious issue - but so are things like billions of plastic bags in the environment!

-mel

[01322521959]

While they're at it, regarding waste, why don't they start charging 7/11 for giving 2 plastic bags for 2 things bought?

The amount of plastic bag residue left around the natural areas of Thailand is a disgrace. The amount of plastic bags issued by Tesco Lotus, for example, is tantamount to negligence. You can buy 4 different classes of food and get upto 8 bags.

I usually make queueing people wait, take out and exchange my foods to the correct bags, frozen with frozen, veg with veg, toiletries and sanitores, and tinned foods with pre-packed foods etc and hand back half of what they issue to me, and say thanks but no thanks.

Toxic waste is a serious issue - but so are things like billions of plastic bags in the environment!

-mel

Interesting you say that, I've carried the same heavy duty plastic bags around in my backpack for the last two years, and if I am shopping I can almost sense those in line behind me not laughing, but thinking, that's a good idea, then of course , it's forgotten..I too get so angry when I go to 7/11 and they try to give me 2 or 3 bags for 4 items, when i say in my very poor Thai, one bag, please they continue to stuff the stuff in a 2nd, 3rd bag, but I have to say it's the same in the UK. Why oh why isn't the policy of the polluting congomerates just to introduce a scheme where you either pay an extra baht or have a baht knocked off if you don't take a bag? I think that would do the trick!

[craigt3365]

Environmental pollution here is a huge problem. Air and water. There was an incident a few years ago where a factory was discharging wasted into the Chao Phraya river. Come to find out, the inspector had been paid off. Corruption is the main culprit here.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/03/18/opinion/opinion_30029568.php

http://std.cpc.ku.ac.th/delta/conf/Acrobat/Papers_Eng/Volume%201/wijarn_PCD.pdf

[OzMick]

While they're at it, regarding waste, why don't they start charging 7/11 for giving 2 plastic bags for 2 things bought?

The amount of plastic bag residue left around the natural areas of Thailand is a disgrace. The amount of plastic bags issued by Tesco Lotus, for example, is tantamount to negligence. You can buy 4 different classes of food and get upto 8 bags.

I usually make queueing people wait, take out and exchange my foods to the correct bags, frozen with frozen, veg with veg, toiletries and sanitores, and tinned foods with pre-packed foods etc and hand back half of what they issue to me, and say thanks but no thanks.

Toxic waste is a serious issue - but so are things like billions of plastic bags in the environment!

-mel

Interesting you say that, I've carried the same heavy duty plastic bags around in my backpack for the last two years, and if I am shopping I can almost sense those in line behind me not laughing, but thinking, that's a good idea, then of course , it's forgotten..I too get so angry when I go to 7/11 and they try to give me 2 or 3 bags for 4 items, when i say in my very poor Thai, one bag, please they continue to stuff the stuff in a 2nd, 3rd bag, but I have to say it's the same in the UK. Why oh why isn't the policy of the polluting congomerates just to introduce a scheme where you either pay an extra baht or have a baht knocked off if you don't take a bag? I think that would do the trick!

i needed a plastic bag to carry some small items home, so I went into a shop and asked if I could buy one. For a second or two it seemed that she was going to put it in a bag for me.