Thailand Asbestos ban delayed; Cabinet say 'not enough evidence'

[Kooweerup]

My Lord, how many decades has this health hazard been around and Thailand is still waiting for more evidence before action is taken???

Truly, this Thailand I guess will remain a 3rd country!

They started banning asbestos in Australia in the 60's. Just shows how far Thailand is behind developed countries. Yes I know there are some other countries using it but that is not a defence for "THAILAND" to risk the lives of it's current and future generations.

[MJP]

It is not dangerous at all, else most Thai would already have died.

Firmly bonded chrysotile cement sheet actually isn't that hazardous. Serpentine asbestos fibres are around 500 times less carcinogenic amphibole fibres.

Asbestos cement roofing sheets typically contain around 8-15% chrysotile/white asbestos.

Standard practice in UK demolition is to wet the sheets up and demolish under water sprays. Then load into covered wagons and haul to asbestos landfill.

Amphibole (brown/blue) asbestos is 500 times more lethal and is typically found in floor tiles or worse, fibrous lagging.

Except when it's burnt like all the other trash over here. Big plumes of smoke containing fibre floating everywhere settling on farms and schools etc.

Yes. Very true.

[BSJ]

So all the new houses in the village and the district using the faux wood boards....are loaded with asbestos! Holy shyt!

[rhythmworx]

China love money and they don't care of any consequences of earning that money, be it people or the environment.

Just take a look at there own cancerous country, they don't even care about their own people or animals why would they care for others,

China also pretty much run Thailand, especially the big city BKK, so what they say go's.

It's all to do with filling others back pockets, forget the poor they are just scumbags in the eyes of the elite Chinese.

They make me sick, all nice in your face but serve you rotten food....money in the pocket, job done.

That's the only thing China wants, money and they are getting it and will take over the world.

[Skywalker69]

Waiting certain stuck records to blame it all on Yingluck/Thaksin and tell us we are all much safer now.

sigh!

[oneday]

"...saying that there is not enough evidence of asbestos-related diseases in Thailand..."

Really, are these people brain dead or what.

OK, I could be wrong. I think this is the reasoning. Thailand is different. Thailand and all it's people ARE NOT susceptible to asbestos like the rest of the people in the world are because Thailand is special. Stupid me.

[Cornhack]

Having written books and articles for Shine Lawyers, I can tell you, Thailand will be no different to USA. Only when many people have died will they take the matter seriously. Problem with Thailand is they just believe dead is dead, why worry about the causes.

When an expert came to Bangkok to lecture on asbestos related diseases, builders and related workers argued that asbestos was cheap and that is the end of their argument. Sit back, enjoy life while you can and don't worry. Nothing's gonna change any time soon.

[soalbundy]

Money is a strong incentive to ignore just about everything,Asbestos, slave labour, prostitution, gambling dens, murder, drug trafficking, justice, corruption etc.

[bangon04]

There may be a reason for the lack of evidence when you consider the lengthy time for the disease to be diagnosed and the life expectancy of Thai workers.

No - the real reason is that Thai lungs are superior construction to lungs from other nationalities.

in any case the majority of construction and demollition workers are Burmese and Cambodian, and if they die it doesn't really count, does it?

[Mosha]

Perhaps they should talk to the ex Asbestos factory workers in Bramley near Leeds W. Yorks. That's if any are still alive to talk to.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Mosha

[Mosha]

So all the new houses in the village and the district using the faux wood boards....are loaded with asbestos! Holy shyt!

Your ceiling too more than likely.

[Lupatria]

3rd world thinking again. If it makes money, it can't be toxic. Lets have another shot of mercury to that!

[outsider]

'Not enough evidence'. Another in a line of stupid statements and remarks. Public health? Nah... forget it. This is Thailand. Next please...

[pitrevie]

The favorite phrase of deniers and the ignorant, "there is not enough evidence"

[thailiketoo]

Jesús if this isn't serious corruption I don't know what is. The evidence is damming. I guess palms gave been greased. A dirty disgraceful business all round.

I'd just assumed it had been banned a lover the world.

Lives will be ruined.

No. Canada, Brazil, Russia just to name a few.

[Daniel Boon]

just check James Hardie, Julia Bishop (2IC LNP Australian government ....)

[Daniel Boon]

just check James Hardie, Julia Bishop (2IC LNP Australian government ....)

[thailiketoo]

My Lord, how many decades has this health hazard been around and Thailand is still waiting for more evidence before action is taken???

Truly, this Thailand I guess will remain a 3rd country!

They started banning asbestos in Australia in the 60's. Just shows how far Thailand is behind developed countries. Yes I know there are some other countries using it but that is not a defence for "THAILAND" to risk the lives of it's current and future generations.

Australia has a long history of asbestos production and use, although its heavy-use years are long gone. Its peak year was 1975, when the country used about 70,000 tons. But years of overuse impacted the long-term health of Australian citizens: There were 551 deaths related to mesothelioma cancer in 2007, and it is estimated that by 2020, 18,000 Australians will have died from mesothelioma.

http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/worldwide.php

[Commerce]

Not enough evidence?

What century is this?

The 25th apparently.

[carlyai]

This is serious. I thought there was a world wide ban too.

Just spent time building the new house with those cement wood planks.

I thought the brochure said 'no asbestos'.

Can anyone say which planks are safe?

Also, does the gyproc contain asbestos?

What about the material used for the roof venting between the roof and balcony support?

How do you know what tiles contain asbestos?

Really worried now!

[Preman]

Yep, ... the Thai Government can pass a law... in the face of scientific evidence gathered over decades from Phd's from all over the planet. Typical "Thainess".

Thailand.... you are killing yourself. Your allegiance to the wealthy and your corrupt system will one day catch up with you.

Another unbelievable slur on your own country .... that the world is watching.

Thailand..... can you ever wake up?

Does not look like it.

I wish that someone within your so corrupt system has the balls to speak out.

Unfortunately, - that would most likely mean a death sentence.

Not enough evidence?

What century is this?

[Doc46]

There may be a reason for the lack of evidence when you consider the lengthy time for the disease to be diagnosed and the life expectancy of Thai workers.

Yea most of the poor buggers die before they get asbestosis .

[daiwill60]

When once walking along sukhumvit a couple of years ago , think it was actually in Onnut, next to the BTS station, I saw a major demolition being undertaken, and was astonished to see a lot of what looked like Amosite ( Brown asbestos) sheeting broken up and lying around on the ground , mixed with lots of other demolition debris, all open to the elements where people were walking by. It sure did look like the many boards I have sampled during my 7 year career as an asbestos surveyor and consultant.

Thailand does need to wake up to this problem , many good points have been raised in the threads here, many people I am sure have probably died in Thailand before the associated health problems have kicked in, but children are also being exposed to it and are more likely to suffer the consequences in early adulthood.

There are many cement boards I have seen throughout Thailand and no thought will be given by workers cutting/removing these boards, when a little advice to keep the job in hand wet with water to minimise release of fibres, and to also wear masks which are as appropriate as they can be, would be advantagous in protecting workers.

There is plenty of evidence to support the associated hazards of asbestos if only those in power could be bothered to investigate it, but in Thailand , even if they were to ban or control its use, how on earth would they control / police its use or other work involving it when demolition of buildings occurs and people are ignorant to what material they are handling?

In a former home here in Thailand, an older type building, Asbestos cement sheeting formed most of the ceilings and internal walls, as did many of the neighboring buildings. If and when these buildings are demolished, to be replaced by newer buildings in the future, who will advise on safe removal procedures? Where will the removed materials be taken to for safe disposal??

Many questions are to be answered and maybe that is why the authorities are also reluctant to address the problem, adding the money probably involved in being better off to let it pass by, I doubt it will ever be a major cause for concern for the powers to be, for quite some time, to be honest.

Edited January 6, 2015 by daiwill60

[gandalf12]

Remind me ..... is it really is 2015 (2558) ? .. Makes me wonder which people have a vested interest in Asbestos production/distribution here

You need to wonder?

[masuk]

And to thin, back in the UK I couldn't even rake out a minor crack without a specialised asbestos company coming into the premises to take samples... Off to the lab for tests and the result given in 3-4 days.

They keep going on about education in thailand, obviously there's some things they really don't want you to know! Unfortunately all this lack of information is geared towards the lower class.

With all they information that is out there about asbestos and asbestos related diseases the thai government/s are just putting their people to the sword.

Selfish, selfish, selfish.

Same in Australia. If asbestos is suspected in an old building, the guys turn up looking like astronauts, in their sealed suits, filtered air.

Every suspect scrap of material is carefully bagged and taken away.

Meanwhile in Thailand....

[Don Aleman]

There is literally, truckloads of evidence, showing the effects of asbestos on humans and animals. Thai authorities are, apparently, being pressured by asbestos manufacturers/users to decline banning it .

[arrowsdawdle]

Why don't Thai authorities LOOK at farang investigations instead of hiding their heads under the sheets..... .

Two reasons:

1. It would cost them money
2. They are too busy working on an earthquake warning system

[skildpadden]

Denmark banned it in 1972 although there was permission to use it for roofing and walls until 1985. 30 years later Thailand says that "the Public Health Ministry has yet to connect any deaths to asbestos-related diseases." Thai Public Health Ministry think it was just to annoy people that it was banned more than 40 years ago and there was no connection between asbestos and deaths - or are Thai workers a very special breed immune to asbestos unlike others?

[thailiketoo]

Why don't Thai authorities LOOK at farang investigations instead of hiding their heads under the sheets..... .

Two reasons:

1. It would cost them money
2. They are too busy working on an earthquake warning system

No you guys got it all wrong. Thailand is the victim here.

How the Canadian Government has Marketed Asbestos to Developing Countries.

While every recognized health institution in the world takes the position that chrysotile asbestos is a deadly carcinogen and its use should be ended, the credibility of the experts put forward by Canada and the Chrysotile Institute to espouse the opposite viewpoint is questionable.

On July 21, 2008 The Chrysotile Institute sent out a media release promoting an event it planned to hold in Bangkok that day entitled Thailand: Understanding 21st Century Science in Support of the Correct Use of Chrysotile.

http://worldasbestosreport.org/articles/exportharm/howgovt.php

The Canadian government and its taxpayers are marketing asbestos to Thailand (among other places).

The Canadian government announced a new grant of $750,000 over three years for the Institute (now re-named, so as to avoid any unpleasant reference to asbestos, the Chrysotile Institute). A few weeks later, the Quebec government gave the Institute an additional $600,000 over three years - for a total of $1,350,000 of public funds.

So all you Canadians and members of the UK get on the phone to the Canadian government and insist they stop trying to sell asbestos to Thailand.

[arrowsdawdle]

Where are the investigative journalists going to Cabinet ministers' houses to see if they have replaced asbestos?