Leaky pollution law is no barrier to the money flood

[webfact]

Leaky pollution law is no barrier to the money flood
By Pratch Rujivanarom 
 

In a society where money and connections wield more power than the law, the voiceless will always suffer

 

BANGKOK: -- Investigations of the mass deaths of giant freshwater stingrays last month seemed to have reached a conclusion when tests showed the Rajburi Ethanol factory released industrial wastewater into Mae Klong River “by accident”. The Pollution Control Department has duly filed a lawsuit against the company.

It sounds like a positive ending to a tragic event which killed more than 50 critically endangered stingrays along with countless other creatures in the river as it flowed through Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram provinces.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30298813

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-11-01

[ratcatcher]

 Rajburi Ethanol factory 

http://www.katzen.com/projectshowcase.aspx?p=26

[z42]

Your laws are only as strong as the enforcement protocols used by the agencies who are in place to enforce them. And with an enforcement arm as crooked and ineffective as the one currently in place, the laws are utterly worthless. And in this particularly awful recent case it seems that very little is being done, or has been done already to right the wrongs

 

[waldroj]

4 minutes ago, z42 said:

Your laws are only as strong as the enforcement protocols used by the agencies who are in place to enforce them. And with an enforcement arm as crooked and ineffective as the one currently in place, the laws are utterly worthless. And in this particularly awful recent case it seems that very little is being done, or has been done already to right the wrongs

 

 

z42,

 

Your words are oh so true, but as this eloquent report by The Nation points out, "...the sad fact remains that the industrial polluters can usually count on their wealth and connections to fend off the law and punishment. The real power lies with money and influence, not with the law and its enforcers...".

 

As is so often the case in Thailand - the shiny façade of respectability masks a rotten inner reality

 

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

It sounds like a positive ending to a tragic event which killed more than 50 critically endangered stingrays along with countless other creatures in the river as it flowed through Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram provinces.

 

Sounds like key words. What is the sound of one hand clapping? Sounds like, maybe, not sure, possibility, we will get back to you standard phrases here. Pick one. Another one of those fade away stories. There will be no bowing apologies to mother nature she will be stiffed yet again. Well back to writing my book "A Tale Of Two Thailands"

Edited November 1, 2016 by elgordo38

[Morch]

On 11/1/2016 at 6:18 AM, ratcatcher said:

 Rajburi Ethanol factory 

http://www.katzen.com/projectshowcase.aspx?p=26

 

Dunno if the following is exactly connected to the current topic:

 

Quote

  Wastewater Treatment Project to apply for a CDM Project Status

12th February 2007 - After months of studies, Rajburi Sugar Co., Ltd. and Rajburi Ethanol Co., Ltd. have come to an agreement with ENVIMA (Thailand) Co., Ltd. to act as our consultant for applying for CDM Project Status for the company's planned new wastewater treatment facility using an UASB system. After over 30 years of the open pond system for our wastewater treatment facility, we are very excited to apply for CDM project status to fund our planned UASB system for our water treatment.

http://www.rajburisugar.com/eng/news/

 

A bit under that, Rajburi Ethanol Co., Ltd is referred to as a "sister company" of Rajburi Sugar Co., Ltd.

Edited November 2, 2016 by Morch