Police yet to file charges over 5 deaths at CPF plant

[webfact]

Police yet to file charges over 5 deaths at CPF plant
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- POLICE have yet to file charges against anyone over the tragic death of five people at the Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) factory in Bangkok on Friday and will probe further to determine who might have been careless or negligent, city police chief Lt-General Sanit Mahathavorn said yesterday.

 

Panthika Tasuwan, 23, a fifth-year veterinary student at Chulalongkorn University, and four CPF employees died, presumably from suffocation, in the apparent accident on Friday at the plant’s wastewater sewerage system in Bang Na. 

 

Sanit, who visited Bang Na police station to follow-up on progress with case investigators in the afternoon, said police had interviewed eight witnesses and the cause of the tragic deaths could either be from intentional action by another person, or carelessness/negligence, or the deaths were an accident. They were still investigating the matter. 

 

He urged other plants to check their safety measures to prevent such incident, saying police would also check if the factory’s sewer lid was left open and why, and if there were warning signs or measures in place to ensure safety at the scene. 

 

He assured that police would probe the incident as per evidence and facts, to ensure justice for all sides despite the case involving a big and famous firm like CPF. 

 

Sanit said the firm’s offer to pay Bt3 million in compensation to the families of each of the five deceased, plus funeral expenses, were part of civil law actions. That was separate from the criminal code procedure. 

 

Sanit then led forensic officers to inspect the scene again without allowing media to observe, and left the factory without giving comment.

 

Meanwhile, the wastewater treatment facility in question was closed down for 30 days pending inspection and rectification. 

 

Industry Ministry deputy permanent secretary Nisakorn Jungjaroentham had said on Saturday that officers from the Water Technology and Industrial Pollution Management Bureau and the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) had investigated the cause of accident and the DIW would hold a press conference on the event today. 

 

Labour Minister General Sirichai Distakul has ordered the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to immediately provide aid to the victims. He also urged the Social Security Office to ensure CPF staff were eligible for protection and compensated by the Social Security Fund.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30319079

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-26

[ezzra]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Sanit said the firm’s offer to pay Bt3 million in compensation to the families of each of the five deceased,

What ever happened there to cause the death of those unfortunate

workers, the 3 million each as a huge mark improvement on the

peanuts compensations others pays...

[canuckamuck]

45 minutes ago, ezzra said:

What ever happened there to cause the death of those unfortunate

workers, the 3 million each as a huge mark improvement on the

peanuts compensations others pays...

True, but for CP it's still peanuts.

I am confident that CP will be found innocent of any negligence 

[meatboy]

this happened over 3days ago and this is the first report i have seen on TV. 5deaths in seconds suggest this chemical [fumes] was very very dangerous.and access should have been SEALED.

this is a tragedy that should not have happened.

[darksidedog]

I'm sure the cops are rubbing their hands together and checking out new cars on the showroom forecourt. I'm also sure there will be no charges against CPF of any substance. Everything will be brushed under the carpet and we will hear no more until the next load of dead turn up.

[colinneil]

Tragic loss of life, compensation no matter how much will not bring them back.

CP involved so nothing will happen.

The thing that bothers me is this senior policeman never misses on opportunity to get his photo in the media, that is sick.

[halloween]

47 minutes ago, meatboy said:

this happened over 3days ago and this is the first report i have seen on TV. 5deaths in seconds suggest this chemical [fumes] was very very dangerous.and access should have been SEALED.

this is a tragedy that should not have happened.

Any enclosed space without proper ventilation is dangerous. The usual chain of events is that one person enters, in this case falls, is overcome, and then others rush to the rescue thinking they can hold their breath. That just doesn't work, but the alternative is watch someone die without trying to help them.

At the power station where I worked it happened to 3 industrial chemists, the people that should be most aware of the dangers.

[mercman24]

once again we hear of tragic deaths, with no BA (breathing apparatus) no one should ever go into any drain/ sewer, without wearing this kit, there are many unseen lethal fumes waiting to render anyone unconcious in a matter of a few seconds.  i worked in the plastic industry for years, a plastic (BURN UP) could take your breath away in seconds, and fumes could enter the pores of your skin. and deposit all sorts of nasties in your blood stream. (BA trained)

[Catkiwi]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Tragic loss of life, compensation no matter how much will not bring them back.

CP involved so nothing will happen.

The thing that bothers me is this senior policeman never misses on opportunity to get his photo in the media, that is sick.

Good thing that the media were not allowed in to the scene examination or we would have seen this idiot pointing at the poor dead buggers!!!!!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Rest of the world: Safety first

Thailand: Safety, Mai pen rai 

[aussie11950]

Don't expect justice from CP.
They mostly owned the Kadar toy factory which burnt down about 2008.
Fire doors locked, safety rules not done, workers told not to evacuate.
About 120 workers died.
Management never held responsible.
1 person charged with accidentally starting the fire with a cigarette.
No real justice.
Rip to the workers.




Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[gazza4]

11 hours ago, colinneil said:

Tragic loss of life, compensation no matter how much will not bring them back.

CP involved so nothing will happen.

The thing that bothers me is this senior policeman never misses on opportunity to get his photo in the media, that is sick.

and what has has happened with his statement that he was being paid Bt50k a month as a consultant to a Thai brewery? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

True, but for CP it's still peanuts.

I am confident that CP will be found innocent of any negligence 

 

The police chief says the civil compensation is a separate matter from the potential criminal case.

 

If only that were true in Thailand, but unfortunately, it's isn't.

 

In all likelihood, CP is paying what they've promised to pay very clearly to avoid any remote chance of any criminal charges being filed.  And mark my words, no criminal case will be lodged in this incident.

 

[Laab Muu]

CP is owned by the richest family in South East Asia. What do people think is going to happen?

[gazza4]

8 minutes ago, Laab Muu said:

CP is owned by the richest family in South East Asia. What do people think is going to happen?

Did you say unpunished alleged insider trading?