Map Ta Phut industrial zone in Rayong
Thailand faces many environmental problems. Water, land and air pollution are serious in many places in Thailand. I give a short description of the state of the environment, something about the causes and backgrounds and the current approach. Finally, a more detailed explanation of the environmental problems around the large industrial area Map Ta Phut in Rayong. I also describe the protests of environmental activists.
Environmental degradation in Thailand
I give here a brief and incomplete summary of the most serious and acute problems. For a more complete overview I refer to the literature mentioned in the sources below.
Degradation of nature is perhaps one of the biggest problems. Deforestation is less than in the last century, but still continues. There are longer periods of drought. Soil erosion is more common. The incomplete and often illegal processing of waste causes soil and water pollution. Cheap migrant workers process 53.000 tons electronic waste in many small businesses where toxic waste is simply dumped somewhere. The import of plastic waste increased from 2016 tons to 2018 tons between 70.000 and 481.000 and in total there are now about 2.000 plastic waste processing plants, concentrated around the City of Angels. Of 15 cities with the most air pollution in Southeast Asia, 10 are in Thailand. The air pollution caused by fires in forests and especially corn fields in the North is notorious.
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The role of government
Thailand has a number of good laws and regulations when it comes to the environment. The problem is in compliance and control. For example, there are strict rules for waste processing companies, but they are enforced by the local authorities, which means that corrupt agreements with companies and government are commonplace. Only larger companies with more than 50 employees (previously more than 7) need an EIA (Environment Impact Assessment), but companies are often already under construction before such a study has been completed. There is also common cause between (state) companies and the state. In 2016, the government decided to require a shorter EIA procedure and fewer requirements for polluting companies in urban and rural areas. In the rare conversations with environmentalists, the government often argues that sacrifices are necessary for the greater good of the nation.
The Map Ta Phut industrial zone in Rayong
This industrial zone was established in 1990. It is a state institution and is managed by the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand. It accounts for 14 percent of gross domestic product. There are about 151 factories: 2 oil refineries, 30 petrochemical plants, 12 fertilizer plants, gas and coal plants, 8 steel industries, plastic manufacturing companies and others. In the Map Ta Phut district, 50.000 people live in addition to 15.000 migrant workers.
The area has been plagued by a large number of dangerous incidents since its inception. In 2000 there were 2 deaths due to polycarbonate poisoning, in 2012 an explosion caused 11 deaths and 129 injuries and after a chemical leak in 2012 138 people were admitted.
In 1997, 1000 students and teachers of the Phanpittayakarn school had to be taken to a hospital after becoming unwell due to stench and polluted air. This school located in the Map Ta Phut has since been moved. A hospital in the same municipality has also been moved after many complaints from doctors and patients.
In the entire area around this industrial zone there is almost always an odor nuisance. An excess of carcinogenic substances has been found in the air and soil. A study found that there are 2.000 more deaths from cancer while respiratory disorders are also common. Some toxic waste is simply dumped somewhere.
People's commitment to improving the environment
Protesting against environmental pollution happens on a fairly large scale but is very dangerous in Thailand. In addition to libel and slander charges, there are the well-known prosecutions for sedition, public disorder and more. Threats are common. At least 20 environmental activists have been killed or disappeared without a trace in the past 60 years. Thailand is the 8th in that regarde most dangerous country in the world and the most dangerous country in Southeast Asia after the Philippines. Most of them do not appear in the news and prosecution is rare. A few names.
In 2004, Charoen Wat-Aksorn died from bullets as he got off a bus in Prachuab Khiri Khan after returning from statements he made at the Senate in Bangkok. As the leader of the Love B Nok group, he has been fighting against the construction of a coal-fired power plant, large-scale shrimp farming and other environmental problems for years. The two shooters died under suspicious circumstances in the cell, the suspected client was acquitted in the second instance.
In 2005, the monk Phra Supoj Suwajano was stabbed to death in a forest. He fought against unlawful deforestation for years.
In 2011, Thongnak Sawekchinda died in front of his house in Samut Sakhon after being hit by 9 bullet. He has been protesting for 5 years against pollution caused by many illegal factories around his hometown and the many pollutions caused by coal transport and storage. He has received death threats many times for this.
In 2013 it was the turn of Prajop Nao-opas. He opposed the toxic discharges from industries in Chacheongsao province. Sometimes the toxic substances exceeded 30 times the permitted limit. The owner of the polluting company, also an official in an industrial affairs department, was sentenced to death for this murder 2 years later.
In 2015, Chai Bunthonglek was shot 6 times in the head and chest. He campaigned for land rights in Surat Thani
In 2019, Eakachai Itsaratha was kidnapped and imprisoned for a day and threatened after he demonstrated against pollution caused by an open-pit quarry in Phatthalung.
Conclusion
A more consistent and tougher policy with regard to environmental pollution is needed. Intimidation, threats, persecution of environmental activists must stop, while murder and disappearance of these people must really be tackled.
Source reference:
A comprehensive account of Thailand's environmental problems: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Thailand
The story of endangered environmental activist Jintana Kaewkao: http://projects.aljazeera.com/2015/04/thailand-activists/
A longer story about the murder of Charoen Wat-Aksorn: https://prachatai.com/english/node/3620
About this blogger
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Born in 1944 in Delfzijl as the son of a simple shopkeeper. Studied in Groningen and Curacao. Worked as a doctor in Tanzania for three years, then as a general practitioner in Vlaardingen. A few years before my retirement I married a Thai lady, we had a son who speaks three languages well.
Lived in Thailand for almost 20 years, first in Chiang Kham (Phayao province) then in Chiang Mai where I liked to bother all kinds of Thai with all kinds of questions. Followed Thai extracurricular education after which a diploma of primary school and three years of secondary school. Did a lot of volunteer work. Interested in the Thai language, history and culture. Have been living in the Netherlands for 5 years now together with my son and often with his Thai girlfriend.
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Here's a short video of about 5 minutes (English subtitles can be turned on) about the problems surrounding Rayong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMGn7B8KVBU
It is certainly not a nice place to live, money and economic interests seem to be a much higher priority than a clean environment and good health… Would the gentlemen behind this industry also pursue this policy if the industry was in their own backyard and their drinking water came from??
Recently I read “Boom & bust” by Phasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker. There they also briefly mention Rayong and that school. I quote: 'There was a long series of accidents, fires and leaks around the Eastern Seaboard petrochemical complex in Rayong, resulting in a number of deaths. By 1997, air pollution had become so bad that forty children at the local school suffered from respiratory problems. A medical team reported that half of the students and teachers at the school suffered from tumors in the nose, with most suffering from skin rashes and dizziness.' This is followed by a list of pollution in the soil, water and air in high concentrations.
Very annoying that a few improvements in the document I sent did not come through. Depends on my computer (knowledge). My apologies.
This paragraph
'In 1997, 1000 students and teachers of the Phanpittayakarn school had to be taken to a hospital after becoming unwell due to stench and polluted air'.
must be:
In 1997, 40 students and teachers of the Phanpittayakarn school had to be taken to a hospital after becoming unwell due to stench and polluted air. A medical team found that half of the students and teachers had tumors in the nose. Many had rashes and suffered from vertigo. A recent study gave similar results.
1000 students became unwell but not all of them went to the hospital.
And this video didn't come through either:
A 5 minute video about the serious health problems caused by pollution in Map Ta Phut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMGn7B8KVBU
I agree with the gist of the story but it is now 2020 so what does 1997 have to do with it?
At that time, Zwarte Piet was not even a point of discussion, just to name a few.
Much depends on the upbringing in schools, every day I see children just throwing their waste where they are.
It was decided not to give plastic bags anymore, but in many department stores and markets bags are still eagerly given.
Burning plastic waste is not the same as processing it; then dumping and 'sand over it' is even better for the environment, because it is limited to 1 place. Provided that measures are taken to prevent it from coming into contact with the outside air and groundwater.
We noticed that plastic is burned last year when we were still late at night at the swimming pool of our resort on Koh Tao. A pungent stench of burnt or melted plastic reached us from behind the high wall.
In addition, 2000 plastic waste 'processing' companies, and that only around this city, are never efficient. In the fierce competition, corruption is soon lurking and continuity must be guaranteed, so putting less plastic into circulation is disastrous for the continued existence of that sector and therefore the source of income for many.
I myself live about 40 km as the crow flies from the nearest lignite-fired power station. And, no matter how loudly this is protested against in the context of the energy transition, I would rather live under the smoke of those power stations than spend even one day walking around (petro) chemical factories in the Netherlands.
Then it will be better organized here than in Thailand; exactly 2 years ago I had to go to an unnamed factory in Dordrecht for my work. 2 weeks with possible extension. I kept it to 2 weeks and then I left my tools behind and went home. If my boss had forced me to stay longer (yes, he did that 10 years ago, under threat that a colleague who was with me wouldn't have to come on Mondays if we didn't stay there all weekend instead of the 2 night shifts from Thu/Fri and Fri/Sat for which we were there), I would have called the Labor Inspectorate.
I was (fortunately) on day shift there, but during the night shift a highly toxic substance was released from a pipe that should have been flushed and depressurized. 4 People inhaled that dust and were taken straight to the hospital for a check-up. Fortunately, it turned out to be not too bad; Not that I've ever heard of it though. And they were foreigners who did not speak or understand a word of Dutch, English or German, so it was a mystery to me anyway how they were allowed on the site.
When I went to get the permit from the Chief of Service the next morning and asked why those purple pipes with that green powder were there, there was a panicky reaction. That should have been covered, no one was allowed to come into contact with it….
It turned out I hadn't imagined that panic, because when I signed the permits and deposited them in the box where they had to remain during my shift, I heard the CvD say to a safety officer sitting there: 'We have to consult quickly, because we don't know how to deal with this. We shouldn't have any more ambulances here on the property. Did those men go to the medical service or to the hospital?'
So this is still happening in the Netherlands!!!! In fact, 2,5 weeks later when I was back and a colleague from my region there, he called me in the evening. A substance had escaped from a pipe and he had inhaled some of it, leaving him almost out of breath.
I asked what he had done. 'I ran back to my workplace and sat down to recover. Sitting in my hotel room right now and not feeling well yet. If it's still like this in the morning, I'll see a doctor.'
Too afraid of reprisals. Putting the continuity of work above his own health. Because that client is a long-standing and loyal customer.
As long as that is maintained, the environment will continue to suffer.