Authorities Act to Identify Owner After Discovery of Tonnes of Illegally Stored Cables Following Fire Incident
PUBLISHED: 1 Feb 2025 at 15:57
In a startling find, authorities have uncovered approximately 3,600 tonnes of illegally stored power lines at an unlicensed recycling facility in Samut Sakhon province, following a fire at a nearby plastics factory. The fire, which erupted on Wednesday in Ban Phaeo district, prompted an investigation revealing materials marked for recycling by an unlicensed business, including power lines sourced from a facility just 500 metres away.
During an inspection on Friday, police and officials from the Ministry of Industry discovered that the cables were being stockpiled at a site associated with a company named Teng Ta. Upon arrival, inspectors found the facility locked and inactive, with indications that operations had halted since the fire. Local residents reported attempts to remove the hazardous materials. The Chinese national who owns the site has reportedly been absent since the incident.
Authorities suspect that the power lines were imported without proper authorization and are taking legal action against the facility’s operator. This site operated illegally, posing significant risks by stockpiling hazardous materials.
Thailand faces a rising challenge with illegal hazardous waste processing plants, particularly in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), which handle various types of waste including plastic and electronic refuse. Following China’s ban on plastic waste imports in 2018, many unlicensed recycling operations, particularly those involving Chinese investors, have emerged in Thailand, leading to a significant influx of waste into the country. A ban on imports of plastic waste in Thailand is now effective as of January 1 this year.
