Nature of Problem

City/Region

Brief Description of Problem

Chemical (s) / Pollutant (s)

Air pollution mainly comes from vehicles, constructions and industries. Vehicles and constructions cause air pollution in large urban centres, while industrial air pollution is a locality specific problem found in both urban and rural areas.

It was reported by the Pollution Control Department in 1995 that curbside air quality in many areas of Bangkok was the serious problem, particularly with regard to Total Suspended Particulate Matter (dust). Some pollutants such as carbon monoxide at 8 hours, nitrogen dioxide and ozone were found to be higher concentration than the standard levels.

In 1992, the combustion of lignite to generate electric power at Mae Moh Power Plant, Lampang Province, was the major cause of air pollution in the surrounding area.

Natural water resources along with rivers and canals in various agricultural areas all over country were investigated for pesticides residues by the Division of Agricultural Toxic Substances, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The Contamination of pesticides in water and sediments, in general, was rather low, especially, water resources for domestic consumption like ponds and reservoirs which have no connection way to agricultural plantations. However, the water resources in certain agricultural areas e.g. in orchid and ornamental plantations, were contaminated with organophosphorous and carbamate insecticides.

- Phathalimides

Marine water quality in coastal areas is still in good condition except at the tourist and industrial areas. This is because of discharge of waste water from communities and factories, aquaculture farms, ranch and agricultural land that are contaminated with organic matters, fertilizer, pesticides and antibiotics. The direct waste water discharge and the transport of pollution from river is a factor that accelerates water quality degradation.

The study on ground-water quality in some provinces of the central and western Thailand (Suphanburi, Saraburi, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Uthai Thani,Phetchaburi and Lopburi) was conducted by the Pollution Control Department in 1994. It was reported that pesticides residues and heavy metals found in groundwater samples were mostly below the standard levels of WHO.

There was an evidence of soil contamination caused by leakage of heavy metals from smelting process in Zinc Refinery Plant. This contamination affected the soil in paddy fields surrounded the refinery plant with high level of heavy metals particularly zinc and cadmium.

A monitoring program of pesticide residues in soil collected from agricultural areas of Thailand had been conducted since 1973. The major pesticide residues found during the year 1973-1977, were organochlorine insecticides. In 1973, the maximum amount of residues found was total DDT 27.57 ppm which gradually declined to 0.336 ppm in 1977, and 0.234 ppm in 1988. The organophosphorous insecticide residues were also found in 1973, 1974 and 1988 but the amount was at low levels.

Carbamate:- carbofuran

Shallow-wells in 4 districts of Rayong Province were investigated in1993 by the Division of Agricultural Toxic Substances, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. 160 water samples were collected for analysis of organochlorine-organophosphorus insecticides, fungicide(carbendazim) and herbicide(paraquat). The result showed that 67% of samples were contaminated with dieldrin, DDT-derivatives, dicofol, endosulfan, beta-BHC and parathion-methyl. The quantity of residues found was lower than the tolerance level. However, neither residues of fungicide nor herbicide were detected.

N.A.

N.A.

N.A.

To dispose the amount of hazardous waste mentioned above, the Department of Industrial Works therefore set up the industrial waste disposal center at Samae Dum, Bangkok. This center can serve hazardous waste from approximately 460 medium and small scale factories. However, large scale factories are able to treat and dispose their industrial waste. In addition, the other 4 waste disposal centers are planned to be set up in other industrial areas, namely Ratchaburi, Chon Buri, Saraburi and Rayong Province.

In 1995, the amount of 11 tons of infectious waste was collected daily from 592 hospitals in Bangkok Metropolitan Area.

(cont.)

One thousand and two hundred drums of toxic wastes caused by fire accident of chemical warehouses at Klong Toey Port, Bangkok in 1991 were treated properly by secure landfill in Kanchanaburi Province.

The statistics report of sickness and death from pesticides, by the Epidemiology Division, Ministry of Public Health, in 1995, indicated 3,354 sickness cases, and 20 deaths. When compared to the statistics in 1994 with 3,165 sickness cases and 41 deaths.

Health impact from hazardous chemicals used in industry such as lead, manganese, mercury, arsenic and toxicity from petroleum products and volatile gases by the Epidemiology Division, Ministry of Public Health, in 1995, indicated that 159 people were affected.

There were reports of accidents from industries, which resulted in more people suffering from toxicity of hazardous chemicals such as, a leakage of chlorine gas in a clinical gloves manufacturing plant in Samut Prakarn in October 1995, resulting in 5 injuries. Also there was an explosion of ammonia gas in the refrigerator room of a seafood export factory in Samut Prakarn, resulting in 3 injuries.

There was an explosion caused by the LPG truck accident at New Petchburi Road Bangkok in 1990. Many people were injured by this accident and 91 of them were dead. Moreover, approximately 30 residential buildings and 43 cars were completely destroyed in the massive blast.

There was an explosion caused by the dynamite truck accident at Phangnga Province in 1991. In this case, 207 people were dead and more were injured.

The amount of vinyl chloride was leaked from the highly volatile tanks on a ship and polluted to Chao Phraya River at Samut Prakarn Province in 1992.

The fire accident of chemical warehouses was occured at Klong Toey Port , Bangkok in 1991. This accident killed 6 people, injured 16 people and destroyed 642 residential buildings.

About 1,000 tons of industrial toxic waste containers from the petrochemical industrial plant were dumped near the industrial estate at Rayong Province.

Nationwide

5. Some chemicals, such as borax, formalin, sodium dithiosulfite, were misused in food products.

- Borax, Formalin, Sodium dithiosulfite

Drinking water from underground reservoirs and artesian wells in Ron-pee-boon District, Nakhon Srithammarat Province, has been contaminated with arsenic (above the limit), caused by tin mining.

Located in tropical zone, Thailand has had high risk of mosquito-borne diseases, especially Malaria. In 1994-1995, the annual malaria incidences for the population of 1,000 were 2.01 and 1.55 respectively. Although the morbidity rate for the disease has been reduced, the use of chemicals to control vector mosquitoes still proves necessary in high risk areas. The problem of concern is the use of DDT since this highly toxic chemical is resistant to breakdown, persistent in the environment and easily bioaccumulated in organisms. However, there has been increasing use of alternative pesticides and biological / environmental control measures in lieu of DDT over the years.

In 1995, the total prevalence of suicidal reported cases using toxic chemicals was 7.92 for the population of 100,000. Chemicals involved in these suicidal cases were mainly pesticides (30.79%) and herbicides (11.65%). The northern region of Thailand had the highest rate of poisoning.

Rodenticides

Nature of Problem

Scale of Problem¹

Level of Concern²

Ability to Control Problem²

Availability of Statistical Data ³

Specific Chemicals Creating Concerns

Priority Ranking⁴

(vehicles)

local

high

medium

sufficient

1

(construction)

local

high

medium

sufficient

1

(industry)

local

medium

medium

insufficient

2

(power plant)

local

high

high

sufficient

2

local

low

low

sufficient

Heavy metals

3

local

high

medium

sufficient

3

local

medium

low

insufficient

3

national

low

low

insufficient

3

local

low

low

insufficient

- parathion-methyl

3

-

-

-

insufficient

-

-

national

medium

low

insufficient

2

Agricultural

regional

medium

medium

sufficient

3

Industrial

regional

medium

medium

insufficient

3

regional

medium

medium

insufficient

3

Transport

local

medium

low

insufficient

2

national

medium

low

insufficient

3

regional

medium

medium

Sufficient only on pesticides

3

national

medium

medium

insufficient

Other chemicals

2

local

low

medium

insufficient

3

local

low

medium

sufficient

3

local

low

medium

sufficient

4