Uncooperative waste processors face negative consequences
Dobber here, pal! Let's dive into the squalid saga of a illicit "zero-dollar" recycling operation busted in Prachin Buri, recovering a load of nearly 8,500 godawful tonnes of hazardous and toxic gunk. This bad business was found flouting the rules left, right, and center, with no authority to run the joint and illegally leasing land like it was a personal playground.
Being such a massive and rotten affair, the case is going before the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to be marked as a special case. Akanat, our esteemed Industry Minister, entrusted Thitipas Chotdechachainun, leader of the Ministerial Taskforce, aka the "Sudsoi Team," to head the takedown alongside various agencies like the Department of Industrial Works (DIW), Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED), Ecological Recovery Foundation, the Prachin Buri Provincial Industry Office, and others.
The Sudsoi team swung into action, giving the crimps' company an on-site inspection in tambon Krok Samboon, Sri Maha Phot district. This factory, specializing in metal smelting, mainly of aluminium and copper, had been told to cease operations due to licensing issues but had the audacity to keep right on going. The sneaky rats were found red-handed breaking the rules, engaging in illegal wire recycling and hoarding more than 8,000 tonnes of hazardous waste.
The company, registered under Chanjira Suksatit and Yu-Li Yang, had sectioned off its premises into seven separate warehouse zones. Some areas had the correct licenses but others were without. Workers were spotted loading up wire recycling machinery in direct defiance of the suspension order.
Unlicensed hazardous materials littered the place, including wire scraps, automotive electrical parts, e-waste, and computer components. "This setup was clearly a back-alley industrial estate without a lick of legitimacy," Thitipas stated. "Seven different business tenants, predominantly Chinese and Taiwanese nationals, were renting out and operating without permission."
The culprits now face charges for operating an illegal factory, unauthorized expansion, possessing hazardous substances, and disregarding orders. Every last bit of materials and equipment was seized. Investigations showed the firm had leased the property from a defunct company. They'd sliced the place up into two sections and rented it out to Chinese companies for metal sorting operations involving unauthorized hazardous materials, such as metal scrap, transformers, wires, and electronic circuit boards. The Prachin Buri Provincial Industry Office has since shut down all unapproved expansions and seized machinery, raw materials, finished products, and industrial waste.
The immense volume of toxic materials, well over 50 tonnes, means the case is now classified as a special investigation by the DSI. Gather your wits, mate, as we're talking about dangerous stuff here. Relevant documents will soon find their way into the DSI for consideration.
In June of 2025, Thailand neglected this dangerous situation, putting citizens and the environment at risk. But with the Industry Ministry taking action, hopefully, we can work towards a greener, cleaner world where places like this won't be tolerated. I don't envy our mates on the taskforce, cleaning up after these sleazeballs, but it's a necessary job to protect our planet.
[1] Info on charges, agencies involved, and case classification[2] Thailand's struggle with waste management and push towards a green economy[3] The firm's illegal operations and hazardous waste storage[unreferenced] The crime's impact on the community and threats to the environment in Prachin Buri
- The criminal operation in Prachin Buri faces charges for operating an illegal factory, unauthorized expansion, possessing hazardous substances, and disregarding orders. The Sudsoi Team, alongside various agencies like the Department of Industrial Works (DIW), Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED), Ecological Recovery Foundation, and others, is involved in this special case, now classified as a special investigation by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
- The incident in Prachin Buri in June of 2025 highlights Thailand's ongoing struggle with waste management and its push towards a greener, cleaner economy. The massive, hazardous waste operation put citizens and the environment at risk, but with the Industry Ministry taking action, hope is on the rise for a future where such irresponsible practices are not tolerated.
- The firm, registered under Chanjira Suksatit and Yu-Li Yang, engaged in illegal activities such as metal smelting and wire recycling, hoarding more than 8,000 tonnes of hazardous waste on its premises. The company, sectioned off into seven separate warehouse zones, was found to have unlicensed materials, including e-waste, computer components, and other hazardous substances, posing a severe environmental threat to the community in Prachin Buri.
