Chonburi: Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Industry, has instructed the Department of Industrial Works to investigate an incident where floodwaters caused a wall collapse, resulting in a massive amount of garbage engulfing a village in Bo Win Subdistrict, Si Racha District. The Minister emphasized the necessity of enforcing the Factory Act if the situation meets the criteria for factory operations, aiming to hold any offenders accountable.

According to Thai News Agency, the Minister has directed Mr. Poryot Glankrong, the Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works, to collaborate with the Chonburi Provincial Industry Office for a thorough investigation. The focus is to determine whether the presence of machinery, such as excavators and forklifts, as well as the employment of qualified workers for waste sorting, landfilling, or recycling activities, classifies the site as a factory under legal definitions. If these activities are confirmed, immediate legal action will be taken under the Factory Act B.E. 2535 (1992). The law stipulates penalties for unauthorized factory operations, including imprisonment of up to two years, fines up to 200,000 baht, or both. Additionally, operations may be ordered to cease immediately, with mandates to improve waste storage for safety.

The Minister has mandated that the Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works closely monitor the progress of this investigation and provide regular updates to both him and the public.