Chonburi: Industry Minister Varawut Silpa-archa has directed the Department of Industrial Works to launch an investigation into an incident where heavy rainfall and a significant amount of waste led to the collapse of a wall, resulting in the flooding of a village in Chonburi province. The minister emphasized that if the site is legally defined as a factory, the authorities are prepared to enforce the Factory Act to hold those responsible accountable.
According to Thai News Agency, the directive came after reports of severe downpours causing water and debris to breach a village fence in the Bo Win sub-district of Sri Racha district. The event took place on July 4, following a night of intense rain in Chonburi. The rainwater accumulated and carried dense piles of foam scrap from a nearby sorting site into the Boonraksa View 2 residential estate. The surge collapsed the village's perimeter wall, flooding several homes with water and debris. In response, local sub-district officials deployed emergency crews to remove blockages and assess structural damage.
Minister Varawut instructed the Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works to collaborate with Chonburi provincial industrial officials for a thorough inspection of the area. Should evidence confirm that the site used heavy machinery, employed workers in numbers meeting statutory thresholds, and engaged in activities like waste sorting, landfilling, or recycling, it would be classified as a factory under the law.
"If all criteria are met, the Department of Industrial Works and Chonburi industrial officials will immediately apply legal measures under the Factory Act of 1992," Varawut stated. The law stipulates that operating an unauthorized factory can result in a penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both. Authorities also have the power to issue an immediate cease-and-desist order and require the operator to secure the foam waste storage yard.
The minister also urged the department to monitor the case closely and provide regular updates to the public.