"ALTHOUGH it has been confirmed that three factories in the Mab Ta Phut Industrial Estate are responsible for severe air pollution in the area, they will not face punishment due to lax regulations concerning the emission of toxic substances." [The Nation : July 16, 1997]	"PRIME Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh yesterday threatened to close down factories suspected of emitting toxic fumes, that have effected residents near the Mab Ta Phut Industrial Estate, unless they improve their waste treatment system to eliminate air pollution in seven days." [The Nation : July 18, 1997]
	A concerned Thai is, as usual, concerned about the three factories that are harming our natural resources. A Thai writes:
	After poeple including thousands of students around Mab Ta Put industrial estate in Rayong have suffered air pollution for years, recently the pollution gets more severe and is widely known to public. So many students have got air toxic whole day and whole night for years and many of them got sick so many times relating to respiratory, faint, etc. Who can be sure that they are free from any kind of cancer, or their brains will not be intoxicate and deteriorated, and they can grow to be bright future of our country? On Wed. July 16, 1997, the Nation, an english newspaper, reports on page A1 and A8 that the director of the Pollution Control Dept. said three factories - Tuntex Petrochemicals, Star Petroleum Refinery (known as Caltex), and Bayer Premier, are believed to be the sources of five substances (acetic acid, acrylonitrite, toluene, bezene, and styrene) found in the area. These three factories are named after tests of 6 suspected factories. Well, what should we do to these factories? Should we let them continue their business as normal? Or, at least, we should let our friends and families be aware of these names and avoid using their products, right? Note: About message 'Mab Ta Put' I sent to you, Bangkok Post put it on today newspaper (7/19/97) in its postbag column where people can share their voice. I'm glad they correct my english to be nicer. Thank. It is the first time I do have my voice on media. But what so upset me is that they did not list the names of 3 factories that cause the severe pollution, that is one main objective of the message. Why? I don't understand. They simply said 'three factories'. Who the hell will know which ones? For me, I've read so many of this kind of news. WITHOUT NAMING CLEARLY, THE NEWS WON'T TOUCH ME AT ALL, AND I'LL QUICKLY FORGET THAT NEWS! Can we rely on our media? So sorry. Post, if you're afraid that I might make up these names, look at the 'Nation' on Wednesday 7/16/97 pageg A1 and A8. Best Regards, A Thai
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I agree with you guys but actullay, I wanna know about how can | get rayong map , especially Munnork Island. Because right now, I 'm doing my thesis in architecture and I need Munnork Island map for my data to debate with my professor. I need help for anyone who can advice and tell me how I can get it from anywhere. Please tell me. Thank you in advance. I'm looking forward that mail. anuchit

anuchit vit. <tumkrub@hotmail.com> from 161.200.255.182 on Wednesday, October 07, 1998 at 15:11:19

I am a Environmental Engineer who live in Taiwan. I have been work for the Tuntex Petrochemicals's waste water treatment plant form the year 2537 to 2539 in Map Ta Phut. Althouht I am not the specialist on air pollution control, but I know that Tuntex have put many budget on waste water treatment and do it well. As my experience, the regulation or standard of pollution control is defined by OEPP and Industrial Environment Division, Ministry of Industrial. For example, the limit of Aromatics is 22.7g/min. But the regulation and standard is suitable for you or not? It is the problem. In Taiwan, we begine to control the VOC from industrial this year. I love Thailand very much, I believe that we have the honest and ability to control the air pollution under the regulation of Thai. We do not want only earn the money from Thai but leave the pollution. But for a foreign country company, what they can do is follow your regulation. So, why not try to push your goverment and modify the regulation of air pollution control in industrial Estate? The earth is a family. If I have the chance to work in Thai again, I will do my best.

Jeremy Kao <jeremy@besttech.com.tw> from 210.61.132.6 on Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 05:32:31

distgusting i have seen and smelt this discusting stuff think about the kids the locals do not kill thailand and the eastan seaboard GOD FORGIVE YOU AMEN NO NOT A PREACHER I WILL BE LIVING THERE SOON IHAVE LIVED IN WESTERN SHIT FOR TO LONG BYE

chris <valee1.aol.com> from ww-tk04.proxy.aol.com on Wednesday, December 17, 1997 at 08:16:30

i`ve just been to Rayong and i could smell the bad fumes very vell my friend in Rayong has a youngster only 8 months old with lung problems the doctor suspected the fumes made him sick i really like Rayong but they have to clean up that mess before the habitants get fetal injuryes .

bård fosse <baard.fosse@rl.telia.no> from t7o205p44.telia.com on Tuesday, August 19, 1997 at 23:56:36

I love Rayong but now it very bad pollution

Chamaiporn Boonpanya <Com25@rb.ac.th> from 203.150.68.45 on Friday, August 15, 1997 at 12:17:39

I'm a Rayong people. I think everyone want to solve this problem but local people not bear enough to fight with dark power in thai social.

koekai <b39rik@nontri.ku.ac.th> from proxy.ku.ac.th on Thursday, August 14, 1997 at 15:40:41

Dearest, We have to be confindence and be serious about the pollution problem But what I would like to tell you is that there are some in correct date in which you guys might have not known. Currently , I'm a Lecturer at Dept. of Chem. Eng , fac. of eng. chulalongkorn U. and we face this problem with knowledge, we know that thailand's economy strongly depends on those billion dollar inter. company which is located in the industrial estate. I'm not trying to say that we have to "accept" everything they give us but at least ppl there in rayong province earn and live happier from these companies. People from everywhere around thailand go there and seek for job to earn money. As a matter of fact, society and industry don't go along well, society has interfer and came closer and closer to the industrial area which they have buffer zones (trees and land field) but these ppl come close and interupt the buffer zone themselves. This event which happen at Map Ta Phut area is also claim as a politic issue since one of the investigator is among the rich land seller in that area and can't sell his land to the company locate to the East side of Map Ta Phut industrial estate ( but this cannot be identify clearly.) Anyhow , we have to accept that you can't do an experiment with hazardous chemical substant without have them vaporize and mixed with the surroundings , can't we? even if you have a hood.. the air still goes out to the open air outside. That is only in the lab , but this is industrial. The goverment has to pay much more role in protect and investigating the pollution problem much more than present. One of the major conflict between the companies and the goverment (sci. and tech. Ministry ) now is the word "STANDARD" value. Please be much open mind and care about the whole picture than care about micro scope.

Kitipan Kitbamroong <kkitipan@pioneer.chula.edu> from 203.147.0.2 on Sunday, August 10, 1997 at 12:35:34

Yes, I strongly agree with you. I'll help stop using Caltex oil. We have lots of gas stations to select, right? *** LET BAN CALTEX *** But for Bayer and Tuntex, what are they doing? I guess Bayer is about Bagon insecticide, am I right? Normally I've never used this kind of thing. Ake

Ake <Ake@MoZart.Inet.Co.TH> from mozart.inet.co.th on Monday, August 04, 1997 at 21:29:41