Thai authorities have intercepted illegal electronic waste hidden inside shipping containers at Laem Chabang Port, as part of a joint crackdown on cross-border hazardous waste trafficking, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) reported today.
PCD Director General Surin Worakijthamrong revealed that inspectors from his department, the Laem Chabang Port customs office, and the Department of Industrial Works conducted a targeted inspection of 10 suspicious containers yesterday at the port in Chon Buri province.
The action followed a tip-off from the international environmental watchdog Basel Action Network (BAN).
The shipment was declared as metal and aluminium scrap, with a total net weight of 202.89 tonnes valued at 12.39 million baht.
Inspection of the 10 containers across two port areas revealed, however, that six contained electronic circuit boards mixed in with the aluminium scrap.
Surin said the discovery is evidence of ongoing attempts to smuggle electronic waste into Thailand using false declarations. The items are on the list of prohibited imports.
The PCD is now compiling its inspection findings to forward to the Customs Department for legal proceedings and will report the case to the Secretariat of the Basel Convention.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will continue collaborating with international networks and domestic agencies to block illegal transboundary movements of hazardous waste and ensure Thailand does not become a dumping ground,’ Surin stated.
He added that “Surveillance measures are being tightened under the framework of the Basel Convention to mitigate risks to public health and the environment.”
