Thailand’s Industrial Works Department has issued new restrictions to control the import, trade in and possession of potassium cyanide following a series of alleged murders by means of cyanide poisoning.
According to Jullapong Thaveesri, director-general of the department, the new restrictions are intended to prevent cyanide from falling into the wrong hands and from being misused, for example as a pesticide.
The restrictions cover importers, traders and end users of the lethal substance.
Importers of cyanide are divided into those who import for industrial use, those who import for research or lab use and those import for small-scale metal cleaning.
Jullapong said importers for research purposes must show end user certification before they will be allowed to clear the cyanide through customs and must report to the department, in real-time, whenever there is a change in the quantity of cyanide in their possession.
Importers for small-scale metal cleaning are also required to show end-user certification before they can clear the imported cyanide through customs and must report the amount of cyanide in their possession every three months.
A license to import and possess cyanide is now only valid for one year, instead of three and, to obtain a license, the importer must present information about traders and end users.
Jullapong said that the department had sought cooperation from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board to ban the sale and advertising of cyanide on all online platforms.
Misuse of cyanide is now liable to three years in prison and/or a maximum fine of 300,000 baht on conviction.
Jullapong had a meeting with cyanide license holders yesterday (Wednesday) to inform them of the new restrictions which, he said, will be in force until the cyanide poisoning court cases are concluded.
The lone accused, Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, in a series of fatal cyanide poisonings, is currently being held on remand at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution on multiple murder charges and one attempted murder charge.
