National—
On April 7th, 2024, the Thai Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, Mueang Samut Sakhon police officers, and relevant agencies launched an inspection at a Taiwanese company in Mueang Samut Sakhon, regarding an alleged connection to the disappearance of 15,000 tonnes of hazardous cadmium in Tak.
According to the police officers, the police and relevant agencies inspected a private company in Mueang Samut Sakhon and found 2,440 tonnes of cadmium. However, it was reported that the private company in Tak allegedly transported 15,000 tonnes of cadmium. Some of the amount of cadmium was reportedly smuggled to other locations.
Upon the police investigation, 1,034 tonnes of cadmium were stored at the Taiwanese company with declared ownership by Mr. Zhang Shen Mao, a 69-year-old Taiwanese man.
According to the police report, Zhang reportedly told the police that the company bought more than 1,000 tonnes of cadmium from a private company in Mueang Samut Sakhon. However, the Taiwanese company had no valid license to possess hazardous material and Zhang’s passport had expired on February 26th, 2019, leaving him on over five years of overstay in Thailand.
On April 8th, Thai national media reported that since late March, there had been illegal transportation of 15,000 tonnes of hazardous cadmium in Tak to a private company in Mueang Samut Sakhon at 3,040 tonnes, a company in Ban Bueng, Chonburi, at 4,400 tonnes, and the Taiwanese company in Mueang Samut Sakhon at 1,034 tonnes.
However, the remaining amount of 5,358 tonnes of cadmium was under police investigation to locate, which were believed to still be in Thailand.
Thai health and environmental experts warned of the severe risks associated with cadmium exposure, which could potentially lead to cancer through consumption or inhalation.
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