The Ministry of Industry has launched a probe into the illegal import of around 10,262 tonnes of powdery waste containing radioactive caesium-137, with documents falsely declaring the material to be zinc concentrate.
Industry Minister Akanat Promphan said on Tuesday the investigation follows a report about falsified documents being used in the importation of hazardous waste.
Preliminary findings showed that waste contaminated with radiocesium residuals was imported by KMC 1953 Co, using 33 false documents to deceive customs authorities, from last July to this January, he said.
This batch of contaminated waste was imported from Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Romania, Morocco and Turkey, Mr Akanat noted.
Caesium-137, an industrial waste from the iron smelting process, is classified as Type 3 hazardous waste in Thailand and is strictly controlled under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
As such, importing the substance requires special permission from the Department of Industrial Works -- a certification the company had not acquired.
Further investigation found the falsified import documents had been issued by the Chon Buri Provincial Industrial Office so that the reported "red dust" could bypass the stringent paperwork, the minister said.
The ministry will probe deeper to determine if any officials at the provincial industry office colluded with KMC 1953 Co in the misconduct, Mr Akanat said.
