Running out of patience, angry residents in two villages in Krabi suffering from the release of rubber latex and palm oil refinery waste have put all their homes and land up for sale, accusing the state of ignoring their plight.
The frustrated people of Moo 4, Moo 6 and Moo 10 villages in tambon Lam Thap in Lam Thap district of this southern province gathered in front of a house at Moo 4 village, where they put up a cloth banner with the message, ‘’All houses and land plots at Moo 4 and Moo 10 villages are for sale because the foul smell and toxic wastes badly affects us’’, Thai media reported on Tuesday.
The residents of the two villages complain they have suffered for many years from the bad smell and the discharge of untreated wastes from rubber latex and palm oil factories only 400 metres from their communities.
They decided to flex their muscles and stage a protest against the authorities for not seriously addressing the problem.
Boonkhong Thongthip, 60, said residents of tambon Lam Thap, and in particular the three villages worst hit, have all been suffering from the foul odours emitted by the two nearby factories for seven years.
Over the years they had petitioned the authorities to look into their plight, including four provincial governors, but the problem remained unsolved, said Mr Boonkhong.
The locals had recently submitted a petition with about 100 signatures to district authorities and the provincial industrial office, asking that they tackle the problem.
However, the foul smell and the release of wastes stopped for only 2-3 days and then resumed, he said.
Representatives of residents had a meeting with local agencies on Dec 2 to discuss the situation, but wastewater was still being discharged on Monday, he said.
‘Now, we are running out of our patience. We decided to put up a banner offering to sell the entire two villages. We want to move out, as we cannot stand it anymore.
"The stench keeps us awake at night. Our children and the elderly suffer respiratory problems. Several canals in our communities have become polluted, and huge numbers of fish have died.
"Our farmland has also been affected by toxic wastes released by the two factories,’’ said Mr Boonkhong.
Theera Chucherd, head of the Interior Ministry’s Dhamrongtham Centre in Krabi, said the centre was already aware of the grievances of the affected residents and was working with the provincial industrial office to investigate the matter.
In the initial stage, the two accused factories have been asked to improve their waste treatment within 15 days. A committee comprising representatives from protesting residents and local leaders has been set up to monitor the two factories' waste management.