The internal rift within the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party is getting uglier, with a prominent campaign against polluting factories being drawn into the saga.
Deputy leader of the UTN, Suchart Chomklin, recently made a shocking accusation against the so-called Sud Soi Team, set up by a party rival, of demanding bribes from the owners of factories that the team had inspected, in exchange for avoiding penalties.
Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart is trying to have UTN's ministers, such as party leader and Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaka and Industry Minister Akanat Promphan, removed from the cabinet.
The Sud Soi team is a task force founded by Mr Akanat, secretary-general of the UTN. It is getting good press coverage from civic groups for launching a crackdown against polluting factories and recycling plants.
Usually, factory inspections are criticised by environmental activists as "clandestine operations" carried out by officials from the Department of Industrial Works.
Limited by staff shortages and a lack of supporting policies, it remains unknown how many factories are inspected annually.
In this regard, the Sud Soi Team is a game changer. It includes affected community members and NGOs to help officials inspect factories.
Needless to say, Mr Suchart's accusation has upset some pollution campaigners and affected villagers who have helped with the Sud Soi operation.
Rarely does a month pass these days without reports emerging of illegal waste shipments, local communities complaining about pollution, or even accidental fires caused by recycling factories, many of which are owned by foreign investors, primarily Chinese investors.
The Ministry of Industry has been known as a mouthpiece of industrialists and investors. The lack of a serious environmental policy has emboldened investors to cut costs at the expense of the environment and public health.
The problem of industrial pollution continued to worsen until a few maverick officials in the Ministry of Industry started pushing back against irresponsible investors.
A glaring example here is the case of the former director-general of the Department of Industrial Works, Julapong Taweesri, who arrested many polluting waste management factory heads.
During the Srettha Thavisin government, Mr Julapong was reprimanded by the former PM and previous industrial ministers for delaying the process of approving permits for recycling factories.
Despite this straightforward civil official having already retired, his work still impresses younger staff at the ministry.
It is good news for environmental protection that the new industry minister, Mr Akanat, has identified factory pollution as a problem and launched a crackdown against polluters.
Indeed, the green policy at the Industry Ministry raises hopes among environmental activists that the ministry will reform and strictly enforce environmental laws against investors.
Mr Suchart, whose home base is Chon Buri province, should back up his accusations against the Sud Soi team with solid evidence, such as by naming the factories and publishing records that prove bribery.
Without such evidence, Mr Suchart will have undermined the hard work of affected communities and activists who are trying to protect the environment -- including those in his home in Chon Buri.