A police panel has been formed to determine whether arson was involved in the fires at warehouses storing chemicals in Rayong and Ayutthaya this year.
Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police (RTP), on Sunday said he met police investigators from local stations, the Industrial Works Department, the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division and other state agencies to discuss the matter.
The meeting discussed progress of the investigation into the fire at Win Process' chemical warehouse in Ban Khai district of Rayong and another warehouse owned by a different company in Ayutthaya's Phachi district.
Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet, acting national police chief, has ordered police investigators to quickly gather the evidence and submit the case to an RTP team working on the matter.
Pol Lt Gen Archayon said the Central Forensic Science Office inspected the Ayutthaya's chemical plant and suggested the blaze there, which occurred twice -- first in February and second at the beginning of this month -- may have involved arson.
Several witnesses supported the theory and "solid evidence" had been discovered, he said.
The authorities are also inspecting several areas where hazardous materials are being stored, he said, adding a safety plan to prevent such incidents from happening again will be implemented.
In the case of the Win Process warehouse, Pol Lt Gen Archayon said a legal review is required to determine whether the company was properly managing its stored chemicals.
Meanwhile, Piya Pitutacha, chair of the Rayong provincial administrative organisation, said the province is adjusting its plan to prevent 200,000 cubic metres of contaminated water from the Win Process site from flowing into a residential zone.
The previous plan involved digging ponds at the site to store the contaminated water, but it was suspended because the ground was already badly damaged by chemicals for many years, he said.