Authority to tighten issuance and renewal of factory licenses

BANGKOK, May 10 (TNA) - Thai Industry Minister M.R. Pongsavas Svati says that he has instructed concerned officials to tighten the issuance and renewal of factory licenses, in the wake of two industrial incidents in the eastern Rayong province last weekend. M.R. Pongsavas acknowledged that the move is aimed to ensure safety at all Thai factories. The minister then called a meeting with agencies concerned Wednesday afternoon to discuss regulations for hazardous plants and safety plans for communities located in the vicinity of industrial sites. Last Saturday, about 12 people were killed and some 142 others were injured in explosions and fires at the Bangkok Synthetics (BTS) factory at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong. A day after, over a hundred people were hospitalized after chlorine leaked from Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) factory in the nearby Hemaraj Eastern Industrial Estate (Map Ta Phut). Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce's Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) announced that it is accelerating assistance to the assured, following last weekend's incidents at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. OIC Secretary-General Pravej Ongartsittigul told reporters that the BTS could claim more than 18 billion baht from Dhippaya Insurance Company and Bangkok Insurance Company, its insurers in the capital, under its property insurance policies, and that his office is coordinating with the insurers in overall damage assessment and legal compensation. According to the OIC chief, his office is also looking into the company’s personnel accident insurance policy to accelerate assistance to the affected victims of the last weekend's incident. (TNA)