August 23, 2007

Thai factory sues fish farmers over wrongful accusation

A monosodium glutamate factory is countersuing Thai fish farmers who accused it of polluting the Chao Phraya river in March.

Suthep Gakaew, chairman of the Bang Sadet tambon administration organisation reported to Thong Lor police station in Bangkok yesterday to hear defamation charges brought against him and farmers in the tambon.

KTMSG Co, which runs a plant by the river, said Suthep led farmers to publicly accuse the firm of dumping untreated wastewater into the Chao Phraya river and causing a pollution disaster in March.

The company was accused of wiping out fish and other aquatic life along a 20km stretch in Pa Mok district in Ang Thong and in Bang Ban district in Ayutthaya.

The firm later produced a copy of an investigation by the Pollution Control Department and the Department of Special Investigation which pointed to a sugar boat that sank before the incident as the cause.

The contamination killed hundreds of thousands of taptim fish in 1,257 breeding pens in both provinces, causing losses of US$1.1 million.