Environmental police arrest 7 over illegal dumping in Bangkok

Bangkok’s pollution problem is rearing its ugly head once again. Environmental police arrested and charged seven people over illegal dumping at 16 sites in the Thai capital.

The chief of the Crime Suppression Division ordered environmental police to inspect 16 spots, following reports of illegal dumping causing foul-smelling air. The dumping also reportedly led to the spreading of germs to nearby land areas and water sources.

The team inspected three sites in Lat Krabang and Saphan Sung districts, two sites each in Min Buri, Nong Khaem, and Suan Luang districts, and one each in Prawet, Khlong Sam Wa, Bueng Kum, and Bang Khae districts.

The officers arrested four men and three women. The four men arrested were: 27 year old Abhisit, 29 year old Pattaporn, 42 year old Kittisak, and 61 year old Parn.

The three women arrested were: 28 year old Nongrak, 40 year old Buathai, and 48 year old Chanya.

The suspects reportedly told police that they had negotiated with former landowners to use these lands. They had agreed to fill the land beautifully, as some lands were water ponds so that the lands could be sold for a higher price in the future, Nation Thailand reported.

The suspects reportedly collected 40 to 300 baht for each truckload of waste, which included wood, construction materials, and sticks.

All suspects were charged with collecting, transporting, or disposing of waste for profit without authorisation. They were sent to the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression (NED) for further legal procedures.

Thailand suffers from major pollution problems across the country. In March this year, a forest in Chiang Mai was illegally used as a landfill. A police chief said police flew a drone over the protected area in Wiang Haeng district after they got reports of possible illegal burning there. He said the drone footage showed patches of the reserve had been cleared and were being used as a landfill.

In February, the Thai government launched a project to get rid of illegal landfills in Bangkok. More than 20 illegal landfills were raided in the operation.