No ammonium nitrate stored in Bangkok – BMA

The spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, aka. City Hall, has confirmed that no ammonium nitrate is stored in the capital. His remarks come after Tuesday’s devastating explosion of the chemical in Beirut that killed more than 150 and injured over 5,000.

Pongsakorn Kwanmuang sent condolences to those affected in the tragic blast and said that no ammonium nitrate is in storage in Bangkok. He said the only things that might explode in the capitol are cooking gas and hazardous chemicals handled by nearly 5,000 operators.

Pongsakorn says BMA’s Health Department is implementing measures to prevent such explosions. They regularly inspect all premises that store chemicals, and operators who have hazardous chemicals and substances are regularly trained on their safe handling and required to prepare disaster responsive plans.

“BMA staff are always prepared to cope with emergency incidents, including chemical disasters.”

Anyone illegally storing hazardous chemicals is liable to punishment. The public can ask BMA to check chemical storage by contacting its 50 district offices or calling 1555. Any chemical fire can be reported via the hotline 199 around the clock.

The devastating explosion in Beirut reminds us of a chemical explosion in 1999 in Chiang Mai. In September 1999, a longan processing plant in the San Pa Tong district was completely destroyed when potassium chlorate, along with other chemicals, exploded. 36 workers were killed, a total of 571 houses in a 1 kilometre radius were damaged and more than 100 people were injured in the blast. Potassium chlorate is used as an agri-chemical to promote the growth of longan or “lamyai” in Thai.

There have been other chemical explosions in Thailand, between 2017 and 2019 in Lamphun, Ratchaburi and Chiang Mai, where people have been killed and injured.

SOURCE: TNA