Greenpeace Water Patrol activists, wearing protective suits, collect samples of sediments from Samrong canal, which is located in an industrial district in Samutprakan province, 40 kilometres south of Bangkok. The activists warn local communities of the dangerous chemical poisons lurking in their water. This action follows the release of a Greenpeace report early last month that exposed the presence of heavy metals, hormone disrupting chemicals, and human carcinogens – all greatly exceeding safety standards – in Chao Phraya’s factory-lined canals.
Greenpeace is putting the pressure on Thailand’s government and industry to immediately implement a mandatory chemical disclosure system for industries to ensure that there are no more harmful waste-waters from factories through a ‘zero discharge’ policy.