The first ever community based air sampling program launches in Thailand Targeting Large Industrial Estates Results of first test show multinationals dumping more pollution than developed world

Map Ta Phut, Thailand 29 September 2004. Toxic air pollution at Map Ta Phut has long been recognized as one of the worst petrochemical disaster in Thailand. Global Community Monitor (1), an international Non- Government Organization based in San Francisco, California in the United States is in Thailand for a week joining hand with Greenpeace Southeast Asia and Campaign for Alternative Industry Network (CAIN) to provide technical assistance to local groups and concerned citizens who want to protect public health and the environment as well as act as watchdogs for Multinational Corporation at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate.

Denny Larson, the Director of Global Community Monitor, conducts training to support community members and NGOs how to monitor their health and environment using an organizing method called the Bucket Brigade (2). "Training residents how to use these tools will not only provide them with scientific data to present to corporations, media, and government in their struggle for justice, but it will teach them that they have the power to do something about their own situation, both in the immediate sense (the bucket results) and for the long term (using the bucket results to obtain lasting reforms)" said Denny Larson.

The groups also released the first analysis of toxic air contaminants in Map Ta Phut, Thailand. They gathered the air sample by using a simple USEPA approved device in March 2003. They stressed that the sample was taken on a normal day in the Mab Ta Phut area while no accident or bad air condition observed.

The laboratory test results prove that residents downwind of the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate are breathing high levels of health threatening chemicals under normal conditions. According to standards set in the developed world, such levels can cause serious illness and injury.(3)

"If this level of toxic pollution was found to be released by the same corporations in the United States, it would be a serious violation of law. But because these companies refuse to provide the basic right to know information about their pollution. They can ignore people’s right to breathe clean air. This is proof of a double standard." added Denny Larson of GCM.

"This is why Greenpeace and CAIN as a anti-toxic alliance are campaigning for public accessibility to information in Thailand. People have a human right to know what is being dumped into our air. We have also brought in the bucket brigade system so the fenceline communities can put the claims of industry to the test. No longer will industrial neighbors have to rely on monitoring by government or industry. They can determine for themselves that there is already too much pollution in places like Ma Ta Phut and Mae Moh and say ‘No More!" concluded Penchom Tang of CAIN and Tara Buakamsri of Greenpeace.

For more information :
Penchom Tang - the Coordinator of Campaign for Alternative Industry Network – (01) 611-7473
Tara Baukamsri – Toxic Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – (01) 855-0013
Uaphan Chamnan-Ua – Media Officer, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – (01) 9282426
Photo and video available upon request
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