Factory Suspected of Dumping Toxic Waste Into Canal

Residents of Bun Loet Canal village, Moo 16, Wang Tha Chang subdistrict, Kabinburi district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, reported finding severely blackened water with foam on the surface and a strong foul odor in the canal. Dead fish, including silver barb and climbing perch, were found floating along the banks, raising fears that chemical or toxic substances may have leaked into the natural water source. Village leaders, subdistrict council members, and the Wang Tha Chang subdistrict administration were alerted to investigate urgently.

Field inspections confirmed the canal water was pitch black with foam floating on the surface and an overpowering stench throughout. Dead fish carcasses were discovered along the shoreline. Village headman Udom Thongsaenkhum reported that residents first noticed the water turning black with a strong odor and found three to four dead fish the previous evening. The source of the chemical contamination has not yet been determined, as the canal originates upstream from Khao Chakkhram district in Sa Kaew province.

Community leaders have temporarily banned residents from using canal water for drinking, consumption, and agriculture as a precaution. The area has existing concerns about residual toxins, and authorities are waiting for water samples to be collected and tested to determine the true cause. A local resident named Sa, who raises 28 cattle, expressed distress that she can no longer allow her herd to drink from the canal and now must carry water from her home for the animals, imposing a heavy burden on her livelihood. She has urged government agencies to urgently investigate and identify the source of the pollution.