Industry Minister Orders Investigation Into Ammonia Leak At Ice Factory
An ammonia leak at an ice factory in Suphan Buri Province hospitalized 36 people and forced evacuations of two nearby schools with 3,000 students. The Industry Minister ordered investigations and safety inspections at similar facilities acr
Industry Minister Weerawut Silpaakha has instructed the Department of Industrial Works and Suphan Buri provincial industrial office to closely monitor the ammonia leak incident at an ice manufacturing plant and enforce strict compliance with applicable laws. Violators will face immediate shutdown orders.
The minister stated that he learned of the emergency from Suphan Buri provincial parliament members of the Bhum Jai Thai Party. He received reports from Prayot Lan-kong, director of the Department of Industrial Works, and Wichaya Ploi-thaptim, Suphan Buri provincial industrial officer, confirming that the incident occurred at Buanwan 2019 Co., Ltd. in Khao Phra Subdistrict, Dem Bang Nang Buach District, Suphan Buri Province. The company operates a small ice-cube manufacturing facility where ammonia from the cooling system of a 120-ton ice production machine leaked from its storage tank during manual valve maintenance.
Thirty-six people affected by the leak were hospitalized with non-severe symptoms. Provincial authorities ordered the evacuation of students from two nearby schools: Dem Bang Nang Buach Kindergarten (Ta Chang), located approximately 300 meters from the factory (1,000 students), and Thammacho Educational Institute, about 1,000 meters away (2,000 students), to safe areas. The leak was subsequently sealed and the situation returned to normal.
An investigation into the cause is ongoing. If violations are found, the Suphan Buri provincial industrial office will issue a shutdown order under Section 39 of the Factory Act.
"I have instructed the Department of Industrial Works and Suphan Buri industrial office to closely monitor this incident," the minister said. "They will enforce all applicable laws strictly and conduct immediate safety inspections of the approximately 28 other ice manufacturing facilities operating in Suphan Buri Province."
The minister also ordered factory operators to increase vigilance and conduct regular inspections of all equipment to ensure compliance with safety standards and prevent similar incidents in the future.
