Narumas, Chonburi MP from the Prachachon Party, proposed four measures to the government, stressing that Laem Chabang should not be a “world garbage dump.” She called for strict government inspections of transnational toxic waste and extending accountability to the original polluters.
On 21 September 2026, Ms. Narumas Piambandit, Chonburi MP from the Prachachon Party, highlighted the urgent need to address the illicit import of hazardous and electronic waste from abroad after suspicious containers were found at Laem Chabang port. She urged related agencies to enhance inspections starting at import checkpoints and extend investigations to the source. This followed a joint inspection by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Customs Department, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), and other agencies of nine suspicious containers at Laem Chabang and Hutchison piers, revealing six violations involving electronic waste mixed with goods declared as aluminum scrap.
Ms. Narumas stated that Laem Chabang is one of the country’s main ports receiving imports from around the world. The concealed import of hazardous or electronic waste mixed with scrap materials is not only a legal issue but also poses health risks to local residents and environmental hazards if improperly disposed of or buried. “Si Racha and Laem Chabang should not be the ‘world’s garbage dump’ forced to bear waste from other countries.”
Customs data indicated that from October 2025 to August 2026, authorities arrested 187 cases involving illegal imports of hazardous waste: 98 hazardous waste cases, 56 electronic waste cases, 15 plastic scrap cases, and 18 cases involving animals or plants under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with seized goods valued at over 234 million baht.
Meanwhile, DSI is expanding investigations into suspicious imported containers from abroad to trace import routes and involved parties, including importers and exporters.
Ms. Narumas said these issues demonstrate the need to improve inspection efficiency at import checkpoints and enforce laws throughout the supply chain. Actions should not stop at seizing goods or prosecuting importers. She proposed four government measures:
1. Enhance container inspections by increasing strictness and transparency at Laem Chabang port to prevent hazardous waste from entering the country.
2. Trace back to sources by following importers, exporters, and waste routes to dismantle involved networks and prevent repeat offenses.
3. Hold polluters responsible so affected areas receive remediation and restoration, with costs borne by offenders rather than local citizens through public budgets.
4. Use laws to seize assets and dismantle benefits from illegal acts, pushing for mechanisms that link illicit hazardous waste import and dumping to asset tracking and confiscation to seriously address gains from wrongdoing.
Ms. Narumas emphasized that as a Chonburi MP, she will closely monitor the situation and push relevant agencies to take concrete action to prevent transnational toxic waste from the source, at import checkpoints, and in disposal and area restoration. “The burden of waste resulting from illegal acts should not fall on local residents who are not responsible for the problem.”