Boonruwee reveals the worsening problem of toxic waste flooding as grey market groups mix electronic waste scraps with soil to produce manure fertilizer sold to farmers in Chonburi and Rayong. He expresses concern over hazardous toxins flowing into water sources and damaging ecosystems, urging the Prime Minister to act swiftly.
At 11:00 a.m. on 21 Oct 2026 GMT+7 at the parliament, Mr. Boonruwee Yomjinda, party-list MP and leader of the Ruamjai Thai Party, addressed the toxic waste problem caused by flooding in eastern Thailand. He called on relevant agencies to urgently crack down on grey market groups smuggling electronic waste residues into Thailand. The Ruamjai Thai Party received complaints from residents in Chonburi and Rayong about illicit imports of toxic waste and electronic circuit boards from China, buried in industrial estates across Chonburi and Rayong. Recently, officials from local administration and related agencies raided a private company warehouse in Ban Bueng District, Chonburi, discovering shredded waste mixed with soil prepared as manure fertilizer totaling 300 tons for sale to farmers. In Phatthana Nikhom District, Rayong, large quantities of electronic waste were secretly stored in a private warehouse, piled above the roof. This dark hazard demands urgent action before it's too late. The problem is driven by grey market investors who use port channels like Laem Chabang, falsely declaring container contents as scrap metal or recyclable materials to deceive officials, transporting them to warehouses in the eastern region. This poses a severe threat to the environment and public health.
Mr. Boonruwee stated that the most alarming issue is mixing toxic waste residues with soil as manure fertilizer sold to farmers, a practice ongoing for a long time. The concern is that when farmers unknowingly use this manure on crops, dangerous toxins and arsenic seep into the soil layer, flow into natural water sources, and severely damage ecosystems. Toxins accumulate in soil sediment, causing aquatic life deaths, destroying plant life cycles, changing water color, and producing foul odors—a problem occurring across several eastern provinces. Meanwhile, residents using water for consumption or agriculture accumulate toxins in their bodies, impacting health with chronic illnesses and increasing cancer risks. He urged the Prime Minister and government agencies to elevate electronic waste issues to a national agenda to protect the environment, preserve agricultural ways of life, and ensure farmers' safety so Thailand does not become the world's toxic waste dump.