Inspectors from the Industry Ministry have not found any traces of cyanide from wastewater released by eight factories in Samut Songkhram and 19 more in Ratchaburi into the Mae Klong river.
Acting industry inspector-general Suraphol Chamart said Monday that none of the factories located along the river used cyanide in their production processes. Industries which use cyanide in production process are metal plating, steel production and melamine production, however, are situated far from the river and cyanite was also found in pesticides, he added.
The findings by inspectors of the Industry Ministry contradict with the laboratorial tests conducted by Associate Professor Nanthirka Sansue, director of Marine Lives Research Centre, which show cyanide in the body of giant stingrays which died in the Mae Klong river from suspected river poisoning.
It was reported that industrial officials had imposed 400,000 baht in fine on the Ratchaburi Ethanol factory for discharging molasses, leftover of sugar cane in sugar production process, into the natural waterway.
The factory was also instructed to fix its problem within 30 days.
