Thailand's Disease Control Department Screens 250 Residents Near Oil Spill Site in Prachinburi

Key summary

On October 19, 2026, Dr. Manthian Kanasawat, Director-General of Thailand's Disease Control Department (DOD), stated that the agency is monitoring health impacts on residents near an oil spill and hazardous waste dumping site in Prachinburi province. A screening team visited Koo Lam Phan and Khok Pi sub-districts in Si Mahot district, covering a 2-7 km radius from the contamination points, on October 16, 2026. Of the 250 residents screened, 52 were classified as high-risk, 145 as medium-risk, and 53 as low-risk; no individuals showed immediate danger symptoms. Urine samples were collected from 50 high-risk individuals to test for petrochemicals including toluene, styrene derivatives (mandelic acid plus phenylglyoxylic acid), benzene (t,t-MA), and arsenic. Air quality measurements at two locations in Moo 2, Khok Pi sub-district using portable GC instruments detected levels of BTEXS, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and 1,3-butadiene below the limit of detection (LOD). Dr. Anong Mueamomklong, Deputy Director-General, advised residents to avoid contact with suspected contaminated water and sediment, wear protective boots and gear if wading is necessary, cover wounds, wash with clean water, change clothes immediately after exposure, and avoid consuming aquatic life or agricultural produce from the area until safety is confirmed. Residents experiencing symptoms such as rashes, skin irritation, eye burning, coughing, dizziness, nausea, or chest tightness are urged to leave the area, seek medical evaluation, and report their exposure history. The DOD hotline is 1422.