Fire set at abandoned chemical waste plant in Rayong

An abandoned chemical waste plant in Rayong was set on fire again, raising suspicions of arson. The factory, which ceased operations after a 2022 fire, left untreated waste behind.

A fire was deliberately set on Monday night at an abandoned chemical waste treatment plant in Rayong, which also caught fire last year amid suspicions of unlawful waste disposal.

Ban Khai Police Station was alerted late on Monday night that the chemical waste treatment facility of Win Process Co Ltd, located in Ban Nong Phawa village, Ban Khai district, had caught fire.

The fire began in the fifth building of the derelict factory. Ten firefighters, supported by three fire engines, rushed to the scene and took about 20 minutes to bring the blaze under control.

Firefighters discovered that the fire had been started in a pile of plastic bags, which had also burned in last year’s fire.

Police recovered two 20-litre petrol containers at the scene, positioned approximately 400 metres apart. Evidence suggested that an individual or multiple individuals used the petrol to start the fire.

Pongphan Charonerom, leader of Tambon Bang Butr, stated that it was clear someone had intentionally set fire to the abandoned factory.

The factory previously caught fire on 22 April last year, with fumes from the burning chemicals severely affecting nearby communities.

Win Process Co Ltd had been engaged in a 13-year legal dispute with local residents over environmental pollution before the Rayong Provincial Court ruled in favour of the villagers on 13 December 2022. The court ordered the company to pay 20.823 million baht in compensation for cleaning up the pollution.

After the 2022 fire, the factory ceased operations, leaving tonnes of untreated and unattended chemical waste inside its warehouse buildings.

(2025/01/28-00:00)