The prime minister ordered the installation of a data collection center, the transfer of information from the National Industrial Center to the PM’s Office, the preparation of equipment and protection from fires, a committee to investigate chemicals in the air after the explosion, and free health examinations for people living in ten communities surrounding the explosion site. In today’s briefing, officials confirmed that the prime minister’s orders had been carried out by the provincial government in conjunction with tripartite industrial groups. In addition, the Department of Disaster Recovery and the National Industrial Center have completed prime minister’s long-term plans on installation of disaster centers in partnership with community leaders; they have also drafted emergency plans for 16 out of 33 communities surrounding the Map Ta Phut area, and will finish the project by this December. Risk assessments, recovery and quality inspections have been carried out every period, and strict standards for factory license renewal have been enforced. The Rayong government, National Industrial Center, representatives from factories, villagers in the area and stakeholders in the businesses have inspected factories and confirmed that they have complied with the Industry Ministry’s requirement of a monthly risk assessment. The National Industrial Center will report the results of these assessments every month.

The administrator of Thailand’s Industrial Estates reported on long-term recovery and compensation to those affected by the BST Elastomers explosion. BST Elastomers have given a compensation of thirty-six times the monthly salary to the families of the eleven people who died in the explosion; they will give another one million baht, a funeral preparation cost of one hundred thousand baht and tuition for their children depending on their educational level—twenty thousand baht for primary school students, thirty thousand baht for secondary school students, thirty-five thousand baht for low-level vocational school students, forty thousand for high-level vocational school students and fifty thousand baht for university students. In addition, they will give compensation to relatives of the victim depending on the duration of the victim’s work at the company—a monthly payment of fifty percent of the monthly paycheck for a duration of ten years to victims who worked for less than ten years, a monthly payment of seventy-five percent of the salary to those who worked for more than ten years. For outside contractors who died, the company will pay a compensation of five hundred thousand baht and an additional funeral preparation cost of one hundred thousand baht. In addition, they will help the spouses of the victims find jobs, if necessary.

For the injured, the company has given out compensation depending on their medical status, and monitored their recoveries. In addition, they have established “moving hospitals” that travel through all 33 communities in the Map Ta Phut area. The directors of the company have also visited the communities and informed the villagers on the facts of the accident. They have also spoken to the management of neighboring factories about the accident and sent them information on factory standards and regulations. For those who have developed long-term complications from the explosion, the company has established a ten million baht fund; two tripartite committees, one dedicated to finances/career-making and another dedicated to health, will determine how to use the money. These committees are made up of representatives from the government, community and industry, and received the money on June 1.

After the briefing, the prime minister thanked all parties in following through on her plans, and ordered agencies to modify these plans, from aid to evacuation to transport of machinery, to accommodate other natural disasters. She also told the Rayong governor, the administrator of Thailand’s Industrial Estates and stakeholders of the industrial businesses to transform the estate into a greener and healthier area.

The prime minister added that she wished to see rapid green development in Rayong, and has ordered the Ministry of Interior to determine what areas of Rayong this development would occur. She also wished to see Rayong create more beautiful landscapes and public parks for people to relax in, and has charged the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Industry in coordinating and shaping a landscaping plan for the city.