The top executive of the Win Process chemical recycling company, who has been on the run since a waste storage facility, in Ban Khai district of Rayong, caught fire in late April, was arrested at a recycling plant in Phetchabun Tuesday night.
The fugitive, Opart Boonchan, was arrested by Map Ta Phut district police at a chemical waste warehouse of the Aek Uthai company, in Si Thep district of Phetchabun.
He was then taken to Map Ta Phut police station for questioning.
Police say that Opart has been charged with illegal possession of dangerous chemicals, adding that more charges are likely to be filed as more chemical waste has been found illegally stored at a warehouse in Soi Wat Khod Hin, in Map Ta Phut in Rayong, by officials from the Industrial Works Department.
Police are now trying to discover from where the chemical waste came.
Armed with a search warrant, Map Ta Phut police searched Win Process’ plant and impounded the company’s business documents, several of which show a connection between the company and the Aek Uthai company, which has chemical waste storage facilities in several provinces.
Numerous residents of Ban Nong Phawa, in Ban Khai district, were exposed to the dangerous chemicals during and after the fire at Win Process’s Ban Khai facility in April.
Medical personnel were sent to the village on Monday to take blood samples from villagers for tests.
