In March 2020, Ministry of Industry has published 2 ministerial regulations under Factory Act B.E. 2535 (1992) regarding to measures on wastewater discharge & air emission control from the factory operations and reporting requirements about pollutants or chemicals used in the factory.
Followings are the summary of the regulations:
- Ministerial regulations No. 26 (B.E. 2563) was published to amend regulations and measures on wastewater discharge control. The regulation allows factory operators to apply dilution method to meet effluent standard under some specific conditions which would be prescribed by future subsidiary notification. The regulation also added some wording for air quality control to reduce air pollution.
- Ministerial regulations No. 27 (B.E. 2563) prescribes that the Minister can specify a list of pollutants or chemicals used in the factory for reporting of pollutants transfer. This regulation could be a legal basis to implement PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) system in Thailand, which has already been started on a voluntary basis in some provinces.
Both ministerial regulations were published in the Royal Gazette No. 137, section 22(ก) on 19 March 2020.