Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
BANGKOK - Mystery contamination kills fish by thousands in Chao Phraya
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=28385
BANGKOK, March 12 (TNA) - Hundreds of thousands of freshwater fish in commercial fishfarms along the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand died overnight Sunday.
Fish farmers upriver in Ang Thong and Ayutthaya provinces were shocked to find large numbers of fish in their bamboo fish-farming cages along the Chao Phraya had died in massive numbers for unknown reasons.
Some farmers believe that the large scale deaths resulted from water pollution caused by factories, while others are pointing to a sugar barge which sank upstream on March 3.
Authorities are now investigating the actual cause of the fish losses.
Four industrial factories located upstream along the river are suspected by some to have released some contaminated water into the river, causing water pollution that may have killed the fish.
Nevertheless, some farmers were convinced that their fish were killed by contamination from a barge carrying 6,000 sacks of sugar that sank over a week ago.
Pollution Control Department director-general Suphat Wangwongwattana pledged that the results of the investigation will be announced as soon as the actual cause is confirmed.
Supporting Mr. Suphat's statement, Marine Department director-general Prasong Tanmaneewattana said a team of experts had been assigned to collect Chao Phraya water sample for laboratory tests. Once the result comes out, those responsible will be subject to prosecution.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWWA) deputy governor Wutichai Rangsiyawath said that should the deaths be due to sugar contamination, water-borne bacteria will accelerate the sugar's dissolution.
MWWA workers are on alert, preparing for the arrival of contaminated water in Bangkok.
If necessary, Mr. Suphat said, he will order the closure of the water gate in Pathum Thani province adjacent to Bangkok until the contaminated water flows past it.
Water supply in metropolitan Bangkok relies on water from the Chao Phraya River.
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=28385
BANGKOK, March 12 (TNA) - Hundreds of thousands of freshwater fish in commercial fishfarms along the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand died overnight Sunday.
Fish farmers upriver in Ang Thong and Ayutthaya provinces were shocked to find large numbers of fish in their bamboo fish-farming cages along the Chao Phraya had died in massive numbers for unknown reasons.
Some farmers believe that the large scale deaths resulted from water pollution caused by factories, while others are pointing to a sugar barge which sank upstream on March 3.
Authorities are now investigating the actual cause of the fish losses.
Four industrial factories located upstream along the river are suspected by some to have released some contaminated water into the river, causing water pollution that may have killed the fish.
Nevertheless, some farmers were convinced that their fish were killed by contamination from a barge carrying 6,000 sacks of sugar that sank over a week ago.
Pollution Control Department director-general Suphat Wangwongwattana pledged that the results of the investigation will be announced as soon as the actual cause is confirmed.
Supporting Mr. Suphat's statement, Marine Department director-general Prasong Tanmaneewattana said a team of experts had been assigned to collect Chao Phraya water sample for laboratory tests. Once the result comes out, those responsible will be subject to prosecution.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWWA) deputy governor Wutichai Rangsiyawath said that should the deaths be due to sugar contamination, water-borne bacteria will accelerate the sugar's dissolution.
MWWA workers are on alert, preparing for the arrival of contaminated water in Bangkok.
If necessary, Mr. Suphat said, he will order the closure of the water gate in Pathum Thani province adjacent to Bangkok until the contaminated water flows past it.
Water supply in metropolitan Bangkok relies on water from the Chao Phraya River.