Radiation victims condemn Thai gov't at nuclear power confab

Asian Economic News, Nov 13, 2000

BANGKOK, Nov. 10 Kyodo

Ten victims of radiation exposure in Samut Prakan Province in February condemned, at a regional conference on nuclear power cooperation Friday, the Thai government's handling of the accident.

The 10 attempted to enter the venue of the five-day meeting of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), which opened Friday, but were barred.

The conference is tackling ways to handle radioactive waste.

In the February accident, a scrap-yard worker unwittingly removed the cover of a lead cylinder containing cobalt-60, a radioactive isotope used in cancer treatment.

At least three people exposed to the radiation have died and seven were hospitalized. Several others were also exposed to the radiation but so far have not been seriously ill.

After being denied entry to the conference, the victims presented a statement to an official with Thailand's radiation watchdog, the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace (OAEP), who met them.

In the statement, the victims said they were being ignored by Thai authorities.

All the people, including the three who died, were exposed to radiation after the cylinder was removed from a radiotherapy machine, stored in a parking lot owned by Kamol Sukosol Electric Co. The company alleges the cylinder had been stolen.

''I have suffered from cobalt-60, and today I'm going to lose another finger,'' said Jitsene Jantarasaka, a scrap dealer accused of taking the cylinder. Jitsene, who has had six fingers amputated because they became gangrenous following exposure, insists he bought the cylinder from four men dressed as technicians.

The victims said the OAEP has denied any responsibility for the accident and has not made any efforts to help them.

''We are here today to condemn OAEP in the international forum and let other countries know Thailand is not ready for nuclear (power as it) couldn't even handle the cobalt accident,'' said Ida Arunwong, a member of a nongovernmental organization helping the victims.

An international antinuclear network, No Nukes Asia Forum, released a statement condemning Japan, the FNCA leader, for promoting nuclear power.

''We find this forum totally outdated in this year 2000, when the world has finally come to the conclusion that nuclear technology is unprofitable and unaffordable for humankind,'' the statement says.

Ministers and officials from nine FNCA member countries are attending the forum. The conference will discuss nuclear safety measures for Asia.

The FNCA is led by Japan and Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam are members.

Among the nine, only China, Japan and South Korea have nuclear power plants.