Fears of Japan radiation spreading to Thailand played down
The Office of Atoms for Peace which oversees the use of nuclear technology in the country has played down fears radioactive leakage at a nuclear power plant in Japan may spread to Thailand."We have closely monitored the situation of the nuclear power plant explosion in Japan since Saturday," OAP secretary-general Chaiwat Toskulkao said yesterday.
"From the wind direction, radioactive dust has been swept towards the northeastern direction. The dust, if there is any, will not reach Thailand. So I would say we are quite safe."Thailand is more than 4,300 kilometres from Japan.
Thailand has eight radioactive monitoring stations. None has detected any radiation, said Siriratana Biramontri, director of Bureau of Technical Support for Nuclear Safety.
The OAP, formerly known as the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace, will not impose a ban on foods from Japan as there were no reports of radiation leakage beyond the Fukushima area, she said. The government will send three doctors who are experts on radiology from Rajvithi Hospital to assist affected people in Japan.
The OAP said the 1.2 megawatt research reactor at its premise next to Kasetsart University could withstand an earthquake of up to 7 on the Richter scale - the highest level of seismic shake the nearest active fault in Kanchanaburi is believed to be capable of creating.
To cope with a possible earthquake crisis, the OAP has just completed drafting a national emergency plan for officials at various agencies to use.
However, rescue operations will still be limited to officials of related agencies.Thailand's most recent experience in radioactive leakage was in January, 2000, when a group of scavengers illegally obtained metal containers carrying cobalt-60, a radioactive material used for medical treatment.
The scavengers brought the material back to their home community in Samut Prakan province. After successfully dissembling a container, they fell ill.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/226689/fears-of-japan-radiation-spreading-to-thailand-played-down
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