Industrial Waste: Results of Inspections of 752 Enterprises in 2026

Industrial waste has become the subject of large-scale inspections of relevant Thai enterprises: according to the Department of Industrial Works (DIW), during November 2–9, 2026, inspectors examined 752 facilities. The agency found violations of the Factory Act at 375 enterprises and reported 470 administrative orders. This concerns the oversight of facilities that handle waste, not confirmed pollution at every site inspected.

Inspections cover Chonburi, Rayong and other provinces, but nationwide statistics cannot be attributed to a single region. Separately, the outlet Matichon passed on a police report about the seizure of five containers with parts of electronic waste; according to the publication, three more containers were being sought. Authorities also reported measures regarding licenses and continued inspections. These events concern different procedures, and the seizure of a cargo does not mean the importer has been found at fault. Current as of publication.

What is known about the results of the November 2–9 inspections

In the official summary of the Department of Industrial Works it is stated that during November 2–9, 2026 (2569 in the Thai calendar), inspectors checked 752 enterprises — 25% of the target. The program covers 3,049 enterprises in categories 105 and 106 linked to waste handling and reuse of industrial materials; 2,297 remained to be inspected. The report about another inspection of an enterprise in Prachinburi · RU describes a separate case, the link of which to these results is not confirmed.

According to the agency, violations of the Factory Act were found at 375 enterprises, and administrative orders were issued 470. The number of orders is not the same as the number of violating enterprises: a single facility may receive several requirements. In the five pilot provinces, 380 of 1,494 enterprises were inspected, violations were found at 296, and 376 orders were issued.

Outside the pilot zone, 372 of 1,555 planned enterprises were inspected: violations were found at 79, and 94 orders were issued. A separate part of the program concerns electronic waste: 42 of the 350 such enterprises were inspected, or 12%; these inspections are already included in the campaign statistics and are not added to them. For comparison, on the first day of inspections the agency reported 80 facilities inspected, a temporary halt of work at one of them, and requirements to fix violations for 63 more enterprises.

Industrial Waste in Chonburi and Rayong: Geography of Inspections

The pilot zone covers Prachinburi, Chonburi, Chachoengsao, Rayong and Samut Prakan. Results for this zone are published as a combined total: it cannot be claimed that all identified violations relate specifically to Chonburi or Rayong. A separate report about an inspection of a dump near Pattaya · RU is also not automatically part of the statistics cited above.

For orientation in Chonburi, you can look at the subdistrict Khlong Kio and the district Ban Bueng. Another reference point is the subdistrict Nong Prue in the district of Phanat Nikhom, not a location with the same name near Pattaya. In Rayong, the district given is Nikhom Pattana.

These geographic references are not addresses of inspected enterprises or a pollution map. A location appearing on a map does not mean that illegal waste dumping has been confirmed there.

Seizures of Containers with Electronic Waste in Si Racha

According to a report in the newspaper Matichon, police reported the seizure of five containers containing parts of electronic waste, and three more containers were being sought. During the further investigation in the Si Racha area, two containers of scrap metal mixed with electronic components were seized. The outlet links the inspection activities to the subdistricts of Nong Kham and Thung Sukhla in Chonburi Province.

Laem Chabang Port is mentioned as context for the cargo’s arrival. These details do not establish contamination of the surrounding area, and the seizure of containers is not equivalent to final confiscation. The new report also cannot be automatically combined with the earlier episode involving eight containers in Laem Chabang: there is no confirmed link between the cases.

Enterprise Licenses and Timelines for Further Inspections

As follows from the official announcement from the department on licenses, the Ministry of Industry has ordered a temporary slowdown in issuing new permits to enterprises in categories 105 and 106. This is not a mass revocation of current licenses and not a general ban on the industry’s operations. Inspections cover registered and unregistered facilities, as well as enterprises whose operations were previously halted.

The new summary reports one enterprise ordered to close and proposed for license revocation, and eight enterprises with orders to suspend operations. A proposal to revoke a license does not yet mean that revocation has taken place. In parallel, additional documents are being prepared for the draft law on industrial waste management; discussions of measures with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) do not mean that new sanctions have taken effect.

In the next stage, the agency plans to cover five more group B provinces — Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Saraburi and Ayutthaya — with the participation of 50 inspection teams. The target for groups A and B is November 2026 (2569 in the Thai calendar), and for group C, December 2026 (2569 in the Thai calendar). Authorities initially expected to complete inspections within 1–2 months, but this is a plan, not confirmation that the campaign has ended. General information for entrepreneurs can be found in the section on work and business in Thailand.

What to Do

If you notice signs of possible illegal activity at an enterprise, you can report it by calling the Ministry of Industry’s 24/7 hotline 1564. When reporting, describe what you observed and, if possible, name the location of the facility. A suspicion alone does not prove pollution or a violation of the law, so there is no need to inspect cargo or other people’s sites on your own.

Managers of enterprises in categories 105 and 106 should check the status of their own permits and the terms of any administrative orders they have received. The deadline for fixing violations should be checked in the individual document: the summary does not set a single deadline for all facilities.

This information is current as of the update date. The status of licenses, decisions and the course of inspections may change; check updates against the Department of Industrial Works of Thailand.