18 Illegal E-Waste Containers Seized at Thai Port

18 Illegal E-Waste Containers Seized at Thai Port

BANGKOK – Authorities in Thailand have seized 18 containers of suspected illegal electronic waste at Laem Chabang Port after discovering that the shipments had been falsely declared. The government has pledged to send the waste back to its countries of origin, stressing that Thailand will not become a dumping ground for the world’s hazardous waste.

The operation was conducted on March 10, 2026, and led by Deputy Prime Minister and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin. The inspection team included senior officials from several agencies, including the Customs Department of Thailand, the Pollution Control Department, and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). The governor of Chon Buri also joined the inspection at the port.

Authorities examined all 18 containers and discovered multiple irregularities. The suspicious shipments were divided into three groups based on their origin and declaration details.

The first group consisted of 12 containers declared as scrap metal originating from Haiti. However, inspections revealed that the cargo included scrap metal mixed with electronic circuit boards. Because of the presence of these components, the shipments were reclassified as electronic waste. The total weight of the materials was approximately 284,919 kilograms, with an estimated value exceeding 2.53 million baht.

The second group involved four containers that had been flagged through intelligence shared by the DSI and the Basel Action Network (BAN), an international watchdog monitoring hazardous waste shipments. These containers were declared as metal scraps and mixed metal from the United States. The transport documents listed Japan and Hong Kong as the final destinations.

The third group included two containers that had already been seized earlier by customs officials after the importer was flagged through information provided by the BAN network. These shipments were declared as aluminium scrap originating from the United States and Netherlands.

The latest seizure comes shortly after authorities intercepted another 21 containers in February, 12 of which were also found to contain electronic waste. Investigators believe the shipments violated Thai import laws and international agreements regulating hazardous waste movements.

Officials said the case may also breach the Basel Convention, an international treaty designed to control the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and prevent developed countries from dumping toxic materials in developing nations.

The Customs Department is preparing legal action under Section 244 of the Customs Act 2017. Violations under this law can carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison or fines of up to 500,000 baht. Authorities also plan to impose a settlement fine equivalent to 20 percent of the declared value of the shipments.

In addition to legal action, Thai authorities intend to return the waste to its countries of origin as quickly as possible to prevent it from remaining within Thailand.

Suchart emphasized the government’s firm stance against importing hazardous waste, including electronic waste, plastic waste, and municipal waste. He stressed that these measures are necessary to protect the country’s environment and public health.

“The government will not allow Thailand to become the world’s dumping ground,” he said, reaffirming the country’s commitment to stricter enforcement against illegal waste imports.

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