Thailand’s Association of Occupational and Environmental Health has drafted a letter to the country’s industry minister to urge him to continue monitoring moves towards a ban on the use of asbestos, a toxic mineral that is known to cause cancer among those who are exposed to its hazardous fibers.

Under the previous administration, notes association head Dr Pornchai Sittisarunkul, asbestos was declared a Class 4 Hazardous Material and production, import, and export was banned. However, according to an article in the Bangkok Post, Sittisarunkul has reason to believe that under the current administration, those regulations may not be followed.

The doctor also claims that he currently has information indicating that many Thailand workers are already suffering from diseases such as pleural mesothelioma, which attacks the lining of the lungs, or peritoneal mesothelioma, which involves tumors in the lining of the abdomen. This is because asbestos was widely used in many industries throughout Thailand for several decades and workers were never warned of its dangers or provided with protective gear to prevent exposure.

The doctor also maintains that the number of cases of asbestos cancer in Thailand has been grossly under-reported, largely due to the fact that doctors in the country lack expertise on asbestos-related diseases and possess no clear knowledge about accurate screening and diagnosis. Therefore, the disease – when present – may be mistaken for something else and misdiagnosed.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.