Update on Thailand Co-60 incident

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

The following 2 articles were posted on MedPhysics this morning by:

Nisakorn Manatrakul, M.Sc.
Head, Diagnostic Radiology Group
Division of Radiation and Medical Devices
Department of Medical Sciences       Tel: 66-2-9511027
Ministry of Public Health                  Fax: 66-2-9511028
Tiwanon Road, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
E-mail: nisakorn@health.moph.go.th, nisakorn@dmsc.moph.go.th

February 28, 2000 
RADIATION LEAK Experts tight-lipped after inspecting site Two of the 
patients in bad shape  

Five experts from International Atomic Energy Agency spent yesterday 
visiting patients being treated for exposure to radiation from cobalt 
60 waste and inspecting a scrapyard in Samut Prakan where the waste 
was found.  

The IAEA team, consisting of two Vienna-based radiation experts and 
three Japanese doctors from Hiroshima, remained tight-lipped 
throughout their trip, which took them to Ratchawithi and Samut 
Prakan hospitals and the scrapyard in Soi Wat Mahawong, Phra 
Pradaeng.  

At the scrap recycling yard, Carlos Nogueira de Oliveira and Gustavo 
Massera, from the IAEA in Vienna, used radiation measurement devices 
to determine the exact extent of the contamination.  

Dr Sakae Tanosaki, Dr Minako Ohtani and Dr Gen Suzuki, from the 
Radiation Effect Research Foundation in Japan, refused to comment on 
the patients' condition after the visits to the two hospitals.

Doctors at Samut Prakan Hospital said they were still concerned about 
the condition of two of the four patients still under their care, 
following the discovery that their white blood cell count had 
dropped.  

The other six patients remain in the intensive care unit at 
Ratchawithi Hospital.  

The IAEA said in a statement it sent the team to Thailand at the 
request of the government.  

"The mission will be meeting with Thai authorities to provide advice 
on the medical treatment of exposed individuals, and on any further 
steps that may be needed to ensure the safety and security of the 
radiation sources," it said.

Manoon Aramrattana, deputy secretary-general of the Office of Atomic 
Energy for Peace said the five experts were here mainly to gather 
scientific evidence for reporting to the IAEA.  
--------

February 29, 2000  

RADIATION LEAK Safety team satisfied with local efforts Safe storage 
now the priority, says Arthit  

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have 
expressed their approval of the way Thai doctors had handled the 
radiation poisoning cases and the performance of local nuclear 
experts in  recovering the leaking cobalt-60 cylinders, the deputy 
science minister said.  

Pornthep Techapaiboon said: "They told us that Thai officials had 
followed all international rules and regulations and did everything 
they had to do."Carlos Nogueira de Oliveira, the mission leader, 
patted the shoulder of Manoon Aramrattana, deputy secretary-general 
of the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace (OAEP) on Sunday and said 
the agency had done an "excellent" job in recovering the radioactive 
containers in such a short time.  

The priority now for the government is to find a new radioactive 
waste storage area, according to Arthit Ourairat, the science 
minister.  

"The more we look into the matter of radioactive waste, the more 
problems we see. The state should play a role in offering a safe area 
for radioactive waste storage. It is difficult for the private sector 
to live up to international safety standards," Mr Arthit told a press 
briefing yesterday.  

He admitted that nuclear waste storage facilities to be built under 
the Ongkharak Nuclear Research Reactor project would face more 
resistance from local villagers.  

Ongkharak villagers in Nakhon Nayok province, who are mostly farmers, 
have campaigned against the project for several years. They cited 
lack of adequate safety standards and demanded that the project be 
scrapped or relocated to a more suitable site.  

Early last year, Akrapol Sorasuchart, a Democrat MP and now the 
government spokesman, publicly said that the Ongkharak project should 
be scrutinised because corruption was involved and also put the 
country at great risk.  

The National Counter Corruption Commission was asked to look into the 
accusations and Sak Korsaengreung of the Law Society of Thailand was 
asked to inspect the contract.  

Mr Arthit said all suspicions should be removed before it should be 
allowed to be implemented.  

A public hearing is to be held soon to ensure public participation in 
the project.  

Mr Manoon requested the media to tone down reports on the condition 
of victims of the radiation contamination.  

He said the patients were in a depressive mood and some even wished 
to die after learning through media reports that they were incurable 
and would easily get cancer if they survived.  

The radiation scare is far from over as hundreds of Phra Pradaeng 
residents rushed to have their blood tested yesterday. Health 
officials said earlier tests conducted on some 400 people on February 
20 showed they were all free of contamination.  

Four of the patients who have been admitted to hospital after coming 
into direct contact with the cobalt 60 were still in critical 
condition and doctors were trying their best to boost their white 
blood cell count.  

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry yesterday asked all government 
agencies to hand updated information on hazardous chemicals and 
substances to the Civil Defence Office and to Bangkok and provincial 
governors within 15 days.  

Chanasak Yuwaboon, the permanent secretary for Interior, said each 
governor needed to know the details on hazardous substances, the type 
and amount, the whereabouts, the name of importers, so that 
monitoring could be properly done.  

The government agencies involved include the Industry, Science, 
Agriculture and Public Health ministries.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/scperle
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html