Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Thai officials search for radioactive cylinder from plant

This image made on March 14, 2023, from a 2022 video provided by the Prachinburi Provincial Public Relations Office, shows a radioactive cylinder that has gone missing from a steam power plant in Thailand's eastern province of Prachinburi. (The Prachinburi Provincial Public Relations Office via AP) This image made on March 14, 2023, from a 2022 video provided by the Prachinburi Provincial Public Relations Office, shows a radioactive cylinder that has gone missing from a steam power plant in Thailand's eastern province of Prachinburi. (The Prachinburi Provincial Public Relations Office via AP)
Share
BANGKOK -

Authorities in Thailand expanded their search Wednesday for a metal cylinder with radioactive contents that has gone missing from a power plant, warning the public that it poses a danger to health.

The 30-centimetre-long cylinder containing the radioactive material Caesium-137 was discovered missing last Friday from a piece of machinery at a steam power plant in Prachinburi province, 100 kilometres east of Bangkok.

Ake Wongjinda, a public relations officer for the provincial government, said Wednesday that authorities have inspected locations such as junk shops, scrap metal yards and secondhand stores in Prachinburi and neighboring Chachoengsao province for the 25-kilogram-cylinder.

Health officials cautioned the public that prolonged direct contact with radioactive material can cause skin rashes, hair loss, canker sores, fatigue, and vomiting. They said short-term contact with Caesium-137 may not show immediate symptoms but could lead to a higher risk of cancer.

Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said Caesium-137 has similar physical characteristics to salt and can disperse easily if its container opened. He said it is used in devices such as ones measuring humidity or the velocity of liquids.

The cylinder was connected to a 17-metre-tall silo and used for measuring ash in the silo, said Permsuk Sutchaphiwat, secretary general of the Thailand's Office of Atoms for Peace agency.

Kittiphan Chitpentham, a representative of the National Power Supply Public Co., Ltd., the power station's owner, said it is not clear whether the cylinder had gone missing by accident. He said that the company would provide a 50,000 baht (US$1,445) cash reward for anyone who can provide information about it. The company said it may have disappeared several weeks ago,

In 2000, illegally disposed canisters containing the radioactive substance Cobalt-60 were found in a junkyard in Samut Prakarn, a suburb of Bangkok. At least five people were hospitalized after being exposed to radiation when the canisters were opened by the scrapyard workers, unaware of the hazard. The cylinders were believed to have come from a medical X-ray machine.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.