A power plant in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand has upped the reward for information on the whereabouts of a lacking radioactive cylinder containing Caesium-137 from 50,000 to 100,000 baht.
The Office of Atoms for Peace have checked CCTV and scoured second-hand outlets in the Si Maha Phot district to no avail.
The radioactive cylinder was noticed missing on Friday but is believed to have been taken from the plant on February 23.
Prachin Buri governor Ron Nakhonchinda said that each one factories inside a 2-kilometre radius of the plant have been searched but the Caesium-137 continues to be missing. The search is being expanded to different provinces, mentioned Governor Ron.
Given the grave danger the radioactive substance presents to human and environmental well being, greater than 20 power plant officers have been interrogated in regards to the missing cylinder at Si Mada Phot Police Station, however none of them has provided information thus far.
If you see the cylinder – a steel tube around 5 inches in diameter, eight inches long and weighing 25 kilogrammes – don’t touch it.
Immediately call Khun Aree on 085-835-0190, Khun Phattana on 085-835-2735, or the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation hotline on 1784.
Thai authorities are scrambling to find a steel tube containing the radioactive isotope Caesium-137 believed to have gone missing from an influence plant at an industrial estate in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand on February 23.
Staff observed the cylinder was lacking on Friday and filed a report at Sri Maha Phot Police Station that day.
The company mentioned that anyone with info on the Caesium-137’s whereabouts will be rewarded with 50,000 baht.
The substance is encased in a steel tube around five inches in diameter, eight inches long and weighs 25 kilogrammes.
Staff on the plant stated the radioactive isotope will not trigger damage to well being or the environment unless the cylinder is dismantled.
Caesium-137 is invisible and has no odour. Any body half exposed to the substance will endure from necrosis (body tissue decay) from beta and gamma radiation.
Permsuk Sutchapiwat, secretary of the Office of Atoms for Peace – Thailand’s agency liable for nuclear research – warned…
“If someone breaks the cylinder, when you’re immediately uncovered to it, you could be exposed to a high risk of cancer and critical illness, so please don’t break the cylinder.”
According to Never again …
“External publicity to giant quantities of Cs-137 can cause burns, acute radiation sickness, and even dying. Exposure to Cs-137 can enhance the chance of most cancers because of publicity to high-energy gamma radiation.
“Internal publicity to Cs-137, via ingestion or inhalation, permits the radioactive material to be distributed within the gentle tissues, particularly muscle tissue, exposing these tissues to the beta particles and gamma radiation and rising cancer threat.”
National Power Plant 5A Co., Ltd., and the Office of Atoms for Peace arrange a staff of fifty individuals to seek for the missing radioactive isotope but couldn’t find it anyplace on the plant grounds. They consider it has been taken away.
The group searched 26 areas in the Si Maha Phot district together with scrap metallic yards, second-hand outlets and antique shops to no avail.
The group are increasing their search for factories in Chachoengsao which buy steel from scrap metal yards/factories..