A Chinese-Thai joint venture factory, Sunshine Biotech International, at 304 Industrial Park in Srimahaphote district of Prachinburi province, was asked by local authorities to cease operation temporarily after over a hundred of residents protested in front of the factory and demanded it be relocated.

The angry residents turned to protest after toxic chemical fumes leaked from the factory during the production last night.

The fume leakage has suffocated adjacent residential communities and forced rescue workers to rush more than 40 residents who included children and the aged to nearby hospitals.

The leakage was the second time within a few months.

But before the protest went out of control, the governor, the industry officer and the military were called in to negotiate with the factory executives.

The factory admitted of the leakage after it tested run a new production machinery, thus causing the leakage of sulfuric gas during the production process.

The factory was then told to stop production temporarily until the problem is resolved.

Public health officer will inspect the factory and the health of residents today as affected residents have demanded the factory to pay compensation to them.

Another negotiation on compensation payment is scheduled to be held next Monday.

Sunshine Biotech International Co., Ltd. is a production-oriented import and export company established as a joint venture by China and Thailand specialized in production and sales of citric acid and its salt products.

The company is the largest one on citric acid production in Southeast Asia. First-phase project, 40,000 t/a citric acid production line has been put into operation in 2011 and second-phase project, the expansion project of new 40,000 t/a citric acid project has been formally put into operation in July, 2014, thus, the company’s production scale has reached 80,000 t/a citric acid production.

Sunshine Biotech joint venture factory told to halt operation temporarily after gas leakage |