A combined force of local district officials, military personnel and police on Tuesday (Aug 22) charged operators of two pontoon boats for causing marine pollution during transportation of cassava roots at sea.

The operators were also charged for hiring underaged to work while nine workers on the pontoon boats were detained after they were tested positive to drugs.

The raid at the two pontoon boats followed complaints by local fishermen to Damrongtham complaint centre in Koh Sichang district in Chon Buri province that the pontoon boats were transporting cassava roots to a foreign cargo ship.

They said the transportation process resulted in dust and waste from the cassava roots falling into the sea, thus threatening sea environment.

One pontoon boat, Pornpiya, and another operated by SP Inter Marine Co Ltd, were found to be transporting the cassava roots on board a foreign vessel.

Authorities then halted their activities and checked the documents of the workers on the two pontoons, and also required them to undergo drug test.

Nine were tested positive to drugs and one was found to be under 18 years-old.

The two operators of the pontoon boats were later charged for hiring underaged to work, and for causing environmental damage to the sea.

The workers were detained at Koh Sichang police station.

Pontoon boat operators charged for polluting Koh Sichang sea - Thai PBS English News