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[DollyLamma]

My Thai BF of many years comes from a small village near the industrial park they call Map Ta Phut Industrial Estates in Rayong. It's a big sprawling mess of plants that sprew pollution and cancer-causing things into the air and water - and it's not that far from Pattaya !

From time to time, various posters have posted articles here about the health effects of pollution around Map Ta Phut. This story from this morning's Bangkok Post is the latest horror story.

"A new university study reveals residents living near Map Ta Phut industrial estates in Rayong exhibit greater DNA damage than normal. The news comes after the Pollution Control Department and Industry Ministry asserted there were reductions in airborne volatile organic compounds in the area.

Silpakorn University scientist Renu Vejaratpimol said almost half of the 404 Map Ta Phut residents participating in her study exhibited DNA damage from cancer-causing agents.

Renu studied the buccal cells of 304 students and 100 adults in the community earlier this year. Buccal cells are from the inner lining of the mouth or cheek. Renu tested the DNA found in the cells for incidence of cancer and compared results with levels elsewhere in the country.

The findings confirm Map Ta Phut people living near industrial, petrochemical and power plants for almost two decades have higher levels of carcinogen-damaged DNA. She found 187 participants - 68 of whom were students - exhibited greater-than-normal DNA damage. Normal levels are 10 in every 1,000 cells."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/08/14...es_30044916.php