Panthika Tasuwan, 23, a fifth-year veterinary student at Chulalongkorn University, and four CPF employees died, presumably from suffocation, in the apparent accident on Friday at the plant’s wastewater sewerage system in Bang Na.

Sanit, who visited Bang Na police station to follow-up on progress with case investigators in the afternoon, said police had interviewed eight witnesses and the cause of the tragic deaths could either be from intentional action by another person, or carelessness/negligence, or the deaths were an accident. They were still investigating the matter.

He urged other plants to check their safety measures to prevent such incident, saying police would also check if the factory’s sewer lid was left open and why, and if there were warning signs or measures in place to ensure safety at the scene.

He assured that police would probe the incident as per evidence and facts, to ensure justice for all sides despite the case involving a big and famous firm like CPF.

Sanit said the firm’s offer to pay Bt3 million in compensation to the families of each of the five deceased, plus funeral expenses, were part of civil law actions. That was separate from the criminal code procedure.

Sanit then led forensic officers to inspect the scene again without allowing media to observe, and left the factory without giving comment.

Meanwhile, the wastewater treatment facility in question was closed down for 30 days pending inspection and rectification.

Industry Ministry deputy permanent secretary Nisakorn Jungjaroentham had said on Saturday that officers from the Water Technology and Industrial Pollution Management Bureau and the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) had investigated the cause of accident and the DIW would hold a press conference on the event today.

Labour Minister General Sirichai Distakul has ordered the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to immediately provide aid to the victims. He also urged the Social Security Office to ensure CPF staff were eligible for protection and compensated by the Social Security Fund.