Tests Clear Mystery Seabed Container of Toxic Threats, Opening Possible
In a riveting development off Chon Buri’s Sattahip district, a cargo container submerged in mystery and possibly harboring human remains has been deemed safe from toxic dangers. The Justice Ministry’s investigative team, after conducting tests for radioactive substances on sea sponge samples near the container, received the all-clear from the Office of Atoms for Peace, sparking speculations and hopes of solving a decades-old enigma.
The container, discovered on May 15 near Juang island following fishermen’s reports of underwater containers and human skulls, has reignited painful memories of the 1992 Black May uprising’s missing protesters. Initial analyses suggested the container’s presence predates the protests, complicating the narrative and intensifying public curiosity about its contents.
The Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS), led by director Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, is at the forefront of this investigation, with plans to employ underwater cameras to peer inside the mysterious container. Despite opposition from the Pollution Control Department, fearing environmental hazards, the team is poised to proceed, with potential operations slated for June.
This decision comes amidst a historical backdrop of unresolved disappearances from the Black May uprising, with families of victims still seeking closure. The government has previously compensated families and dropped charges related to the demonstration, but the discovery of the container offers a new lead in the long quest for answers.
Officials are now contemplating the best approach to investigate the container’s secrets without disturbing its potential historical and environmental context. With technology and marine expertise at their disposal, the investigative team hopes to finally unveil the truth lying on the seabed, potentially offering solace to families and shedding light on a dark chapter of Thailand’s history.
