After she learned about Mr. Karan’s strange disease, she brought him to see another doctor. He diagnosed the cause as exposure to a chemical substance released into the sea from a factory in the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. But no company took responsibility for releasing the toxic pollutant.

However, a few companies expressed slight concern about the pollution issue. So Mrs. Prapai is requesting that the group of industries at Map Ta Phut set up a health fund for the industry workers as well as nearby area residents, in order to take care of people impacted by environment pollution from their toxic chemicals and waste. Currently, only one power plant has such a fund, she said.