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Thailand - The recent International Labour Organization general assembly has agreed to get rid of the use of asbestos and to urge member countries to put in place measures to protect their workers, Padungsak Thephasdin na Ayutthaya, the Director-general said yesterday.
Padungsak's department is planning to act immediately to enlighten industries and workers regarding the dangers of asbestos and to improve safety measures in handling the material.
A meeting of Thai agencies has agreed that measures should be launched to protect workers and the public, and to control asbestos usage of industries.
"All provincial-level offices will check establishments for fibre particles and working conditions, and workers will undergo regular check-ups for asbestos-related diseases," Padungsak said.
Asbestos is a strong and incombustible fiber widely used in the past for fireproofing and insulation. The small, buoyant fibers are easily inhaled or swallowed, causing a number of serious diseases including: asbestosis, a chronic disease of the lungs that makes breathing more and more difficult; cancer; and mesothelioma, a cancer (specific to asbestos exposure) of the membranes that line the chest and abdomen. It reportedly causes around 100,000 deaths annually.
Thailand is the world's fourth-largest importer of asbestos with an average of 200,000 tonnes per year. Twenty nine countries have already banned the use of asbestos and nine countries are working towards a ban.
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