After an informal meeting with the company's executives, Deputy Industry Minister Piyabutr Cholvijarn said the money would be spent on boosting production efficiency in the SME sector, particularly to reduce pollution and waste.

Moreover, he said SCG's president Kan Trakulhoon also offered financial support for a fund launched by the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand to help tackle pollution-sourced sickness in the Map Ta Phut area. However, the amount of SCG's support for the fund is not yet known.

Piyabutr said the company's executives agreed with Industry Minster Kosit Panpiemras that pollution problems should be solved quickly.

They also said that standards for volatile organic compounds should be set up as soon as possible. Piyabutr said details for the standards "will be obvious" later this month.

Meanwhile, Department of Industrial Works director-general Ratchada Singalavanija said the government had approved only Bt5 million to support the EMS for SMEs project. The project will cover 95 operators in 19 industries around the country this year.

"This is the first time that a company has provided such support for us," he said. "SCG has set a good example for other companies to cooperate with the public sector in supporting the country's industrial development."

He said SCG's gesture would also lead to the launching of "Public-Private Pollution Prevention" programmes (4P programmes) soon.

They would provide further opportunities for the private sector to support the department in terms of solving environmental problems in industrial areas.

Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul

 The Nation