Bangkok: Mr. Suphachok Srisukcharoen, MP for Nakhon Pathom and Chairman of the House of Representatives' Industry Committee, announced the resumption of operations by Xin Ke Yuan Steel Co., Ltd. (SKY), a move that has sparked public scrutiny. The Department of Industrial Works (DIW), the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), and the Steel Association were called upon to provide clarification, though the company itself only submitted a written explanation.
According to Thai News Agency, the reopening of the factory falls under the jurisdiction of Section 39 of the Factory Act B.E. 2535 (1992), rather than the authority of the Cabinet or the Minister of Industry, Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa. The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) confirmed that the company's production processes meet both environmental and industrial standards. Over 41,000 steel bars were tested by two recognized institutions, confirming compliance with Thai Industrial Standards (TIS), thus allowing the factory to resume operations.
To address quality concerns and enhance public trust, the parliamentary committee will consider a new Thai Industrial Standard (TIS) for construction steel bars next week. The Minister of Industry has directed the TISI to mandate all induction furnace (IF) steel mills to utilize a fluxing furnace (LF) to meet the new draft standards.
The TISI has pledged to conduct regular random inspections across all 40+ IF steel mills nationwide, not just Xin Ke Yuan. Inspections will cover raw materials, production sources, and retail outlets. Additionally, the committee plans to collaborate with the IEAT and provincial industrial offices to conduct on-site inspections of Xin Ke Yuan's production processes within the next 2-3 weeks during the parliamentary recess.