Diner cruise caught dumping waste in Chao Phraya has no food licence

The operator of a dining cruise caught dumping waste into the Chao Phraya River has never filed for a food permit under the Public Health Act, a senior city official said on Thursday.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has warned Royal Galaxy Cruise operator Happy International Trade to fix the permit issue in seven days, said Pornphrom Vikitsreth, adviser to the Bangkok governor and BMA Sustainability Manager. Failure to comply will result in six months’ imprisonment and/or a 50,000 baht fine, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Marine Department director-general Kritphet Chaichuai said his officials would file a complaint against the ship’s crew at Pakkhlongsan Police Station and conduct an inspection of the dining cruise.

The boat's operating licence is also being suspended pending charges of discarding garbage into the river in violation of the Navigation in Thai Waters Act, he added. The law carries punishment of up to six months in prison and/or a maximum fine of 10,000 baht.

The cruise operator on Thursday issued an apology after a video clip of its staff dumping garbage into Bangkok’s iconic waterway went viral on social media earlier this week.

The company said the staff responsible were temporary shift employees who were not trained in proper waste disposal. It said all permanent employees received regular training in waste treatment.

The company said it had fired the crew caught dumping and instructed all its employees to adhere strictly to safety and environmental regulations. It also promised to enhance employee training and monitoring to prevent a recurrence of the incident.