An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said Thailand is committed to strengthening its national regulatory framework for safety. The team also identified some areas for further enhancements and encouraged the country to establish a national policy and strategy for safety, following a systematic and incremental approach to continuously improve the regulatory infrastructure.
The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission, which concluded on 14 February, was conducted at the request of the Government of Thailand and hosted by the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP). It was the first IRRS mission conducted in the country. Last year, the IAEA completed an International Nuclear Security Advisory Service, Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review for Research Reactors and Occupational Radiation Protection Appraisal Service.
Thailand does not have any nuclear power plants but uses radiation sources in medical, scientific and industrial applications. Thailand's TRR-1/M1 research reactor has been in operation since 1977. The TRIGA Mark III reactor produces isotopes such as samarium-153, which is used in nuclear medicine, and functions as a neutron imaging facility in addition to serving as a key training centre. The Southeast Asian country is preparing to build on this experience and aims to construct two new research reactors.
The 12-day IRRS mission covered the legal framework for safety, regulatory processes, emergency preparedness and response, and the interfaces with nuclear security. IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national nuclear and radiation safety regulatory infrastructure, based on IAEA safety standards and international good practices, while recognizing the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.
The IRRS team - comprised of 15 regulatory experts from 14 countries, as well as three IAEA staff members - conducted interviews and discussions with OAP staff and representatives from the Department of Medical Science of the Ministry of Public Health. Members of the IRRS team also visited and observed regulatory inspection activities at the Thai Nampthip industrial facility, Bhumibol Hospital and two facilities at the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) - a radioactive waste management facility and the TRR-1/M1 research reactor.
"The team was very satisfied with the openness and the spirit of collaboration of the staff of the participating organizations," said Joao Oliveira Martins, IRRS team leader and Director for Emergencies and Radiation Protection at Portugal's Environmental Protection Agency. "The team has observed a strong commitment to nuclear and radiation safety, and there are also opportunities to further strengthen the regulatory framework, for example, in relation to medical exposure. I am confident that the mission's recommendations will support the national authorities and will contribute to the continuous improvement efforts."
The IRRS team observed that OAP should develop and keep updated a comprehensive human resource plan and should continue enhancing its management system by establishing processes needed for organizational management and to integrate the performance of all regulatory functions.
The team identified areas of good performances, including:
- The comprehensive and high-level governmental composition of the Nuclear Energy for Peace Commission, a government entity including expert level subcommittees, which provides a robust foundation for building and sustaining the framework for safety;
- OAP's public and informational activities with regard to safety for consumer products, such as the production of artificially coloured gemstones;
- The extensive efforts of OAP to develop capacities to perform independent review and assessment of the applications for authorization of the two research reactors at different stages of design and construction; and
- OAP's efforts to establish a work environment that fosters an organizational safety culture that supports and encourages trust, collaboration and engagement among staff.
The team also provided recommendations and suggestions to help Thailand enhance its regulatory framework, including for the Government to:
- Adopt a national policy and strategy for nuclear and radiation safety;
- Strengthen the legal and regulatory framework for the regulation of medical exposure; and
- Review or establish additional regulations to fill existing gaps in the regulatory framework.
"The recommendations and suggestions will be analysed carefully, and we will do our best to implement them and to achieve appropriate improvement in our national regulatory framework, infrastructure and activities for compliance with the IAEA's standards and requirements," said Pennapa Kanchana, OAP Deputy Secretary General.
"Thailand's commitment to safety is well demonstrated by the proactive approach of the national authorities to enrich their competence for safety, drawing lessons from the experiences of experts from other countries through IAEA peer review and advisory services," said Hildegarde Vandenhove, Director of the IAEA Division on Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety.
The IRRS team's final report will be provided to the Government of Thailand in about three months.
IAEA Safety Standards
The IAEA Safety Standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements and guidance to ensure safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
