NONTHABURI, Thailand – Residents of a housing estate in Nonthaburi’s Ratchaphruek–Rama 5 area are seeking answers after mosquito-fogging operations allegedly took place without adequate advance warning, sending several dogs to a veterinary hospital. The complaint was brought to the Saimai Survive page after residents said a team linked to a well-known politician entered the estate on August 21 to spray mosquito-control chemicals. The team reportedly said it had coordinated with local authorities, but residents claimed they were not properly notified beforehand.
According to homeowners, the spraying took place between about 9 and 10 a.m. while they were at work. They were alerted through the residents’ Line group that officials were spraying insecticide and later checked their home security cameras. The footage reportedly showed thick chemical fog entering the house through open windows. The couple had five dogs inside — two elderly dogs and three younger ones. The dogs were reportedly frightened by the smoke, with some scratching at doors in an apparent attempt to escape.
When the owners returned home, the two older dogs were suffering from heavy coughing and dizziness and were taken urgently to an animal hospital, where they required oxygen treatment. The three younger dogs reportedly developed severe eye irritation. The owners said veterinary expenses had already reached nearly 10,000 baht, while they also faced the cost and effort of thoroughly cleaning the house because of concerns about chemical residue. The residents’ main complaint, however, is not simply about the mosquito-control operation but the lack of effective advance warning.
They said the housing estate’s juristic office and Bang Phai local authority told them that documents had been left at the security gate and notices had been posted on a communal board. Residents argued that these methods were not sufficiently accessible, particularly compared with direct notifications through the residents’ Line group. The residents also said they sought help from Bang Si Mueang Police Station but were reportedly told the dispute was a civil matter, leaving them frustrated and eventually prompting the appeal for assistance through Saimai Survive.
The incident has raised broader questions about how mosquito-control spraying is communicated in residential communities, particularly where households have children, elderly residents or pets.
While mosquito-control operations are intended to protect communities from mosquito-borne diseases, residents say advance notification is essential so households can close windows and doors, move pets indoors or to safer locations, and take other precautions before spraying begins.
The case also highlights the need for local authorities, contractors and housing-estate management to clearly establish who is responsible for notifying residents and dealing with any consequences when spraying affects private homes. For the affected families, what was intended to be a routine mosquito-control operation has instead become a costly and distressing experience — and one they say could have been avoided with a timely warning.
