A recent explosion at a factory producing plastic foam and pellets in Samut Prakarn on 5 July 2021 located on the outskirts of Bangkok caused significant damage to surrounding communities. This incident has started a debate that is pinning industrial factory operators against residential developers as the borders of Bangkok continue to expand. Zoning laws are tools to control and manage the utilization of land and structures built in designated areas. The goal of zoning is generally to ensure that land will be developed in accordance with the country’s policies, to protect the welfare of people in the community, the economic landscape and the environment. In Thailand, zoning laws have a long history of continuous development with changes to regulations and rezoning occurring frequently. Rezoning and changes to zoning regulations can be problematic for factory operators in zones that are affected by rezoning or changes to zoning regulations. As such, it is vital for factory operators, or those interested in starting a business that requires factory operations to understand Thai zoning regulations.