Illegal mining linked to downstream pollution

Rebel mines in Myanmar are contaminating rivers flowing into Thailand, spurring urgent calls for cross-border action, writes Apinya Wipatayotin

- Apinya Wipatayotin

Unregulated mining in rebel-held areas of Myanmar has emerged as a growing concern for Thailand and other neighbouring countries, prompting urgent calls for a coordinated practice of “water diplomacy” to mitigate the environmental impact on millions of downstream residents.

With rivers from Myanmar flowing into Thailand's Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces, the stakes for managing transboundary pollution have never been higher.

The upper North's major rivers, including the Kok, Sai and Ruak, which flow into the Mekong River, are now badly contaminated with heavy metals, raising alarm among environmental authorities.

Government officials point to lawless mining activities near the Thai border as the likely source of the pollution.

In response, the Department of Pollution Control has conducted intensive water-quality monitoring, collecting samples from 23 key locations to measure contaminants, such as arsenic — a toxic element commonly associated with mining operations.

Results from these surveys, including the latest sampling in late July, revealed arsenic levels that consistently exceed safety thresholds. The findings underscore the urgent need for mitigation strategies.

DATA-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS

Assoc Prof Aksara Putthividhya, a lecturer with the Department of Water Resource Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, explained that Thailand is no stranger to heavy metal contamination.

Past cases include lead pollution in Klity Creek, Kanchanaburi; cadmium pollution in Mae Tao, Tak; and industrial contaminants in Rayong, she said.