Chiang Rai prison water safe: DoC

Water is safe to use at Chiang Rai Central Prison, the Department of Corrections said yesterday in an effort to address concerns about potential lead contamination in the nearby Kok River.

- POST REPORTERS

The department issued a statement yesterday to address recent media reports suggesting that the prison’s 4,000 inmates may be at risk from cancer due to potential lead contamination in the Kok River, which has allegedly spread into the prison’s water supply.

The department said the prison’s water comes from a surface water supply system built according to standards set down by the Department of Water Resources, as well as a groundwater system, since the prison lies outside the service area of the Provincial Waterworks Authority. The prison also conducts annual water quality monitoring.