Transborder News, Thailand, March 17, 2025 –Thailand’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Songwit Noonpackdee, has directed government agencies to immediately investigate the water quality of the Kok River following mounting local concerns over possible toxic contamination from gold mining activities on the Myanmar side.
General Songwit, who also serves as Director of the Center for Coordinating the Prevention and Mitigation of Threats Affecting Border Security, noted that while regular monitoring of the Sai River in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai, has generally shown that water turbidity remains within safe toxin limits this year, reports from the Mae Sai mayor indicate that the river still appears dark—suggesting heavy contamination. “I am truly concerned about the Sai River; I cannot remain indifferent,” he stated.
In response to local complaints regarding the increasingly murky water in the Kok River—attributed to upstream gold mining—General Songwit announced that related agencies, including the Department of Science, will expedite the collection and analysis of water samples. Furthermore, the Cabinet has approved funding for the Military Development Command to begin dredging operations on the Kok River in April, aiming to safeguard the raw water used for municipal supply.
Meanwhile, Ms. Juthamas Rajchaprasit, Senior Officer at Hill Area and Community Development Foundation (HADF) in Chiang Rai, highlighted the impact of gold mining along the Kok River in Myanmar’s Shan State. “Following last year’s devastating mud flood in Chiang Rai, our fieldwork and discussions with local civil society networks revealed that the milky, white appearance of the river is linked to extensive gold mining activities,” she explained. “Residents are increasingly anxious about the water quality, which is now eight times more turbid than at the same time last year.”
Ms. Rajchaprasit further pointed out that during the upcoming Songkran festival—when both the Kok and Sai Rivers are crucial water sources for the region—the urgency of securing clean water is more critical than ever. She also raised concerns over broader environmental changes, including deforestation for rubber plantations and an influx of foreign investment displacing indigenous communities with deep-rooted ecological knowledge, factors that further compromise the local ecosystem.
Officials now stress the need for prompt cross-border dialogue between Thai and Myanmar authorities to address these transboundary environmental challenges and protect the health and livelihoods of communities dependent on these rivers.
Transborder News will continue to follow this developing story.
This is a translation of Thai-language article https://transbordernews.in.th/home/?p=41746
