By Paskorn Jumlongrach
In recent months, the Kok River—once a lifeline for communities in northern Thailand—has taken on an unsettling new character. What was once a clear, vibrant waterway is now a chronically murky stream, its waters laced with heavy metals and sediment. The cause, long suspected by locals and environmental observers, has now come into focus: upstream gold mining operations in Myanmar, right across the border from Chiang Rai Province.
New images obtained from villagers in Thaton, Mae Ai District of Chiang Mai, reveal dozens of gold dredging boats operating along the Kok River near Saad town in Myanmar’s Shan State. The area is controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), which has permitted Chinese investors to mine the area with apparent impunity. For the first time, we have direct visual evidence of these operations—evidence that confirms what satellite imagery had only suggested until now.
Since the severe floods that struck the region in September 2024, the Kok River has remained persistently cloudy. Unlike previous dry seasons when the river would run clear—especially in time for Songkran—the water has shown no sign of recovery. The change has not gone unnoticed. Villagers, environmental groups, and local media have all raised questions, but government response has been slow and insufficient.
Despite the scale of the disaster, no government agency has claimed responsibility for investigating the origins of the mud and sediment that accompanied the floodwaters. In the immediate aftermath of the 2024 disaster, the government established the National Committee for Flood, Storm, and Landslide Disaster Management, chaired by the Prime Minister, along with a dedicated relief operations center. These bodies were formed under public pressure, following criticism of the government’s delayed and disorganized response.
But the momentum did not last. As media attention faded and the monsoon gave way to cooler months, the committees fell silent—leaving the Kok River and its affected communities without answers.
What’s most alarming is the extent of environmental degradation now evident in the river. Recent testing, spurred only after local protests in Thaton and pressure from civil society, revealed elevated levels of arsenic and lead. Turbidity levels have increased by eight to nine times the norm, placing the river in the “degraded” category. This has serious implications for aquatic life, water quality, and potentially human health, particularly if these heavy metals have entered the food chain.
The Kok River supports hundreds of thousands of people. It flows into Thailand from Shan State, passes through several districts of Chiang Rai, and ultimately joins the Mekong at Chiang Saen. In Chiang Rai city, its water is treated for water supply for public use. Any contamination upstream has immediate and far-reaching consequences downstream.
And yet, the river’s source has been devastated by unchecked resource extraction. The UWSA, already known for its involvement in the illicit drug trade, has now opened the region to gold and mineral exploitation, allowing Chinese interests to extract profits while exporting pollution into Thai territory.
Just days ago, Thailand’s Prime Minister warmly welcomed General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s junta, during the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok. One wonders whether she realizes that the very disaster management committee she chairs has failed to address a cross-border environmental crisis directly impacting Thai soil.
If there was ever a moment for frank dialogue between Thailand and Myanmar, it is now. It must include urgent discussions about the Kok and Sai Rivers, both of which originate in areas now controlled and exploited by non-state armed groups with Myanmar military backing.
Thailand will enter a new rainy season in just a month or two. And while we now have undeniable evidence of gold mining near the headwaters of these rivers, preparations for another potential flood—and the toxic mud that may come with it—remain inadequate. There is still no robust early warning system, no coordinated transboundary response, and no clear plan for remediation.
Communities along the Kok and Sai rivers are left to wonder if they must simply endure it all again. In the absence of meaningful state action, many may find more comfort praying to the heavens than waiting for answers from their government.
See original Thai article, https://transbordernews.in.th/home/?p=41993
