Chiang rai: People urge the government to solve the problem of toxic substances in the Kok River. The People's Party is urging the government to address the issue of toxic substances in the Kok River after toxic substances were discovered in the Mekong and Salween rivers. They recommend allocating funds to increase the frequency of water and rice inspections and offer to host a multilateral meeting of China, Myanmar, and Laos to discuss management and inspection of the mining supply chain to prevent environmental impacts.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Pris Wacharasindhu, a party-list MP and spokesperson for the People's Party, addressed the issue of toxic substances in the Kok and Sai Rivers, stating that this is a major health problem that has become increasingly severe and chronic. Eighteen villages in Chiang Rai Province have been found to have lead levels exceeding the standard in their tap water, and four villages have also been found to have arsenic levels exceeding the standard. Regarding agricultural practices, the rainy season rice harvested from these sources has begun, but the government has not yet conducted tests to determine if the rice is contaminated. Regarding tourism, particularly the Kok River, which is home to numerous river-related traditions, has been closed due to this problem.
Mr. Pris stated that this problem has been going on for nearly a year, but has not been addressed completely or effectively. Recently, the problem has spread to the Mekong and Salween Rivers, the downstream reaches of several other rivers. "We didn't create this problem, but we are suffering because we suspect it originated in the mining towns in rural areas," he said.
Mr. Pris stated that the People's Party is therefore calling on the government to elevate domestic action to address the impact on the public. The government must allocate a budget to control the frequency of toxic substance testing, including a budget for inspecting rice using problematic water sources for contamination. It should also allocate alternative water sources for affected areas, and clearly communicate information to the public to raise awareness of the problem and prevent panic due to access to government information.
Mr. Pris stated that the international forum requires addressing the root causes of the problem through international negotiations. The government should offer to host a multilateral meeting to address the issue, including at least Myanmar and Laos, as they are upstream countries, as well as China, which currently dominates the global mineral market. This meeting aims to exchange proposals, reach conclusions on measures to be implemented, and conduct a joint study to determine which countries' laws can be applied to address pollution at the source.
Now that the Prime Minister is in China, he should expedite discussions with his colleagues, citing the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center (LMEC) environmental cooperation mechanism, in which China is already a participant. He also discussed with the Chinese government the development of regulations for managing and monitoring the mining supply chain to ensure it does not impact the environment.
"If the government truly loves its nation, it should work harder and faster to protect the nation's rivers and natural resources, which are being exploited, from pollution that is being released from neighboring countries into Thailand and has a serious impact on the health of Thai people," said Mr. Pris.