CHIANG RAI – Residents in Chiang Rai are preparing for a major event tomorrow, June 5, which marks World Environment Day. Local communities, advocacy groups, and academics have come together to organize a gathering called “Poy Luang to Close Wa Mines.”
The goal is to urge leaders from Thailand, Myanmar, China, and the Wa Army to step in and address pollution caused by mining in Myanmar’s Shan State.
Residents along rivers such as the Kok, Sai, and Ruak have faced ongoing issues from mining runoff. Tests by local authorities and researchers have repeatedly found unsafe levels of arsenic and other chemicals in the water. These contaminants have spread downstream, affecting the Mekong River and reaching into the Golden Triangle area.
Local activists, academics, and artists are not waiting for diplomacy. On June 5, 2025, World Environment Day, community groups, including the Living River Siam Association and Mae Fah Luang University researchers, will rally at Mae Fah Luang Park, demanding an end to mining in the Wa region.
The rivers are dying, and with them, people’s way of life,” said Somkiat Khuanchiangsa, president of the association. Petitions will be submitted to the Thai, Myanmar, Chinese, and Wa authorities, urging accountability.
Today, participants will meet at Mae Fah Luang Park near the bridge in Chiang Rai city. The event will include ceremonies from Buddhist, Christian, and local ethnic traditions, followed by a march over the Mae Fah Luang Bridge to the provincial government office.
There, organizers plan to deliver a formal letter urging action to the Thai Prime Minister, the President of China, Myanmar’s military leader, and the Wa Army. The event will also feature speeches, music, and activities to support environmental protection.
Deputy Interior Minister Khajorn Sri Chawanothai is expected to attend and accept the letter on behalf of the government. The Governor of Chiang Rai will hold a briefing with the media to discuss the current situation and the steps being taken to deal with river pollution in the region.
Myanmar Mining Affecting People’s Lives in Chiang Rai
The Kok, Sai, and Ruak rivers, once lifelines for northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province, have become conduits of concern, tainted by arsenic and heavy metals from upstream gold and rare earth mining in Myanmar’s Shan State.
The pollution, linked to operations backed by Chinese investors and the United Wa State Army (UWSA), has ignited a transboundary environmental crisis, threatening the health, livelihoods, and economy of millions while exposing the complexities of addressing pollution across borders.
The Kok, Sai, and Ruak rivers, once lifelines for northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province, have become conduits of concern, tainted by arsenic and heavy metals from upstream gold and rare earth mining in Myanmar’s Shan State.
The pollution, linked to operations backed by Chinese investors and the United Wa State Army (UWSA), has ignited a transboundary environmental crisis, threatening the health, livelihoods, and economy of millions while exposing the complexities of addressing pollution across borders.
Thailand has responded with urgency but faces challenges. The Chiang Rai provincial government has banned using Kok and Sai river water for drinking or farming, though enforcement is difficult in rural areas. The Royal Thai Army is dredging the Ruak River and building flood barriers, while the Chiang Rai Waterworks Authority insists tap water is safe after treatment with chlorine and filtration.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has proposed a dam on the Kok River to trap contaminated sediment, and diplomatic talks with Myanmar and China are slated for June 2025 in Kengdung, Shan State. Yet, Myanmar’s inaction—exacerbated by political instability—and China’s backing of the mines cast doubt on swift resolutions.
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