NGOs join forces to investigate contamination of Kok and Sai rivers

Green Peace Thailand, Chiang Mai University and Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH) are collaborating to investigate the extent of transboundary pollution in the Kok and Sai rivers in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces and to assess its long-term impacts.

EARTH Director Penchome Saetang said today that members of the three organizations travelled to the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai last night, to collect water and sediment samples from the Ko Sai community, which is currently flooded after recent heavy rain.

She said this visit was in response to calls from civil society and the local people to identify the extent of the contamination and damage.

She said that they need time for the research and testing, but that the provincial Pollution Control Department and Public Health Ministry have already determined that the water in the Kok and Sai rivers contains high levels of heavy metals, which may pose a serious health threat.

The EARTH director admitted that the cross-border pollution of the rivers was totally unexpected, which explains why state agencies are unprepared and lack budgets to cope with the situation.

She also said that the problem cannot be solved easily, because it involves several parties and governments, adding that what the three NGOs can do now is to gather all the facts for use when talks are held to address the problem.

The immediate concern, when floodwater in Mae Sai district recedes, will be the mud, said Penchome, noting that it is unknown how bad the level of contamination of it is.