The pollution in the Kok River may be related to border-cross border inland gold mining.
PUBLISHED: 10 Apr 2025 at 08: 30
Thai authorities are awaiting a reply from Myanmar regarding possible participation in addressing harmful contamination that threatens the Kok River, a water supply for Chiang Mai’s river communities.
Collaboration is essential for protecting both public health and the environment along the river’s course, according to the Office of the National Water Resources ( ONWR ).
Authorities were recommending the expulsion of water use because of the toxic levels of pollutants in the waterway, according to ONWR Secretary-General Surasee Kittimonthon.
To encourage Myanmar’s role in the discussion, his company has started discussions with the Mekong River Commission Secretariat and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation party.
Through these local cooperative frameworks, Mr. Surasee said,” We sincerely hope to hear from the Burmese authorities a response.”
We have requested Myanmar’s assistance in establishing a river-quality tracking system and assessing the stream, which will help the two nations use their waters resources more effectively.
According to Mr. Surasee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been looking into political programmes for dialogue with Myanmar.
The ONWR has emphasized the importance of Myanmar’s cooperation, particularly when it comes to putting preventative measures in place to reduce Thailand’s downstream communities ‘ transnational economic effects.
Before joining the Mekong River, the Kok River, which originates in Myanmar and flows through regions controlled by the United Wa State Army, supplies water to areas in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
The Department of Pollution Control’s most recent testing revealed dangerously high levels of heavy metal, especially arsenic and lead, which were found to get twice the uncomfortable levels.
The United Wa State Army, which has allowed foreign companies to invest in the area, is responsible for the contamination, according to the department.
The situation is still critical as the ONWR waits for a response from Myanmar, with urgent calls for regional cooperation to stop further environmental damage and protect public health along the river’s downstream communities, according to Mr. Surasee.