Arsenic alert in Mekong prompts urgent government action
The People’s Party (PP) has called on the government to address arsenic contamination in the Mekong River caused by foreign mining, urging immediate action.
The spread is believed to be caused by foreign mining activities in China, Myanmar, and Laos.
Chiang Mai MP and PP deputy spokesperson, Phattarapong Leelaphat, voiced concerns on Facebook, accusing the government of remaining silent despite rising arsenic levels detected in the Mekong River. The worst-hit provinces include Loei, Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, and Nakhon Phanom, where contamination has exceeded safe limits.
Phattarapong claims the issue, previously reported in rivers like the Kok, Sai, and Salween in northern Thailand, has now reached the northeast. He criticised Deputy Prime Minister and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin for failing to take any action despite being aware of the issue for over a year.
Adding to the frustration, he said that the Pollution Control Department did not publish test results on its official website, opting instead for a low-traffic regional site, making the information harder to access for the general public.
Phattarapong called for the government to initiate multilateral discussions through the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Centre (LMEC). He also revealed that key environmental meetings held by ASEAN and ASEAN-China were skipped by Thai ministers, with lower-level officials sent instead. He claimed local agencies are underfunded, resulting in limited water quality testing.
He urged the government to step up on several fronts: negotiate with upstream countries, ensure transparency in data reporting, secure sufficient budgets, address the root causes of pollution, and expand environmental monitoring stations, reported Bangkok Post.
In response, Suchart announced that three task forces will be established to address growing public concerns and environmental risks. These teams will focus on securing clean water alternatives, controlling cross-border pollution, and monitoring the health impacts of the contamination.
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