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Community Collaboration for Public Accountability: Research to Determine Source and Severity of Pollution in a Gold Mining Site.

Organization Ecological Alert and Recovery - Thailand (EARTH)
Name Penchom Saetang
URL http://www.thaiecoalert.org
Grant JPY 500,000

Sampling near rice fields

Research Background

In Thailand and in many Asian countries lacking good governance and strict environmental law enforcement, mining is a rapidly growing industry with no functional mechanism to ensure transparency and environmental responsibility. In Khao Luang rural municipality, villagers are experiencing health deterioration after a gold and copper mining operation was set up in the watershed forests. Villagers rely on local streams, underground water and local forests for food and water. The local economy is largely based on farming and gathering from natural resources, now at threats of toxic pollution. Over the past few years, symptoms of toxic pollution has increased. Villagers are experiencing rashes, muscle weakness, and their livestock have died mysteriously. Government agencies find cyanide, heavy metals, arsenic and other toxic chemicals in waterways and in local blood sampling. However, government agencies are shying away from confirming the source of pollution, and refusing to confirm any link between the increased pollution and the gold mining operation.

This research will study a control sample and collect water, sediment and rice samples from appropriate locations to determine the path of pollution and the severity of pollution. Currently affected residents from 6 villages in the Khao Luang Heritage Conservation Group will be able to increase their negotiating power, in demanding environmental accountability from the gold mining company, and public accountability for immediate public health measures, fair compensation, transparency and public participation in the review of current and future mining operations. [Sep. 2012]

Final Report (abstract)




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