Proposed construction of check dams in the North sparks controversy
Fierce Opposition Emerges Against Defence Minister's Proposed Check Dams in Northern Thailand
Civil society groups in Thailand have voiced strenuous objections to Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai's proposal to erect check dams in the northern region to combat heavy metal contamination in the Kok, Sai, and Mekong rivers.
The critics allege that the plan is based on unfounded assumptions and overlooks the underlying causes of the issue.
During a meeting of the Flood, Storm, and Landslide Disaster Relief Operations Center on Wednesday, the deputy prime minister, Mr. Phumtham, issued a directive to urgently address the problem of heavy metal contamination in the three aforementioned rivers. He described the proposed dam as a defensive measure against hazardous pollutants originating from upstream mining activities in Myanmar.
Despite his claims that diplomatic negotiations have proven elusive, the government's handling of the pollution source has raised eyebrows among environmental activists. According to Chiang Mai MP Phattharaphong Leelaphat of the People's Party, the proposed dam is unlikely to be effective in filtering out heavy metals from the water.
"A dam does not cleanse contaminants from water," he stated. "Dikes might help with sediment filtration, but they are unsuitable for the Sai River. The Kok River, which benefits from a forest buffer zone before entering Thailand, might be more appropriate, but even there, the benefits would be marginal."
Mr. Phattharaphong underscored the need for a diplomatic approach, advocating for ministerial-level negotiations at regional platforms such as Asean and the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation. He also called for immediate support for local groups collecting scientific data on contamination levels, especially arsenic and lead, to bolster the case for interventional action.
Penchom Saetang, executive director of Ecological Alert and Recovery-Thailand (Earth), also expressed concerns over the proposed dam's high cost and ineffectiveness. "The dam will not cure the problem," Ms. Saetang declared.
"The real issue is the unregulated mining activities upstream. This goes beyond an environmental concern—it's a public health and regional security crisis."
Ms. Saetong urged Malaysia, this year's ASEAN Chair, to prioritize the issue and encouraged China to take responsibility since many of the mining operations are reportedly funded by Chinese companies. She emphasized that China should not enjoy benefits while leaving the region to shoulder environmental and health costs.
The Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee has pinpointed mining in Myanmar's Shan State as the likely source of the contamination, identifying 23 suspected gold mining sites operating without proper environmental impact assessments. Heavy rains in the area induce runoff that carries toxic sediment—containing arsenic, lead, and other chemicals—into rivers that cross into Thailand.
The Thai government acknowledges that diplomatic efforts to halt pollution at its source have proven difficult, with Myanmar's military claiming it lacks control over the gold mining areas, which are purportedly under the influence of the United Wa State Army (UWSA).
Pianporn Deetes, Regional Campaigns Director for International Rivers and a Chiang Rai resident, warned that contamination levels in the Kok and Sai rivers have surpassed safety standards, posing one of the region's gravest transboundary pollution threats.
"Satellite imagery indicates more than 40 land-clearing operations in Shan State, including illegal rare earth mining," she said. "We are facing organized environmental crime, backed by Chinese financiers and the UWSA."
- The proposed check dam by Defense Minister Phumtharachai, intended to combat heavy metal contamination, has been met with strong opposition from environmental activists.
- Chiang Mai MP Phattharaphong Leelaphat argues that a dam would not be effective in cleaning contaminants from the water, especially in the Sai River.
- Penchom Saetang of Ecological Alert and Recovery-Thailand (Earth) notes that the real issue is unregulated mining activities upstream, which constitute a public health and regional security crisis.
- Pianporn Deetes, Regional Campaigns Director for International Rivers, stresses that satellite imagery reveals over 40 land-clearing operations in Myanmar's Shan State, including illegal rare earth mining, which contributes to transboundary pollution threats.
