Thai senators demand action on Myanmar mining
SkimNews Take
The sheer number of unregulated mines suggests a systemic lack of governance capacity, making diplomatic pressure on Myanmar's central government insufficient without addressing local enforcement mechanisms.
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- Maneerat Khemawong reported heavy metals at up to nine times legal limits in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai waterways.
- Noraset Prachayakorn warned that new mines have sprung up upstream this year, expanding the unregulated mining threat.
- Provincial Waterworks Authority supplies tap water to over 70,000 households, many of whom now distrust its safety.
- ASEAN is urged to pressure Myanmar through diplomatic channels to curb illegal mining.
- Thai government is urged to implement six measures, including provincial testing centres, alternative water sources, expanded treatment, and compensation.
Why it matters: Seventy‑thousand households lose trust in tap water, forcing many to buy bottled water and raising living costs, which strains household budgets and fuels local resentment.
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