Urgent Plea: Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai Demand Action as Pollution Crisis Threatens Kok and Sai Rivers

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As the date stands at April 18, 2025, an urgent chorus of voices echoes throughout Thailand’s northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. From passionate civil society groups to dedicated academics, a collective plea ascends to the desk of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. At the heart of this fervent cry is the urgent need for sweeping governmental action to tackle the creeping catastrophe of pollution poisoning the Kok and Sai rivers—waterways entwined with the very lifelines of over 1.2 million residents.

Flowing with ancient grace from Myanmar’s Shan State into Thailand, these rivers have become unwelcome conduits of sediment and heavy metal contaminants. With 2023’s alarming declaration from the Pollution Control Department identifying fourteen high-risk mining zones in Myanmar, five of which menace the waterways crossing into Thailand, the situation teeters on the edge of disaster.

The evidence is as stark as it is chilling: satellite images reveal gaping scars where land excavation reigns unchecked upstream. And yet, despite this visible threat, a comprehensive, robust response to this transboundary pollution remains elusive, a fact not lost on the communities standing on the brink of crisis.

Of particular concern is the World Health Organisation’s sobering warning about cyanide creeping into river waters, even in minuscule quantities of 0.05 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, capable of exacting grave harm on human health over time. Such contamination has already plagued the region with unprecedented challenges, as witnessed in September 2024 when flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc, obliterating homes, possessions, and livelihoods in a cataclysm described as unfamiliar in the annals of local history. While time ambles forward with the rainy season mere weeks away, the patience of these riverine communities is wearing thin.

There’s a societal undercurrent of frustration at perceived governmental inertia, articulated in the letter. Suebsakun Kidnukorn, a lecturer at Mae Fah Luang University, provides a poignant observation on this transnational conundrum: “The contamination originates in Myanmar, but it is Thai communities who are suffering the consequences. Now is the time for environmental diplomacy. The prime minister must raise this issue with Myanmar’s leadership and use regional platforms for negotiation.”

Amidst these escalating concerns, a sliver of hope briefly shimmered on the diplomatic horizon. The meeting between the Malaysian Prime Minister and Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing in Thailand offered an opportune moment to thrust this pressing issue into the regional spotlight. The opportunity for earnest conversations about cross-border repercussions and cooperative resolutions was ripe, and environmental stalwarts like Pianporn Deetes implored action with urgency. As the secretary-general of the Hill Area and Community Development Foundation and Southeast Asia Campaign Director for International Rivers, she underscores the gravity of the situation. “These rivers are transnational. Gold mining in upstream Shan State is wreaking havoc on communities and ecosystems downstream in Thailand. The government must act now to stop widespread land clearing and mining.”

However, the Environmental and Pollution Control Office’s recent advisory added a disheartening layer to this prospective narrative of progress. With revelations of dangerous levels of lead and arsenic lurking in the water, residents are counseled to refrain from direct contact—an irony not lost amidst assurances by the Provincial Waterworks Authority of treated tap water’s safety. Ms. Pianporn voices public sentiment, “The government tells us the water is fine, but we feel unsafe. We’re being told not to touch the river water, yet we’re still drinking water derived from it. There’s no clear plan for solving the root of the problem, and meanwhile, the ecosystems that depend on these rivers continue to collapse.”

In the unfolding saga of the Kok and Sai rivers, the enduring resilience of those who rely on them speaks volumes. While the waters may be muddied, the call for clarity rings clear—a testament to the unwavering spirit of communities bound together by the quest for a cleaner, safer future.