"Senator Urges Urgent Action as Mekong Pollution Linked to Expanding Myanmar Mining and Power Plant", Thai Enquirer, 27 Apr 2026

Senator Maneerat Khemawong has proposed six urgent measures to address escalating transboundary water pollution affecting northern Thailand, warning that contamination linked to mining and energy projects in Myanmar is intensifying and requires immediate government action.

Maneerat said the crisis stems largely from unregulated gold and rare earth mining in Myanmar’s Shan State, where more than 1,000 mines are believed to be operating without proper environmental controls. [...].

The Shan Human Rights Foundation has reported that some mining operations, including along the Kok River, may be linked to Chinese companies and are discharging heavy metal waste into regional waterways, threatening ecosystems, food safety and local livelihoods.

Adding to concerns, a newly operational coal-fired power plant in southern Mong Hsat—about 19 kilometres from Thailand’s Chiang Rai border—is expected to further worsen contamination in the Kok River. The plant, owned by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), began operating in November 2025 and supplies electricity to military facilities and associated industries.

Coal for the plant is sourced from an open-pit mine in eastern Shan State, with local reports indicating continuous transport of coal to the site. Communities near the mine have reported skin irritation from water use and fish deaths in nearby streams. Environmental risks linked to the plant include air pollution from emissions such as sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, as well as long-term contamination from coal and fly ash storage. Runoff from these waste materials—containing heavy metals such as mercury, lead and arsenic—could enter the Kok River system.