"Toxic Thailand rivers pinned on Shan State mines" Frontier Myanmar, 11 June 2025

Thai authorities say they have detected abnormally high arsenic levels in their waterways, which could pose a risk to aquatic life and the people further up the food chain.

The price fisherman [...] gets for his catch has fallen by almost half, he says, because locals fear contamination.

Experts say that while the effects on human health would not be visible immediately, the fish-heavy local diet risks a cumulative impact over several years.

The Thai government has proposed building a dam to prevent contaminated water from entering the country, but campaigners say physical barriers alone cannot stop pollution.

Bangkok acknowledges that Myanmar’s junta may be unable to stop Chinese companies operating mines in militia-controlled areas.