Ranong: Sediment from a mine on the Myanmar side pollutes the Kraburi River in Ranong Province. The water has been thick and muddy for more than 2 years due to the release of sediment from mining in Myanmar into the Kra Buri River in Ranong Province. This has become a major problem affecting the lives of locals because the Kra Buri River has long been a major artery that has sustained the community. Locals have asked relevant agencies for urgent assistance for more than 2 years, but to no avail.
According to Thai News Agency, the condition of the Kra Buri River, which separates the Thai-Myanmar border on the Ranong side, is a muddy red, affecting people living in many areas along the river in Kra Buri District. Ms. Narumon Boonchuay, the mayor of Pak Chan Subdistrict Administrative Organization, along with local residents, led a team of Thai News Agency reporters to inspect the distress caused. She stated that the water color change that is currently causing distress to local residents is the result of mining in Myanmar, which has released sediment into the Kra Buri River without control. This has caused widespread impacts to local residents, especially in Kra Buri District, affecting their way of life, agriculture, and tourism. Importantly, it has also begun to affect the coastal ecosystem. This problem has been ongoing for more than 2 years and is likely to continue to worsen. There is concern that in the long term, the Kra Buri River may face water pollution problems similar to the Kok River and S
ai Rivers in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which are currently facing problems from gold mining.
Tomorrow, the Thai News Agency news team will delve into the issues of distress that have arisen, including the problem of mining along the Kraburi River on the Myanmar side, which has affected villagers in Ranong Province, as well as the problem of transporting minerals into Thailand through Ranong Province, where irregularities were found in the import permit application process. Follow along in a special report in 2 parts on 9 Evening News, Thai News Agency, starting with the first part tomorrow night.