TKL mining gold
surrounding Huay River where farmers
- Poisoning the villagers
(Khao Luang sub-district)
May 9, 2010 Khon Kaen
November 4th 2009, Thai and Burmese
students founded the Youth Partnership
for Human Rights (YPHR). YPHR
focuses on Human Rights issues in the
ASEAN region. On the 7th-9th of May
2010, the organization held its second
Human Rights workshop in the city of
Khon Kaen, Thailand with a field trip to
Na Nong Bong
village, Loei
province. The purpose "Problems
of the visit to Na
Nong Bong village
was to investigate the case of gold
mining company Tungkum Limited
(TKL) and their impact on the
communities surrounding the mine as
well as build the field research skills of
young human rights defenders.
On May 8th YPHR workshop
participants traveled to Na Nong Bong,
one of the six negatively affected
villages around the mine. It used to be an
ordinary Isaan village, dependant on
agriculture to support its 557 inhabitants.
View of the gold mine from Thap Fa
Mountain near Na Nong Bong village.
Children played and swam in the
fished to supplement their livelihood.
However, Na Nong Bong is not what it
once was. The construction and
processing of the TKL gold mine has
contaminated the area, negatively
impacting the formally pristine ecology
and disrupting the village economy.
TKL began construction of the mine in
2004. Within 2 months after operations
began, villagers started to experience the
effects of formerly unknown pollutants.
Villagers began to suffer from skin
rashes, headaches and respiratory
problems.
are all they give us"
- Mr. Phor Khae
Additionally, the environment began to
change disrupting farming and village
livelihood activities. In certain growing
areas farming resulted in about 20 sacks
of rice prior to the construction of the
mine. However, six years after the mine
first broke ground, the villagers reap
only 6 sacks of rice in the formerly
fertile areas.
The negatively impacted crop endangers
food security for every member of Na
Nong Bong. Villagers are forced to
purchase food outside of the formerly
self sufficient village. In 2009, the
Provincial Health Office told the
villagers not to use local water. Instead
the Government start to provide water
trucks. However, the water supplied by
the government was not enough. The
local government provided only 3 liters
of water per person for drinking and
cooking and distribution is woefully
sporadic. The water does not reach the
villagers everyday, some never receive
the water provided by the Government.
In Kok Sa Tawn, YPHR spoke to Mr.
Phor Chae, a 49-year old farmer, who
confirmed this fact: "We have received
water one or two times, but now we have
to buy water from private companies,
250 Baht per truck. The Government
only gives us clean water after protest."
Mr. Phor Chae also added that 54 out of
279 villagers in the communities
surrounding the mine tested positive
with cyanide poisoning in 2006.
However, Mr Phor Chae believed that
there are many more people suffering
from toxin poisoning without even
knowing it. "The tests are very
expensive so that is why so few people
have been tested."
\YPHR interviewing Mr. Phor Chae (blue
shirt), local farmer from Kok Sa Tawn
village
The future of the people villagers near
the mine is uncertain. There are few
people talking of a remedy and even
fewer who know where the saga of TKL
and Na Nong Bong goes next. Villagers
want to be free from the problem of
contamination and return to their
formerly peaceful existence. They
believe terminating the mine will bring
back their traditional way of life. When
asked what positive changes the mine
has brought to his community Mr. Phor
Chae responds, "problems are all they
give us." Mr. Phor Chae lights a new
cigarette and sighs, ready to face the
next day of struggle.
Contaminated waste water seeping out from
the mine’s tailings pond.
.