Hundreds of blood samples collected from villagers in central Thailand’s Thap Khlo District show that up to 6,000 villagers have elevated amounts of manganese and arsenic in their bodies. While the Thai government remains uncertain about the source of the poisoning, villagers blame an Australian-owned gold mine in their district.

Villagers in Thap Khlo first complained about the mine’s possible environmental and health hazards last June when they sent a letter to Thailand’s National Council for Peace and Order, asking the regime to address their concerns about the mine. In response, the Thai government sent city officials to conduct health tests on the villagers last November. Test results released in December indicate that many of the villagers have manganese and arsenic poisoning. Moreover, a separate research conducted by Thailand’s Rangsit University show that soil, water and vegetation as far as four kilometers away from the mine have unnaturally high levels of manganese, arsenic and cadmium.

Arsenic and manganese are both found naturally in rocks. The metals are released from rocks during the mining and smelting process as ores are heated to release other minerals from it. Surface runoff can spread the metals, contaminating a larger stretch of land beyond the mine. The metals may flow into nearby waterways or are absorbed by plants, providing for ample ways in which humans can ultimately ingest the metals.

Arsenic and manganese can have serious health consequences once ingested. Arsenic can cause skin hyperpigmentation, serious gastrointestinal problems as well as cancer in the skin, liver and lungs. Arsenic can also impair blood circulation in the body by causing small blood vessels to become more permeable and thereby decreasing blood pressure drastically. High levels of manganese can cause symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease such as body rigidness and slurred speech.



The Thap Khlo gold mine is part of the Chatree Mining Complex, a collection of mines owned by a subsidiary of Sydney-based Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. Chatree Mining considers its safety and environmental regulations up to international standards, so Kingsgate Consolidated remains defiant against accusations. Kingsgate Executive Chairman Ross Smyth-Kirk released a statement supporting current mining regulations, saying that the mine’s employees were tested for metal poisoning last June and that the employees showed no signs of poisoning.

Since the results were released, the Thai government has suspended operations at Chatree Mining’s Thap Khlo gold mine for 30 days while more tests and inquiries are conducted. If Chatree Mining is unable to prove that they are not the source of the contamination, the suspension will be extended.

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