Panumet TanraksaCivil society groups have warned that heavy metals -- particularly arsenic -- are gradually accumulating in sections of the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand. They urged authorities to step up monitoring and address suspected cross-border pollution linked to upstream mining. The concerns were raised at an annual meeting of local networks in Loei province last week to protect the Mekong River. "The presence of arsenic indicates that the Mekong is slowly accumulating heavy metals along its length," Mr Montree said. According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), monitoring for arsenic in the Mekong began in 2022, with no traces initially detected.

Source: Bangkok Post March 30, 2026 22:52 UTC