Report claims poisonous leak at Phichit gold mine

[webfact]

Report claims poisonous leak at Phichit gold mine

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

Akara disputes study as international arbitration proceeds, with govt accused of expropriation.
 

A STUDY on the first tailing storage facility (TSF1) of Akara Resources’ Chatree gold mine in Phichit confirmed that it leaked – but the committee investigating issues at the mine has decided to postpone the disclosure of the report for 10 more days.

 

The committee to investigate and solve conflicts about environmental and health issues at the Akara mine held a meeting at the Primary Industries and Mines Department yesterday to discuss the conclusions of the working group inspecting the leakage of TSF1, which was led by Naresuan University researcher Tanapon Phenrat.

 

 

One of the independent members of the committee, Somlak Hutanuwatr, said it had been revealed at the meeting that Tanapon’s working group had confirmed leakage from TSF1, and the conclusion could be used as evidence for the government in arbitration proceedings against Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd, the Australian mother company of Akara Resources.

 

“This finding result is very important, as it proves that toxic substances from the mine contaminated the nearby environment and caused sicknesses among the local people,” Somlak said. “From this finding, we can also assume that the cyanide-contaminated water that was found in paddy fields near the gold mine leaked from TSF1.”

 

According to earlier reports, a suspicious spring in a paddy field near the gold mine was found in June 2015, and a research team from Naresuan University found traces of cyanide in water samples. Another suspicious spring was discovered in November last year and local people found polluted water in their paddy fields.

 

In both cases, Akara and the Industry Ministry claimed there was not any leakage from the gold mine’s tailing facilities and the pollution in the water had originated naturally.

 

“This study result is very significant as important evidence for the Thai government in the arbitration proceedings, because it can prove that the Thai government ordered the gold mine’s closure order based on the valid fact that the mine had environmental and health impacts,” Somlak said.

 

Earlier last November, Kingsgate Consolidated resorted to arbitration proceedings, as the company claimed that the Thai government had unlawfully expropriated the Chatree gold mine. The arbitration proceedings are now in the preparatory stages, with a search for a neutral party to settle the dispute. 

 

 

 Somlak said the committee decided not to officially publicise the report and to postpone its disclosure date until about March 10, due to objections from the company and an incomplete appendix.

 

Meanwhile, Akara Resources released a statement stating that yesterday’s meeting of the investigation committee was to update the progress of the working group on TSF1 leakage inspections, not to hear the conclusions of the research.

 

The statement added that Tanapon’s findings about leakage at TSF1 could not be counted as a final conclusion, because his inspection methodology was questionable and had been criticised both by Akara and another group of academics.

 

The statement also highlighted that the report had been edited more than 30 times, adding that many words used in the report were ambiguous and could cause misunderstanding among the public. The company has compiled 257 pages of objections to the report, which will be publicised in the next 10 days.

 

Akara’s head of corporate affairs, Cherdsak Utha-aroon, said that due to these issues he did not think the report could be used in the arbitration proceedings.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30339901

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-01

[Odysseus123]

What is good enough for the teacher lottery winner is surely good enough for Akara.

[YetAnother]

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

Somlak said the committee decided not to officially publicise the report and to postpone its disclosure date until about March 10, due to objections from the company and an incomplete appendix.

your honor, i submit the prosecutor's case is flawed as it does not contain a period (.) at the end

[leeneeds]

Convenient Leak!

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, YetAnother said:

your honor, i submit the prosecutor's case is flawed as it does not contain a period (.) at the end

Probable Kingsgate response: i submit the prosecutor's case is flawed because there's no prosecutor in arbitration.

[Srikcir]

Any government claims now of "evidence" doesn't change the fact that the mine was shutdown with no evidence presented to Kingsgate and violated the resolution procedures by the Free Trade Agreement. Villagers complained to Prayut and he invoked Article 44 to shutdown the mine, apparently not understanding the legal significance of a free trade agreement. Furthermore, the government has yet to produce any significant "baseline" of what environmental conditions existed prior to the mining operations.

Even then might Kingsgate argue that any contamination truly attributable to the mine might not had happened if their operations hadn't been shut down? Kingsgate would have been unlikely to go through an expensive demobilization process just so the Thai government can essentially steal the mine.

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Any government claims now of "evidence" doesn't change the fact that the mine was shutdown with no evidence presented to Kingsgate and violated the resolution procedures by the Free Trade Agreement. Villagers complained to Prayut and he invoked Article 44 to shutdown the mine, apparently not understanding the legal significance of a free trade agreement. Furthermore, the government has yet to produce any significant "baseline" of what environmental conditions existed prior to the mining operations.

Even then might Kingsgate argue that any contamination truly attributable to the mine might not had happened if their operations hadn't been shut down? Kingsgate would have been unlikely to go through an expensive demobilization process just so the Thai government can essentially steal the mine.

Agreed.

 

This is playing to home consumption only-as the rest of  the world does not really occupy much of a place in the Thai solipsistic world.

 

What the Thai gov't really needs just now is another panel or three of "experts" to assist in their legal endeavours.

Edited March 1, 2018 by Odysseus123

[Odysseus123]

5 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Taking bets that this mine will be open and fully operational and under Thai control in 3 years time.

Easy money-if you are holding 5 aces.

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Taking bets that this mine will be open and fully operational and under Thai control in 3 years time.

Kingsgate claims Bt39 billion for losses due to shutdown and if unable to resume operations, loss of potential profits throughout the duration of its mining license ending in 2028. There will be no free lunch for Thailand's control.

[JAG]

3 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Taking bets that this mine will be open and fully operational and under Thai control in 3 years time.

Chinese control? Collateral for loans for submarines and/or trains?

[JAG]

8 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Kingsgate claims Bt39 billion for losses due to shutdown and if unable to resume operations, loss of potential profits throughout the duration of its mining license ending in 2028. There will be no free lunch for Thailand's control.

Kingsgate may well win their claim in every court or arbitration panel known to man. This regime will not pay out. It will screw so many other foreign investment deals and possible deals, but to recognise that requires forethought and an understanding of how such matters are handled internationally. Neither is in the syllabus at the military academy...

[Srikcir]

17 hours ago, JAG said:

This regime will not pay out.

Possible outcomes* (assuming favorable award by TAFTA arbitration tribunal):

Outside of TAFTA:

• discourage or shutdown future foreign investment that just began to be revitalized.
• exports may decrease as it will likely not get any near future free trade agreements.
• nations with current free trade agreements with Thailand may seek to renegotiate to provide more financial protections (if Thailand refuses, it loses export trade)
• economic sanctions by nations allied/friendly with Australian, especially democratic nations
• higher interest rates for foreign loans due to higher risk of default and/or breach of loan agreement
• sanctions against junta leadership including diplomatic retaliation
• reject possible Thailand application for membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Thailand again 'thinking' about joining TPP https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-27/thailand-weighs-benefits-of-joining-trade-pact-trump-ditched

TAFTA related solutions:

(remember that TAFTA is between Thailand and Australia, not between Thailand and Kingsgate)

• notice to pull out of TAFTA
• notice to renegotiate TAFTA
• Australian economic sanctions against Thailand, including new and/or higher tariffs against TAFTA defined products and services and nonTAFTA defined products and services.
• World Trade Organization trade sanctions against Thailand
• seize Thailand state-owned assets outside of Thailand

Collectively not good results for continued Thai economic growth, inflation nor if Prayut wants to run for PM.

* I am not a trade expert, just a layman's speculation. But I have read the TAFTA.

 

 

 

 

[JAG]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Collectively not good results for continued Thai economic growth, inflation nor if Prayut wants to run for PM.

* I am not a trade expert, just a layman's speculation. But I have read the TAFTA.

 

Yes, an excellent summary, thank you. I too am a layman, but I can see the implications.

The trouble is that I doubt whether Prayut or his mates have read TAFTA! Even if he comes to realise the implications, he may be unable to reverse events - who knows what promises have been made...

Edited March 2, 2018 by JAG

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, JAG said:

Yes, an excellent summary, thank you. I too am a layman, but I can see the implications.

The trouble is that I doubt whether Prayut or his mates have read TAFTA! Even if he comes to realise the implications, he may be unable to reverse events - who knows what promises have been made...

It will not be reversed and will possibly lead to a disastrous reversal..

 

However,in the Thai media it will be presented as a glorious win over evil multi-national farangs and national honour will be upheld.Who cares if they tell more than a few porky pies in the process.

 

They will all then grant each other yet another pair of parachute wings.

[JAG]

22 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

It will not be reversed and will possibly lead to a disastrous reversal..

 

However,in the Thai media it will be presented as a glorious win over evil multi-national farangs and national honour will be upheld.Who cares if they tell more than a few porky pies in the process.

 

They will all then grant each other yet another pair of parachute wings.

Ironically, possibly one of the first casualties of any international trade sanctions will be the few serviceable aircraft that paratroops could jump out of!

?

[kaorop]

I have some experience with mining operations here.

 

One of the most common causes of health and safety breaches were because of , wait for it, you know its coming,................ local workforces failure to follow clear and strict proceedures..

 

In another mine i had a freind who was a supervisor and the guy that was employed to look after things overnight would go to sleep. There were numerous breaches because something broke and started leaking toxic material and because the "worker" was asleep instead of him shutting down a valve upstream it would leak all night and obviously find its way into the local water ways. ....And heres the kicker, 3 written warnings then some abitration before he could be sacked but he stayed on....and geuss where he and his family his children and freinds lived? In the village most affected by his non action..

 

Let them have "their" mines back, can you imagine what they will do to the place for the next ten years..

Chernobyl anyone?

Edited March 2, 2018 by kaorop

[kaorop]

4 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

It will not be reversed and will possibly lead to a disastrous reversal..

 

However,in the Thai media it will be presented as a glorious win over evil multi-national farangs and national honour will be upheld.Who cares if they tell more than a few porky pies in the process.

 

They will all then grant each other yet another pair of parachute wings.

Its like watching some crappy superhero cartoon when you were a kid, like mighty mouse, and mighty mouse is so bad and so apt for here because he sings his own theme..." Here i am to save the day!"

[kolkolkol]

The speak as if the roads of Thailand are open because it is safe.