Talk between gold-mining firm, villagers fails
The Nation
Loei

BANGKOK: -- The yesterday's mediation session has failed to resolve conflict between a Loei-based gold-mining firm and locals opposing its operation.

The two sides pushed for their demands, which did not receive any positive response from the other side, throughout the 9pm-to-noon session at the Loei Provincial Court.

The mediation took place after the firm, Tungkum, filed a Bt150 million lawsuit against six villagers. It also lodged criminal complaints against the locals who disrupted its operation by blocking trucks from going into and out of the gold mine.

"We want the gold mine closed and our local environment rehabilitated," Suraphan Rujichaiwat said yesterday as a representative of the locals, "But the firm has insisted it will bring all ores out before it closes down the mine".

The gold mine is located in Ban Na Nong Bong, tambon Khao Luang, Wang Sa Phung district, Loei province.

Its operation has drawn strong local opposition, as local residents feel the gold mine has taken its tolls on their health and their environment.

Their conflict escalated last month, after more than 100 robust men raided into the local village, beating up and detaining some residents. While the men were there, trucks left the firm's compound with ores.


-- The Nation 2014-06-04

It sounds like a serious environmental issue. Unfortunately higher authorities probably won't get involved in mediation, unless people start dying where the conflict is. Environmental issues were off the radar for politicians, and it's likely the same for military bosses.

Since Thais can tolerate a whole lot of environmental destruction (similar to Chinesem tolerance) until they openly protest, it must be a dismal scenario in Loei now, for villagers to be actively protesting against the gold mining.

If I had the power to do something, I'd make it a top priority - to try to find an amicable solution there.

Yeah environmental protection is all talk here. That said, in Pai where I live, the large army base is about the only area in the valley that hasn't been totally deforested.

This is not the right way to go about this issue , the Environmental , Mines and Heath departments are in a gross dereliction of duty , it is not a subject for talks between locals and the mining company, issues concerning mining needs to be addressed by the proper authority's, not bribing or subjecting the locals to terms they probably neither understand or wish to agree to but under pressure do so , there has been just a-little to much of that lately in Thailand.

Having worked in a gold mine for several years in a country with very strong environmental laws and seeing daily how the mine gets away with breaking these laws, I can only imagine the damage being done to the land and the people, Government or military need to get involved...

Gold mines traditionally poison allot of water around them, this can be managed in a civilized way, but one has to question if the big bucks are being spent here.

profits once again take away the local peoples rights to a good life and chemical free water supply. We constantly see this here, where money and profit is concerned people rights are pushed back, big business dont care what happens to the people that live where they want to make their money, as long as they are getting a profit they will destroy what these people have and the govt just ignores it while the appropriate departments simply sit back and take all the "envelopes" handed to them to turn a blind eye and allow it to continue. Would be great of the general actually stepped in here and took the bosses to task for what they are and have done to all the local people and the land but somehow I doubt it will happen but we can hope as he has already started sorting out other corruption.

Having worked in a gold mine for several years in a country with very strong environmental laws and seeing daily how the mine gets away with breaking these laws, I can only imagine the damage being done to the land and the people, Government or military need to get involved...

The military is involved; perhaps too much and too robust.

Catch the owner and make him drink the water....via water-boarding.

Government or military need to get involved...

He he, you're funny. The Military is already involved.

If this continues and hopefully makes the international news agencies......these ars***le mine owners will be hit hard......

Another disgraceful problem that Thailand needs to address in the near future.....

This is not the right way to go about this issue , the Environmental , Mines and Heath departments are in a gross dereliction of duty , it is not a subject for talks between locals and the mining company, issues concerning mining needs to be addressed by the proper authority's, not bribing or subjecting the locals to terms they probably neither understand or wish to agree to but under pressure do so , there has been just a-little to much of that lately in Thailand.

You're right. It appears authorities are looking the other way on this issue, either because it's boring to them, or because they're in the money pipeline. Sadly, it appears the locals will either have to fight a scrappy fight and suffer - or acquiesce and watch their environment degrade. If villagers have to physically fight corporate or military interests, they're going to lose. Greed knows no trepidation.

Is this connected to the million tons of gold discovered and announced by media a few years back?