A contaminated lake is poisoning a Thai village

[webfact]

A contaminated lake is poisoning a Thai village
By Ana Salvá

LAMPANG: -- Ban Mae Toen is a small rural village in the Thai province of Lampang, 300 miles away from Bangkok. Unfortunately for the villagers, it is close to a fluoride mine. Though the mine closed 40 years ago, the area has become home a polluted artificial lake that overflows during the rainy season.

Given the lack of other water supplies, years of people drinking from the lake has made Ban Mae Toen a very sick village. The symptoms still can be seen across three generations. The children may experience brain damage, deaf-mutism, or slow brain development; some older people, particularly women, have an enlarged thyroid gland on their necks, as did their parents before them.

Da is 64 years old. When she was 34, she drank water from the lake. As a result, the thyroid gland in her throat is massively enlarged. It’s known as a goiter. She says it is not painful, though it looks awful.

"I have thyroid problems since some time ago, and I have become accustomed to it. I can work at home and it doesn’t hurt. I can go everywhere around the village," Da says.

When her lump appeared, Da didn’t give it too much thought. She didn’t bother to go to the doctor because she already knew what was going on. When she was younger, she had seen a similar swelling on her mother's neck and the necks of other older villagers who had also drunk from the lake.

Full story: http://www.vice.com/read/a-contaminated-lake-is-poisoning-a-thai-village-855

-- Vice 2014-10-27

[Borzandy]

I think this info is not true, an official said not so long ago, it is safe to drink tap water.

[Jdietz]

In good news however, the whole village has excellent teeth.

[ggt]

And what did the scientific study of the lake water reveal?

[SjaakNL2013]

..."The children may experience brain damage, deaf-mutism, or slow brain development".... this is a symptom I accepted as normal behavior for my Thai students.....300 Km away from that lake

[Anthony5]

Da is 64 years old. When she was 34, she drank water from the lake. As a result, the thyroid gland in her throat is massively enlarged.

Must be from that water she drank 30 years ago.

[inzman]

I'd like to see that official drink the water.