Villages affected by Akara gold mining operations make four demands to the govt

[webfact]

Villages affected by gold mining operations make four demands to the government



PHICHIT: -- A four-point demand was today submitted to the director-general of Primary Industries and Mines Department by a group of villagers living around the Akara Resources company’s gold mine in Phichit province.

Led the Suekanya Thrachartdamrong, the petitioners demanded that the department disclose the names of all the 250 people found to have high level of heavy metals in their bodies who are to be given medical treatment at the expenses of the mining company.

The three other demands are:

The department must disclose all the information about the deaths and sickness caused by exposure to heavy metals in Phichit, Phitsanuloke and Petchabun provinces since 1997.

To take care of workers in the gold mine who have been left redundant after the suspension of the goldmining operations in order to ease conflict between villagers and the workers who are mostly villagers in the neighbourhood of the gold mine.

The mining company must accept the results of medical tests jointly conducted by the Central Forensic Medicine Institute and Rangsit University on the villagers so that the affected villagers will get help.

About 100 villagers tested positive for heavy metals are to undergo detoxification treatment with the help of Phichit health office during February 14-15. The affected residents will also given a briefing on proper eating and living to prevent themselves from being exposed to the toxic chemicals again.

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/villages-affected-gold-mining-operations-make-four-demands-government

-- Thai PBS 2015-01-27

[ChrisY1]

Undergo detoxification......it's just so simple.........

F**&*&g government parasites and this mining company do not care one fig about people in this area.........

[Time Traveller]

Undergo detoxification......it's just so simple.........

F**&*&g government parasites and this mining company do not care one fig about people in this area.........

they were providing well paid jobs for the locals. Who else did that?

[ironhorse10]

Detox? I don't think you can detox heavy metal, I know you can't detox mercury and that is what is usally used in leaching gold.

[eliotness]

Check the internet, the Aussie mining company say they use cyanide to leach the gold, not mercury. However many heavy metals, including some radioactive ones, are associated with gold mining.