Loei villagers oppose gold-mine plan

The protest took place after Thung Kham Ltd Co held a public hearing over the gold-mining, which would cover more than 12,000 rai in tambon Na Pong of Muang district, in order to seek the state approval for a mining concession there.

Tambon Na Pong Municipality deputy mayor Boonhome Ramsiri said the villagers were worried about the impact on water, underground water, soil, and air quality as well as on farm produce and people’s health. 

The villagers claimed there was a report on contamination of hazardous chemical such as cyanide from a nearby gold mine in tambon Wang Sa Phung, affecting at least six villages living near the mine. 

However, the company representatives informed the locals at the public hearing that although the firm had surveyed for a gold-mining site covering 12,000 rai, they currently had asked the state agency to grant a concession for only 600 rai. As the company was required to host at least 10 public hearings about the project in the future, the representatives claimed if it was found the project would cause severe impacts and most villagers do not want this project, the company would abandon its plan.