'Kingsgate' Drops Lawsuit Unconditionally, Ending 8-Year Long Gold Mine Dispute
The long-standing dispute between Thailand and Kingsgate over the Akara Gold Mine is resolved, with Kingsgate withdrawing all claims and Thailand avoiding compensation
- The dispute between the Kingdom of Thailand and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. over the Akara Gold Mine, which has lasted more than 8 years, has now been resolved.
- Kingsgate has officially withdrawn all claims before the arbitration panel with no conditions.
- The arbitration panel has issued an official order to terminate the dispute resolution process.
- Thailand will not pay any compensation as previously claimed by Kingsgate.
- The resolution of the dispute resulted from a dual approach strategy: preparing for litigation while negotiating amicably, with the aim of avoiding any burden on the country.
Minister of Industry, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, disclosed that at the Cabinet meeting on February 17, 2026, the Cabinet was informed about the progress of the dispute between Thailand and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. regarding the Akara Gold Mine under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA). This was good news, as both parties—Kingsgate and Thailand—agreed to resolve the dispute voluntarily.
"The action taken by Kingsgate was to withdraw all claims before the arbitration panel unconditionally, and the panel has issued an official order to end the process. This marks the end of an 8-year dispute, which began when the case was brought into arbitration in 2017, with Thailand not having to pay any compensation as per Kingsgate's claims," said the Minister of Industry.
Nattapol Rangsitpol, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Task Force, stated that the task force had developed a systematic approach to fighting the case, working closely with relevant agencies and legal advisors to demonstrate Thailand’s strong stance.
They employed a dual strategy: preparing to fight the case in arbitration until the end, while also negotiating amicably, ensuring that "there were no conditions that would impose a burden on Thailand." This approach ultimately led to a voluntary resolution of the dispute.
Aditat Wasinon, Director-General of the Department of Primary Industries and Mines, added that the report presented at the Cabinet meeting on February 17, 2026, confirmed that the dispute had been fully resolved through international justice processes. It aligned with the government’s approach to managing the issue, always prioritizing environmental, health, and public interest concerns.
