Japan is partnering with Thailand to address heavy metal contamination in the Kok River basin and other transboundary waterways by strengthening monitoring and water quality management in northern Thailand and the Mekong basin.
The Japanese government, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD) will develop monitoring and water quality management systems in high-risk areas of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and the Mekong River basin.
The initiative also aims to strengthen systematic cooperation between Thailand, Myanmar and Laos in tracking, assessing and addressing transboundary water pollution amid continuing concern among communities affected by contamination in the Kok River.
The first phase will include an integrated arsenic management plan, the provision of water testing kits and training for government agencies and communities so they can monitor water quality independently.
It will also install arsenic-removal systems for village water supplies to reduce the risk of heavy metal contamination, particularly in high-risk areas of the Kok River basin and northern border provinces.
Officials from the Pollution Control Department and Japanese agencies are scheduled to visit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai on July 16 and 17 to meet provincial governors and relevant agencies before practical implementation begins in the project areas.
Separately, the Pollution Control Department and JICA have developed the Third Country Training Program (TCTP) to strengthen the capacity of officials from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos to monitor water quality and sediment in transboundary rivers.
The programme also aims to build a regional network of water monitoring experts across the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The government said international cooperation will continue to tackle pollution at its source while improving Thailand’s water quality management system.
The initiative aims to strengthen public confidence in water used for drinking and household purposes while laying the foundation for sustainable long-term management of the country’s water resources.
The story Japan steps in to help Thailand tackle Kok River contamination as seen on Thaiger News.
