EARTH Thailand

10/04/2026

THAILAND & HIDDEN COST OF GAS: Concerns about local impacts still exist, said Manop Sanit, the coordinator of the Rayong Clean Energy Network, a community environmental advocacy group.

“Air quality monitoring is controlled and difficult for the public to understand, including information about toxic substances. People continue to live with pollution that affects their health over time. Local communities have very limited access to information,” he said.

Despite the various headwinds, Thailand is planning to build even more gas capacity.

A third LNG import terminal with a capacity of up to 10.8 million tonnes/year is in development at Map Ta Phut. A long contested 1,400 MW gas plant and associated terminal has also been slated in Surat Thani in southern Thailand.

In Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok and part of the EEC, pre-construction work appeared underway at the proposed site of the 540 MW Burapha Power Plant.

Originally meant to be a coal plant and after more than 15 years of delays and disputes, it was finally approved in October last year.

For nearby communities, it was yet another blow to the environment, in an already heavily industrialised zone, for a facility they say the country does not need.
Read the full report by CNA 9 April 2026 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-lng-gas-energy-prices-air-pollution-6043386

Thailand’s dependence on gas is coming under renewed scrutiny as rising costs and global disruptions expose economic and environmental risks embedded in its power system.

10/04/2026

THAILAND & CLEAN AIR BILL: Opposition parties have renewed calls for urgent action on air pollution, pledging to push forward a Clean Air Bill while urging the government to address the wildfire and PM2.5 fine dust crisis through both immediate relief and long-term structural reforms.

Meanwhile, Chiang Mai province escalated its emergency response by declaring three additional districts -- Chom Thong, Hang D**g and Galyani Vadhana -- as disaster zones due to ongoing wildfires and smoke-related haze.
Authorities said the situation remains severe and continues to threaten lives, property and public health.
Read more: Bangkok Post 10 April 2026
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3233553/clean-air-bill-gains-traction

Opposition parties have renewed calls for urgent action on air pollution, pledging to push forward a Clean Air Bill while urging the government to address the wildfire and PM2.5 fine dust crisis through both immediate relief and long-term structural reforms.

08/04/2026

PRESS RELEASE: BAN Praises Southeast Asian Governments and Urges Further Action to Crack Down on Illegal E-Waste Dumping

Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia pushing back against a growing wave of hazardous electronic waste shipments following BAN's intelligence alerts
[Seattle / Kuala Lumpur / Bangkok / Jakarta. April 7, 2026] The Basel Action Network (BAN) today commends the governments of Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia for taking strong actions against illegal imports of hazardous electronic waste, primarily from waste brokers in the United States (US) that pose as recyclers but instead, ship containers of e-waste across the ocean to Southeast Asia. The actions taken by targeted countries include searches and seizures of containers, prosecutions of government officials for corruption, as well as raids on informal, unpermitted factories across the region.
■ Malaysia bans e-waste imports, repatriates hundreds of containers, and prosecutes 2 officials for corruption.

Malaysia, the hardest hit country in the last five years, has now sent a clear message that the region is no longer willing to serve as a dumping ground for foreign e-waste. On April 1, authorities formalized a full ban on e-waste imports, and are taking steps to re-export more than 800 containers seized in Port Klang back to their countries of origin.This follows strict instructions to prosecute anyone involved in corruption, with two DOE officials so far charged with taking bribes. From 2021 to 2025, more than half of 1,241 containers inspected contained e-waste, while raids on more than 122 e-waste recycling premises in 2025 have led to 85 court cases brought to court.

Raids are ongoing, with authorities consistently uncovering violations of the country’s labor, environmental and business laws.
■ Thailand seizes containers with scrap and e-waste, BAN attends container opening, repatriation to follow.

At the same time, in mid-March, Thailand which already bans e-waste imports, recently announced it would return 284 tonnes of illegal e-waste to the US following an investigation led by the Minister of Environment, which BAN, EARTH Thailand, and the United Nations' Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) attended. Soon after that, Thai Basel Convention Competent Authority, the Department of Industrial Works, continued enforcement operations based on BAN’s alerts and seized five additional containers declared as aluminum scrap, which were mixed with electronic circuit board fragments, foam, wires, tires, and plastics.
■ Indonesia detains over 800 including those sent by US Broker CEWs, repatriation has begun

In Batam, Indonesia, 70 containers have reportedly been re-exported back to the country of origin by authorities in one of the most significant waste trafficking enforcement actions ever seen in the region. So common were the imports, mostly from the US, that the port has run out of space to contain them. Many of the shipments were exported by Corporate e-Waste Solutions based in California --- one of the 10 “Brokers of Shame” identified by BAN in a recent report.
■ Actions follow BAN’s Operation Can Opener intelligence alerts

These recent enforcement actions did not happen in a vacuum. Through its Operation Can Opener program, related investigations and reporting, BAN and its local partners have spent the last year providing intelligence, trade data, and field-based evidence to help authorities identify suspect waste shipments and expose the actors behind them.

“Malaysia’s most recent stance is exactly what we need,” said Ms. Mageswari Sangaralingam of Sahabat Alam (Friends of the Earth Malaysia). “An import ban must be backed by vigilant enforcement, transparency, and accountability at every level. Communities should not have to pay the price for pollution enabled by corruption, weak oversight, or profiteering disguised as recycling. This trade is criminal and must be punished with the full weight of the law."

“Thailand’s decision to inspect these containers and move toward repatriation is an important example of how governments can act decisively when faced with illegal waste imports,” said Ms. Penchom Saetang, executive director of EARTH Thailand. “What matters now is that these materials are returned back to the country of origin. This is a transnational crime that requires investigations of all involved in both exporting and importing countries, and strict enforcement must continue.”

In Indonesia, BAN and partner organizations Nexus3 Foundation and Ecoton have called on authorities to prosecute the importers and ensure that all illegal shipments are returned to their countries of origin, with full public disclosure of container numbers, exporters, consignees, and re-export outcomes.

“Indonesia now has an opportunity to join their neighbours in setting a strong regional precedent,” said Ms. Yuyun Ismawati of Nexus3 Foundation. “No seized e-waste should be sold at auction or diverted into domestic processing streams, even to be “destroyed”. As a champion of the Basel Convention, Indonesia understands that Illegal shipments must be returned to the senders. The public deserves full transparency.”
■ Meanwhile, leadership fails in the United States

"This heavy burden cannot remain on Southeast Asian governments to police waste trafficking driven by exporters in wealthy countries such as the US” said Jim Puckett, BAN Founder. “The inspiring actions of these three governments stand in stark contrast to the callous disregard by the US and California governments, their businesses and their institutions. The US must stop looking the other way while its recycling businesses exploit loopholes, falsely declare hazardous cargo, and externalize the very real human and environmental costs to developing countries."

He urged all consumers and businesses to only use e-recyclers that are held to the highest standards of ethics and responsibility. BAN has created the e-Stewards Certification program to ensure just such accountability.

END

■ For more information:
Jim Puckett, Founder, Basel Action Network
email: [email protected]

Yuyun Ismawati, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Nexus3 Foundation, Indonesia
email: [email protected]

Mageswari Sangaralingam, CEO of Consumer Association of Penang and honorary secretary of Sahabat Alam Malaysia
email: [email protected]

Penchom Saetang, Director, EARTH Thailand
email: [email protected]
■ About Basel Action Network

Founded in 1997, the Basel Action Network is a 501(c)3 charitable organization of the United States, based in Seattle, WA. BAN is the world's only organization focused on confronting the global environmental justice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade and its devastating impacts. Today, BAN serves as the information clearinghouse on the subject of waste trade for journalists, academics, and the general public. Through its investigations, BAN uncovered the tragedy of hazardous electronic and toxic waste dumping in developing countries. For more information, see https://www.ban.org/
Photo: Thai government holds press inspection conference, opening 18 containers with BAN, UNODC and Environment Minister in attendance. March 10, 2026, Laem Chabang port. Copyright BAN.

07/04/2026

TRANSBOUNDARY IMPACTS & POISONED RIVERS: For generations, families along Thailand’s Kok River depended on its waters to grow their food and sustain their lives. Now, arsenic and lead from unregulated mines across the border in Myanmar are poisoning those same waters – and the Thai government is struggling to respond.

“We want the government to come up with clearer measures to support farmers,” said Surasak Saengjai, a farmer in Chiang Rai’s Wiang Chai district. “Right now, consumers are avoiding local produce for fear of contamination, and we have no income.”

The fear had spread to fish markets too. Sukjai Yana, a fisherman in Chiang Saen district, said locals depend on a six-month fishing season for the bulk of their annual income, typically around 52,000 baht, or about 1,600 US dollars, per person.

“This season I have found many fish with lesions and blisters on their skin,” he said. “People are afraid to eat fish from the Kok River. And so we have no income.”
Read more: HaRDstories 4 April 2026
https://hardstories.org/stories/environmental-justice/myanmar-mining-boom-poisons-thai-rivers

Farmers cannot sell their crops, fishermen cannot sell their catch, and people are developing skin lesions after contact with toxic river water. The cause is unregulated rare earth mining across the border in Myanmar – and the Thai government is struggling to respond.

01/04/2026

THAILAND & POLLUTION CRISIS: Residents of Chiang Rai are facing serious pollution on two fronts. Contaminated water and dangerous air. The Pollution Control Department reported that recent checks of the Kok River and nearby waterways still found heavy metals above safety limits in several areas. At the same time, PM2.5 levels in parts of Chiang Rai, especially Mae Sai and Chiang Khong, have climbed to levels that can harm health.

Tests in the Kok River found arsenic above the standard limit at two locations. The Sai River also showed continued concerns.

The Mekong River showed the same issue. Arsenic levels above the standard were found near the Golden Triangle permanent border crossing at Ban Sop Ruak in Wiang Subdistrict, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai, and at a Provincial Waterworks Authority pumping point linked to the Mae Sai branch.

While water quality remained a concern, wildfire smoke continued to worsen the air crisis in the North.
Read more: Chiang Rai Times 31 March 2026
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/news/chiang-rai/severe-pollution-in-chiang-rais-water-and-air-causing-hardship-for-residents/

CHIANG RAI - Residents of Chiang Rai are facing serious pollution on two fronts. Contaminated water and dangerous air. The Pollution Control Department

01/04/2026

THAILAND & AIR POLLUTION CRISIS: Health Ministry data lists Chiang Rai as among the top 10 provinces with the highest PM2.5 dust pollution. Health officials say local leaders must tackle health risks head-on with solid plans.

Children, Seniors, and Pregnant Women at Risk

Early symptoms warn that stress affects the body. People still work outdoors or breathe trapped air. Risks jump from irritation to chronic flare-ups. Respiratory and heart diseases worsen fast. The Health Department warns that long exposure is linked to heart disease, chronic lung issues, and even lung cancer.
Read more: Chiang Rai Times 1 April 2026 https://www.chiangraitimes.com/news/chiang-rai/chiang-rai-air-quality-hit-dangerous-levels/

CHIANG RAI - Health Ministry data lists Chiang Rai as among the top 10 provinces with the highest PM2.5 dust pollution. Health Department data shows it in the

31/03/2026

THAILAND & RIVER CONTAMINATION: Civil society groups have warned that heavy metals -- particularly arsenic -- are gradually accumulating in sections of the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand.

They urged authorities to step up monitoring and address suspected cross-border pollution linked to upstream mining.

Environmental advocates say poorly regulated mining in neighbouring countries -- particularly in parts of Myanmar and Laos -- has emerged as a potential source of transboundary pollution.
Read more Bangkok Post 31 March 2026 https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3227579/arsenic-levels-rising-in-mekong

Civil society groups have warned that heavy metals -- particularly arsenic -- are gradually accumulating in sections of the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand.

31/03/2026

THAILAND & AIR POLLUTION: PM2.5 levels forecast to rise across northern Thailand through April 5 as hotspots increase, with Chiang Mai among hardest-hit areas

The situation is being driven largely by a sharp increase in hotspots, many of which are linked to forest burning.
Read more: The Nation 30 March 2026 https://www.nationthailand.com/health-wellness/40064417

PM2.5 levels forecast to rise across northern Thailand through April 5 as hotspots increase, with Chiang Mai among hardest-hit areas

27/03/2026

PRESS RELEASE: Warning Out on THAILAND-Made Skin Whitener Containing Berries as well as Mercury
27 March 2026, Quezon City. As the observance of the National Women’s Month draws to a close, the EcoWaste Coalition announced its discovery of a Thailand-made skin lightening product that boasts its use of blackberry, bilberry, blueberry, cranberry, and raspberry extracts, while failing to disclose its dangerous mercury content.

Bought online from a local reseller for P344, Berry Plus Extra Whitening Cream highlights the benefits of mixed berries, as well as alpha arbutin, collagen, and glutathione, to reduce melanin production, remove acne, blemishes, and scars, and tighten pores, promising to make skin smooth, bright, and white.

While bragging about its berry-infused formula and other additives, the product manufacturer, not clearly identified on the label, keeps the presence of mercury secret.

With the aid of an Olympus Vanta M Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument, the EcoWaste Coalition unmasked the hidden mercury in the Berry Plus Extra Whitening Cream.

According to the XRF screening, the product contains 2,380 parts per million (ppm) of mercury, a toxic chemical banned in the manufacture of cosmetics such as skin lightening creams and soaps as per the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The product with lot number 00789 was manufactured on February 2, 2025, in brazen defiance of the mercury treaty's original 2020 and amended 2025 phase-out deadlines for the manufacture, import, and export of mercury-added cosmetics. It will expire on the same day in 2027 as indicated on the label.

An Internet search further revealed that testing conducted by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in 2025 found 2,270 ppm of mercury on Berry Plus Extra Whitening Cream purchased online.

Through a Consumer Alert, the CDPH advised consumers to immediately stop using Berry Plus and other products found to contain dangerous levels of mercury, see a doctor, and get a urine test.

Echoing the CDPH’s advisory, the EcoWaste Coalition appealed to Filipino consumers to stop using Berry Plus Extra Whitening Cream and similar products flagged for containing mercury and visit a doctor for medical evaluation and advice.

Aside from Berry Plus, the EcoWaste Coalition had previously tagged the following Thailand-made products for containing mercury in violation of the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive and the Minamata Convention of Mercury: 88 Whitening Night Cream(5 grams); 88 Whitening Night Cream (20 grams); Aura White Night Cream Intensive Whitening Facial Cream; Dr. Yanhee (purple plastic box container); Dr. Yanhee (green plastic box container); Dr. Yanhee (gold plastic box container); Dr. Yanhee (pink plastic box container); Dr. Yanhee, (transparent plastic box container with blue label); Dr. Wuttisak (blue label); and Dr. Wuttisak, (green label).

Also flagged for being contaminated with mercury were Lady Gold Seaweed/Gluta Super Gluta Brightening; Meyyong Ra (Seaweed) Extra Whitening & Facelift; Meyyong Seaweeds Super Whitening; Polla Gold Super White Perfects; Pumepine Total White Underarm Cream; Q-nic Care Whitening Night Cream; Q-nic Care Underarm Whitening Cream; and Snow White Armpit Whitening Underarm Cream.

As the National Women’s Month concludes, the EcoWaste Coalition reiterated its call for women, as well as men, to embrace their natural skin color and refrain from using skin bleaching, lightening, or whitening products laced with mercury and other hazardous substances, noting beauty has no skin tone or standards.

-end

Reference:
https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/eeb2b712-a947-45a8-a830-7d8b25e6bd01/content

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/EHIB/CPE/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Consumer_Alert_Face_Creams_Mercury.pdf

26/03/2026

FOREVER CHEMICALS & HEALTH IMPACTS: The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are increasingly known to potentially pose many threats, the latest of which may be child bone health, according to a new study.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of about 15,000 synthetic chemicals commonly used in products such as clothing, nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, food packaging, carpets, cleaning products, paints, and stain and water repellents. These compounds do not break down in the environment and can easily migrate into the air, dust, food and soil, also contaminating nearly half the drinking water in the United States.

Notably, PFAS accumulate in our bodies and have been found in the blood of people of all ages, including newborns.
Read more: CNN 17 March 2026 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/17/health/pfas-low-bone-density-kids-wellness

Chemicals called PFAS may lower bone density in adolescents, a new study has found.

26/03/2026

THAILAND & GOLD MINE COURT CASE: A Thai court on Tuesday ruled that the operator of a major gold mine in northern Thailand is responsible for environmental damage and health impacts on nearby villagers, in a long-awaited verdict that could set a precedent for climate litigation in the country.

The case stems from a 2016 class action lawsuit filed by hundreds of villagers in Phichit province, who accused the Australian-owned Chatree Gold Mine of causing toxic contamination through its operations. The Bangkok Civil Court found the company liable and ordered compensation for affected residents.

This decision could set a positive precedent for future climate cases in Thailand and establishes a new benchmark for environmental law in Southeast Asia, legal analysts say. These types of “polluter pays” cases are becoming more common across the region, mirroring a global trend of increasing climate litigation.

These “polluter pays” cases, where communities sue corporations over environmental damage, are becoming more common in climate litigation, said Georgina Lloyd, an environmental law expert with the United Nations Environment Program.
Read more: AP 24 March 2026
https://apnews.com/article/thailand-mining-lawsuit-environment-gold-australia-a6b322cd209abc8dfd240a06c8f233a4

A Thai court on Tuesday found a major gold mine operator liable for pollution that has harmed nearby villagers, in a ruling that could influence future environmental lawsuits.

25/03/2026

THAILAND & GOLD MINE COURT CASE: A Civil Court has ordered that a gold mining firm compensate nearly 400 affected local residents for health and environmental damage linked to its decade-long operations in Pichit province, awarding up to 200,000 baht per person.

The case stems from long-running complaints against Akara Resources' gold mine, in which residents have alleged contamination of watercourses and adverse health effects.

Owned by Australian gold and silver giant Kingsgate Consolidated and operated by its Thai subsidiary Akara, the Chatree mine began operations in 2001, but faced legal challenges and was closed in 2016, before reopening three years ago.
Read more: Thai PBS World 25 March 2026 https://world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/court-awards-compensation-to-hundreds-in-landmark-gold-mine-case/60794

A Civil Court has ordered a gold mining firm to compensate nearly 400 affected residents for health and environmental damages linked to its decade-long operations in Phichit province, awarding up to Bt200,000 per person.