Project Summary
Na Nong Bong Community in Northeastern Thailand has suffered environmental poisoning, threats, violence, legal battles, and economic hardship ever since the gold mining company began operation 1 km from their hometown in 2006.
As current and former students of CIEE Thailand, a U.S. study abroad program, we know Na Nong Bong villagers as our host families and as our teachers of development issues and human rights. Along with Dao Din, a group of active Thai university students, we have witnessed and followed the situation there for nearly a decade. We have seen that the mining company, Tungkum Ltd., and the Thai government have chosen to actively suppress the voices of those resisting the mine, rather than respond to villagers’ requests for restoration. The company has plans to expand to over 100 more sites in the area.
In May 2014, over 200 men attacked Na Nong Bong villagers who had been guarding their homes, and the community became further isolated under martial law. The severity of the situation inspired us to come together to create the Mining Resistance Campaign. The first part of our campaign is this project, which will send Na Nong Bong villagers and their allies to Mexico for a 12-day educational exchange with Oaxacan communities who are also resisting large-scale mining projects. This exchange will lead to sustainable community development strategies to improve the movements in Northeast Thailand and Oaxaca, Mexico.
The Problem
Communities in the area have continued to experience negative effects in the surrounding environment since the opening of the Tungkum Ltd. (TKL) mine in Northeast Thailand. In 2006, local water sources were reported to be contaminated with cyanide. Villagers can no longer use their local water sources and fear eating food grown locally.