As demand for rare earth minerals grows worldwide, residents in Thailand say they are paying the environmental price for an industry that operates beyond their control. Nearly 800 unregulated mining sites along Mekong tributaries are potentially threatening waterways across the region. These sites pose a risk of contaminating rivers with toxic materials, including arsenic and cyanide, as well as heavy metals like mercury that can accumulate in river ecosystems. [VIDEO]

https://unicornriot.ninja/2026/northern-thailand-communities-march-to-defend-the-kok-river-from-mining-pollution/