BANGKOK: A Thai court ordered a mining firm on Tuesday (May 24) to compensate nearly 400 villagers for health and environmental damages linked to its decades-long operations, awarding up to just over $6,000 per person.
The case stems from long-running complaints against Akara Resources’ gold mine in Thailand’s central province of Phichit, where residents have alleged contamination of water sources and adverse health effects.
Owned by Australian gold and silver producer 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.
A Bangkok civil court ruled on Tuesday that the company must pay affected villagers up to 200,000 baht (US$6,100) for the impacts caused by its operations.
“The defendant’s operations have affected both the plaintiffs and the environment, which is a key source of their livelihood,” one of the judges said in court.
“The defendant’s actions therefore constitute a violation of the plaintiff’s rights.”
The court said 382 people had undergone health assessments as part of the class-action lawsuit, and ordered Akara to make payments within one month or face possible asset seizures.
It also ordered the company to stop using one of its mining tailings ponds due to risks posed to the local community.
Around 40 villagers attended the verdict announcement, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the message: “The gold around your neck is made of our tears.”
Manushya Foundation, an organisation advocating for the affected villagers, called the ruling a “win”.
“We are very happy for the villagers, but the fight is not over,” its founder, Emilie Palamy Pradichit, told reporters outside the court, adding the group would continue pushing for the closure of a second tailings pond.
She told AFP they plan to appeal for additional compensation.
Some residents said the ordered payouts do not make up for the damages suffered.
“I’m not satisfied. It’s not worth it for the loss of nature and our ways of life because these are irreplaceable,” farmer Pimkwan Sinthornthammatas, 54, told AFP.
A representative from Akara Resources said the company accepted the ruling but is reviewing its legal options.
“There are some legal complexities, and we will consult with our team before taking any further action,” Cherdsak Utha-aroon, a company manager, told AFP.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thai-court-orders-firm-pay-villagers-mining-damages-6013621
