The government has intensified efforts to address arsenic contamination in the Kok and Sai rivers by launching four environmental monitoring centres in Chiang Rai and enhancing public communication strategies.
Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich chaired an online meeting on Friday to tackle the issue.
The meeting included the governors of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, senior officials, and state agencies. Its primary focus was to coordinate urgent short-term measures and develop a unified public communication plan to restore public confidence.
Among the directives issued by the Deputy Minister were for construction of sediment-trapping weirs in high-risk areas and consolidation of data across agencies to ensure consistency in public messaging.
A central communication hub will also be set up to provide accurate updates, Ms Theerarat said, emphasising the importance of clear, consistent, and accessible information.
Four environmental monitoring centres are in operation in Chiang Rai province: at Tha Ton Bridge in Mae Ai district; Kok River Public Park behind Chiang Rai Provincial Hall; the border checkpoint in Mae Sai district; and the Golden Triangle area in Chiang Saen district.
These centres serve as public information points, accepting complaints and issuing regular updates on water quality, including daily tap water reports.
The meeting also underscored the need for international cooperation.
The Border Affairs Department was instructed to work with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and negotiation bodies to gather data on whether neighbouring countries were contributing to the contamination.
Community engagement was another topic touched upon.