Environment Minister Suwat Defends Actions on Pollution Crisis
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At 10:40 AM on October 29, 2026, at Parliament, House Speaker Sophon Saran presided over a session considering an urgent question from MP Phattharaphong Leelaphat (People's Party, Chiang Mai) questioning Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwat Chomklien about the Kok and Sai rivers being contaminated from mining in neighboring countries, with arsenic and lead exceeding standards. The government has not dared to address the root cause, signing MOUs with Myanmar instead and allowing pollution to spread to the Mekong in Isan where arsenic exceeds standards many times over.
Meanwhile, electronic waste pollution from Eastern floods has prompted public warnings about arsenic and lead. Minister Suwat was appointed by the Prime Minister to lead the Eastern flood response but has not managed environmental restoration or prosecuted industrial polluters.
Phattharaphong asked how pollution was managed and controlled during the floods, as no orders from Suwat were seen. The environmental committee met three times this year but Suwat never attended once.
Suwat explained that river toxicity typically occurs during rainy season when sediment flows from neighboring countries, but the ministry has not been idle. Regarding the Sai River, arsenic exceeding standards was found so the matter was forwarded to provincial governors. For the Mekong reaching Isan provinces, cooperation with Laos was sought to install monitoring stations to inform Laos of toxic discharges.
Suwat added that regarding electronic waste pollution from Eastern floods, he confirmed immediate on-site inspection and action, and was the first agency to file complaints against industrial factories turning water rainbow-colored, filing civil suits, and coordinating with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to seize assets and pursue strong legal measures.
Suwat further stated that regarding rainbow-colored water from oil slicks, the ministry inspected before anyone else and referred issues to relevant agencies for legal enforcement. However, using the Environmental Fund for pollution cleanup — restoration or industrial waste removal — does not fall under fund usage conditions.
"Ask him to study before speaking. Don't know if Phattharaphong knows more than me. Will wait for him to become Minister to see if he knows as much as I do. Therefore Parliament should deliberate on people's problems, not bring personal agendas to speak as political theater," Suwat said.
