La River Basin Network Declares 'Communities Not Mines' Position Against Fluorite Mining
Over 400 residents from six communities in Mae Hong Son Province's La Basin declared their unified opposition to a fluorite mining project, marching to protect water sources and livelihoods they say are threatened by the proposed operations
On April 26, 2026, the La River Basin Network, in collaboration with EarthRights International, Amnesty International Thailand, and the Community and Local Rights Center (CPCR), organized an event titled '4 Years of Communities Not Mines—La Basin Residents Reject Mining' to demonstrate the communities' position against a private company's fluorite mining project.
The network announced a joint declaration comprising people from six communities: Huay Makawk, Hua La, Santisuek, Santipatthana, Mae La Luang, and Tung Paka communities, with representatives from three additional communities providing support at Hua La village and bridge in Mae La Luang subdistrict, Mae La Noi District, Mae Hong Son Province. More than 400 people participated in the march, voicing their message: 'Communities Not Mines.'
Wilaipon Khuanyankitpheompun, a youth representative from the La River Basin Network, stated that for the people of the La Basin, 'water sources are like lifeblood, soil is the body, and forests are the breath' that has nurtured their lives, spirits, and cultural ways for generations.
However, the network is concerned that if capital investors proceed with the fluorite mining project in the area, it would severely impact the ecosystem, livelihoods, and culture of the La Basin communities. This concern has prompted the network to jointly declare their opposition to mining and reaffirm their stance: 'Communities Not Mines.'
The La River Basin Network was formed by indigenous communities from six villages in Santikhiri and Mae La Luang subdistricts, Mae La Noi District, Mae Hong Son Province, officially organizing in 2022. The communities have lived and worked in this area for generations, with agriculture as their primary occupation, maintaining traditions and cultural practices aligned with sustainable use of land, water, and forest resources since ancestral times.
The proposed fluorite mining project could severely impact community livelihoods, the environment, and pose risks of chemical contamination in water sources.
Sakdda Khuanyankitpheompun, headman of Huay Makawk community and representative of the La River Basin Network, stated on the fourth anniversary of resistance: 'Unity is our strength because the La River is a vital natural resource and environment that sustains life in the La Basin. The fluorite mining project would create numerous problems and impacts for us. The water source is most important, so we urge everyone to fight together so this ends with our generation, not theirs.'
The proposed mining area is located in the upper reaches of the La River, a critical water source for the local ecosystem and communities' survival. Mining operations could widely impact resources affecting at least ten communities in Santikhiri and Mae La Luang subdistricts, Mae La Noi District, Mae Hong Son Province, including impacts on water resources, the environment, and public health.
