Lampang Villagers Protest Mining Survey Over Pollution Fears
Villagers in Mae Thip, Lampang, staged a protest at the provincial court against a proposed coal and tungsten mining survey covering 730 rai, including protected forest land. They fear toxic runoff, dust, and landslides will contaminate water supplies, destroy farmland, and endanger their health and livelihoods. Authorities have paused to assess the opposition, but the community insists the project be cancelled entirely.
Around 30 residents from Mae Thip subdistrict, Ngao district, Lampang province, led by former MP Thanathorn Loesunthorn, marched to the Lampang Provincial Court on November 12 to protest against a mining survey and potential mining operations in their area. Villagers held signs reading "Stop Mining," "We Don't Want Risks Traded for Public Health," and "Mae Thip Says No to Mining." They also launched an online petition.
Officials from the Lampang Industry Office, the Forest Resource Management Office 3, and other agencies attended to hear concerns and clarify facts.
The protest was triggered by a license holder's notification to the Ngao district chief on October 12, announcing plans to survey and assess coal and tungsten deposits in Mae Thip between October 12 and December 31, 2026, under Special License 1/2025 covering 730 rai, including over 236 rai within the Mae Ngao National Forest Reserve.
Villagers fear the mining process, especially tungsten separation, will release hazardous substances into drinking and irrigation water, cause dust and chemical pollution, trigger landslides, destroy farmland, threaten food security, and disrupt their traditional way of life.
The Lampang Industry Office initially explained that the Forest Department had already permitted the license holder to conduct academic research within the national reserve. However, due to public opposition, the Lampang governor has asked the department director for guidance on how to proceed, noting this is only a survey step far from a mining concession.
Reports indicate the license holder had begun moving some machinery into the area but likely paused operations to avoid confrontation pending clarity from authorities. Villagers remain firm in rejecting any mining and demand a review and halt to the project.
