Mass Fish Die-Off Hits Bang Pakong River, Toxin Fears Rise
A massive fish die-off has persisted for six days in the Bang Pakong River in Chachoengsao province, leaving rotting carcasses that foul the air and alarm residents. A local monk has warned against catching or consuming the fish due to fears of toxic contamination from possible pollutants flowing downstream from the Prachinburi River. Authorities are flushing dead fish downstream and await water-quality test results to determine the cause and ensure public safety.
Chachoengsao — For six days, a massive fish die-off has continued in the Bang Pakong River near the Khlong Bang Khanak water gate and Wat Pak Khlong Bang Khanak in Bang Khanak subdistrict, Bang Nam Priao district. Since November 10, dead fish of various species have been found floating in large numbers in the canal, which sits at the confluence of the Bang Pakong and Prachinburi rivers. Some carcasses have begun to rot, creating a putrid smell that alarms locals.
Phra Sasipong Siritharo, 27, a monk at Wat Pak Khlong Bang Khanak, said dead fish have been appearing for about five to six days. Yesterday, a particularly large number surfaced, looking as if they had fled from the river into the canal before dying and accumulating en masse. The immediate problem is the stench from the rotting carcasses. The municipality has been opening the water gate intermittently to flush the dead fish downstream and deploying officers to push carcasses stuck along the banks into the current.
Phra Sasipong expressed concern that outsiders have been coming to collect fish from the area. It is unknown whether they intend to consume the catch themselves or sell it on. Besides fish that have been dead for days, newly surfaced fish attract scoop-netters, raising safety fears. With ongoing concerns about water quality and possible pollutants flowing from the Prachinburi River into the Bang Pakong, the monk worries the fish may harbor residual toxins. If sold, buyers would be unaware of the origin and could consume them unknowingly.
The temple has already issued a public notice warning people not to catch, eat, or sell fish from the area until safety is confirmed by test results. They are also stepping up outreach to locals and visitors to prevent potential harm. The situation remains under close watch, especially water-quality testing and the search for the cause of the mass mortality, to restore confidence for communities living along the Bang Pakong River and Khlong Saen Saep.
