Fish caught in arsenic-contaminated Kok River not selling

[Coss]

People are now reluctant to buy fish caught in the Kok River, due to reports that the river is contaminated with arsenic and other heavy metals, according to Somkiat Kuenchiangsa, President of the Living River Siam Association.

Authorities in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, through which the Kok River flows, have advised people to avoid using the water, following lab test results indicating that the water is contaminated.

Sediment samples, collected on March 31 and April 1 from the Kok River in Chiang Rai’s Muang and Chiang Mai’s Mae Ai districts, were found to contain arsenic levels exceeding safety standards.

Tests also detected arsenic at an average concentration of 0.13 mg/kg in fish from the river. This is, however, below the safety threshold of 2mg/kg and considered safe for consumption.

Fishermen have, though, continued to find fish with visible abnormalities. These cases are still under investigation, to determine whether they are linked to the contamination...   LINK