Latest news with #ChiangRai
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Climate
- Malay Mail
Thai PM Paetongtarn visits flood-hit Chiang Rai as army evacuates thousands amid rising monsoon threat
BANGKOK, June 28 — Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra made an emergency visit on Saturday to the country's flood-hit north, where the military is evacuating residents after monsoon rains inundated thousands of homes. The Royal Thai Army says more than 3,700 homes were flooded across five districts in Chiang Rai province, alongside 80 hectares of agricultural land, with roads made impassable in three areas. Heavy rains are forecast to continue in the coming days, while the military has deployed rafts to ferry residents from their homes engulfed by muddy brown water, according to images shared on their Facebook page. Paetongtarn made a one-day trip to inspect damage in the hardest-hit area of Phaya Mengrai district, 25 kilometres from the Laos border. 'The prime minister met with flood-hit communities and asked about their well-being, including access to food, clean water, and care for vulnerable groups,' the government said in a statement. Paetongtarn made the visit as she faces mounting pressure in the capital Bangkok, where protesters gathered on Saturday to call for her resignation over a leaked diplomatic phone call. It remains unclear how many people have been impacted by the flooding. However the military said more than 4,400 households had been affected. Thailand's disaster prevention agency said it is closely monitoring water levels and urged communities to move belongings to higher ground in case of flash flooding. While Thailand experiences annual monsoon rains in the third quarter of the year, man-made climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that make destructive floods more likely. Widespread flooding across Thailand in 2011 killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes. — AFP
Cosmopolitan ME
25-06-2025
- Cosmopolitan ME
The real flex is going on a vacay that gives back
Forget basic beach breaks, the new status holiday is all about giving back (to the animals, obvs). From feeding orphaned elephants in Thailand to safaris in solar-powered Land Cruisers, these getaways are your chance to reconnect with nature, while still living that luxe life. Here's where to book for your next guilt-free vacay. Tatvani, Chiang Rai – Thailand c c Imagine booking an entire 29-acre estate just for you and your crew (yes, really). Tatvani in Chiang Rai is what you get when five-star luxury and ethical travel have a baby. With six dreamy villas, koi-filled swimming ponds, and an award-winning spa, you'll be in your softest era yet. The real star of the show? The Tatvani Elephant Sanctuary. You'll get to spend quality time (as in, unlimited) with their small herd of orphaned elephants, no chains, no riding, just genuine connection. Add in rice planting, buffalo cuddles, and treks with local tribes, and this is your Eat Pray Love moment with a conservationist twist. Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand – South Africa What if your safari could be totally silent and totally sustainable? Cheetah Plains is South Africa's first carbon-negative lodge (yep, NEGATIVE), running entirely off solar energy and using electric Land Cruisers that glide through the bush like a dream. It's peak eco-luxury. Set in the legendary Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, this place is all about preserving the wild, while giving you front-row seats to lions, elephants, leopards and more. There are only 12 guest suites, so it's all ultra-private, and every stay directly supports conservation, local communities, and grassroots education. Oh, and the beanies in the boutique? Made by local women trained through Cheetah's own knitting project. Cute and conscious. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Tsavo & Nairobi – Kenya What if your safari could help orphaned elephants heal and head back to the wild? The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is one of Kenya's most iconic conservation organisations, best known for rescuing baby elephants and raising them with round-the-clock care until they're strong enough to return to the wild. It's heartwarming, hopeful, and seriously unforgettable. Based between Nairobi National Park and Tsavo, the Trust offers intimate experiences where you can witness the magic up close—think feeding time at the Nursery or seeing reintegrated elephants roam free in the wilderness. Every visit, donation, and symbolic adoption goes directly towards wildlife protection, anti-poaching patrols, and habitat conservation across Kenya. Oh, and the baby ellies in red blankets? Adorable doesn't even begin to cover it. Check out the books celebs are packing in their bags this holiday.
Malay Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
UNESCO and SACIT Join Hands with ICONCRAFT to Celebrate Thai Artisans and Thailand's Creative Cities Network
A landmark exhibition of Thai artisanship and contemporary design, inspired by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and featuring two debut clutches handcrafted from master-woven textiles by the SIRIVANNAVARI brand ATELIER PICHITA – Designs inspired by the Tai Lue textiles of the Tai Lue Weaving Group by Master Dokkaew from Chiang Rai Designs inspired by the Tai Lue textiles of the from Chiang Rai THEATRE – Designs using Black Tai (Thai Song Dam) textiles from Ban Don Manow Thai Song Dam Weaving Group in Suphanburi Designs using Black Tai (Thai Song Dam) textiles from in Suphanburi CHAI GOLD LABEL – Designs drawing from Northern-style batik by Rak Batik Group in Chiang Mai Designs drawing from Northern-style batik by in Chiang Mai HOOK'S BY PRAPAKAS – Designs based on hand-painted batik from Ying Batik Paint Group in Phuket Designs based on hand-painted batik from in Phuket WISHARAWISH – Designs using the intricately patterned Pha Lai Yang fabric by Phusa Pha Lai Yang in Phetchaburi Designs using the intricately patterned fabric by in Phetchaburi PYVET – Designs crafted from Porcupine Pattern Pha Jok by Suntaree Thai Textile in Sukhothai Designs crafted from by in Sukhothai JANESUDA – Designs showcasing brightly colored batik from Marionsiam in Bangkok Thai Ruean Ton Dress – Crafted from brocade silk with Chao Fa motifs, inspired by traditional teakwood houses in Dusit Palace – Crafted from brocade silk with Chao Fa motifs, inspired by traditional teakwood houses in Dusit Palace Thai Chitralada Dress – A formal silk outfit with standing collar and embroidered white floral patterns – A formal silk outfit with standing collar and embroidered white floral patterns Thai Amarin Dress – A pink silk pha sin featuring golden rose vines, historically associated with the birthday of King Rama V BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 June 2025 -and, a national agency promoting Thai craftsmanship, have joined hands with—Thailand's hub of creative innovation–to launch the campaign,This nationwide initiative celebrates the cultural legacy of Thai textile traditions from the seven UNESCO Creative Cities across Thailand. These heritage textiles, crafted by national master artisans, are reimagined into contemporary fashion pieces by seven of Thailand's top design houses, as well as the prestigious brand SIRIVANNAVARI, founded by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana event, attended by UNESCO Director - General Audrey Azoulay, on her first official visit to Thailand, launches a long-term collaboration to empower cultural entrepreneurs, promote sustainable innovation, and inspire youth to pursue careers in the creative economy. It also reinforces Thailand's commitment to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), which includes more than 350 cities worldwide. Thailand's recognized Creative Cities–Phuket, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Sukhothai, Phetchaburi, Chiang Rai, and Suphanburi–serve as the foundation for this initiative and their distinctive cultural assets inspire the designs on the heart of this exhibition is a collaboration between seven top-tier Thai fashion brands and local artisan groups, with each designer creating two exclusive outfits inspired by a different Creative City—14 looks in total:Among the standout creations are two exclusive clutch bags, personally designed by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya. Crafted fromsilk–a textile symbolizing prosperity and harmony–these pieces were handwoven by nationally honoured master artisan Weeratham Taragoonngernthai, founder of thebrand in Surin Province. Embroidered with exquisite detail, each clutch is a one-of-a-kind creation, specially designed for this event highlight is the first-ever public exhibition in Thailand of eight Royal Thai Ensembles worn by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, curated by the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. The designs, by Tirapan Wannarat, founder of thefashion house and Thailand's 2019 National Artist in Visual Arts (Fashion Design), will be on display from June 25–29 at ICONLUXE AVENUE, M Floor, ensembles include:The special collection will debut at Crafts Bangkok 2025, from 18–22 June 2025 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, before its formal launch on 25 June at the textile showcase and royal attire exhibition, visitors will have the rare opportunity to purchase or bid on selected pieces. A special auction will include the limited-edition silk clutches by SIRIVANNAVARI. Proceeds will support a UNESCO initiative to expand access to creative education for young people in Thailand's Creative miss this chance to celebrate Thai cultural heritage, admire the craftsmanship of local masters, and witness how creativity continues to shape Thailand's #ICONCRAFT #ICONCRAFTatICONSIAM #ICONSIAM #SIAMPIWAT #SACIT #UNESCO The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Malay Mail
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘We need to act now': Officials link toxic arsenic pollution in Thailand's rivers to Myanmar's unregulated mines
CHIANG RAI (Thailand), June 19 — A sprawling new mine is gouged into the lush rolling hills of north-east Myanmar, where civil war has weakened the government's already feeble writ, and pollution levels are rising downstream in Thailand. The complex is one of around a dozen extraction operations that have sprung up in Shan state since around 2022, in territory controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), one of conflict-wracked Myanmar's largest and best-equipped ethnic armed groups. A few kilometres away across the border, locals and officials in Thailand believe toxic waste is washing downstream from the mines into the Kok River, which flows through the kingdom's far north on its way to join the mighty Mekong. Thai authorities say they have detected abnormally high arsenic levels in their waterways, which could pose a risk to aquatic life and people further up the food chain. The price fisherman Sawat Kaewdam gets for his catch has fallen by almost half, he said, because locals fear contamination. 'They say, 'There's arsenic. I don't want to eat that fish,'' he told AFP. Tests in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai by a government pollution agency found levels of the toxic element as high as 49 microgrammes per litre (mcg/l) of river water — nearly five times international drinking water standards. Experts say that while the effects on human health would not be visible immediately, the fish-heavy local diet risks a cumulative impact over several years. 'We already know where the contamination is coming from,' said fisherman Sawat. 'They should go fix it at the source.' Five-fold rise Pianporn Deetes, campaign director of the International Rivers NGO, blames the arsenic levels on Shan state's unlicensed mines, which operate outside any regulation or control by the central government. It is Thailand's 'largest-ever case of transboundary pollution', she added. The mines are believed to be run by Chinese companies with close links to the UWSA, whose members themselves have longstanding ties to China, speak Mandarin and use China's yuan currency. A satellite image shows an overview of new rare earth mines in Myanmar's Shan state, May 6, 2025. — Maxar Technologies handout pic via Reuters It is unclear whether the mines are digging for gold, rare earths or a variety of minerals, and it is also difficult to gauge the size of an industry operating in a secretive grey zone. But videos on Chinese social media suggest much of what is produced in Myanmar ends up being sold to Chinese buyers. In a report last week citing Chinese customs data, think tank ISP-Myanmar said the country was the source of around two-thirds of China's rare earth imports by value. The Asian giant had imported five times as much rare earths from Myanmar in the four years since the 2021 military coup than in the equivalent preceding period, it added. Many modern mines use a system of tailing ponds to reuse leftover waste and water and stop it being released into rivers, said Tanapon Phenrat of Naresuan University's civil engineering department. But 'in Myanmar, they reportedly discharge it directly into natural waterways', he added, increasing the risk of contamination spreading into the food chain. 'What we need is for mines to treat their waste properly and stop discharging toxic substances into shared waterways.' AFP was unable to reach UWSA officials for comment. Chinese companies From its Myanmar headwaters, the 285-kilometre Kok River is a vital resource for thousands of people as it wends through Chiang Rai province on its way to feed the Mekong. In Chiang Rai City, a tranquil place popular with tourists, environmentalists dressed as wart-afflicted fish dance in protest. The Thai government has proposed building a dam to prevent contaminated water from entering the country, but campaigners say physical barriers alone cannot stop pollution. Bangkok acknowledges that Myanmar's junta may be unable to stop Chinese companies operating mines in militia-controlled areas. And Chonthicha Jangrew of Thailand's parliamentary foreign affairs committee met senior Beijing officials last month, urging them to supervise Chinese mining firms 'in order to stop the impact on people downstream', she said. The Chinese embassy in Bangkok posted on Facebook last week that it had instructed Chinese companies 'to comply with the laws of the host country and to conduct their business in a legal and orderly fashion at all times.' The Myanmar junta did not respond to questions from AFP. 'The water isn't beyond saving yet,' said Tanapon of Naresuan University. 'But this is a clear signal,' he added. 'We need to act now.' — AFP
South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Thai river turns orange as dangerous toxins from Myanmar mines flush downstream
Dangerous levels of arsenic in a northern Thai river contaminated by chemicals used in mines across the border in Myanmar risk unleashing an unprecedented ecological disaster on the kingdom's waterways, environmentalists have warned, as images of the orange-yellow waters go viral. Advertisement Bangkok is seeking renewed talks with Myanmar's junta to stop the toxic sediment flowing downstream into the Kok River, which runs from Shan State, in Myanmar through Thailand's border province of Chiang Rai. But the urgency of the health crisis for riverside communities – who have been warned not to wash, drink or eat fish from the contaminated waterway they depend on – is compounded by the fact that the mines are located in territory controlled by the Wa, an ethnic armed group notorious for drug production, unchecked resource extraction and opaque business ties to China. Thai villagers started to notice the discolouration of the water in March. Fishermen on the Chiang Saen river. Photo: Earth Thailand However, satellite imagery suggests the contamination began as early as last September, when large upstream forest areas in Myanmar were cleared for mining – initially thought to be for gold, but now suspected to involve rare earths, based on the volume of chemical effluent released into the river.
