Abstract
Public complaints regarding the environmental and health impacts of the gold mining
operations conducted by Akara Resources Public Company Limited since 2014 led to the
temporary suspension of its operations under the Head of the National Council for Peace
and Order’s Order No. 72/2559 and the establishment of a fact-finding committee. However,
the lack of comprehensive environmental and health data made it impossible to draw clear
conclusions. After the enactment of the Minerals Act B.E. 2560 (2017), the mining operation
resumed. The National Human Rights Commission subsequently discussed the issue with the
Minister of Public Health, leading to a joint agreement for the Health Systems Research
Institute (HSRI) to support the research project “Community-led Health Impact Surveillance”
to enhance community knowledge and participation in monitoring the health impacts of
gold mining activities.
This action research project, grounded in the concept of Citizen Science for Health,
was implemented during its first phase (2024–2025). It covered pollution source analysis, risk
mapping, the development of community indicators and monitoring tools, the creation of a
community data recording system (C-Site platform), and the design of a citizen scientist
training curriculum in environmental and health literacy. The findings revealed that
contamination of arsenic and sulfate in village water supply wells surrounding the mine was
closely related to the area’s topography, with Phichit Province identified as the highest-risk
area, followed by Phetchabun and Phitsanulok.
Pilot testing of the community-led surveillance tools and system demonstrated high
feasibility for practical implementation at both community and school levels. However,
improvements are still needed in managing hazardous waste from arsenic test kits and
developing response mechanisms when contamination is detected.
Key policy recommendations include promoting Citizen Science for Health at the national
level, developing affordable and user-friendly surveillance tools for public access, integrating
citizen science curricula into educational institutions, incorporating community-generated
data into mining oversight processes, and amending relevant laws—such as the Minerals Act
B.E. 2560 and health surveillance fund regulations—to formally recognize and support the
role of communities in sustainable environmental and health surveillance.
