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On 5 April 1995, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam signed the Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Thirty-one years on, this agreement remains a cornerstone of regional cooperation to safeguard the Mekong as a shared public resource.
The Mekong River is the lifeline of more than 69 million people. It is one of the world’s most biodiverse river systems and a foundation of food security, economic stability, and cultural identity across the region. Yet over the past two decades, the Mekong has undergone profound transformation. Large-scale hydropower development along the mainstream has already resulted in at least 14 dams, with several more planned, alongside major water diversion schemes. These developments have significantly altered river flows, reduced fish stocks, disrupted sediment transport, accelerated riverbank erosion, and undermined the livelihoods of river-dependent communities.
Compounding these challenges, since 2025 civil society has documented a rapid expansion of mining activities in the upper Mekong basin and its tributaries, including rare earth elements, gold, manganese, and other critical minerals. These operations include both licensed and unregulated sites, many of which lack adequate environmental safeguards. As a result, toxic substances and heavy metals are being discharged into river systems, creating a clear and escalating transboundary pollution crisis.
Monitoring data from northern Thailand, particularly in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces, as well as along the Mekong at the Thai–Lao border, have detected heavy metal contamination, especially arsenic, exceeding both Thai national standards and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in multiple locations. This represents an emerging and severe threat to public health, water quality, and the ecological integrity of the entire Mekong basin.

On the occasion of Mekong Day 2026, under the theme “Together, Protect Water Quality for Shared Prosperity,” the Thai People’s Network for the Mekong calls upon the MRC and its four member governments, as well as upstream countries including Myanmar and China, to take urgent and concrete action:

First, to strengthen and implement continuous, transparent, and basin-wide water quality monitoring systems, covering both the Mekong mainstream and its tributaries affected by mining activities. Particular attention must be given to transboundary areas and key confluence points. Early warning systems must be established and made accessible to the public, alongside the development of risk maps to support community awareness and preparedness.

Second, to formally recognize transboundary pollution from mining activities as a regional priority issue, and to urgently advance coordinated responses through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. This includes enforcing responsible mining practices, ensuring transparency, and taking decisive action to halt pollution at its source.

Third, to review and suspend planned hydropower projects on the Mekong mainstream, and to transition toward more sustainable and equitable energy alternatives that reduce cumulative environmental impacts and the burden on communities across the region.
The Thai People’s Network for the Mekong strongly urges MRC member states and upstream governments to acknowledge the urgency of this transboundary pollution crisis and to act collectively to uphold the fundamental right of all people to a clean, safe, and healthy environment — for the present and for future generations.

In the spirit of the Mekong Agreement, we reaffirm the shared commitment to “Meeting the Needs, Keeping the Balance” and “Empowering the Next Generation.”

5 April 2026
Thai People’s Network for the Mekong
Center for Ethnic Studies and Development, Chiang Mai University
Rivers and Rights
The Association of Northeast Thailand Community Network in 7 Provinces along the Mekong Basin
Living Rivers Association
Chiang Khong Conservation Group
The Mekong Butterfly
Hill Area and Community Development Foundation
Thai Climate Justice for All
Local Development Institute
Hug Mekong Association
Hug Chiang Khan
Hug Loei River
Chiangrai Soap Movement Network
The Passionfruit and friend studio
Grow Home-Stay and Space
Everywhere Gallery