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Story And Pictures By ATIYA ACHAKULWISUT:
Bangkok Post January 30, 2001
Weak and sickly, Tukata is one of many slow-to-develop children in Lower Klity village. |
Despite a government promise to clean up the contaminated Klity creek, the Thai-Karen villagers who live along it are still haunted by health and food problems
In the chilliness of an early night, dozens of villagers in long, white overalls-the traditional dress of the Karen people-crouched by the creek. Each took turns putting bits of glutinous rice and steamed taro into a decorated bamboo raft. The villagers then said a prayer, their voices a rhythmic wave rising and falling along with the sound of the creek itself.
Here and there, tiny pools of flickering candlelight represented the Karens' undying hope for the health of the stream-their main source of water.
This ceremonial rite to renew the life of the Klity creek in Lower Klity village, Kanchanaburi province, has additional significance, since the stream has been polluted for decades by toxic discharges from a lead-separation plant upstream.
"The water has been spoiled for years. We have suffered for so long. Since we are organising a ceremony to express our gratitude to the Rice Goddess, we thought we might as well conduct a renewal rite for the creek, to drive all the hardship and misery away," explained Somchai Thongphaphumepatavee, 46, a native of the Lower Klity village.
The ceremony was held last month and was the first in seven years for the small village of about 200 residents. In a sense, the jubilation-the melodious sound of traditional Karen music, the colourful dance troupe and theatre that played on into the wee hours of the morning-embodied the villagers' efforts to break away, if only for a brief moment, from the collective sadness that has engulfed their village over the past few years.
In a mournful voice, Somchai described the once-vibrant Klity creek he used to know, a stream that was full of fish, of large trees that towered over its two banks, and how, at night, the croaking of frogs and toads could be heard echoing in the woods.
All this was lost once the lead-separation plant, run by Lead Concentrate Thailand Co, went into operation upstream from the village some 20 years ago.
Since 1994, hundreds of cattle have died after drinking water from the stream. At least seven residents of the Lower Klity village were believed to have died of causes related to lead poisoning
The Department of Pollution Control, which went into the village to analyse the contamination after news of the villagers' suffering came to light three years ago, confirmed that the level of lead contamination in the Klity creek was "startling and scary", the highest ever discovered in Thailand.
A study done by the department revealed that lead content in the creek was 10 times higher than that deemed safe. It also discovered about 15,000 tonnes of lead-laden sediment piled up as high as 30 centimetres along the course of the 19-kilometre-long creek.
The Public Health Department was slower to react. It waited almost two years after the contamination was reported to begin medical check-ups and blood tests among the villagers. The first blood test, conducted in 1999, showed that the amount of lead in most villagers' blood was four to five times higher than the 4.9 microgrammes per decilitre (ug/dl) in the average Thai adult.
Another test was administered early last year. On average, the level had not receded.
But what's next? The Medical Services Department has started treating a few children and adults for lead poisoning. The remainder have been left in the dark as to what exactly has happened to them-how on earth could the seemingly solid lead get into their bodies?-and what they can and should do about it.
"From the first test I learned that the lead level in my blood did not exceed 40. From the second test, I learned that the amount had increased, but I don't know by how much," Somchai said.
According to the Public Health Ministry, the level of lead in the blood of an adult should not exceed 40 ug/dl, while that among children should not exceed 10 ug/dl.
To boost their morale, the villagers conducted a ceremony to thank the Rice Goddess and to renew the life of Klity Creek. Contamination of the creek has deprived the villagers of a source of clean water and food. |
However, it may be-as some in the United States argue-that there is no such thing as a "safe" level. The accumulation of lead in the human body, even at close-to-zero amounts, can, in the long run, damage brain cells and the nervous system.
Somchai's son, Jow Lor Phor, is one of the children with an extraordinarily high amount of lead in his blood. "He is rather weak and mentally slow. He is four years old now but has not started to speak," Somchai said.
The boy shows signs of suffering from Down's syndrome.
Two-year-old Orathai Nasuantasanee is another victim. The girl looks pale and weak, and cries most of the time. Orathai's father, Anant, said the girl is sick quite often. While the level of lead in the blood of a child should not exceed 10 ug/dl, Orathai's is loaded, with 35.2 ug/dl.
The young girl was treated for lead poisoning in October last year.
Her mother, Sayumporn, took care of her during her 10-day hospitalisation.
A few months later, Sayumporn, who also suffered from a high lead content-her level was 38.15 ug/dl-hanged herself. She was the first person to commit suicide in this close-knit village.
Her husband and relatives insist there was no reason for Mrs Sayumporn to take her own life. The health problem is believed to have stressed the mother of four, leading to her tragic end.
Anant does not know how to help his sick child. "I don't think I can take her to see a doctor," he said.
Since the only link between the Lower Klity village and the outside world is a rough dirt road which is almost useless during the rainy season, it takes hours to get to the nearest town of Thongphaphume.
"It takes too much money. I don't know what to do next. I wish doctors would come more often to look after us. It would be best if they could be here on a regular basis."
A quick look around the community reveals an unsettling phenomenon: quite a few children in the village suffer from an abnormality or a deformity of some kind or other. Malnutrition may be a factor, but even so, the rate is startling, taking into account that a couple of cases can be found in about every five households, and that this is a community of about 200 people.
Tukata is another slow-to-develop child. Only a year old, the girl remains too weak to begin crawling. Her neck has not strengthened up and her large eyes are always filled with tears.
Six-year-old Darika Takoengwitsathaporn is not only mentally underdeveloped but was also born without genitalia. The girl was diagnosed with 26.42 ug/dl of lead in her blood.
Darika's father, Boonchai, died last month. The 35-year-old man had suffered from an unidentified illness which caused his body to swell and ache. He also had acute stomach pains. The level of lead in Boonchai's blood was 22.49 ug/dl.
Next door to the Takoengwitsathaporn's house, Janthira Tongfah cradled her 10-month-old son. Janthira herself is among those with the lowest amount of lead in the village, yet her husband, Prasert, was found to have 25.02 ug/dl. Janthira's son has six digits on both his hands and feet.
The list goes on and on.
Unfortunately, there has been no study conducted in the village to determine if there is a pattern of abnormality that is related to lead poisoning.
Surapong Kongchantuk, director of the Karen Studies and Development Centre, who first alerted the media and government authorities to the lead contamination issue, suggested the authorities take a more active and coordinated role if they really want to help the villagers.
"First of all, the health authorities should give blood tests to everyone. In the past, the officials would just show up in the village, with no prior announcement. Then they would round up whoever happened to be around, and give them a test. The rest were simply left out," Surapong said.
Most villagers admit that since the lead-separation plant was ordered closed in 1998, the water has improved. The creek is deeper in some parts, with less scum-like sediment and no foul smell. Still, the stream is far from being the source of life it used to be.
Health authorities have told the villagers not to drink the water or eat the fish, shrimp or crab from the creek for fear it will increase the lead content in their bodies.
Unfortunately, the Karens, who live a life of subsistence, don't have many choices.
"I tried not to eat fish from the creek, but I have to sometimes, otherwise I would have nothing to eat," Somchai said.
Anant concurred.
The health authorities provide water piped in from across the mountain to the village. Although every house in the village has access to water, the supply is often not adequate.
Anant noted it was difficult to carry water with him when he goes out to work in the field, further away from the village. These trips can last for several days, and it's not possible to carry all the water needed.
"I have to use water from the creek, sometimes, both for drinking and bathing. I know it may make me sick, but where else can I find water to use?" the father of four asked.
Surapong recommended that every agency concerned must work together to implement measures that meet the villagers' immediate and long-term needs.
"The government must take a more holistic approach. They must look at every aspect of the problem-food, medicine, health, the environment. So far, treatment has been done on a case-by-case basis. The possibility of a larger pattern of lead poisoning has been dismissed.
"The Klity contamination is a case of community-wide sickness. I think the authorities must treat the whole village collectively, keeping in mind that the affliction is both physical and mental. In the past, doctors would come in and spend half-an-hour or so with the villagers. I don't think they learned anything that way. For the treatment to be effective, we need specialists to come in and study the villagers' sicknesses and their way of life. Then a treatment regime can be planned based on the real conditions."
Sopon Tatichotiphan, director of the Pollution Inspection Division under the Pollution Control Department, said a master plan for the clean-up of Klity creek will be finished this week. The scheme, undertaken by the department after the initial attempt by the lead plant failed to correct the problem, will include dredging the lead-laden sediment. The dregs will then be buried in a landfill.
"The dredging will take at least four to five years. The rough road means we can work for only three or four months a year, when it does not rain. The cost, about 5 million baht, will be shouldered by the lead separation plant," he said.
It will take longer before the villagers can use water directly from the creek for consumption, and even longer before they can eat the fish in the river.
Until the time when villagers can depend on the creek for their livelihood again, a revolving fund will be set up to enable the villagers to buy other kinds of food.
"We would like to let villagers manage the fund themselves. We are studying how to do this, in consultation with non-governmental organisations. Initially, I think we will need about 1 million baht in the fund," Sopon said.
Ironically, the contamination has not promp dhted the government to review its policy on mining and its impact on the environment.
While the clean-up attempt is going on at Lower Klity village, the Forestry Department agreed to let the Bor Ngam lead mine, situated on the border of the Thungyai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary, continue operations even though many environmentalists and NGOs have voiced opposition to the idea of having such a heavy-impact industry so close to a World Heritage site.
Since the ore from the Bor Ngam mine was fed to the Klity lead-separation plant, now temporarily closed, the news appalls the Karens in Lower Klity village, who are afraid the mine owner will now reopen the plant. "If the company can reopen the plant, it will be good for them because they now have to separate the ore at another plant further away," said Chaveevan Potikanon, financial manager of Lead Concentrate Thailand Co. She noted, however, that it would be difficult for the company to obtain a license to operate again.
She admitted that part of the Klity creek problem was caused by the plant, and that the plant did reap some benefits from its operations.
Concerning responsibility for environmental damage-and damage to the health of the villagers, she said, "The plant will take responsibility at an appropriate level." She added that she would have to coordinate with concerned government agencies in the matter, and that the company would donate 1 million baht to the revolving fund for villagers.
But Anant declared, "I don't want any lead mines around any more." Kamthorn Sisuwanmala echoed the sentiment. "The leftover lead has not been washed out. If the plant reopens, the toxins will flow out again. The poison will become endless. How hard will our life be then? How terrible will our future be?"
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