HRF condemns the Thai regime’s use of excessive force against protesters outside China’s Consulate-General in Chiang Mai, which injured at least two demonstrators. HRF calls on Thailand to respect the right to peaceful assembly, investigate the incident, and hold those responsible accountable.

Earlier this month, environmental activists and community members gathered outside China’s Consulate-General in Chiang Mai to call on the government to take responsibility for cross-border pollution attributed to state-backed rare-earth and gold mining projects in Burma. The demonstration ended in a confrontation with Thai police, leaving at least two protesters injured.

Demonstrators also rallied outside China’s Embassy in Bangkok to demand that Thai and Chinese officials address environmental damage and river pollution. They also called on Thailand to ensure accountability for the crackdown on protesters in Chiang Mai.

Pollution from China’s state-backed mining operations have reportedly impacted the livelihoods of communities in both Thailand and Burma. Reports indicate that water turbidity at the Thai-Burma border has risen to nearly ten times its normal level.