Mae Sai:Random urine tests were conducted on residents of Mae Sai after arsenic levels exceeding safety standards were found in the Sai-Ruak River. Over 200 residents were tested for heavy metals due to the discovery of arsenic contamination in the Sai and Ruak rivers, which serve as water sources for daily life and agriculture.
According to Thai News Agency, the screenings took place at the Mae Sai and Koh Chang Sub-district Health Promotion Hospitals in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province. The Department of Disease Control and the Department of Health jointly tested more than 200 volunteers for heavy metal presence in their urine. This action followed reports of arsenic contamination in local water sources.
The inspection targeted residents likely to use water from the affected rivers. Officials also gathered information on water sources, including regional and village water systems, groundwater, and their use in agriculture and daily consumption. Urine samples were collected for laboratory testing, with water samples indicating arsenic levels as high as 0.284 milligrams per liter—about 28 times above the reference standard.
The operation's screening criteria included urine arsenic levels exceeding 50 micrograms per liter, cadmium levels exceeding 3 micrograms per gram of creatinine, or the presence of mercury. Individual details and risk factors are considered, and it is expected to take about a month to receive the test results from the Department of Disease Control's laboratory.