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I was approached a couple of years ago to
investigate the situation with regard to potash mining in the North East
of Thailand.
Of course I am an expert on mining. I come from South Yorkshire in the
UK which is (sorry was) a major coal producing area. Many years ago I
sustained a nasty injury to my coccyx on a visit with the local Chamber
of Commerce to Silverwood Colliery. No I wasn't mangled my some mammoth
coal cutting machine or trapped under heaps of debris. I slipped on some
soap in the showers after the visit. A painful experience let me tell
you.
So from the North of England to the North of Thailand. The Australian
mining company asked me to look into the local reactions to a recent
environmental impact survey. In addition they wanted to know wjhat the
Thai Governments position was. The answer was simple - money. |
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Both the
local population and the government were set to make a mint from the
mining project. Yes there was of course a furore from the environmental
NGO's who were probably worried about some rare species of field crab,
butterfly or endangered insect. The only way the insect was endangered
is from the locals eating it. They love fried insects, a tasty Isaan
snack.
I returned late last year and the locals have certainly benefited.
New pick ups and satellite dishes adorn the wooden houses surrounding
the project. The potash mine has certainly made a local impact.
There are lots of opportunities for foreign investment in Thailand
mining projects. Here is some advice I came across from the Australian
Government about mining opportunities in Thailand
It is timely for Australian exporters with expertise in the mining,
mineral exploration and environmental management areas to raise
awareness in Thailand about their skills.
The following areas have been identified as potential business
opportunities for Australian companies:
mineral exploration (geophysics, mapping, diamond drilling, tunnelling)
- mining software
- mining software
- engineering services
- environmental services and
equipment
- lignite mining and overburden
operation
- mining equipment
There are also prospects for gold,
copper, diamonds, lead, iron ore and potash.
Above courtesy of
http://www.austrade.gov.au
Here in Thailand I have had some mining
experience of a different kind. A year ago I was the expat manager of a
tin in the south of Thailand for a few days. Not a real tin mine and not
a real manager. I played a small part in The Tin Mine - a Thai
movie which won Thai film of the year last year.
The Tin mines have all but closed down
now. Here is a report from the US Library of Congress part of a report
about the mining industry in Thailand.
Since the mid-1970s, the tin-mining
industry has generated a large amount of political controversy, social
unrest, and illegal activity that continued into the mid-1980s. Onshore
mining operations were carried on mostly by small miners who were
predominantly Thai. Offshore operations included a number of large
dredges owned by both Thai enterprises and foreign firms, as well as
thousands of suction boats. Both kinds of operations were supposed to be
registered with local provincial authorities. The tin fields had
attracted large numbers of the unemployed or persons seeking fortunes,
however, who mined illegally. Reports of a new tin strike brought
thousands of individuals to the area, resulting in such attendant social
problems as claim jumping, forged registration certificates, frequent
violence, and the like. -
http://countrystudies.us/thailand/73.htm
Do you have a mining project in Thailand
that interests you - send me an email
bangkokcompanies@gmail.com
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