Thap Khlo ( th, ทับคล้อ, ) is a district (''

amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...

'') in the eastern part of

Phichit province Phichit ( th, พิจิตร, , ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in lower northern Thailand and 330 km due north of Bangkok. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Nakh ...

, central

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise) Dong Charoen, Bang Mun Nak, Taphan Hin and Wang Sai Phun of Phichit Province, Noen Maprang of Phitsanulok province, Wang Pong and Chon Daen of

Phetchabun province Phetchabun ( th, เพชรบูรณ์, ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in lower northern Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phic ...

History

On 1 May 1983 the minor district (''

king amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...

'') Thap Khlo was established as a subordinate of Taphan Hin district, from which four ''tambon'' were split off. On 13 August 1987 it was upgraded to a full district.

Economy

Khao Chet Luk in the Thap Khlo district is the site of Thailand's largest gold mine, the Chatree Mining Complex. Akara Resources PCL, a Thai-Australian firm, owns and operates the mine. Akara is a subsidiary of Australian company, Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. The complex includes the Chatree South ore field, which began commercial production in November 2001, and the Chatree North ore field, which began production in November 2008. The complex also includes processing plants. In 2015, the mine produced and exported four tonnes (4,000 kg) of gold. In May 2016, the Thai government announced that the Chatree mine would be closed at the end of 2016 due to environmental concerns. The mine has long been accused by local residents of poisoning residents, crops, and livestock. In January 2015 a government investigation team said that more than 300 neighboring villagers had tested positive for arsenic and manganese. Akara has asked the government to review its decision. The company was surprised that the cabinet adopted the resolution to close the mine given that a panel set up by the Ministry of Industry has not yet completed its investigation into pollution and health complaints. The panel, set up in 2015, is composed of state agencies, affected villagers, academics, environmentalists, and Akara representatives. The company claims that there is no conclusive link between the heavy metals and illnesses claimed by some villagers. Blood tests on 1,004 residents in 14 communities living around the mining sites in 2014 and 2015 found that 42 percent of residents had high levels of manganese in their blood. In July 2018, the committee looking into the case confirmed that toxic leaks have emanated from tailing storage at the mine. Evidence of leakage into nearby rice fields and an observation well were also confirmed. Kingsgate will seek a settlement through arbitration procedures under the Australia-Thailand Free Trade Agreement "in order to recover the substantial losses that it has suffered, and continue to suffer, as a result of the measures taken by the Thai government."

Administration

The district is divided into four sub-districts (''

tambon ''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province (''changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' ...

''), which are further subdivided into 57 villages (''

muban Muban ( th, หมู่บ้าน; , ) is the lowest administrative sub-division of Thailand. Usually translated as 'village' and sometimes as 'hamlet', they are a subdivision of a tambon (subdistrict). , there were 74,944 administrative mu ...

''). There are two townships (''

thesaban tambon Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system. The mu ...

''), Thap Khlo and Khao Sai. Both cover parts of their respective ''tambons''. There are a further four tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

References

External links

amphoe.comVillagers near Phichit gold mine poisoned by heavy metalsActivists baulk at new mining legislationAll That Glitters...
Thap Khlo {{Phichit-geo-stub