BANGKOK — The Bangkok Civil Court found the operator of a major gold mine in northern Thailand liable for environmental damage and health impacts on nearby villagers. The court ordered compensation ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 baht per affected individual, plus payments for medical care and emotional distress.

In 2016, more than 300 villagers in Phichit province filed a class action lawsuit against Akara Resources, which operates the Chatree Gold Mine. The villagers accused the company of causing toxic contamination through its mining operations. The case was the first environmental class action in Thailand following a 2015 legal amendment allowing such lawsuits.

Medical surveys showed elevated levels of heavy metals including arsenic, cyanide, and manganese among residents living near the mine site. Thanyalak Boontham said her blood tests showed toxin levels exceeding safety standards.

Chatree Gold Mine is Thailand's largest gold mine and is owned by Australia-based Kingsgate Consolidated. Cherdsak Utha-aroon said that Akara Resources respects the court's ruling and its legal team will discuss next steps.

In 2017, Kingsgate Consolidated sued the Thai government for unfair license revocation. Kingsgate Consolidated and the Thai government reached a settlement for the lawsuit last year.

Survivors of 2021 Super Typhoon Odette in the Philippines filed a lawsuit against Shell in the United Kingdom last year on the basis that the company's emissions contributed to climate change and the typhoon's intensity.

A Swiss court allowed a lawsuit filed by fisherfolk from Indonesia's Pari Island against Holcim to proceed in 2025 over emissions they say contribute to flooding and sea-level rise threatening their homes and livelihoods.

"We continue to see this trend growing both in the volume of cases but also the geographical scope of jurisdictions," said Georgina Lloyd, environmental law expert with the United Nations Environment Program.