Water

A transboundary Kok River in Northern Thailand has been a source of livelihood of thousands in riverine communities. Recently, it has faced rising levels of heavy metal contamination, likely from suspected unregulated rare earth mining upstream in Myanmar. 

The Mekong riverbank gardening is a critical part of local livelihoods. It supports riverine communities through vital food production, reciprocal exchanges, and additional income generation. However, changes to the river’s ecosystems caused by many large-scale dams threaten these ways of life. 

This article explores the challenges and sustainability dilemma of groundwater as the ‘ungoverned’ urban commons with examples from Indonesia.