LAMPANG, Feb 2 – Near-drought conditions in this northern province have revealed a ‘silver living’ amid the cloud of bad news, as exposed riverbeds are now yielding alluvial gold deposits collected over time from the erosion of nearby hills.

Villagers here are rushing to converge on the Wang River to pan for gold, a speculative activity which could earn them as much as Bt10,000 (over US$300) per day. A gold assayist here said the metal retrieved is 98 per cent pure.

Source: MCOT