Thai women gold panners find bright spot in COVID-ravaged economy | Coronavirus pandemic News

Many women who used to sell vegetables and food to tourists have turned to panning as gold prices near an all-time high.

As the yellowish mud swirls away in the waters of Thailand’s Sai Buri river, Sunisa Srisuwanno lifts her wooden pan with a cluster of gleaming specks caught in the centre.

“That’s 100 baht,” she said, pointing to grains worth about $3.30 after little more than 15 minutes work with her gold panning partner, Boonsom Aeamprasert.

With global gold prices near an all-time high, the women are a rare bright spot for an economy hard hit by the collapse of tourism amid coronavirus travel restrictions.

“The gold panning business is doing well, especially during COVID-19,” said Sunisa, a 37-year-old mother of two. “Panning gold is our main staple. We sell gold today, we are able to buy food to feed the family.”

The area’s name – Gold Mountain – indicates…