The Pollution Control Department will hire a team of experts to devise measures to remove lead contamination at Klity Creek in Kanchanaburi following a Supreme Administrative Court order.
The department's director-general Wichien Jungrungruang said a budget of 10 million baht would be allocated to the team, comprising environmental experts from various universities.
They would be charged with identifying appropriate measures to clean up the creek without further damaging the environment.
The study is expected to be completed in the next six months. The team will survey at-risk areas to determine how lead leaks out and mixes with water in the creek, Mr Wichien said.
He said the team would also survey sites nearby the creek where lead-tainted sediment was stored. The academics would be charged with coming up with an effective and environmentally friendly means of dealing with the sediment.
"If everything goes well, we can hire the team by the end of this month. We will do our best to solve the problem within three years," Mr Wichien said.
He was defensive over accusations his department had not done enough to clean up the creek.
"Please do not blame me. I have done my best to solve the problem under the limitations of the bureaucratic system."
When the study is completed, the department will ask for the 100 million baht budget from the government to clean up the creek.
The Supreme Administrative Court in January ruled in favour of 22 Karen people who filed a case in 2004 and asked the department for compensation of 3.9 million baht.
It also ordered the creek to be rehabilitated until the level of lead contamination in the water, sediment and water flora and fauna is at acceptable standards.