Petong (C) and Hue (R) look for gold as their children play in the water on March 25, 2014 in Lampang, Thailand. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

A worker shovels mud from the river as he pans for gold in Lampang. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

Thai villagers from Wang Nuea look for gold in the river every year during the drought season. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

A man removes stones from the river as he pans for gold in Lampang. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

The workers begin to search for gold at 10 am and work until sunset, often working second jobs in the day in order to survive. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

According to chief of the Wang Kaew tambon administration organisation gold panning is an activity that has been carried out by the locals for several generations. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

A child plays with the sand as his mother pans for gold in Lampang. Panning for gold takes a lot of patience, but it seems to be worth it as villagers have been supplementing their incomes with it. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

A worker shows a gold nugget found in Lampang. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

Workers are able to make an average around $15 per day, however two years ago they reached $200 in one day due to the river level dropping so much. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)

Kowit Ew, a gold buyer, weighs gold in his food store in Wang Kaeo in Lampang. (Photo by Borja Sanchez-Trillo/Getty Images)