News
‘Water Grabbing’ On The Mekong – Analysis
As dam-building projects continue to proliferate along Southeast Asia’s vital Mekong River, experts in a recent online discussion panel agreed that the area is fast becoming overloaded with them, dredging up far-reaching issues ranging from international friction and industry “water grabs” to widespread ecological disasters ...
Study shows Mekong droughts drive up carbon emissions, energy costs as dams go dry
New research shows hydropower in the Mekong region will become far less sustainable as droughts force countries to rely on coal and gas power plants, driving up carbon emissions and electricity costs. The findings present a problem for Mekong countries’ dam building plans, as hydropower ...
Mekong needs tough govt stance
On Feb 8, Charge d’Affaires of Chinese Embassy Yang Xin paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in which they exchanged Chinese New Year’s wishes, looking ahead for warmer relations and closer cooperation.One topic was missing from their friendly talks: the fluctuating water ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Thai court rejects appeal over Lao dam
Environmental activists are concerned about the impact of a proposed Mekong River dam in Laos after a Thai court refused to hear an appeal over the case.The huge Pak Beng Dam project is among 11 proposed mainstream dams that are part of Laos’ economic plan ...
Mekong River levels 'slightly' rise amid conflicting regional data
The inter-governmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) said on Monday that levels on the vital waterway have “slightly” increased and it would look into why its outflow data from Chinese dams upstream differed from data later given by Beijing.Whether or not China’s 11 dams are harming ...
Thailand NGO seeks halt to Mekong dam project in Laos, as threat to Asean's most vital waterway grows
A civic group in Thailand is petitioning the country’s financial institutions to withhold construction loans for the Luang Prabang dam project along the Mekong River in Laos amid warnings about the negative environmental risks the dams pose and the potential for the displacement of families ...
Dams upstream slowly killing the mighty Mekong
The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) on Tuesday released satellite images showing a drastic drop in the water level of Mekong River this Sunday compared to images captured on January 3.“The water level of Mekong River has dropped considerably in the past month,” ...
The Nation Reporter
Thailand Rejects New Technical Report on Large-Scale Lao Mekong Mainstream Dam
Thailand has rejected a new technical report on Laos’ Sanakham dam project, one of nine large-scale Mekong River mainstream dams integral to Vientiane’s controversial economic strategy of becoming the “Battery of Southeast Asia.”The 684-megawatt Sanakham dam is one of seven future dams in various stages ...
Along the Mekong River, Development Creates Sustainability Concerns
Rapid growth in the number of dams along the Mekong River is transforming Southeast Asia’s energy, food, transportation, security, and ecological networks. Eleven hydropower dams now span the river’s mainstream before it leaves China, with hundreds more dams planned or under construction in the other ...
Govt warns over Lao dam plan
The government threatened on Tuesday not to buy electricity from Sanakham dam in Laos after it learned the project might affect the Mekong River.“The country’s territory is our paramount concern,” Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general to the Office of National Water Resources, said on Tuesday after a ...
Apinya Wipatayotin