News

The collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam after heavy rains last month that killed more than 30 in Laos and left thousands of Lao and Cambodian people homeless is reigniting an urgent debate about preventing similar tragedies in future.Keep reading ...

Laos has to wake up from its dream to be the major power supplier of the region, say critics.  The recent tragedy at the Xe-Pien Xe-Namnoy hydropower dam has clearly demonstrated that the benefits from selling electricity are small compared to the loss of human ...

The Mekong River is 4,350 kilometres long and runs through or borders southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. To date, 241 dams have been built along the mighty transboundary river or its tributaries. Over a hundred more are planned or under construction.Keep reading ...

Northeastern provinces along the Mekong have been warned of possible flooding due to the rapidly rising water level of the river. The hydrology office in Nong Khai said on Sunday (July 29) that heavy rains in northern Thailand and Laos were pouring water into the ...

Residents in Nakhon Phanom were on Thursday (July 26) warned to brace for possible flooding after the water level in the Mekong River rose to 11 metres, two metres away from overflow, due to downpours caused by tropical storm Son-Tinh. Keep reading ...

Overnight rain has caused the water level in the Mekong River in Beung Kan province to rise continuously, resulting in other waterways overflowing and flooding rice paddies in the municipality. Keep reading ...

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has continued with preparations against flooding due to a tropical depression spurring rainfall across most of the country with the Mekong River level in Nong Khai province rising rapidly and impeding boat travel.Keep seeing ...

When I tell people I went to my first meeting on the Nam Theun 2 (NT2) hydropower project in Laos way back in 1991, I sometimes don’t know whether to be embarrassed or proud. At times it seems it has become an unhealthy obsession. But ...

Reasons for attending the annual Mekong Tourism Forum were as diverse as the background of the 475 delegates registered.This year’s Mekong Tourism Forum attracted the highest attendance in the event’s history, understandably because registration was free.Keep reading ...

In the Mekong river basin, massive infrastructure projects – dams, road, high-speed rail and ports – are under construction. While these projects will improve connectivity between countries, harmful environmental impacts need to be minimised. National level environmental impacts assessments that ignore cross border impacts are ...