Thailand’s Yuam Water Diversion Project and China’s lower estimate for building it are inevitably intertwined in the proposed development of dams in the Salween River. The vested interests, economically and security-wise, of the governments of China, Myanmar and Thailand, are also involved.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Pushing ahead with large dam projects, despite uncertainty of power purchases
An official form the Lao Ministry of Mines stated that the government had not received a formal notice from the Thai Energy Ministry indicating that officials were not going to sign PPAs from the four Lao dams. “If Thailand doesn’t buy electricity from those four dams, we’ll sell it to China, Vietnam, and Cambodia,” said the official.
Chinese investments in Laos soar, but little wealth is spread
There is a huge gap between the value of Chinese investments in Laos and the negative impacts they create, a legal advisor said, adding, “No one can express concerns about these things in public out of fear for their safety.” Further, added a Lao businessman, also speaking on condition of anonymity. “It makes no sense to just tell people the high value of Chinese investments,”
Climate change likely to be high on the agenda of the Mekong River summit
Falling water levels, from drought and damming, have also reduced the stock of Cambodia’s freshwater fish, mostly caught in the Mekong and Bassac rivers. About 6 million people work in fisheries or fisheries-related activities in Cambodia and their catch contributes as much as 12 percent to gross domestic product.
Mekong Delta LNG project gets environmental approval
“The Bac Lieu LNG to Power (BLLP) project will help Vietnam’s energy transition from dirty coal to reduce harmful carbon emissions and pollutants, in line with its policy direction and alignment with international policy trends,” the company states.
Vietnam to launch new price mechanism for rooftop solar
It’s reported that the proposed model would allow sellers to sell 70% to 90% of generated electricity to consumers and the remainder to state-owned electric company Vietnam Electricity (EVN). This model would allow EVN to reduce investment pressure on the power grid, transmission and distribution.
China foreign minister to pay short visit to Kingdom
Lim Menghour, deputy director of the Mekong Centre for Strategic Studies at the Asian Vision Institute said, “Promoting a new development paradigm under BRI framework will be another main agenda of the visit,’ referring to China’s practice of foregoing the sometimes intrusive and demanding requirements regarding the internal policies of developing countries it provides aid to, in contrast to the US and EU’s traditional insistence that countries who receive aid undertake reforms in areas like democratic governance, civil liberties and human rights.
Korea pledges cooperation with Mekong countries
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Wednesday reiterated South Korea’s commitment to stronger cooperation with Mekong countries in health care, climate, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges, his office said.
Cambodian police bar villagers from land seized for new airport
“Authorities are not resolving our issues over the land. They are forcing us to accept the offer of eight dollars per square meter, and are threatening to simply confiscate the land if we don’t accept.”