Chinese hydropower plants’ cutting their water discharge in January will make the salinity depth increase to 4g/l in the mouth of the Mekong Delta’s Vam Co River and Cai Lon River.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Giving local rivers a voice
Activist Pianporn “Pai” Deetes’ fight against the planned construction of dams along the lower stretches of the Mekong River by the Chinese government is a David-versus-Goliath story.
Hope for rural poor in Cambodia through China-aided pilot project for poverty alleviation
Funded by China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) and implemented by Cambodia’s Civil Society Alliance Forum (CSAF), the three-year project is aimed at transforming this poor village into a model village for poverty alleviation in the Southeast Asian country.
Activists Rally Behind French-Vietnamese Woman’s Agent Orange Lawsuit
Backed by the NGO alliance Collectif Vietnam Dioxine, which called for Saturday’s gathering at Trocadero Plaza, Tran’s legal action is aimed at gaining recognition for civilians harmed by Agent Orange and the damage the herbicide did to the environment.
Thailand challenges Laos dam building spree on Mekong River
Thailand has threatened to sink plans for a Chinese-developed dam planned for the Mekong River in neighboring Laos, in a rare rebuke that hints at a rising tide of dissension in an area where all three countries share Southeast Asia’s largest waterway.
Laos and the Belt and Road Initiative. An Interconnector Helping the Chinese Needs?
The research paper sought to investigate advantages and disadvantages of Chinese infrastructure projects in Laos and how Vientiane can deal with these challenges in order to accrue more benefits from China’s economic expansion in the region. Besides looking at the consequences from the Lao perspective, we focused on the Chinese benefits as well;
how a completed railway connection can change China’s position within the region and further strengthen its role within Southeast Asia.
River Discharge and Water Level Changes in the Mekong River: Droughts in an Era of Mega-Dams
The 2019-2020 drought that caused the lowest water level in recent history has affected riparian communities from Northern Thailand to the Vietnamese Delta. Using hydro meteorological data, we identified three key causes. One, the reduction of wet season flow by Chinese dams in the UMB. Two, an extreme dry year that further decreases the amount of water available in the Mekong river. Three, the operationalisation of Xayaburi and its infilling period
China’s Diversion of Upstream Mekong Flows Seen Drying Up Southeast Asia
Analysts say Chinese officials are diverting so much water from dams along the upper Mekong River system that Southeast Asian countries are going dry during prime agricultural seasons and turning to other powers for help.
Gov’t cancels public claims of ownership in sanctuary
The government has repealed all previously issued letters certifying sales, purchases, transfers, occupation or ownership of any land within the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary.
Boats Washed Away When Lao Dam Releases Water Without Warning
Residents living near a small dam in Laos are calling on its operators to warn them before releasing water after unexpected flooding this week washed away or sunk more than 10 boats used by village fishermen.