China has built—and is in the process of building—so many dams on the Mekong River that the biodiverse and once-mighty waterway will soon be a series of stagnant pools.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Cambodia’s Hun Set still pushing population growth as deforestation cause
Prime Minister Hun Sen has accused villagers and supporters of the now-defunct opposition party of cutting down trees and encroaching on protected forests.
River residents to be relocated
“The new place has no house and no electricity. We have already received information from the authorities, but we haven’t agreed to go. We asked for land near the river, otherwise we’ll just go back to Vietnam.”
Nearly 1 tonne of elephant tusks, pangolin scales uncovered in Hanoi
Customs officers of Noi Bai International Airport on September 28 seized nearly one tonne of elephant tusks, ivory products and pangolin scales transported from Nigeria.
Industrial waste management slipping in Cambodia
Sarom Trading Company is contracted to collect industrial waste eight times per month, while in reality the company only collects three times per month as waste piles grow.
Midterm report card: Myanmar’s economy is not working
The upcoming Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP), published last month, is a sensible framework for the country to map out its infrastructure needs.
Analysts: Myanmar Government Statue Drive Risks Alienating Ethnic Groups
“Water is not sufficient, health care is not sufficient and the roads are not good,” says Chin State editor. “So instead of using that budget to build the statue, that money should be used for these things.”
Construction of Laos’ National Road 11 to begin this year
The road from Nonsavanh-Kokkhaodor villages to Vang and Namsang villages via Xanakham district will link with a road in Xayaboury province going to northern Thailand with the aim of improving travel and transport in the region
Myanmar cuts cost of China-funded port project by 80%
Beijing yields as more countries become wary of Belt and Road debt trap with Myanmar slashing the initial price tag to $1.3 billion from $7.2 billion over concerns about excessive debt.
China-Myanmar Economic Corridor Ambitions Meet Hard Reality
Myanmar’s troubles with CMEC mirror many of the issues China faces with BRI investment other countries. As with elsewhere, China may have the capital to spend on infrastructure in Myanmar, but it needs to adjust its approach.