This was very much an avoidable manmade tragedy caused by poor design, construction and operation.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Structural Injustice, Slow Violence? The Political Ecology of a “Best Practice” Hydropower Dam in Lao PDR
Lao hydraulic infrastructure frequently induces systemic, path-dependent and disruptive socio-ecological transformations.
Myanmar scales back China-funded Kyauk Pyu port project in Rakhine state due to debt concerns
The port is a key part of BRI to expand global trade links, but many in Myanmar are wary of becoming too dependent on China
Myanmar Ranks at the Bottom of Asean for Access to Electricity
“About 70 percent of households in Myanmar get electricity from either the national grid or other sources outside the grid for only around 2 hours per day,” expert.
Statement on the collapse of the Xe Pian – Xe Nam Noy Hydropower Project
Much of Laos and the Mekong are vulnerable to such disasters and to broader environmental threats of large hydropower dams the Mekong.
Rampant timber smuggling in Myanmar as forest service restructures
As Myanmar works to restructure to private sector management of the country’s forestry and timber resources, reports of illegal logging are surging.
No more dams, float solar panels instead: experts
After studying alternatives to mitigate the impacts of pending dam projects in Laos and Cambodia, experts say, just say NO.
Community groups in Cambodia say logging surged with approaching election
The election campaign has been accompanied by an uptick in felled trees and suspected collusion between the enforcement rangers and the illegal loggers.
Myanmar urged to fix key issues for industrial revamp
Becoming a regional investment could only be realized if Myanmar manages to address major challenges businesses are facing in the nation, a banking expert has warned.
New Booklet Explains MRC’s Rule-based Mekong Water Cooperation
Online publication to help understand how the regional intergovernmental organization promotes rule-based water cooperation among MRC member countries.