Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
A Thirst for Sand
The rising demand for sand to resume post-pandemic growth drives unregulated and illegal sand mining in the Mekong River, where people living along its banks have lost their houses and fortunes to severe erosion.
Mekong Delta pays a high price from sand mining
The need for sand to build roads and infrastructure in Vietnam charges ahead with few restraints as land and houses are lost.
Life’s no beach for Thais affected by sand mining
Illegal sand mining has been an ongoing issue in Thailand’s section of the Mekong River due to fragmented governance and “influential people.”
Cambodia’s insatiable appetite for river sand
The high level of corruption in Cambodia undermined the public’s trust in the government’s regulations on the sand mining industry.
Historical town in Laos chokes under a toxic haze
Luang Prabang, one of the most important tourist towns in Laos, suffered high levels of air pollution this season, which business owners said dissuaded tourists.
