From Pak Mun to Xayaburi: It’s time to rethink hydroelectric dams along the Mekong
The rising demand for electricity is often touted as a reason for building dams. But the proponents of dams conveniently overlook the impact on those living on the river banks and the destruction of ecosystems. Ever since the Pak Mun dam was built in Ubon Ratchathani province, it has caused nothing but grief for the locals who had depended on the Mun river. Similarly, the Laos-built Xayaburi dam impacting the lives of thousands that live along the Mekong River.
The Mekong River has become a contested space for dam construction, with all of the decision-making power resting in the hands of governments and organisations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Lately, large companies such as Thailand’s CH. Karnchang and China’s Sinohydro have also become enthusiastic cheerleaders of dams, eager to use the Mekong River as a testbed for dam and fish ladder technology.
Kanokwan Manorom
