Thai Villagers Say Mekong River in Crisis Due to Hydopower Dams

The northeast region of Thailand bordering Laos and Cambodia, is facing the consequences of dams on the Mekong River. Changes in the natural rhythms of the Mekong River has been hampered by the construction of dams upstream in China and Laos in recent years.

The Mekong dams have brought drought in the monsoon season and high waters when it should be dry. Hindering the lives of the many in northeastern Thailand who depend on the Mekong River for food and a livelihood.

Moreover, the hydropower plans for the Mekong River have only begun, as China leads the charge on dams with an eye on both the economic rewards and geopolitical advantage of controlling the Mekong.

China’s damming of the Mekong has left one of the world’s great rivers, flowing for 5,000 kilometers from China through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in retreat and decimating local fishing catches.

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