The soul of the Mekong is in trouble
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha last week asked reporters why non-governmental organisations, environmental activists and academics continue to protest against the planned blasting of rapids in the Mekong River. He said many of these protesters are outsiders, meaning people who do not live by the riverside, do not fish its waters or make a living from the river and do not, in fact, have any stake in the river at all. He said public hearings had been held to gauge the opinions of stakeholders about the blasting of the rapids in the river territories shared by Thailand and Laos, which has yet to take place. The majority of them, he reminded the reporters, do not oppose the plan. Well, Mr Prime Minister, may I take the liberty to answer your question of their behalf? The simple answer is that they do care.
