News
Mekong record low raises hydropower questions
An elderly fisherman anchored his small boat to the bank of the Mekong in north-eastern Thailand. Inside lay his morning catch of three fat barbs. “We can catch plenty of fish,” said Thong-in Wenkham with a thin smile, “It’s easy for us when the water level is low like this. “I ...
Pratch Rujivanarom
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 ...
Kanokwan Manorom
Briefing note provides new insights on small and micro-sized entities in the Mekong forestry sector
Little is known about the small and micro-sized entities (SmEs) engaged in the forestry sector in the Mekong region, their characteristics, the number and gender of people involved in the businesses, their supply chains and levels of compliance with regulations. A new briefing published by ...
Weekly Flood Situation Report for the Mekong River Basin covering the week from 10th to 16th Sept 2019 and potential trend next week
During the week from 10th to 16th Sept 2019, the weather outlook bulletins and maps issued by the Thailand Meteorology Department (TMD) were used to verify the weather condition in the LMB. The low pressure was observed at the middle part of LMB, which attracted ...
The Mekong Part II: How Dams May Damage Children’s Health
Ian G. Baird, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an expert on dams in Southeast Asia, tells of meeting a farmer and his five-year-old son from a village in rural Laos in 2009. The two were sitting in a canoe as the sun rose ...
Dan Southerland
Despite Seasonal Floods Now, Experts See Risk of Mekong Drying Up
Two leading experts on water issues in Asia warn that parts of Vietnam’s fertile southernmost areas bordering Southeast Asia’s longest river, the Mekong, are in danger of drying up. At the same time, they say, much of the Mekong is still flooded from seasonal monsoon rains. ...
Dan Southerland
Start of Latest Mekong Dam Draws Fears of River's 'Tipping Point'
Critics of the 1,285-megawatt Xayaburi hydropower dam in northern Laos fear recent upgrades to the controversial project won’t be enough to save the Mekong River from a critical tipping point when it starts churning out electricity at full throttle next month. After seven years of construction, ...
Zsombor Peter
Mekong: When the river runs dry
It has been a bad year for the Mekong. An unusually long period of drought has brought water levels to some of the lowest measurements in recent years. There are fears that the drought will have a particularly negative effect on the Tonle Sap River, connecting ...
Milton Osborne
In the rice-rich Mekong region, will husk briquettes take hold?
Sanu Kaji Shrestha was wandering along a Cypriot coastline 10 years ago, enjoying some downtime from a workshop he was leading on green energy technology, when he decided to collect some seaweed to experiment with. Shrestha was searching for ways to expand the types of raw materials ...
Lauren Crothers
River of no return: Mekong faces grim future
The Mekong River is again striking record lows, threatening crop production, fish stocks and the livelihoods of 70 million people amid rampant over-development and dire warnings. But this year’s drought, the second in three years, could mark a turning point and a bleak future.Scientists, backed ...
Luke Hunt
