Proposed Lao dam ‘a threat to Thailand’

[rooster59]

Proposed Lao dam ‘a threat to Thailand’

By THE NATION

 

 

Critics worry about the impact on northeast from Mekong projects.

 

A NEW HYDROPOWER dam project on the mainstream Mekong River in Laos has been proposed to the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS), despite concerns over transboundary environmental impacts from the dam and ineffectiveness of the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) process.

 

The MRCS revealed on its website that the Lao government had submitted an official notification with detailed description of the Pak Lay hydropower project to the agency on Wednesday. It will begin the formal process of prior consultation under the PNPCA process before commencement of construction.

 

“The MRCS will, within one month, review the document and verify its completeness against the prior consultation procedures before forwarding the case to the MRC’s Joint Committee, a body consisting of four member countries’ representatives at the head of department level where the consultation takes place,” MRCS said on its website.

 

The Pak Lay hydropower dam will be built over the mainstream Mekong River in the Pak Lay area of Xayaburi province in northern Laos, downstream from the Xayaburi Dam and around 11 kilometres upstream from the Thai border in the Chiang Khan district of Loei province.

 

The dam will have the capacity to generate 770 megawatts of electricity and construction is expected to start in 2022 and finish in 2029, according to the MRCS, while commercial operations are scheduled to begin in the same year after completion of construction.

 

The Pak Lay dam will be the fourth hydropower dam on the mainstream Mekong River after the Xayaburi, Don Sahong and Pak Beng dams.

 

There was no mention about the dam developer on the MRCS website, but information in earlier reports indicated that the Lao government has granted a 30-year concession to develop this project to China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation and Sinohydro Corporation.

 

It was also earlier reported that the hydropower dam project would cost up to US$1.8 billion (Bt58 billion) and it was estimated that upon completion of the Pak Lay dam, more than 3,500 local people in Xayaburi province and Vientiane province will have to relocate, as some 485,000 rai (77,600 hectares) of land would be submerged under the dam’s reservoir.

 

Channarong Wongla of the Rak Chiang Khan Conservation Group expressed his concerns over the possible impacts from the dam on the people of Laos as well as Thailand.

 

“I’m really concerned about the project’s potential impacts on the Mekong River ecology, especially on Kaeng Kud Ku rapids, a well-known tourist attraction that boosts the local economy in Chiang Khan district,” Channarong said.

 

“We are affected every year by fluctuating water flows from Chinese dams upstream, and if the Pak Lay Dam is built it will create huge impacts on the livelihood of local people living along the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand.”

 

Even though the MRC has expressed confidence that the adverse impacts from the Pak Lay hydropower dam project could be minimised through the prior consultation in the PNPCA process, the Thai Campaign Director at International Rivers, Pianporn Deetes, argued that the PNPCA process was ineffective in preventing adverse impacts from dams. 

 

The construction of the new dam on the mainstream Mekong River would only further intensify transboundary impacts on people’s livelihoods and the river’s ecosystem, he said.

 

“The MRC and the government of Laos are incapable of seeing the whole river; they simply want to divide it into sections to exploit. We are witnessing the unfolding of a social and ecological disaster,” Pianporn said in her statement.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30347851

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-16

[Cadbury]

No flies on the Laotians. They take water that would normally flow into Thailand and then sell is back to Thailand as electricity; if and when they feel like it or have surplus capacity.

[klauskunkel]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Proposed Lao dam ‘a threat to Thailand’

the submarines will take care of that

[hansnl]

8 hours ago, Cadbury said:

No flies on the Laotians. They take water that would normally flow into Thailand and then sell is back to Thailand as electricity; if and when they feel like it or have surplus capacity.

You mean, Chinese surely?

[Cadbury]

51 minutes ago, hansnl said:

You mean, Chinese surely?

 

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

A new hydropower dam project on the mainstream Mekong River in Laos

Why would I mean China when the story says the dam is being built in Laos? Although the dam and the power station is in Laos it is likely to be built and financed by the Chinese for the Laos government. 

Is that what you mean? If not you might like to answer your own fatuous question and share with us something we may not know.

[Belzybob]

15 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

 

Why would I mean China when the story says the dam is being built in Laos? Although the dam and the power station is in Laos it is likely to be built and financed by the Chinese for the Laos government. 

Is that what you mean? If not you might like to answer your own fatuous question and share with us something we may not know.

Pretty obvious what the poster was implying. Its not the Laos government driving this, its the Chinese.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, Belzybob said:

Pretty obvious what the poster was implying. Its not the Laos government driving this, its the Chinese.

Implying........really! I could imply that Hansel is the wife of Gretal. Would that make it true?

You can imply anything you choose. I could imply the two of you are pathetic dullards but I wouldn't do that because it would be impolite.

The fact is the dam is on Laos territory. 

[lahgon29]

22 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Implying........really! I could imply that Hansel is the wife of Gretal. Would that make it true?

You can imply anything you choose. I could imply the two of you are pathetic dullards but I wouldn't do that because it would be impolite.

The fact is the dam is on Laos territory. 

Are you OK? No need for the name calling, is there? 

[Jeremy50]

This dam was given the 'go ahead' several years ago, nothing can stop it now, billions are already being spent on concreting the river banks for 200 kilometres downstream from Chiang Khan, presumably they think that the fluctuating waters from the dam will cause erosion of the river bank when the the dam is operational, so the planning of one piece of ecological disaster sets another one in motion, and so on, until there is nothing left. Those running the show, perhaps 50 corrupt top players, Laos and Thai, but colluding with each other, have already envisioned their bright future of large houses, imported cars, and wealthy extended families, a life of unimaginable luxury to the detriment of the environment and the poor. There is NO turning back from THOSE dreams.

[PoorSucker]

On 6/16/2018 at 4:45 PM, Cadbury said:

 

Why would I mean China when the story says the dam is being built in Laos? Although the dam and the power station is in Laos it is likely to be built and financed by the Chinese for the Laos government. 

Is that what you mean? If not you might like to answer your own fatuous question and share with us something we may not know.

 

 

"There was no mention about the dam developer on the MRCS website, but information in earlier reports indicated that the Lao government has granted a 30-year concession to develop this project to China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation and Sinohydro Corporation."