China notifies Mekong River neighbours it is holding back waters

By Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson

 

FILE PHOTO: A view of the Mekong river bordering Thailand and Laos is seen from the Thai side in Nong Khai, Thailand, October 29, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - China has notified downstream neighbours it is holding back the Mekong River flow at a hydropower dam on the waterway's upper reaches for 20 days, as part of a new data-sharing pact, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and Thailand said on Wednesday.

 

The statements came a day after a new U.S.-backed monitoring system said China had failed to notify downstream countries of water restrictions that started on Dec. 31.

 

China agreed last October to share water data with the MRC, an advisory body to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam that had long sought the information for planning.

 

More than 60 million people in those countries depend on the river for fishing and farming.

 

Thailand's National Water Command Center said China had on Tuesday notified Thailand that its Jinghong Dam will from Jan. 5 to 24 reduce the water discharge rate from 1,904 cubic metres per second to 1,000 cubic metres per second, which amounts to a decrease of about 47%.

 

That was for "maintenance of transmission lines" in its electricity grid, it said.

 

The MRC said it received notification the same day, though it first detected water levels dropping on Dec. 31. The level would likely drop by about 1.2 metres and river navigation and fishing could be affected, it said.

 

The MRC said the Chinese notification assured the flow "will be gradually restored to its normal operation status on January 25", without specifying an exact volume rate.

 

The new Mekong Dam Monitor on its Facebook page on Tuesday said China had not notified neighbors when the Jinghong dam starting restricting waters on Dec. 31, "causing a sudden 1 metre drop in river level" downstream that could devastate the fish population.

 

The monitor uses cloud-piercing satellites to track levels at 11 upstream dams in China and those in other countries.

 

Partly-funded by the U.S. State Department, it started operations last month, adding to the China-U.S. superpower rivalry in Southeast Asia.

 

Chinese authorities could not immediately be reached for comment. Beijing has rejected suggestions its Mekong dams harm downstream countries.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-07

 

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21 minutes ago, webfact said:

China notifies Mekong River neighbours it is holding back waters

By Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson

 

FILE PHOTO: A view of the Mekong river bordering Thailand and Laos is seen from the Thai side in Nong Khai, Thailand, October 29, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - China has notified downstream neighbours it is holding back the Mekong River flow at a hydropower dam on the waterway's upper reaches for 20 days, as part of a new data-sharing pact, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and Thailand said on Wednesday.

 

The statements came a day after a new U.S.-backed monitoring system said China had failed to notify downstream countries of water restrictions that started on Dec. 31.

 

China agreed last October to share water data with the MRC, an advisory body to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam that had long sought the information for planning.

 

More than 60 million people in those countries depend on the river for fishing and farming.

 

Thailand's National Water Command Center said China had on Tuesday notified Thailand that its Jinghong Dam will from Jan. 5 to 24 reduce the water discharge rate from 1,904 cubic metres per second to 1,000 cubic metres per second, which amounts to a decrease of about 47%.

 

That was for "maintenance of transmission lines" in its electricity grid, it said.

 

The MRC said it received notification the same day, though it first detected water levels dropping on Dec. 31. The level would likely drop by about 1.2 metres and river navigation and fishing could be affected, it said.

 

The MRC said the Chinese notification assured the flow "will be gradually restored to its normal operation status on January 25", without specifying an exact volume rate.

 

The new Mekong Dam Monitor on its Facebook page on Tuesday said China had not notified neighbors when the Jinghong dam starting restricting waters on Dec. 31, "causing a sudden 1 metre drop in river level" downstream that could devastate the fish population.

 

The monitor uses cloud-piercing satellites to track levels at 11 upstream dams in China and those in other countries.

 

Partly-funded by the U.S. State Department, it started operations last month, adding to the China-U.S. superpower rivalry in Southeast Asia.

 

Chinese authorities could not immediately be reached for comment. Beijing has rejected suggestions its Mekong dams harm downstream countries.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-07

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

For maintenance my <deleted>, they control the water they control everything 

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

Chinese authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.

That's odd, they are usually quite forthcoming .

How nice they seem quite happy at widely sharing some things without any credit???? 

I held back the waters all night while sleeping until I just awoke.  I then sent the flood waters down to the Chao Phrya via the sewer system. What a load of tosh, they stopped the water only because its going to create a hazard possible and they need to store more in the dam to generate power for their own use as it goes on through the hydro plant.

Looks like they need more hydro power now that they're not importing coal from Oz.

 

It high-tide (time?) for the Thai gov't to send those expensive submarines upriver to torpedo the damn dams.

No surprises here, it’s been on the cards for a few years, I don’t think those quality tourists will be getting much of a reception in years to come, they’ll be lucky to get even a false smile.

Be nice or the owners will turn off your water. 

you can only wish for massive flooding in china as return of karma

They suck up the Mekong, they infect the world with their virus, they send their PM2.5 pollution southwest into Thailand.  So what's not to like about China?

56 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

you can only wish for massive flooding in china as return of karma

There is indeed national karma as well as personal, however wishing for floods in China that could see many people die is hardly going to produce any positive outcome for yourself. Not being facetious, but wishing ill on others is never a good idea, thoughts exert the same karmic pressure as actions.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

China notifies Mekong River neighbours it is holding back waters

Obviously the neighbors (vassals) didn't pay the rent (tribute) to their landlord (Overlord)

ahh more buffet behaviour,what a surprise.what do you expect?the only thing for free from chinas covid,all mine now now now is the cultural mantra from beijing so get used to it,thats what you ordered so.......or grow a pair and dont buy their stuff,the problem is thailands mind set is very similar without the onus on education and a work ethic.ask the burmese and of course they are the latest group of the unclean responsible for the ills bestowed upon the land.id say kharma but then how did china get away with infecting the world ,ripping the world off and now feasting on the carcass?answers on a post card and send em to biden

1 hour ago, Isaan sailor said:

They suck up the Mekong, they infect the world with their virus, they send their PM2.5 pollution southwest into Thailand.  So what's not to like about China?

Not to mention the South China Sea grab and the rape of Hong Kong 

1 hour ago, superal said:

Not to mention the South China Sea grab and the rape of Hong Kong 

They're emptying the oceans with their rogue fishing fleets.

They're emptying Africa of ores and timber.

They're helping deplete protected wildlife thanks to their health superstitions.

They're helping turn the world's oceans into plastic waste dumps.

 

And now they withhold "waters" that they don't own exclusively but which they share with 4 other nations?

But, hey, as long they've notified us, thus complying with a "data-sharing pact", all is swell, right?

 

Perhaps next time when their fishing fleet turns up in our territorial waters we should simply notify them that we're going to sink each and every vessel, thus having "shared data" with them. See? It works both ways. 

5 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

you can only wish for massive flooding in china as return of karma

Sure, in which case they would open all their dams and let floods wipe out everything downstream.

 

Bad actors are bad actors at every opportunity. 

This is a lesson Americans, especially on Jan 06, have learned. 

4 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

They suck up the Mekong, they infect the world with their virus, they send their PM2.5 pollution southwest into Thailand.  So what's not to like about China?

Sure the good people of Hong Kong could add to that list

11 hours ago, webfact said:

as part of a new data-sharing pact,

“We’ll share the data, but not the water” said a govt spokesman

Notice they only admitted to it,  a day after the monitoring system (that was put in place for just such an event) caught them out. 

Usual behaviour from the untrustworthy coconuts.

In the meantime the neighboring  Asian people governments carry on as if nothing has happened . And the world watches as China makes its presence felt in many countries around the world .

Not long I fear till China rules Asia . 

Guess they love Trumps slogan and changed it to "China first" 

16 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I held back the waters all night while sleeping until I just awoke.  I then sent the flood waters down to the Chao Phrya via the sewer system. What a load of tosh, they stopped the water only because its going to create a hazard possible and they need to store more in the dam to generate power for their own use as it goes on through the hydro plant.

Sounding very xenophobic there, Ryan. How do you know it isn't for maintenance?

 

If China was an Islamic country you'd be defending them

China notifies... now that in itself is a little suspect. They don't notify anyone about anything unless it serves the communist party interests.

 

I'm predicting a very shallow mekong this year - and then the CCP will say 'we notified you...'

 

 

17 hours ago, webfact said:

China agreed last October to share water data with the MRC, an advisory body to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam that had long sought the information for planning.

 

Start message.

 

Dear downstream countries, we're massively <deleted> you. 

 

End message. 

In the future Countries downstream of China, might be getting

ransom demands, "Send us 3 Billion dollars and we will let some water flow"

in the future it will not be oil that wars are fought over, but water..

regards worgeordie

History repeating itself?????

“In 1997 the International Court of Justice was asked to resolve a controversy between the Slovak Republic and Hungary. At issue were a 1947 treaty and Slovakia's (and before it Czechoslovakia's) recent diversion of the Danube. The five-year-long disagreement occasioned escalating verbal battles, massive public protests and at one point military maneuvers along the border.”