Regulators Urged To Slow Damage To Mekong Basin

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SEMINAR

Regulators urged to slow damage to Mekong basin

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Nakhon Phanom - Climate change and massive infrastructure projects have had negative impacts on the environment and lives in the Mekong basin, academics and experts said yesterday.

They urged regulatory bodies to pay greater roles in preventing the damage.

Global climate change has increased the severity and frequency of natural disasters in the basin and many riparian countries faced severe drought and floods over recent years, they said.

Research by Vietnamese academics suggested the mekong Delta would face a major change of sea level and rainfall in coming decades.

Because of global climate change, the sea level in the mekong Delta in southern Vietnam will increase by 30 per cent by 2050, said Van Pham Dong Tri from Can Tho University in the country's southwest.

Increases in sea level and changes in rainfall mean floods and loss of fresh water in the area, he said.

Many experts and academics discussed aspects affecting the mekong basin during a two-day seminar in Nakhon Phanom hosted by the Toyota Thailand Foundation, the Foundation for Promotion of Social Science and Humanities Textbook Project, and Nakhon Phanom University.

Not only climate change but also giant infrastructure projects, notably dam construction in the mekong mainstream, will damage the river and its basin, said Thai conservationist Hannarong Yaowalers. China's dams in the river's upper reaches have had a major environmental impact on the environment and lives of people in downstream, he said.

Although only 11 per cent of the mekong flows through China, fluctuation in the flow caused by hydropower generators affected people in such locations downstream as Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong districts, he said.

If countries in the lower mekong basin such as Laos, Thailand and Cambodia built more dams on the mekong mainstream, they would cause more trouble, Hannarong said. Such dams would block migration of fish, notably the giant catfish.

Many dams are planned for the lower mekong such as Ban Koum, Xayabouri and Don Sahong. The mekong River Commission conducted a study on the environmental impact of the projects and recommended options for member countries. These included delaying the projects for 10 years and construction in accordance with market demand and commercial viability, said MRC expert Withoon Wiriyaskulthorn.

Building dams in the mainstream of the river requires consultation with member countries, but he admitted that the MRC had no power over sovereign nations.

A Laotian academic said the government in Vientiane planned to utilise water resources in the mekong and its tributaries to generate electricity to bring in hard currency to reduce poverty in the country.

"We are aware of the environmental impact and will enforce laws and regulations to prevent damage," said National University of Laos academic Souphab Khouangvichit.

"Since most of project developers are foreign companies, we don't know if they will comply with the laws," he said.

-- The Nation 2010-10-22

[LaoPo]

A Laotian academic said the government in Vientiane planned to utilise water resources in the mekong and its tributaries to generate electricity to bring in hard currency to reduce poverty in the country.

"We are aware of the environmental impact and will enforce laws and regulations to prevent damage," said National University of Laos academic Souphab Khouangvichit.

"Since most of project developers are foreign companies, we don't know if they will comply with the laws," he said.

That's a very strange remark by this academic Gentleman since the largest dam in Laos, now under planning is financed and built by a Thai company wilst the Thai government (via Thai Energy company) will buy the electricity from Laos. The contract have been signed.

Laos itself should pay attention that the Thai companies comply with the Lao Laws I would think.

LaoPo

[chantorn]

All the dams in this world should be removed for the environment sake.

You you thing Maldives will remain afloat? hel_l, it is too far from Thailand anyway.

[tomyummer]

The damage has already been done and is unstoppable. China has already completed three dams with another 12 or so in planning stages. Good luck on trying to slow the Chinese down. As the Mekong originates from within their borders, I'm sure they'll use it as a way to force trade in their favor. Like controlling the water faucet located at one 'Chinese' house that feeds the rest of the houses on the block.

And since the Chinese are doing it, the rest of the nations will want to do it. The Mekong is basically screwed and destined to become just a lifeless water pipe.

[RickBradford]

Because of global climate change, the sea level in the mekong Delta in southern Vietnam will increase by 30 per cent by 2050, said Van Pham Dong Tri from Can Tho University in the country's southwest.

More nonsense reporting, I guess -- does the reporter mean 30 centimeters?

The Mekong Delta was created and is sustained by the balance of two competing forces -- the flow of fresh water (and silt) coming downstream from the Mekong spreading the Delta, and the sea continually nipping away at its extremities.

Very sensibly, Vietnam's PM Nguyen Tan Dung has been banging the global warming drum for some time now, in preparation for receiving billions of dollars of guilt-ridden Western 'mitigation' funds, some of which may actually get used on environmental projects.

He is no dummy, and knows which side his bread is buttered.

Edited October 22, 2010 by RickBradford

[jayjay0]

Because of global climate change, the sea level in the mekong Delta in southern Vietnam will increase by 30 per cent by 2050, said Van Pham Dong Tri from Can Tho University in the country's southwest.

More nonsense reporting, I guess -- does the reporter mean 30 centimeters?

The Mekong Delta was created and is sustained by the balance of two competing forces -- the flow of fresh water (and silt) coming downstream from the Mekong spreading the Delta, and the sea continually nipping away at its extremities.

Very sensibly, Vietnam's PM Nguyen Tan Dung has been banging the global warming drum for some time now, in preparation for receiving billions of dollars of guilt-ridden Western 'mitigation' funds, some of which may actually get used on environmental projects.

He is no dummy, and knows which side his bread is buttered.

Don't really have the statistics on the area. But it seems to me 30 centimeters would affect more than 30% of the area. Remember the river all ready backs up to Siem Reap.

[LaoPo]

Because of global climate change, the sea level in the mekong Delta in southern Vietnam will increase by 30 per cent by 2050, said Van Pham Dong Tri from Can Tho University in the country's southwest.

More nonsense reporting, I guess -- does the reporter mean 30 centimeters?

The Mekong Delta was created and is sustained by the balance of two competing forces -- the flow of fresh water (and silt) coming downstream from the Mekong spreading the Delta, and the sea continually nipping away at its extremities.

Very sensibly, Vietnam's PM Nguyen Tan Dung has been banging the global warming drum for some time now, in preparation for receiving billions of dollars of guilt-ridden Western 'mitigation' funds, some of which may actually get used on environmental projects.

He is no dummy, and knows which side his bread is buttered.

Don't really have the statistics on the area. But it seems to me 30 centimeters would affect more than 30% of the area.

Remember the river all ready backs up to Siem Reap.

I beg your pardon ?

What do you mean ?

LaoPo

[jayjay0]

Because of global climate change, the sea level in the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam will increase by 30 per cent by 2050, said Van Pham Dong Tri from Can Tho University in the country's southwest.

More nonsense reporting, I guess -- does the reporter mean 30 centimeters?

The Mekong Delta was created and is sustained by the balance of two competing forces -- the flow of fresh water (and silt) coming downstream from the Mekong spreading the Delta, and the sea continually nipping away at its extremities.

Very sensibly, Vietnam's PM Nguyen Tan Dung has been banging the global warming drum for some time now, in preparation for receiving billions of dollars of guilt-ridden Western 'mitigation' funds, some of which may actually get used on environmental projects.

He is no dummy, and knows which side his bread is buttered.

Don't really have the statistics on the area. But it seems to me 30 centimeters would affect more than 30% of the area.

Remember the river all ready backs up to Siem Reap.

I beg your pardon ?

What do you mean ?

LaoPo

The Mekong river yearly flows backwards when the tide is in. It goes as far up river as Nohm Peng where the tom sap joins it. The tom sap in turns flows back to its head waters in Siem Reap. The lake there grows to twice it's size. As you can see a 30 centemeter rise in the river would effect a lot of land.

To be honest I am not sure of the dynamics but I do know it does it every year.

[Phuyai]

LaoPo, several comments:

(i) Souphab Khouangvichit is speaking in the Lao style. What he is saying (and he fears to say it any clearer) is: "All the major hydropower developments, particularly those along the Mekong mainstream, are proposed by Asian companies. These companies have already paid substantial sums for the rights to plan, design and later to construct and operate these hydropower schemes (called concession agreements). These payments mostly went directly to senior party officials in Lao. As a result you can expect that the application of regulatory controls on these developments will be weak to non-existent."

(ii) The Mekong River divides into two branches at Phnom Penh. At this point a channel from the Tonle Sap also joins. The place is called "Quatre bras". The flow in the channel from the Tonle Sap reverses every year when the Mekong river rises in flood, flowing back into the Tonle Sap, filling it and flooding surrounding areas, regenerating the fisheries. http://www.mrcmekong.org/mfs/html/did_you_know.html

[LaoPo]

The Mekong river yearly flows backwards when the tide is in. It goes as far up river as Nohm Peng where the tom sap joins it. The tom sap in turns flows back to its head waters in Siem Reap. The lake there grows to twice it's size. As you can see a 30 centemeter rise in the river would effect a lot of land.

To be honest I am not sure of the dynamics but I do know it does it every year.

Can you give me a link ?

I know about the Tonle Sap Lake, increasing in size (some 6 times the "normal" size) one time per year during the monsoon season but I am not aware of the Mekong flowing backwards all the way back to Siem Reap because of hight tide in Vietnam's shores.

LaoPo