Commentary: The Laos dam collapse, and the hidden costs of the Mekong's hydroelectric plans
Beyond concern for the undoubted human costs of the collapse of a dam in Laos, this event once again focuses attention on the long-term effect of the massive expansion of hydropower in the Mekong Basin. Keep reading ...
Cambodia to evacuate 25,000 people downstream of collapsed Laos dam
An estimated 25,000 people are being evacuated from a northern Cambodian province following extensive flooding due to the collapse of a massive hydropower dam in neighboring Laos. Authorities in Stung Treng province are attempting to evacuate towns and villages downstream from the dam, which has ...
Flood alert as Mekong water rises
Residents in Nakhon Phanom were on Thursday warned to brace for possible flooding after the water level in the Mekong River rose to 11 metres, two metres away from overflow, due to downpours caused by tropical storm Son-Tinh. Keep reading ...
Addressing development along the Mekong river
Pou Sothirak, executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, sat down with Khmer Times’ COO Kay Kimsong to discuss the Mekong river and Cambodia’s role in its conservation in light of China creating the Global Centre Mekong Study (GCMS) to conduct academic ...
How a Frenzied Race to Harness the Mekong Turned Deadly
Stretching from its headwaters in the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau to its endpoint in the delta marshes of Vietnam, the mighty Mekong River is one of the world’s great ecosystems. For Laos, it represents so much more: the energy source behind an ambitious hydro-power buildout and ...
Lao dam collapse will not affect Mekong Delta: expert
The Xe Pian – Xe Namnoy hydropower dam in southern Laos, which collapsed on the night of July 23, will not affect Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, according to Associate Professor Le Anh Tuan, head of the Climate Change Research Institute under the Can Tho University. Keep ...
Environmental changes in the Mekong Delta spell trouble for farmers
The Mekong Delta is home to 15 million people, many of whom rely on the delta’s rich soil and water resources for farming and fishing. But their livelihoods are being threatened by rising sea levels, droughts, dams, and other hydrological shifts. A new article from ...
Landslides, erosions encircle Mekong Delta
Landslides in the Mekong Delta have occurred in over 560 riverside and coastal areas with a total length of 786 kilometers. These include 42 serious landslide-stricken areas, 148 kilometers in length, that need urgent treatment to save people’s lives and assets. Keep reading ...
No major flooding mishaps despite rising Mekong waters, says Ministry
Water levels have been rising in Stung Treng, Kratie, Tbong Khmum, Kampong Cham and Battambang provinces over the past two weeks, but so far floods have not had a serious impact, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology said. Its spokesman Chan Yutha told The ...
Transboundary EIAs could reduce conflict over river projects
In the Mekong river basin, massive infrastructure projects – dams, road, high-speed rail and ports – are under construction. While these projects will improve connectivity between countries, harmful environmental impacts need to be minimised. National level environmental impacts assessments that ignore cross border impacts are likely ...
