More talk on Pak Bang Dam, but is anyone listening?
THE THAI delegation at a meeting this week on a third dam planned for the Lower Mekong River at Pak Bang in Laos urged the Chinese project developer, Datang Corp, to conduct a transboundary study to resolve outstanding issues. The developer appeared hesitant to take up the idea posed at the informal Technical Consultation Meeting at Chiang Mai University, saying all government-set conditions had been satisfied. Also attending the meeting were representatives of the Thai Mekong People’s Network from Eight Provinces and academics, who share concerns about the dam’s potential impacts.