WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST
Curating news, commentary and resources on development, its environmental and social impacts, and the context affecting the Mekong Region
MEKONG DEVELOPMENT
Damming of the Mekong: Thai Villagers Lament a River in Crisis
Large numbers of people here in the dry northeast region of Thailand bordering Laos and Cambodia, a region known as Isaan, are facing the consequences of changes in the natural rhythms of the Mekong River wrought by the construction in recent years of dams upstream in China and Laos.
CAMBODIA
Cambodia puts its arduous titling process for Indigenous land up for review
People who have engaged in the Indigenous land titling process say it is time-consuming and arduous, and that even successful claimants are often granted title to just a fraction of their customary land.
LAOS
Laos Opens More Land to Chinese Investment, Raising Local Concerns
A Chinese company has signed an agreement with Lao authorities to study the prospects for development of 5,000 hectares of land in southern Laos’ Attapeu province, raising concerns among residents that investors will take more land over time, destroying local livelihoods.
Myanmar
Mapping Myanmar’s water resources is key to developing sustainable aquaculture and improving nutrition
IWMI’s project team is modeling the Irrawaddy river basin that covers approximately 50% of Myanmar (337,400 km2). The objective is to quantify available water sources and pinpoint potential areas for developing new fishponds while also monitoring water quality to understand where poor conditions may constrain development.
Thailand
Sweden supports Thai partnership for plastic reduction
With support from the Swedish government, the Solid Waste Management Association, Thailand (SWAT) is launching its Plastic Footprint Reduction Project to reduce ocean plastic pollution
