The Lao government may resist the growing pressure to cancel the dam project, but Thailand could readily pull the plug given that dam developer CH Karnchang is based in Bangkok.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Controversy brews over leaked tiger breeding report
More than 8,000 tigers live in captivity in China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, where they are kept and bred for commercial uses, including for selfies with tourists and illegal trade in their bones, skins, and other parts.
In Mekong region, drug trade thrives
Seventy-one percent of the record seizure of 169 tonnes of methamphetamine in East and Southeast Asia in 2020 were in these five Mekong countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam,
Programme launched to rehabilitate land in degraded forest areas
This project is funded by the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund for a two-year period [2018-2020] with a budget of $500,000. So far, 90 per cent of the plan has been achieved. However, the outbreak of Covid-19 has forced the project to be delayed until the end of 2021.
UNHRC adopts Vietnam-proposed resolution on climate change, human rights
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on July 14 wrapped up its 47th session in Geneva, Switzerland, with 27 resolutions adopted, including one regarding climate change and human rights, which was initiated and compiled by Vietnam together with Bangladesh and the Philippines, focusing on vulnerable groups, especially the disabled and the elderly.
Vietnam promotes cooperation on nature preservation with WWF
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha and Director General of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Marco Lambertini discussed cooperation programmes on environmental and nature protection between the two sides during their virtual talks on July 13.
Resources & power in Myanmar
Even if democracy returns to Myanmar, it is not guaranteed it will ensure the rights of ethnic people living in the resource-rich areas, that have to date only seen the adverse impacts of their extraction.
China’s hydroelectric dams on River Mekong leaving region dry, livelihoods of millions affected
The South-East Asian countries are too weak to demand China to stop blocking water. They continue to face the ill- effects of Chinese dam constructions.
IEAD to sell electricity to Vietnam
The 600MW wind farm, located by the Mekong River opposite Thailand’s northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, will supply electricity through a 500-kilovolt transmission line to central Vietnam.
Nam Theun 2 shareholders, govt partner in world’s largest hybrid floating solar project
The government and shareholders in the Nam Theun 2 hydropower plant have agreed to develop Nam Theun 2-Solar, the largest hybrid floating solar project in the world.
With an installed capacity of 240MWp, the solar project will be built on the reservoir of Nam Theun 2, one of the largest hydroelectric projects in Laos.