Thai plan threatens Mekong

Thursday, August 07, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

The Thai government has revived controversial plans to divert water from tributaries of the Mekong river to help agricultural production in the drought affected north east of the kingdom.

But conservationists are concerned the ambitious projects threaten the health of the river system and thousands of down stream villagers whose daily lives revolve around one of Southeast Asia's major waterways.

Presenter: Claudette Werden
Speakers: Dr Philip Hirsch, Australian Mekong Resource Centre; Jeremy Bird, CEO Mekong River Commision; Pianporn Deetes, Living Rivers Siam

(SFX- fishing in the mekong)

WERDEN: The Mekong is one of the world's largest and longest rivers. From the Tibetan Plateau, it runs through China's Yunnan province, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Millions of people depend on the river and its tributaries for food, water and transport. Water flows along the Mekong have already been affected by China's construction of hydro dams.

For the past 20 years, Thailand has come up with no less than eight water diversion projects ..... at least two affect the neighbouring countries of Burma and Laos. Critics including Dr Philip Hirsch from the Australian Mekong Resource Centre say the government's rush to revive the projects is a political ploy.

HIRSCH: What's important to understand at the political level here is to understand is that the north and northeast of Thailand is and always has been the poorest region of Thailand, the driest region of Thailand and there's a certain pork barrelling aspect here of securing votes in northeastern Thailand by promising to green the northeast, just as the army used to say when it was looking at a similar type of scheme some twenty years ago.

WERDEN : Pie Deetes from the Thailand based environmental NGO Living River Siam says the government has yet to consult with communities who'll be directly affected if the water diversions go ahead. She's concerned those who stand to benefit are not local farmers by large agribusinesses who are more interested in growing crops for biofuel.

PIE: These water diversions are not for small scale farmers but is to support the large scale farm that's not owned by the community but by the companies and large scale farmers they're trying to promote energy crop its not for rice or food.

WERDEN :Despite the years of talking no diversions from neighbouring countries or of the Mekong have yet taken place, the Thai government has though spent big on the construction of at least two large dams and thats got conservationists worried. But Jeremy Bird, ceo of the Vientiane based Mekong River Commission, says the resurgence of interest is as a result of the current global food crisis and need for food security. The MRC is the body tasked with managing development along the river, and Mr Bird says no project can proceed without an environmental assessment and neighbouring government approval.

BIRD: Certainly some of those concerns from downstream countries about the impact of diversion of water on dry salinity in the delta area and particularly on the availability of irrigation water in the delta area and on the flow situation in the dry season which is very important for the fisheries, so those issues will be discussed during this consultation process but also in the medium turn we're going to see a situation where as a result of construction of dams upstream in China, there will be some significant increases in dry season flows in the Mekong which actually then might facilitate Thailand taking water from the river because then there'll be more water available during the dry season.

Chinese dams may scupper Mekong water diversion plan

Wednesday February 27, 2008
APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Bangkok Post

Chinese dams built on the Mekong river upstream could become obstacles to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's plan to divert water from the river to feed northeastern farmland, say Water Resources Department experts. They fear that the dams will lead to a reduction in the amount of water flowing downstream.

Saravut Cheevaprasert, director of the department's water resources policy and planning bureau, said the project could lead to water utilisation conflicts among countries in the lower Mekong basin.

He said members of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) - Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand - have not reached agreement on how much water each country can divert to their territory in the dry season.

''If we ignore good practice regarding the Mekong's utilisation, other countries may lodge complaints against us,'' Mr Saravut told a seminar on water diversion plans organised by Kasetsart University.

The idea of water diversion from the Mekong river has been proposed by Mr Samak who said the project was one of five megaprojects his government intended to implement.

Mr Saravut said the government should dust off the Kong-Chi-Moon water diversion project to supply water to farmland. The project, which was suspended years ago as it caused widespread soil salination in the region, is much cheaper than the Mekong river diversion.

Under the Kong-Chi-Moon project, 16 check dams would be built in the Chi and Moon river basins to store and supply water to over 400,000 rai of farmland.

The department also urged the government to consider diverting water from the Ngum river in Laos with some form of bilateral agreement, saying that the river would not be affected by Chinese dam construction and Thailand would not have to consult MRC members since the river is not an international one.

However, Chawee Wongprasittiporn, a senior engineer from the Irrigation Department, played down concerns over the impact of Chinese dams on Mekong water diversion, saying that the dams would be constructed to generate electricity, so water would be discharged from the dams to run turbines.

''Simulations have shown that water levels downstream in the Mekong will rise 20% during the dry season if Xiaowan dam, the largest dam in the series, is operational. So there will be enough water for us all year round,'' she said.

Currently, the department can supply only 10% of 105 million rai of farmland in the Northeast. It is expected that water consumption in Isan will rise from 10 billion cubic metres to over 48 billion cubic metres in 20 years.

Neighbours wary of Thailand's Mekong River water diversion plan

Neighbours wary of water plan

Tuesday February 26, 2008
SARITDET MARUKATAT
Bangkok Post

At home Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is fighting for some proof that his cabinet ministers are good and credible enough to run the country. Abroad, the premier has to soothe Thailand's neighbours' concerns.

Mr Samak is not happy with criticism from the media and opposition Democrat party regarding his cabinet members. That's understandable, given that not all of them have been picked or approved by him. At 73, he's not young any more. But his time with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is relatively ''young'' compared with other loyalists who are now with the People Power party. That could be why he had little influence when it came to forming this government. The only thing the seasoned politician can do now is show the public that he's the one who calls the shots for his administration, that he aims to complete his four-year mandate.

The prime minister seems to have lots of things to do during his tenure. Some were unveiled the same day his premiership was endorsed by His Majesty the King, others have come up later and he uses his weekly broadcasting show to tell viewers and listeners across the country.

One item on Mr Samak's to-do list which is under very close watch by countries surrounding Thailand is his idea of using water from the Mekong River for northeastern farmers. That plan, in fact, is high on his agenda. The plan looks simple, judging from what he has explained to the public through the media. Water from the mighty Mekong will be diverted to reservoirs in the Northeast through tunnels. Then when people need to use water for farming, this will be released to farmlands. This, according to Mr Samak, is a way to rid the farmers of poverty in the poorest region of Thailand.

But the water diversion plan will definitely not be easy when it comes to carrying it out. Mr Samak's idea sounds very impressive. Instead of watching the river passing us by on its way to the sea in southern Vietnam, why should Thailand not make maximum use of it?

The difficult part is that Thailand cannot use water from the Mekong at will. Unlike the Chao Phraya, Mae Klong and Tha Chin, the Mekong is an international river. It is not the private asset of any country in particular. This, at least, applies to countries in the lower basin of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. China still treats the Mekong as a Chinese river, calling it Lancang and claiming that it simply runs inside China and does not form a border with other countries.

The Mekong's waters are not and cannot be managed by Mr Samak or the Thai government alone. The Mekong River Commission takes care of it, with consent from other countries. Countries sharing the Mekong and located above Thailand (Burma and China), will not be affected by the plan. But that would not be the case for Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Though their governments are quiet on this idea of Mr Samak's, this cannot be interpreted as meaning they agree with it. Water from the Mekong is more precious for them than it is for Thailand. The river serves as a backbone for agriculture in Laos, like the importance of the Chao Phraya to Thai farmers. In Laos, most of its scarce arable land lies along the bank of the Mekong. The Mekong also helps farmers and water transport in Cambodia and at the same time supplies water to the Vietnamese farmers in the delta, which is Vietnam's most suitable land for farming.

With the importance this river holds for these countries, it is easy to say what they have in mind regarding Mr Samak's plan. Nobody believes that water siphoned off by Thailand will have no effect on other countries sharing the same river and relying heavily on its water too.

Their leaders will be keen to hear from the Thai prime minister how serious he is about pushing this idea, when he soon begins the traditional visit to other countries in Southeast Asia. His trips include Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, which stand to be affected by the Thai water project.

Mr Samak has promised he will go there by commercial flight instead of the specially arranged aircraft normally used by Mr Thaksin. This is good news for taxpayers as far as form is concerned. The substance will be Mr Samak's diplomatic skills in convincing them not to protest against his pet plan.

Saritdet Marukatat is News Editor, Bangkok Post.

Samak's Mekong plan could hurt trade ties

Jingjai: Vietnam and Cambodia at risk

Friday February 22, 2008
PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's ambitious plan to divert water from the Mekong River to feed the water-starved Northeast faces opposition from business leaders who warn that it might affect future trade and investment expansion in the region.

Jingjai Hanchanlash, chairman of the Greater Mekong Subregion Committee and an executive member of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, strongly disagrees with the plan since the Mekong is an international river.

Mr Jingjai, also the director of the trading company Loxley Plc, said Vietnam and Cambodia would definitely be the hardest hit if the scheme materialised as the two countries are downstream from Thailand.

The Mekong starts in China and flows through Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Water use for the lower basin, comprising Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, is regulated by the Mekong River Commission (MRC).

The newly appointed premier has floated the idea of building an underground pipeline to divert water from the Mekong River to reservoirs in the northeastern region. Water pipelines would then transport water to farmland.

Mr Samak's proposal is not new. The Irrigation Department had conducted a feasibility study for the Mekong water diversion project years ago, but it never materialised because it carried a high cost and was unlikely to be economically viable.

Mr Jingjai said the issue would likely be highlighted at a March 31 meeting between leaders of China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and Laos. He said the leaders would also discuss how to expand trade and investment in the region, particularly in the sectors of communication, tourism, energy, environment, agro-industry and logistics.

The meeting would also focus on the joint development of cultural tourism destinations, including Luang Prabang in Laos, Bagan in Burma, Sukhothai in Thailand, Hue in Vietnam, Lijiang in China and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Thailand could play a key role as it has liberalised trade the most among the various countries, he said.

Loxley itself has been relatively active in investments in those countries, he added. Loxley Plc, the 69-year-old trading firm better known for its high-technology, communications and construction businesses, has invested in fibre-optic projects in Laos and agro-industry in Vietnam.

Mr Jingjai said the company was also interested in expanding into construction materials and consumer products, notably in Vietnam. Loxley has already had a strong network in Vietnam after exporting shrimp feed and fibre products there for almost five years. Sales hit 300 million baht last year.

This year Loxley planned to expand further in Vietnam as it has strong growth potential. Plans are also afoot to set up a shrimp feed manufacturing facility in Vietnam, Mr Jingjai said.

Apart from Vietnam, Loxley is also looking to expand into Laos, particularly in the cable TV business. The company is also looking for a sourcing business for chain stores in Burma.

[Thai PM] Samak's plan to divert Mekong water panned

Isan scheme feasible, say experts, but costly

Tuesday February 05, 2008
POST REPORTERS
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's ambitious plan to divert water from the Mekong river to feed the water-starved Northeast is ''theoretically possible'' but not worth the investment, state water management experts have criticised. Veera Wongsaengnak, deputy chief of the Irrigation Department, said the prime minister's idea was not new as his department had conducted a feasibility of the Mekong river water diversion project years ago, but the scheme had never materialised because it cost a lot of money and it was unlikely to be economically viable.

''There are other alternatives cheaper and more effective than the Mekong water diversion to sustainably solve water shortages in the Isan region,'' he said.

These included building more reservoirs in the region to store water for use during the dry season.

Mr Veera also expressed concern over complicated procedures in utilising water resources from the Mekong, which is an international river.

The Mekong starts in China and flows through Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Water use for the lower basin, comprising Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, is regulated by the Mekong River Commission (MRC).

The water management expert's comments came after the newly-appointed premier on Sunday floated the idea of building an underground pipeline to divert water from the Mekong river to the northeastern region.

Under the plan, water from the Mekong river would be diverted through underground tunnels.

Reservoirs would be built and water pipelines laid down to transport water to farmland.

Siripong Hungspreug, deputy permanent-secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, said: ''The project is technically possible, but the problem is whether it is worth the investment, while the project's environmental impact should also be taken into account,'' he said, adding that the ministry would update the government on MRC regulations about Mekong water utilisation so that policies would be in line with the regional agreement.

Montree Chantarawong, campaign coordinator of the Bangkok-based Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance (Terra), said the Samak government should learn from the previous Mekong-Chi-Mun water diversion project which aimed to divert water from the Mekong to the Chi and Mun rivers.

The project was shelved as it caused widespread soil salination.

The region has a vast area of salt deposits which would wreak havoc upon farmland in those areas near waterways or reservoirs.

Mr Montree suggested Mr Samak dust off the Thaksin government's one-village-one-reservoir scheme in which each village has at least one water reservoir.

He said the project was the right way to manage water resources but it has been poorly managed.

Megaprojects 'a top priority' for new [Thai] govt

Big plans for diversion of water from Mekong

Monday February 04, 2008
ANUCHA CHAROENPO
Bangkok Post

The incoming government will make megaprojects worth at least 500 billion baht its top priority soon after the new cabinet members take office, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said yesterday.

The projects include an ambitious plan to build an underground pipeline to divert water from the Mekong river to the northeastern region and the extension of the skytrain by more than 100 kilometres to reach the outer suburbs of Bangkok.

The newly-appointed prime minister said the ambitious water project aimed at helping farmers in the Northeast, the country's poorest region, would probably not be completed under his government's four-year term due to the scale of it. But it was a good start and future governments should continue it, he said.

He said the project had received the full backing of northeastern MPs.

Under the plan water from the Mekong, which runs about 700 kilometres from Chiang Rai to Ubon Ratchathani along Thailand's northern border, will be diverted through underground tunnels to Loei and Udon Thani, where reservoirs will act as distribution centres to send the water on to farms in other provinces during the dry season. The water will be transported through small pipelines.

Mr Samak said the project was realistic, given what Israel had done by turning its arid areas into fertile farmland, and vowed to make it possible even though he could possibly face criticism from environmentalists.

''I am not too ambitious. State agencies involved, especially the Royal Irrigation Department, must seriously help us undertake it,'' he said.

''Were I not prime minister, I would not have an opportunity to push for this project,'' he added.

He said he did not care about opposition from non-governmental organisations.

Past governments tried to divert water from the Mekong but faced strong opposition from other countries sharing the river. The Mekong starts in China and flows through Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Water use for the lower basin, comprising Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, is regulated by the Mekong River Commission.

The People Power party leader also pledged to complete the extension of Bangkok's skytrain system within three years. He said the present network was not extensive enough to serve commuters across Bangkok and its nearby areas.

The planned extended lines will start from Mor Chit station to Lam Luk Ka district in Pathum Thani, and from the Taksin bridge station to the Om Noi area in Samut Sakhon.

Other mass transportation development projects include the planned construction of nine more train lines and a plan to expand dual railway tracks from 3,700 to 7,400 kilometres.

The prime minister also said he was confident he could handle all the megaprojects as he had taken on several administration-related jobs with the transport system.

Mr Samak's plans for the skytrain could put him at loggerheads with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), which owns the project. The present two routes from Taksin bridge to the National Stadium and from Onnuj to Mor Chit are operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc under a 30-year concession which started in December 1999.