Drought affects countries along Mekong River

11 Mar 2010
Usa Pichai

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – China has refused to release water from dams on the upper Mekong River, saying that there is a drought in Yunnan region even as lower Mekong countries suffer water shortage.

Abhisit Khampilo, Director of Chiang Rai Province's Marine Transportation and Commercial Navigation Office said on Thursday that Thailand's Marine Department has requested the Chinese government to release water from four dams on Mekong River in southern China to allow commercial boats to ply on Mekong because the water is shallow now.

"Chinese authorities have said they cannot release the water because Yunnan province is facing drought and they need to reserve the water for their people. They said that they had to wait for the rainy season," he said, according to a report in a Thai news website Komchadluek on Tuesday.

Thai officials submitted the request letter in keeping with the agreement of the Joint Committee on Coordination of Commercial Navigation on the Lancang-Mekong River between China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, (JCCCN) signed in 2000.

Trairong Suwannakiri, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand on Sunday visited Mekong River bank in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai province on the border with Burma and Lao. He said that the water level, the lowest in 50 years, is creating problems for marine transportation and the livelihood of villagers along the Mekong River in Lao, Burma, and north and northeastern part of Thailand.

"We will expedite a meeting with concerned authorities and irrigation experts to figure out why the Mekong is dry. If it is because of water reserved by the Chinese authorities, we have to find a solution," Trairong said.

The problem would affect construction of the costly second port planned in Chiang Saen district.

Droughts in summer and floods in monsoon are a long-term concern for environmentalists and people living along the Mekong River, which flows through China, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. A major problem is a series of river dams built by China in the past decade, which leads to water level fluctuation.

The Mekong River reached its highest level in 30 years, in 2008, in the Golden Triangle area in northern Thailand, where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos converge. It caused large scale flooding of homes and farmlands.

Local residents said floods in the Mekong increase after dams in China open their water gates to lower the water level in the reservoirs, affecting countries downstream.

Northeastern Thailand experienced severe floods along the Mekong River in Nakorn Phanom Province, which borders Laos.

El Nino May Hit Rice Crop

MARCH 10, 2010
By SAMEER MOHINDRU
The Wall Street Journal

SINGAPORE -- An El Nino climate event is likely to affect the upcoming spring rice harvest in Southeast Asia, and if it persists, it could adversely affect the much bigger 2010 autumn crop as well, a senior scientist at the International Rice Research Institute said Wednesday.

El Nino conditions are typically associated with above average sea temperatures and usually but not always linked with below normal rainfall in many areas of the Asia-Pacific region. Due to the current El Nino, many parts of southeast Asia are currently witnessing unusually dry weather, sparking concerns about the upcoming harvest and summer plantings.

"The dry season rice harvest in Southeast Asia during April and May is expected to be affected by El Nino, and this can push up prices," Bas Bouman said at an international seminar here.

Close to 30% of the rice production in Southeast Asia is from the spring harvest.

Pacific Ocean surface and subsurface temperatures are cooling toward more average or neutral values, but will likely remain above thresholds for an El Nino climate episode until around June and July, Australia's weather bureau said Tuesday.

"If this is true, it can (adversely) affect the next crop in Thailand and India by delaying plantings," Mr. Bouman said.

Other countries such as Laos and Cambodia are heavily dependent on rains for their rice production, he said.

The forecast made last year for the El Nino was quite accurate, and farmlands across Asia including India, the Philippines and Yunnan province in China were affected, he said.

However, there wasn't any major surge in prices because supplies were ample, he said.

Two years ago, when supplies were tight, most governments insisted on replenishing the stocks, Mr. Bouman said.

Prices of rice had shot up to record high close to $1,000 a metric ton in the first half of 2008. In the Philippines rice import tender in mid-December 2009, offers were around $650-$750/ton for mostly Vietnamese rice. Cheaper quality rice from Myanmar was recently sold to Bangladesh at $395/ton on a cost-and-freight basis.

Thailand recently decided not to go ahead with a planned sale of rice from its inventories because the bid prices were considered too low.

The postponement of the sales indicates that government and traders expect prices to go up again, mainly due to El Nino, Mr. Bouman said.

Write to Sameer Mohindru at sameer.mohindru@dowjones.com.

Two major storm systems could affect the Boat Race festival

Thursday, November 22, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

An official from the ministry of meteorology and water resources indicated that there are two simultaneous storms brewing in the South China Sea and in the Pacific Ocean, and both storms are heading towards South Vietnam, and if their courses remain the same, they will also affect Cambodia on 23-24 November, the same days the Boat Race festival will take place. Long Saravuth, director of the meteorology department, told the Rasmei Kampuchea on Wednesday that his department did not inform the public yet about these storms because they are still to far away, and they have no influence yet on Cambodia. He said that if these two storms maintain their courses, they could affect Cambodia on the days of the Boat Race festival.

Cold wind is here and so does the rain

Saturday, October 20, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Long Saravuth, the director of the meteorology department of the ministry of water resources, told the Rasmei Kampuchea on Friday that the cold wind is starting to blow from the North – a sign that the rainy season is coming to an end. However, a low pressure system is still hanging over the Southern portion of Cambodia, this low pressure system is moving back and forth from North to South causing nighttime rainfalls all over the country. Long Saravuth said that, in addition to the low pressure system over the southern part of Cambodia, another low pressure system is forming over the Philippines, and it could turn into a typhoon in a next few days. But, the direction of this system is still unknown. Should this system moves towards Vietnam, it could bring in several days of rain on Cambodia. The two low pressure systems could bring rains to Cambodia until at least mid-November. As for the current cold wind, it is caused by Siberian winds.

Heavy due to low pressure system

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

According to an official with the department of meteorology of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, the successive heavy rains in the last few days are nothing more than normal rains encountered during rainy season, and they are caused by a low pressure system hanging over Cambodia. Long Saravuth, the deputy director of the department of meteorology said that during a low pressure system, rains tend to be heavier (with larger rain drops) but they do not last long. Before the rains, the weather is hot and humid and is sometime accompanied by strong whirlwinds. Long Saravuth added that, last week, the heavy rain in Phnom Penh recorded 40 millimeters (4 centimeters) in Pochentong, and higher rain recordings were registered along the rivers. A rain recording more than 20 millimeters of water drop is considered as a heavy rain.

Cambodia: Low pressure system moved out, dark clouds of corruption, land-grabbing, social injustice still linger

Flooding in Siem Reap after torential rain on 14 May (Photo: Koh Santepheap newspaper)

Thursday, May 17, 2007
Low pressure system moved out, black clouds still in the horizon

Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

An official from the department of meteorology said that low pressure which covers the entire country in the last few days, and causing rains all over the country, has moved out of the area. Long Saravuth, deputy-director of the joint meteorology department, told the Rasmei Kampuchea on 16 May that the low pressure system is no longer there, therefore the weather will no longer have any influence anymore. He said that thick dark clouds will still linger all over the country, and that these clouds were formed from water evaporation, causing rains only in the local areas where the clouds are formed, and that the rains will be of short duration. Saravuth added that these is no weather problem currently, however, another low pressure system is brewing in the China Sea and whether it will move to Cambodia or not, is not known yet at this point.