Cambodians protest Xayaburi in Bangkok

Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Shane Worrell
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodians were among anti-Xayaburi dam protesters who demonstrated outside Thai Parliament in Bangkok yesterday, urging Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to halt construction and tear up an agreement to buy the proposed dam’s power.

A group of Cambodians travelled to Bangkok especially to raise their concerns about the proposed hydroelectric dam, joining protesters from seven provinces in Thailand’s northeast.

They were out of luck, however, as the Thai government – which would buy the majority of the dam’s power, if built – refused to hear their calls, which accompanied 8,000 signatures on giant catfish petition postcards.

Xayaburi a go, says Lao minister

Thursday, 13 September 2012
Rann Reuy
The Phnom Penh Post

Laos will build the controversial Xayaburi hydro-electric dam on the Mekong river – and has already agreed to sell some of its electricity to Cambodia, its energy minister claimed yesterday.

In Phnom Penh for the 30th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting yesterday, Soulivong Daravong, Laos’s Energy and Minister, said the contentious 1,285 megawatt dam in the country’s north was a safe project that should not draw the anger of Laos’s Mekong basin neighbours.

“We are trying to progress, because this is an opportunity for us and we will do it sustainably,” Daravong said. “If the project is sustainable, they have no reason to object.”

Daravong went as far as to say he had received no objections from Cambodia and Vietnam – two countries that claim to have written to Laos recently, urging it to halt the project until trans-boundary impacts of the US$ 3.8 billion project are studied.

Resilience on the Mekong: A Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment in North-East Cambodia

https://www.box.com/s/zsh26y6287yubq6jiayt

Dams, climate plague Mekong

A fisherman checks his nets on a small tributary just a short distance from the Mekong River in Kratie province last month. Photograph: Will Baxter/Phnom Penh Post

Monday, 10 September 2012
Shane Worrell
The Phnom Penh Post

Villagers in Kratie province have long feared the proposed Sambor hydroelectric dam and the impact it could have on their subsistence fishing and riverbank agriculture.

According to Resilience on the Mekong: A Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment in North-East Cambodia, a report released by the World Wildlife Foundation on Friday, those concerns are more than warranted.

The report focuses on a 56 linear-kilometre stretch of the Mekong, between Stung Treng and Kratie provinces, known as the Mekong Flooded Forest.

This stretch of river, the report says, has “some of the most biologically significant habitats along the Mekong”.

MRC Official Confirms Construction Continues on Controversial [Xayaburi] Dam

Xayaburi dam construction (Photo: Bangkok Post)

The chief builder of the dam told local media in Thailand recently his company was moving forward with construction.

01 September 2012

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - A Mekong River official in Laos has confirmed that construction of the controversial Xayaburi dam there is underway, with major advanced preparations completed.

Cambodian officials object to the construction of the dam without further impact studies, following concern from conservation groups that such a dam could threaten the fish of the river, on which millions of Cambodians rely for food.

Mekong dams could rob millions of their primary protein source

Monday, August 27th, 2012
By : eco-business.com

Hydropower dams planned for the lower mainstem of the Mekong River could decimate fish populations and with them the primary source of protein for 60 million people. The impact of the dams would extend far beyond the river, as people turn to agriculture to replace lost calories, protein and micronutrients, according to a new study by WWF and the Australian National University.

There are 11 planned dam projects on the Mekong mainstem, and another 77 dams planned in the basin by 2030. The study, “Dams on the Mekong River: Lost fish protein and the implications for land and water resources”, looked at two scenarios: replacement of lost fish protein directly attributable to the proposed 11 mainstem dams, and replacement of the net loss in fish protein due to the impact of all 88 proposed dam developments.

If all 11 planned mainstem dams were built, the fish supply would be cut by 16 per cent, with an estimated financial loss of US$476 million a year, according to the study. If all 88 projects were completed, the fish supply could fall 37.8 per cent.

Cambodia’s Hydro Plans Carry Steep Costs

Lawrence Del Gigante | August 20, 2012
Inter Press Service

The Cambodian government has committed to the construction of five dams along the Mekong River in order to meet a huge demand for electricity, but environmental groups warn that severe repercussions loom for this strategy.

“While each project proposed in Cambodia comes with a different set of impacts, large dams are likely to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, increase malnourishment levels and lead to an environmentally unsustainable future,” Ame Trandem, South East Asia program director for International Rivers, told IPS.

Four dam projects have been approved so far in Cambodia, with one already operational. All are being developed by Chinese companies on build-operate-transfer agreements, according to Trandem.

The Mekong River runs through six countries, including China and Vietnam, most of which are planning the construction of hydroelectric dams.

Clinton urges Mekong nations to avoid US dam mistakes

AFP – July , 13 , 2012

The US on Friday urged Mekong nations to learn from its mistakes in river infrastructure projects, as Laos confirmed it has postponed a controversial multi-billion dollar dam project.

The $3.8 billion hydroelectric project at Xayaburi has sharply divided the four Mekong nations -- Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand -- who rely on the river system for fish and irrigation.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed for further environmental assessments before proceeding with the project during a meeting with Mekong countries in the Cambodian capital, echoing calls from Hanoi and Phnom Penh who worry the dam could decimate their fishing and farming industries.

Clinton, who called the Mekong river basin "a miracle", said Washington would help fund studies on the impact of proposed dams on the river, on which some 60 million people depend for transportation, food and economy.

Mekong threats growing?

10 July 2012
By Milton Osborne
The Interpreter

In particular, it condemns the plans for the Lower Se San dam in northeastern Cambodia, which on its own could lead to a fall of over 9% of current fish production. Strikingly, this a dam that has the vocal support of Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, who had denied that building the dam would affect fish stocks.

With a sense that the story is becoming something like 'The Perils of Pauline', the Xayaburi dam story rolls on. The fact that the issue has become tortuously prolonged should not detract from the very serious issues involved: environmental threats to the Mekong leading to the major loss of fish supplies and diminishing of sediment flow, and a falling out between the countries of the Lower Mekong Basin.

Separately, a new research report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests dams built on Mekong tributaries could post a greater threat to the river's current role as a bounteous source of fish than dams on the mainstream.

Although Lao Government ministers insist they are, for the moment, abiding by their commitment not to proceed with construction of a controversial dam at Xayaburi on the mainstream of the Mekong River between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, as agreed with their Mekong River Commission partners (Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam), they are concurrently speaking as if the project will ultimately go ahead.

Laos denies pushing ahead with controversial dam

Jul 6, 2012

REUTERS – Laos is not pushing ahead with the construction of a controversial $3.5 billion hydropower dam on the Mekong River in defiance of an agreement with neighbouring countries, official media reported on Friday.

In recent weeks, environmental activists have said Ch Karnchang Pcl CK.BK, the main developer of the 1,260 megawatt Xayaburi dam on the river Mekong, was carrying on with work on the project, which Laos agreed to suspend last December.

Campaigners say the dam would harm migratory fish and the livelihood of fishermen, and last week Cambodian villagers demonstrated against it.

Laos vows to address Mekong dam fears

AFP

BANGKOK (July 6, 2012): Laos has pledged to stall construction of a controversial multi-billion dollar dam on the Mekong river until all its neighbours' environmental concerns have been answered, state media said Friday.

The $3.8 billion hydroelectric project at Xayaburi, led by Thai group CH Karnchang, has sharply divided the four Mekong nations -- Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand -- who rely on the river system for fish and irrigation.

"The Xayaburi project will develop one of the most transparent and modern dams in the world," Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines Viraphonh Viravong told state-run Vientiane Times.

Laos denies pushing ahead with controversial dam

Friday, 6 Jul 2012

(Reuters) - Laos is not pushing ahead with the construction of a controversial $3.5 billion hydropower dam on the Mekong River in defiance of an agreement with neighboring countries, official media reported on Friday.

In recent weeks, environmental activists have said Ch Karnchang Pcl, the main developer of the 1,260 megawatt Xayaburi dam on the river Mekong, was carrying on with work on the project, which Laos agreed to suspend last December.

Campaigners say the dam would harm migratory fish and the livelihood of fishermen, and last week Cambodian villagers demonstrated against it.

Viraphonh Viravong, Laos' deputy energy minister, said the government had kept its promise, though geological sub-surface surveying was being carried out in the Mekong valley.

Xayaburi Dam Constructors Defy Moratorium

A Mekong Giant Catfish was caught by local residents on the Mekong River near the point where the Xayaburi proposed dam will be built. (PHOTO: www.camboguide.com)

July 2, 2012
By ASIA SENTINEL

Despite the opposition of three governments and an array of environmentalists and public service groups from across the planet, the Xayaburi Dam, deep inside the mountains of northern Laos on the lower Mekong River, appears to be almost unstoppable.

The Thai energy company Ch. Karnchang is said to be pressing ahead with the dam, to be built to supply electricity to the Energy Generating Authority of Thailand despite the fact that the Mekong River Commission, comprising water and environmental ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam agreed to a ban on further construction in December while a more comprehensive environmental study of the dam is completed.

However, according to the Berkeley, California- based environmental organization International Rivers, their investigation of the site reveals work is still moving forward. Significant resettlement of villagers in the area has already been undertaken, International Rivers said, despite promises by the energy company that it would comply with the Laotian government’s commitment to postpone construction until there is regional agreement.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Xayaburi

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Cambodian villagers protest controversial Laos dam

Fri Jun 29, 2012
By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian villagers demonstrated on Friday against a controversial Lao hydropower dam that activists say is being built in defiance of an agreement to assess its potentially damaging impact on millions of people first.

About 200 villagers whose livelihoods depend on the Mekong River urged a halt to the Thai-led construction of the $3.5 billion Xayaburi dam, which has angered Cambodia's government and triggered a rare rebuke by Laos's biggest ally, Vietnam.

"This dam won't just affect the people in our country but will also affect many parts of Laos," said Buddhist monk So Pra, organizer of the protest in Kompong Cham province, 124 km (77 miles) from the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

Phuket Protest: Dammed if They Do, But Undammed if They Don't

Mekong dam objectors deliver a protest letter on Phuket today (Photo by phuketwan.com)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012
By Sert Tongdee
Phuket Wan (Thailand)

PHUKET: The Mekong River rises on the Tibetan Plateau and after flowing through China forms the border at various points between neighbors Burma, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Phuket doesn't have a river of any kind but today it did have a Mekong River protest, which only goes to show how important some issue are, even when people think they so far away that they're not going to be affected.

Protesters from eight northern Thai provinces travelled to Phuket to make their feelings known today when representatives of the Mekong River Commission joined the International Conference on Transboundary River Basin Management at Movenpick Resort and Spa in Karon, on Phuket's west coast.

The protesters, about 30 in number, were demonstrating against the Xayaburi dam project, which they argue will have a devastating impact on those who live and work downstream.

Cambodia Lodges Dam Protest with Laos

The Xayaburi hydropower project on the Mekong River stirs up controversy among Laos's neighbors.

2012-05-01

Radio Free Asia

Cambodia has called for an immediate halt to the construction of the Xayaburi dam in an official protest note to Laos, officials said in a statement released Tuesday, as opposition to the hydropower project gained momentum in Thailand.

Lim Kean Hor, Cambodia’s water resources minister and its representative to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), an intergovernmental body of four countries that share the river, demanded in a letter to his Lao counterpart Noulinh Sinbandhit that construction on the dam be suspended pending an environmental impact assessment.

“Cambodia’s position is that Laos should halt the dam construction while the environmental impact study is being carried out,” the Cambodian minister said in the April 24 statement, according to Cambodian online newspaper CEN.

Many Along Mekong River Concerned About Hydropower Expansion

http://www.voanews.com/templates/widgetDisplay.html?id=149061995&player=article

April 26, 2012
Rick Valenzuela | Taikek, Laos
Voice of America

A Thai company says it is going ahead with construction of the controversial $3.5 billion Xayaburi dam on the Mekong River in Laos. Some 12 planned hydropower dams on the Mekong are expected to bring in lucrative profits, but environmentalists warn the dams threaten the health of a river that sustains tens of millions of people.

Ek Than's family has lived in this remote Mekong village in northern Kratie, Cambodia, for more than three generations.

As dams have popped up in China, as well as on upstream tributaries, he has noticed the difference.

"In the past, there were plenty of fish. Now, even if we use 10 fish traps, it's hard to get fish," he said.

Than's family lives north of one proposed hydropower dam, in Sambor district. It would be Cambodia's first on the mainstream Mekong - and one of 12 planned along the 3,000-kilometer river. Most remain suspended over environmental concerns, but governments are eager to develop hydropower to boost their economies.

Anti-Dam Protests Target Builder, Lenders

Activists protest the construction of the Xayaburi Dam in front of the Lao Embassy in Bangkok, April 18, 2011. (AFP)

Activists demand that a Thai company cease construction of the dam.

2012-04-24
Radio Free Asia

More than 60 representatives of communities along the Mekong River gathered in Bangkok Tuesday to protest construction of the controversial Xayaburi Dam on the Mekong River in Laos, despite international criticism.

A Thai construction company signed an agreement last week for pushing ahead with the construction of the dam in northern Laos in defiance of a ruling by the Mekong River Commission (MRC), an inter-governmental body that manages development along the regional artery.

According to the December ruling, the dam project should be delayed until a comprehensive environmental impact study can more properly identify potential risks.

Four Laotians took part in the protests in the Thai capital against Ch. Karnchang, the Thai company tasked with building the U.S. $3.8 billion dam, and a group of Thai banks lending the firm funds to proceed with construction.

The 1,260-megawatt dam would provide 95 percent of its electricity to Thailand.

Xayaburi dam building pact signed

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
Radio Free Asia

In a controversial move, a Thai company has signed a nearly $2 billion-dollar contract for the construction of a dam on the Mekong River in Laos even though governments in the region have not cleared the project.

Ch. Karnchang informed the Thai stock exchange Tuesday it had signed a 52 billion baht (US $1.7 billion) contract with Xayaburi Power, a Lao-Thai joint venture, to build the project, Thai media reported.

The Xayaburi hydropower dam would be on the lower part of the Mekong River, and environmental groups say it would affect the lives of millions in the region.

The latest contract says construction on the dam will begin on March 15 next year and be completed in eight years.