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UN help sought over Mekong erosion
By SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE
THE NATION (Thailand). Published on April 27, 2009
http://nationmultimedia.com/2009/04/27/regional/regional_30101379.php
A group of villagers yesterday signed a petition to lodge with the
United Nations, the Thai and Chinese governments demanding that China
take responsibility for the erosion of banks along the Mekong River
because of its dams.
Some 200 villagers who live along the Mekong River, including
residents of Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district and Ubon Ratchathani's
Pho Chai district, helped build sandbag walls to prevent further
erosion in Chiang Khong yesterday.
Villagers believe that China's dams on the mainstream of the Mekong,
including the Jinghong and Manwan dams in Yunnan province, were
responsible for the rapid erosion of the river's banks.
"After the completion of the Chinese dam in the Mekong, people
downstream could not predict the water levels in the river," said
Bounkong Bounvas, village head of Ban Pak Ing Tai. "It could flood
shortly after the dams release water downstream and strong tide could
destroy the river's banks and our farm areas."
The disappearance of reefs is another cause for concern. To make the
Mekong more navigable, China had to blast all the reefs from Jinghong
down to the Golden Triangle, causing the flows of the river to change
considerably, said Mekong conservationist Niwat Roikaew.
Heavy flood in August last year, after a huge amount of water was
released from the dams, caused damage to agricultural areas in
Thailand alone worth more than Bt85 million, he said.
"We demand the Chinese government take responsibility for the damage,"
he said.
Sangwan Bounnoi from Ubon Ratchathani said the dams have posed a
serious threat to environment and agriculture in the Mekong basin. The
Thai government also should review its plan to have the Ban Kum dam on
the Mekong mainstream in the area of Ubon Ratchathani, she said. |
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