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Tuesday 6 December 2011

Thailand accused as 'major accomplice' in Lao dam project ahead of high-stakes meeting in Siem Reap


Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Posted by Serath

PHNOM PENH, Dec 6 (Cambodia Herald) - A group of anti-dam activists based in the United States has accused Thailand of being a "major accomplice" in a controversial hydropower project in northern Laos which would be the first mainstream dam across the Mekong River in the Lower Mekong Basin if it goes ahead.

In a statement released in Berkley, California overnight, Kirk Herbertson, Mekong campaigner for the International Rivers group, said that "the stakes are high" for this week's meeting of ministers from the Mekong River Commission (MRC), which groups Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

The three-day meeting, which follows the failure of senior officials from the four countries to reach agreement on the Lao project in April, is scheduled to start in Siem Reap Wednesday.

"Ideally, the four governments will think about the future of the Mekong River Basin and will fulfill their obligations under international law. The right decision is to recognize that a healthy Mekong River could benefit all of the region’s citizens for generations to come," he said.

DRASTIC REDUCTION IN FISH AND SEDIMENT FLOWS
Herbertson asserted that the proposed Xayaburi project would cause "significant harm in Cambodia and Vietnam" if it went ahead.

"The dam will drastically reduce the number of fish that are able to migrate upstream to their breeding grounds, depriving people in the region of an essential source of food and jobs.

"It will also prevent nutrients from traveling downstream to farmers who grow rice and other crops in Cambodia and the Mekong River Delta," he said.

Herbertson noted that Laos was "intent on building the dam" but stressed that Thailand was a "major accomplice in the Xayaburi Dam controversy. Not only does Thailand plan to purchase 95 percent of the dam’s electricity, but Thai companies are building the dam and four Thai banks will finance the project.

"Without Thailand’s help, the Xayaburi Dam would not exist," he said. "Thailand is busy designing the dam, building the dam, paying for it, and deciding how to use its electricity. This is the equivalent of planning the bank robbery, putting together the gang, buying the guns, driving the getaway car, and keeping most of the loot."

INCONSISTENT WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW
Herbertson also recalled that Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk announced last week that Laos had the right to construct the dam as it would be located inside Lao territory and that Thailand would not oppose the project.

According to the anti-dam activist, "Thailand is deflecting responsibility for the impacts of the dam, even though it will reap many of the benefits. This position is not at all consistent with international law."

The Mekong River Basin, Herbertson said, is a "shared resource among the four countries, and the Xayaburi Dam’s harmful impacts will cross borders into Cambodia and Vietnam. Although the dam would be located in Laos, the decision lies well within Thailand’s control. Thailand could still be 'guilty' if the Xayaburi Dam proceeds."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn spinless and mindless Thais!

Anonymous said...

Thai strangled Khmers again, this time not their bullets but natural water resources.