UN help sought over Mekong erosion

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.