The Bangkok Post, January 10, 2003

MEKONG REEF BLASTING
Review of project demanded
Government told to seek public approval
Teerawat Kumtita

Senate committees are demanding reconsideration of the planned destruction
of reefs in the Mekong river to clear a channel for commercial shipping.

Blasting of the Chinese section of the river began on Dec 15 and is due for
completion by April 15.

Beijing has allocated 42 million yuan, about 220 million baht, for the
blasting of a shipping channel along the 4,880 kilometres of the river
through China, where it is known as the Lancang, Burma, Laos, Thailand,
Cambodia and Vietnam.

Senator Kraisak Choonhavan, chairman of the senate committee on foreign
affairs, yesterday urged the government to review the project, taking into
account the environmental and social impacts.

He said it needed the people's approval first, to avoid problems like those
surrounding the Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline.

Senator Tuanjai Deethes, chair of the senate environment panel, said the
Mekong River Commission should put reef blasting on hold and take into
account people's concerns about environmental and social impacts.

Any use of the Mekong river must be decided by all six member countries of
the MRC _ Thailand, China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Blasting of a shipping channel would benefit China the most, she said.
Better water transport would facilitate exports of Chinese goods,
especially farm produce and textiles. This would have repercussions on
Thailand.

Senator Chirmsak Pinthong, chair of the senate committee for people's
participation, said members of his panel would visit Laos early next month
and would sound out people's opinions on the project.

Planned clearance in the Mekong river in the Khon Phi Long area, opposite
Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district, had still not begun, and there were
reports that Lao authorities had petitioned with China against the project,
he said.

Mr Chirmsak accused Beijing of pushing the project for the sole benefit of
Chinese interests.

On Jan 8-9, Mr Chirmsak, Mr Kraisak and Mrs Tuanjai led 20 Thai diplomats
to gather local opinions and inspect Khon Phi Luang, an islet in the Mekong
river between Chiang Khong district and Laos which would probably be destroyed.

Chiang Khong district chief Sakchai Jorphli said local people were strongly
opposed to its destruction.

Thongsawan Promrat of tambon Muang Yai Administration Organisation said
people there were afraid of soil erosion, which would stop fish spawning in
the river.

A Chinese businessman who exports dried longan via the Mekong river said
Beijing had ordered the river closed for three days at a time to allow
blasting, and then they open it for a single day to allow boats to pass
along the waterway.

He said there was no need for China to invest in rock blasting in the river
near Luang Prabang in Laos, since land transport from China to Vientiane
was already convenient. Krit Kraijitti, deputy chief of the Economic
Affairs Department, said he understood clearance work was about 40%
complete on the Chinese section of the river.