Vientiane Times
February 7-10, 2003

Blasting may not significantly alter Mekong, say officials
Vientiane Times reporters

Thai officials have expressed concerns over a project to improve the
Mekong's shipping capacity. They say that alterations to the river's
natural geography may damage the Mekong ecosystem.

Thai officials visited the Prime Minister's Office on February 4 to voice
their concerns over the potential of the project to disrupt the environment
and the lives of people living along both sides of the Mekong river. They
asked what would happen if the rapids were blasted.

"I am afraid that the project for shipping lane improvements from China to
Bokeo province will bring a lot of negative impacts on people who live
along the Mekong river if the rapids are destroyed," said Charmsak
Pinthong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Participation of
Thailand.

"The water will change its course if the rapids are blasted and the water
level will flow more quickly which may cause the banks to erode. The
agricultural plantations of people living along the Mekong river will be
ruined if the river floods its banks during the wet season and is too low
during the dry. Houses will also be destroyed if the Mekong foods," he added.

Lao officials say that under a Chinese-funded project some nine rapids have
already been destroyed including the Namleuy rapid located 135 km from
China, Tang-or rapid located 195 km from China and Luangtay 65 km from China.

"The rapids are a place for fish to breed and a place for Khay (river weed)
to grow. But if there are no rapids the giant catfish Paa Beuk will not
breed between Siengkhong, Thailand and Bokeo province, Laos. It doesn't
like to breed in the wet season because the water is dirty. It will only
breed in the season when the water is clear, but if the rapids are blasted
for ships the water will not be clear and the fish will be in danger," said
Mr Charmsak Pinthong.

During his visit, Mr Charmsak accompanied by his team met Mr Sitaheng
Rasphone, Vice Chairman of the Lao National Mekong Committee in the evening
of February 4 at the Prime Minister's Office to discuss the negative and
positive impacts of the project for shipping improvements among the Mekong
subregion countries of Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and China.

Many questions were asked by the Thai senate committee about public
participation. They were clearly worried about the people's living
conditions on both sides of the Mekong river.

Sitaheng Rasphone responded to the question by saying that he could not
give the answers because research has so far not been conducted between the
four Mekong sub-region countries about the impacts and benefits of the
projects.

"If the boats only carry around 100-150 tonnes they might not have much of
a negative impact and we will try to spread information for the people
living along the Mekong river about the water level and seek for ways to
cope with the problem," he said.

"We will organise meetings that include local officials. So that, they can
share their ideas about the project," said Mr Sitaheng.

The main purpose of the project is to improve Mekong shipment from China to
Bokeo province and to exchange and increase the trade relationship and
tourism among the Mekong sub-region countries including Laos, Thailand,
China, Myanmar.

"We are only blasting the rapids that cause difficulties for the boats
sailing along the river. We are not blasting every rapid in the Mekong
river," said Mr Boriboun Sanasisan, Deputy General of the Lao National
Mekong Committee.

He said that the negative impact would be minimal for people living along
the Mekong river because Laos has co-operated with China to measure the
water level many times and the results of the measuring found that the
water level had only changed a little bit from its original.
The project is being implemented in accordance with the Government's policy
to establish Laos as a transit country in the Mekong sub-region, he said.
The project would motivate Lao people in the north to increase agricultural
production and exports to other countries by boat.

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