Thailand should more aware adverse impact Chinese hydropower dams blasting rapids under Mekong Navigation Channel Improvement project, Chinese environmental expert warned yesterday.

“At present, two large-scale dams have been built, one dam under construction, two dams are on way,” Yu Xiaogang told five-day public forum on River Basin Development Mekong region, running here until Tuesday.

The Chinese dams would destroy river’s ecosystem, he said.

They would give China control over water levels Mekong would longer useful any purposes other than electricity generation, said Mr Yu, director Green Watershed, China-based non-governmental organisation.

With its source Tibetan Plateau, river stretches 4,840km through six countries: Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand Vietnam.

“The more dams are constructed, greater damage would bring Mekong,” Mr Yu said.

Thailand had already experienced impact Chinese dams March, when water level Chiang Rai’s Chiang Saen district reached record low because spillways Chinese dam were closed prepare rock blasting on banks river.

International pressure must save river Chinese government’s large-scale projects, Mr Yu said, adding pressure, such strong opposition China’s navigation project, could influence government’s decision-making process. China shouldering entire burden US$5 million project, which requires destruction several reefs shoals create water channel 1.5 metres deep 25-28 metres wide allow 500-tonne ships navigate year-round. project one-third complete, he said.

Opponents said without rapids, river would flow faster, eroding banks damaging riverside plantations.

Mr Yu said Chinese environmentalists hoped Beijing’s policy makers had similar perspective regarding river China’s first generation leaders such Zhou Enlai Deng Xiaoping, who saw Mekong river which created good relationship with neighbouring countries, rather than one which brought about economic growth.

“When these leaders visited countries Indochina, always said: `We drink water same river, so are relatives’,” Mr Yu said.

But power-grid agreement endorsed last week first leaders’ summ Greater Mekong Sub-region China showed Chinese leaders longer had such admirable sentiments, he said.

Under agreement, some 32 hydropower dams within grid are scheduled completion 2019.

Participants forum, held Bangkok-based Toward Ecological Recovery Regional Alliance (TERR) Australia’s Mekong Resource Centre, discussed other projects believed environmentally harmful region.

These included Vietnam’s Yali Falls dam proposed Se San 3 dam.

Others were Thailand’s Kok-Ing-Nan Khong-Chi-Mun water diversion projects.

Kultida Samabuddhi, November 10, 2002