(May 6, 2011) The Save the Mekong coalition and its alliances have called for the halt of construction activity at the dam site and for the Government of Thailand to cancel its plans to purchase the dam’s electricity. Many groups from around the Mekong region have also called for cancellation of the Xayaburi Dam as it would jeopardize the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in the region.
(April 19, 2011) China defended its ambitious network of dams Tuesday, saying that it is developing its rivers in a responsible way and would never do anything to harm the interests of neighbours who live downstream of the Tibetan plateau.
(March 30, 2011) Communities dependent on the Mekong River for income and food say upstream dam development by China has disordered the river and endangered livelihoods.According to longtime residents who live alongside the river , topsy turvy tide flows caused by dam operation have brought floods, ruined crops, and made planning ahead impossible. With more hydropower projects on the cards, locals fear China is the only beneficiary of changes to the Mekong – a 5000 km waterway that flows through six countries.
(March 26, 2011) The dramatic events following the recent Japanese earthquake, triggering an unprecedented tsunami and a serious nuclear reactor incident at Fukushima points out rather glaringly the adverse impacts arising from natural disasters caused by seismic activities and exacerbated by man-made structures.
(February 25, 2011) Recent news coverage about the proposed Xayaburi dam in Laos is summarized below.
(February 25, 2011) Vientiane, Laos – An earthquake in Xayaboury, central Laos, raised further questions about government plans to build a hydropower dam in the province, media reports and observers said Friday.
(February 12, 2011) Vietnam and Laos have signed a project on building two hydro-electric power plants, namely Xekaman 1 and Xekamn Xanxay in the Lao province of Attapeu, about 75km from Vietnam.
(September 28, 2007) Chinese power companies are investing in large-scale hydropower projects in Burma, without adequate transparency or democratic oversight.
(March 1, 2007) On February 28, 2007, 19 cities worldwide expressed solidarity in opposing the planned Salween Dams.
(March 1, 2007) Thai and Burmese villagers, backed by activists around the world, on Wednesday appealed to the Thai government to end its collaboration with the Burmese military junta on five hydro-electic dams on the Salween River.
(February 28, 2007) The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), has been touting at least five dam projects on the Salween River inside Burma and along the Thailand-Burma border as potentially enormous sources of “cheap” energy.
(February 28, 2007) “We still do not know where we will be moved. The officials who came to survey our village and the nearby area did not ask for our views or discuss the plans,” says Nu, whose village has thrived on an economy of rice and vegetable farming for nearly 100 years.
(February 22, 2007) Thailand’s giant electricity investor is negotiating with various business alliances to fund and construct multiple hydro-electric dam projects in Burma. Meanwhile, environmentalists are preparing to stage protests against such investments in Bangkok and more than 10 cities worldwide next week.
(January 29, 2007) A month ago, two small river tankers each carrying about 1,000 barrels of refined oil pulled into a Mekong River port in China’s southwestern Yunnan province after a voyage from Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province.
(November 24, 2006) Several Thai scholars and members of Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission appealed to the Thai government on Friday to abandon plans to build hydro-electric dams on the Salween and Mekong rivers.
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