Bangkok Post : China asks Mekong states to visit dam

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China asks Mekong states to visit dam

Wants to counter claims that it's causing drought

Published: 10/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

China has invited countries from the lower Mekong subregion to visit its Jinghong dam in a bid to counter claims that its poor water management is causing drought in downstream countries.

Kasemsun Chinnavaso, director-general of the Water Resources Department, said China had invited representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand early this year to visit the Jinghong dam, one of four dams it operates along the Mekong River, but the trip was postponed due to cold weather.

The new visit is expected to take place this month.

"This is a very significant step for closer bilateral cooperation between China and members of the lower Mekong subregion for effective river management to deal with recent unusual drought and floods," Mr Kasemsun said.

The downstream countries blame China's dams for unusual flooding along the Mekong two years ago and for this year's severe drought.

Today's editorial: Response needed from China

Jinghong is one of the largest dams on the Mekong, with a generating capacity of 1,500 megawatts. It is located just 280km from Chiang Rai province.

Chinese authorities earlier brushed aside calls by the Mekong River Commission for it to reveal information about the dam's water management.

The commission is made up of representatives from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

China has rejected the allegations. Its Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue told Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday that China's dams were not a major cause of problems along the river. Just 13% of the water that feeds the Mekong comes from China, he said.

The Chinese embassy in Thailand is expected to hold a news conference tomorrow to explain the impact of its dams on the Mekong.

The Chiang Khong Conservation Group in Chiang Rai will submit a protest letter to the Chinese embassy on April 2, said Niwat Roykaew, a key member of the group.

The Chiang Khong group will also submit a letter to the MRC. which is meeting in Hua Hin from April 3-7.

The group will demand that the international organisation reviews its role after failing to protect and preserve one of the world's largest fresh water ecological systems, Mr Niwat said.

Meanwhile, Chiang Rai governor Sumet Saengnimnuan said he would ask local fisherman not to catch giant catfish this year, due to a dramatically declining population in the Mekong.

Laos has issued a law banning the fishing of the endangered species which is only found in the Mekong.

Thailand should also take more aggressive action to protect the giant catfish, Mr Sumet said.

Drought has also spurred Provincial Police Region 3, which is responsible for the lower Northeast, to step up patrols along the Mekong to curb cross-border drug trafficking which has become easier as the river's water level drops.

Ten drug traffickers with more than 200,000 methamphetamine tablets in total have been arrested while trying to enter Thailand illegally over the past couple of months, regional police chief Dechawat Ramsomphop said.

He said three spots along the river are often used by traffickers to cross between Thailand and Laos - tambon Ban Khok Sarn Tha in Amnat Charoen, and tambons Ban Song Khon and Ban Bueng Suay in Ubon Ratchathani.

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About the author

: Writer: Apinya Wipatayotin; Position: Reporter

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Nhat Dinh

Discussion 8 : 10/03/2010 at 09:32 PM8
The 13% is probably the blue-print answer for Chinese diplomats as Hu when they are asked about water in Mekong. Very unfortunate it was Thai government asking, not Vietnam.
Also if those 13% comes in dry season the meaning is much more than 13% for south Vietnamese farmers who are watching desperately their rice fields submerged in salty water. I don't have all the figures that those guys at MRC but I guess the glacier in China plays very important role during the dry season. The rain water is less important in maintaining constant flow of mother Kong.
At the same time, both Vietnam and Thailand are building dams in Laos to catch Mekong water for electricity. It makes them difficult to blame China.
I wish governmental officials an enjoyable trip to JingHong! Hao Hao!
Pointman #2

Discussion 7 : 10/03/2010 at 03:46 PM7
Discussion 4, Kasper: I lke you post. It's very, informative.

I'm all for dams because without dams, too much water would be wasted due to the fast flow of water downstream and out of the river. If there were no dams on the river at all, the river would most-likely be lower than it is now.
girlnextdoor

Discussion 6 : 10/03/2010 at 02:58 PM6
China is thirsty and hungry for any resourses it can get its hand on.

No matter how much money it has or how high is China´s economy right now, it is in desperately need of resourses as strategic as WATER and FOOD to survive.

Chinese government will never admit it is causing any problem in the Mekong subregion.

Water and agricultural resourses will be the cause of future conflicts in our world.

Beware of China then!!!
dang boonlert

Discussion 5 : 10/03/2010 at 02:00 PM5
The Mekong River originates in the Himalayan Mountain Range in Tibet. The Chinese government ignores the shrinking glaciers, continues deforestation, and damming rivers without studying downstream consequences.
Go to the meeting and enjoy a feast of propaganda. There is no shortage of evidence proving the Communist Party of China has no conscience or compassion.
kasper

Discussion 4 : 10/03/2010 at 12:00 PM4
As usual numbers without meaning are thrown around to confuse people.

"Just 13% of the water that feeds the Mekong comes from China, he said."

Let me explain how they get this number.

China calculates/estimates that around 70 km3 / year of water leaves China when the Mekong leaves China.

It is also calculated that a total of around 475 km3 /year leaves the mekong and runs into the sea (perhaps minus some that evaporates etc.)

So China calculates that 70/475 = appx. 13% (14.7%).

What they fail to mention is that while this number makes sense for those at the very end of the river (south Vietnam), it makes no sense for the guys just across the border of China, as they receive 100% of their water from China. The percentage will then become lower and lower the further you go downstream as more and more non-chinese water supplies contribute to the river, until it hits 13% in south Vietnam.
I do not know the percentage in Isaan, but if we assume (which is a very inaccurate assumtion) that an even amount of water is contributed to the river all along it's flow, from it leaves China, till it flows into the sea in Vietnam, then one could calculate how far down the river a certain place is, and then calculate the percentage of Chinese water that place receives.
If the place in question is halfway between China and the end of the river, then the percentage of water they receive from China, using the above asumption, would be around (100-13)/2 = 44%. Which is a substantial amount.

The Chinese diplomats will throw any number at the Isaan farmers, in this case 13%, as they know the farmers don't know any better. Hopefully the Thai diplomats do, and will do what they can to take care of this.
Pitanu

Discussion 3 : 10/03/2010 at 11:25 AM3
the mekong flows from north to south & out to sea, melting snow in mountains of tibet & china is what gives the river water, hence the reason why the river is fast flowing in the upper portion and slower in the lower parts.

rains in thailand, laos & cambodia are definitely not the source of the river, and more likely only accounts for 18% of the actual figure. i think ivy has his/her figures confused.

building dams in thailand, laos, & cambodia is the only solution i see now that we can solve this situation of low water levels, but by doing so we will wipe out many species which are unique to the mekong.
ivy

Discussion 2 : 10/03/2010 at 09:08 AM2
Most of the water comes from Laos and Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam as they are in the Tropical Rain Forest region with most rain fall. Only about 18% of the water comes from China as inland region have less rain fall.
david wayne osedach

Discussion 1 : 10/03/2010 at 06:54 AM1
Will there be water wars in the future? Most probably!