Laos draws ire of neighbors with Mekong river dam plans
Laos will push ahead with its ambition to become the “battery of Southeast Asia,” planning a Mekong River dam that has drawn opposition from neighbors and threatens to involve China and the U.S.
Four Mekong River nations are scheduled to meet June 26-27 in Thailand to discuss matters including Laos’ plan to build the Don Sahong dam. The Xayaburi dam has broken ground and construction on the new structure may start as soon as this year, with Cambodia and Vietnam seeking to delay the project.
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“Most of the dams in Laos that are being planned are based on the assumption that China will put more water in the river during the dry season,” said Richard Cronin, director of the Southeast Asian program for the Stimson Institute, who cited Laotian plans to build as many as nine dams on the Mekong.
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