This is the second article in a Mongabay series focused on changes to the ecology and hydrology of the Mekong River. Read Part One. Niwat Roykaew, an environmental activist based in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand, described the Mekong as a naga, a mythical water serpent and symbol of fertility that brings abundance to […]
Lower Mekong Organization Calls for More Information Sharing on Hydropower Projects rfa.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rfa.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Govt urged to tax Mekong development projects
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published : 14 Mar 2021 at 06:00
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Local communities along the Mekong River are asking the government to establish a fund, made up of collected tax revenues from development projects on the waterway, to compensate villagers affected by them. This fund [should] not be a corporate social responsibility scheme, said Ormbun Thipsuna, president of Network of Council of Mekong River Community in Seven Northeastern Provinces. It [should be] similar to a sin tax on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages to fund health projects. This fund must be handled by the government, not by project developers, Mr Ormbun said.
Govt urged to tax Mekong development projects msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
AP
Water levels in the Mekong River are down to “worrying” levels with some parts of the major Southeast Asian waterway in Laos and Thailand turning blue because of increased algae growth, the Mekong River Commission said in a report Friday.
The report by the MRC – made up of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – said the lower levels were caused by a lack of rainfall since the beginning of the year, upstream flow changes, hydropower dams in the river’s tributaries and China’s Jinghong Dam holding water back.
“There have been sudden rises and falls in water levels immediately downstream of Jinghong and further down to Vientiane, [Laos], which has been challenging for authorities and communities to prepare for and respond to possible impacts,” said Winai Wangpimool, director of the MRC Secretariat’s Technical Support Division, in the report.