"China, Thailand Flock to Laos’ Rivers for Electricity" 19 April 2024

Located about 530 kilometers south of China’s Jinghong dam—also on the Mekong River—the Pak Beng dam will be Laos’ uppermost mainstream dam. The major shareholders are China Datang Overseas Investment and Thailand’s Gulf Energy Development PCL...

Hydropower has been central to Laos’ economy, and China and Thailand have played major roles...

The new Pak Beng dam triggered concerns among the Mekong River communities in Thailand...A group representing Thai residents of eight provinces in the Mekong Basin warned Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that if the backwater effect occurs, the Mekong River will turn into a year-round reservoir, flooding areas on either side of its banks...Back in Laos, the government plans to resettle around 4,700 people from over 700 households to make way for the construction of the Pak Beng dam...

Pak Beng residents have borne the brunt of a dam project...Seven years ago, a Chinese state-owned engineering company called China National Electric Engineering built the Nam Beng dam about ten kilometers north of the town. In mid-March, the area of the river downstream behind the reservoir door was arid. The reservoir itself was full of water...“The dam released the water for three days and three nights. But officials [insisted] it was the water from a natural source,” a resident said. To make her family leave, officials cut the electricity and water at her house...

China and Thailand will likely remain major actors in Laos’ hydropower sector. “China has provided considerable support for developing hydropower energy in Laos,” said Baird, the Mekong ecology expert. “However, the negative social and environmental impacts have not been appropriately mitigated or compensated for, resulting in serious negative impacts,” he warned.