Mekong needs tough govt stanceOn Feb 8, Charge d'Affaires of Chinese Embassy Yang Xin paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in which they exchanged Chinese New Year's wishes, looking ahead for warmer relations and closer cooperation. One topic was missing from their friendly talks: the fluctuating water levels of the Mekong River which has been dry since last month largely because of equipment testing at Jinghong Dam. Since the 1960s, China, Thailand and Laos have erected dozens of dams, and dozens more are being constructed. Yet real action has not been taken to address the issue of fluctuating water levels in the Mekong River. At the same time, Beijing must understand that the Mekong River belongs to everyone living along the body of water.

Source: Bangkok Post February 28, 2021 00:00 UTC