The deputy chief of the Laos National Investigation Committee, Singped Bunsawantipan, revealed on Tuesday that investigation showed that the dam had not collapsed due to extraordinarily heavy rain as previously suspected, but due to sub-standard construction. When the dam began storing water, shortly before the failure of the Saddle Dam D, the earth foundation began to erode and finally collapsed. The sudden failure of Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy dam triggered a flash flood with high waves, which tore down everything in its path to the Xe Pian River, completely destroying six villages downstream, killing more than 40 people and displacing thousands of others. Thai Extraterritorial Obligations-Watch Working Group (Thai ETO-Watch) coordinator Worawan Sukraroek said the report provided yet more clear evidence that the design of Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy dam was not compliant with international standards for siting and geological survey. The Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy hydropower dam is a US$1.2 billion (Bt38.2 billion) joint venture between South Korean and Thai investors.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 30, 2019 00:33 UTC