Dams planned to be built on the Mekong River in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang, Laos, may endanger this site as the dams may result in unpredictable water fluctuation of the Mekong. As many people rely on the river for living, their concerns should be heard.
The low water levels in the Mekong in the rainy season due to hoarding of waters in the dam reservoirs affect local communities’ fishing and farming activities in Bueng Kan Province in Thailand.
Communities in Sambor District, Cambodia are affected by upstream dam operations on the Mekong River as these have destroyed home gardens along the riverbank as well as fish habitat causing loss of livelihoods and income.
The livelihoods of people in the Mekong Delta are being negatively affected by dam construction and climate change and adaptive measures may not be enough
This photo essay tells of local resistance against dam projects on the Mekong River, specifically the Ban Kum dam near Tamui village in Ubon Ratchathani Province in Thailand and bordering Laos. Advocacy started decades ago continues with the next generation for them to defend their habitat crucial to their future.
This essay shows a part of an exhibition called “Elements”, which consisted of a series of personal performance actions. The strange, unidentified figure — with the face and body covered with a very long red robe — wanders, twists, and floats on the river to highlight the suffering and resilience of nature against destruction caused by humans.
This series of watercolor portrays the Mekong River and its surroundings in the hope to communicate how precious the place is and the beauty of living in harmony with nature.
The unprecedented changes in the flow of the Mekong river are leading to the disappearance of khai. This local food for communities along the river is no longer sufficient for the villagers and for sale. Khai is an important indicator of the Mekong River’s wellbeing, its disappearance tells us that the river is also slowly dying.
The changes in the Mekong River such as drought and unseasonal water fluctuations cause suffering to the villagers who depend on the natural resources and the ecosystems provided by the river. If we do not protect and preserve its biodiversity it will be too late.
