<Nature and Our Future: The Mekong Basin and Japan>

2-3. Mainstream Dam Development andRegional Civil Society Cooperation
The current plans for hydropower dams on the Mekong’s mainstream dateback to the 1950’s. They were never implemented, however, due to the
Indochina wars and financing difficulties. Upon entering the 1990s, China
constructed the Manwan Dam on the mainstream of the Mekong within its
own borders, leading to increased awareness of the problems1.
China aims to use dams not only for irrigation and electricity, but also to Civil society actions againststabilize the water level of the Mekong River so that large commercial the construction of the upper
ships can navigate the river throughout the year. With this aim, China mainstream dams in frontof the Chinese Embassy inbegan blasting and removing rapids on the mainstream in 2003 because the Bangkok (April 2010).
rapids inhibited navigation. This sparked much criticism from communities
in downstream Thailand. When the Mekong River’s water levels dropped drastically in 2008,
communities in northern Thailand were central in criticizing China’s mainstream dams. At this time,
the Chinese government was unusually responsive by accepting a letter from Thai affected people
through its embassy in Bangkok, but still no solutions have been reached. China has not officiallyjoined the Mekong River Commission (MRC), and though it is a member country of the AsianDevelopment Bank’s (ADB) Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) program, the program emphasizes
economic cooperation, so there is no effective framework to include civil society in dialogue andproblem-solving regarding transboundary environmental problems.
The Mekong mainstream dam projects of the central and downstream regions began to concretely
move forward after 2000. Wars that had previously prevented development ended and rapid economic
growth in emerging economies increased fund-raising capacities of companies not only in China, butalso Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries. Interest in hydropower has also been stimulatedby the rapid increase in demand for electricity in Thailand and Vietnam, and from the perspective ofpreventing global warming some are looking to hydropower as
an alternative to fossil fuels. On another front, involvement fromwestern countries, Japan, and other traditional donor countries
and aid agencies is far from absent. Through its GMS program,the ADB has made it easier for member countries and the private
sector to enter the hydropower business and is actively providing
funds for high voltage transmission lines. The Japanese private
Community representatives voice a sector, such as Tokyo Electric (TEPCO), Mitsubishi Corporation,clear “no” at a hearing on the Xayaburi and J-Power, are also stimulating capital involvement in Thai
Dam (February 2011 by Fukuoka NGO
electric companies. TEPCO bought stock in Electricity Generating
Forum on ADB).
Company (EGCO), and EGCO is in turn providing capital for theXayaburi Power Co. Ltd., which is the developer of the Xayaburi dam.
Around 1990, anti-dam movements by local people to protect the environment and their communities
became very active in Thailand. Then from 2000, a network was built based on this experienceto protect the Mekong basin’s environment and society as a whole, and international NGOs also
cooperated. This flow of events led to the formation of the Save the Mekong Coalition in 2009, and<2-3>
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<Nature and Our Future: The Mekong Basin and Japan>

it has become a central actor in protesting the dam plans
for the Mekong’s mainstream. The difference between thiscampaign and more traditional anti-dam movements isthat it attempted to receive the understanding and supportof Thailand’s growing middle class, enabling photo
exhibitions in downtown Bangkok and picture-postcardpetitions. Petitions were sent to the MRC Secretariat andgovernments of member nations, and appeals were sent toThai fisher-folks displaying banners against thedomestic and international media. Save the Mekong is aXayaburi Dam to foreign delegates to the Asiavery loosely connected movement, and many participating
Europe Meeting (ASEM) held in Vientiane, LaoPDR (November 2012 by International Rivers).
organizations are conducting their own separate activities.
In this context, there are groups providing information tocommunities in the basin, sending information to development partners, lobbying, and organizing
nonviolent demonstrations.
One noteworthy activity was that of Vietnamese NGOs approaching dedicated researchers withinformation. Due to this, information about the severe impacts of dams reached Vietnameseparliamentarians, and the Vietnamese government took a clear position against the Xayaburi Dam.
Activities in Thailand are more mixed. Thailand’s relationship with the Xayaburi Dam is multifaceted,because construction of the dam is being done by a large Thai construction company, Ch. Karnchang
Public Co. Ltd., and Thailand’s Electricity Generating Authority is to buy most of the electricity it
produces. Many local communities living in the north and northeast regions of Thailand, however,are to be negatively affected. In regard to purchase of electricity, adetailed study has shown that the Thai government’s projections forelectricity demand are exaggerated, and an alternative proposal has
already been submitted for ways to make up the demand with various
demand-side management measures and use of renewable energy(Greacen and Greacen 2012). A network of affected communitiesin Thailand’s north and northeast provinces was formed, and in
addition to holding assemblies in various localities, they filed a law
suit in August 2012 at Thai’s administrative court to confirm that theThai government’s electricity purchase agreement was invalid.

Save-the-Mekong Coalition co-hosted
the Delta Forum held in southern
Vietnam (August 2013).

While civil society movements such as these are watched for their ability to influence the directionof mainstream dam construction plans, they deserve more attention. Given the current political andeconomic trends towards regional integration that prioritizes economic goals, awareness of these issues
is transcending borders, and transboundary civil society movements can be expected to take shape.
References
Greacen, Chuenchom, and Chris Greacen. 2012. Proposed Power Development Plan (PDP) 2012 and a Framework for Improving
Accountability and Performance of Power Sector Planning. Bangkok, Thailand: Palang Thai.
http://www.palangthai.org/docs/PDP2012-Eng.pdf
Save the Mekong. http://www.savethemekong.org/ (Last accessed on August 20, 2013)

Toshiyuki Doi
1. See BP 2-1 The Mekong River Mainstream: Looking back on Hydropower Dam Development.

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