Thailand will take the position of Chair of the Mekong River Commission Council, the top body of the MRC, next year amid heightened pressure over the hydropower development projects on the Lower Mekong
Deputy PM Prasert Chantararuangthong held the first meeting of the new National Mekong Committee yesterday to address the new policies under his supervision regarding Mekong development. He also informed the meeting about the top role at the MRC council next year.
He said since the recent flooding in areas adjacent to the Mekong River in the Northeast, the government has been concerned and followed up on the situation, and at the same time learned about related influences and effects, especially those from development projects on the mainstream river.
It’s known that part of the flooding downstream was from excess water discharged from upstream dams on the river and its tributaries, apart from the changing climate. Despite the poor coordination between these dams, new dam projects have been proposed on the mainstream river, including the Pak Beng dam, which will potentially affect some communities along the border as well as the Thai-Lao border.
Mr. Prasert said he just gave the new policies to deal with these emerging challenges by instructing the committee to adhere to the national interests although it needs to compromise with its neighbours when looking through their relations. Technical and knowledge exchanges between them will also be heightened to keep up with the situation, he added.
Mr. Prasert noted that development work under the MRC and other bilateral frameworks needs to strike a balance between development and conservation so that sustainable development can be materialised. Thailand will take the lead of the MRC council next year, when he will be its Chair following his capacity as the deputy PM in charge of the matter, and the country will be in a position to materialise this idea at the MRC, especially to respond to the people’s concerns over those emerging challenges.
According to the MRC, the MRC Council is the highest decision-making body in the MRC, which approves the MRC Strategic Plan (SP) and makes decisions on all policy-related matters concerning its implementation, including organisational policies, basin-wide strategies and plans, strategic cooperation partnerships, and resolution of differences.
The Council also provides strategic guidance on priority setting, including by approving the multi-year work plans, including annual budgets, based on endorsement from the Joint Committee and the recommendation of the Budget Committee.
Its summit is held every four years. The first one was organised in 2010, and it is the highest political forum of the MRC whereby outcomes of cooperation are assessed and directions set for the following four years. The fourth Summit in 2022 was seen as an important milestone for the MRC to assess the direction of its work and support to the Member Countries.
Aside from the MRC Council, the permanent structure of the MRC also comprises the MRC Secretariat and the MRC Joint Committee, a coordinating body of top officials from the member countries implementing the Council’s decisions and the MRC SP. The country will also nominate a Thai expert to take a top CEO post at the MRC Secretariat next year, Mr. Prasert said, suggesting more power to drive the organisation next year.
This year, Thailand is also taking a top position at the JC by the ONWR’s Secretary General Dr. Surasee Kittimonthon, during the time when the opposition against some Mekong dam projects, the Pak Beng dam included, has been heightened following the recent flooding in the North.
Dr. Surasee said he has reported to the committee about the new MOU made between the ONWR and Laos’ environment ministry to improve coordination and execution of the river’s development projects and their impacts. He added that a new joint steering committee and the five-year operation plan will also be formulated to help guide the direction.
Meanwhile, civil society and some Mekong advocates have raised concerns about the capacity of the Thai top officials at the MRC’s top posts as they will be confronted with the critical challenges ahead by some dam projects, of which developers are Thai companies.
Piyanan Jitjang of Rak Chiang Khong Group, monitoring development projects on the mainstream Mekong, said this year Mekong communities have learned about the complexity of climate change impacts and the river development as they have encountered unprecedented flooding and backwater effects from overflows and run-offs from the river and its tributaries such as Ngao, Ing, Kok, and others.
This has raised concerns about similar effects that could emerge from the Mekong dam projects in the future. Despite the lessons learned this year, they did not see concerned entities including dam developers trying to address such complexity. Instead, they are pushing forward with those projects including the Pak Beng dam, of which the transboundary impact study will be wrapped up by the end of this year and pave the way for its loan settlement.
“The question is how to manage this river in a way that will not aggravate the plights of the people, who have already suffered the most by the flood disasters. The Mekong governments must review and cooperate for the benefit of the people, not keep ignoring their plights,” said Ms. Piyanan.
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