Samak Sundaravej, the new Prime Minister of Thailand had an idea, and one of five of his mega projects. He wants to divert the water from the Mekong to use for farmland. Here is: Water from mighty Mekong river will be diverted to reservoirs in the Northeast Thailand through tunnels. Then when people need to use water for farming,this will be released to farmland.
That's a good idea to turn natural power to benefit agriculture. Will Thailand help Laos as well to do this? or can Laos do it by ourself? I think it will cost a lot of money to build irrigation channel for farming in Laos.
I don't think it will work the way he wants it. He must build a lots of big reservoirs and canals to store the waters throughout Isan and release those waters during the dry season to farm lands that need the irrigation. Many areas of Isan will be built for the canals and reservoirs during the rainy season to keep the water in there. I also doubt the reservoirs can hold enough water for farm iirigations throughout Isan. Laos will also need some waters for the same purposes and will have to commpete with Thailand for irrgation waters.
They have lot of land on their side close to the Mekong. Using the water from the mekong sound like a great idea. Will it work? Will it help the farmland? How m uch will it cost and if it is worht it. Or this is just pet project to make farmers and rural people like his government and leadership more.
Legally.. i dont think they can do that.. MeKong River are shared by many countries along its path.. All those countries depends on the flow of the water for many reasons.. I dont think the MeKong Committee will allow this to happen.
