18 Apr, 2011
AP
BANGKOK - Laos has quietly begun work on the first dam across the lower Mekong River even before a four-nation meeting to decide on the project is held, an environmental group said yesterday.
The governments of Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand are scheduled to meet tomorrow to decide whether to construct the US$3.5-billion (S$4.35-billion), 1,260MW Xayaburi dam in northern Laos.
But reports say Laos is already moving ahead on the project.
"We have been informed by local people that a road is being built as preparation for work on the Xayaburi dam. We have heard about this for some time,'' said Ms Pianporn Deetes from the United States-based International Rivers.
The English-language Bangkok Post said yesterday that more than 30km of roadway leading to the dam site were under construction and that some villagers were already told they would be provided with new homes and compensation as low as US$15 for being evicted.
The Mekong River Commission (MRC), an inter-government agency that includes the four decision-making countries, said it would contact the Lao government today.
"We have never been informed by the Lao government about the possible construction around the Xayaburi dam. This has never been raised in any of the MRC meetings,'' said a commission spokesman.
Tomorrow's meeting will be held under the commission's umbrella. Its members try to forge a consensus on major trans-boundary issues but can go ahead with projects like Xayaburi despite opposition from others in the group, so the decision would be non-binding. AP
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