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Mekong River downstream of the Xayaburi Dam Site
The Xayaburi Dam is the first of eleven dams proposed for the Lower Mekong River in Southeast Asia. It officially began construction in 2012 and as of May 2017 is more than 70% complete. As the first dam on the Mekong mainstream, there is serious concern it will open the way for further dam development, with significant consequences for the Mekong River and its people. Despite ongoing and unaddressed concerns regarding the transboundary impacts of the Xayaburi dam, especially on fish migration, the Lao government has moved forward with plans for the second mainstream project, the Don Sahong Dam. This Xayaburi Dam “Media Kit” is intended to help journalists and researchers who seek more detailed information about the Xayaburi Dam and the controversy surrounding the project. For a more general background, please visit our Xayaburi Dam webpage and interactive timeline.
Is the Xayaburi Dam the beginning of a water conflict between the Mekong countries?
- Austrian Firm Violates Ethics Guidelines in Destructive Mekong Dam (Press Release 9 April, 2014)
- NGOs set one-year deadline to stop Xayaburi Dam (WWF Press Release, 30 March 2014)
- The Mekong Dams Dispute: 4 Trends to Watch (Blog, 16 August 2013)
- Mekong Countries at Odds Over Mega-Dams (Article in the Fair Observer, 5 February 2013)
- Cambodia, Vietnam, and Donors Challenge Laos on Mekong Dams (Press Release, 18 January 2013)
- Xayaburi Dam Left Off MRC Council Agenda (Press Release, 16 January 2013)
- A Closer Look at How Laos Got to “Go” (Blog, 13 November 2012)
- Testing the Waters: Laos Pushes Xayaburi Dam to Critical Point (Blog, 20 July 2012)
- Xayaburi Dam: What Next? (Blog, 19 January 2012)
- Mekong Governments Delay the Xayaburi Dam Pending Further Study (Press Release, 8 December 2011)
- Laos Steamrolls Neighbors in Xayaburi Dam Process (Press Release 23 June 2011)
- Laos Disagrees with Neighbors on Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, 19 April 2011)
What are the main concerns with the Xayaburi Dam?
- Killing the Mekong Dam by Dam (The Diplomat 28, November 2016)
- Dark Days for Villagers Relocated to Make Way for Xayaburi Dam (Radio Free Asia, 30 June 2013)
- Assistance for Villagers Resettled by Xayaburi Dam to Last One Year (Radio Free Asia, 18 June 2013)
- The Xayaburi Dam: Threatening Food Security in the Mekong (Report, September 2012)
- Ch. Karnchang Already Causing Food Insecurity Near Xayaburi Dam Site (Blog, 12 July 2012)
- Dams of Destruction Threaten Mekong (Bangkok Post Opinion Piece, 6 December 2011)
- 22,000 People Call on Mekong Governments to Cancel Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, 30 November 2011)
- Fate of Mekong River Hangs in the Balance (Press Release, 14 March 2011)
- Factsheet on the Xayaburi Dam (Factsheet, January 2011)
- Factsheet on the Mekong River Commission’s Strategic Environmental Assessment (Factsheet, January 2011)
- Unbalanced Interests: An Analysis of the Xayaburi Dam’s Power Purchase Agreement (Report, 2013)
The status of construction
- Striking a Fair Balance on Mekong Dams (International Rivers Blog, 1 May 2017)
- Xayaburi Dam: “Testing ground for untried technologies” (Channel News Asia, 16 November 2016)
- Experts renew quake fears over Xayaburi dam on Mekong River in Laos (South China Morning Post, 8 April 2014)
- The Xayaburi Dam Construction as of February 2014: Progression and Impacts (Slideshow WWF, 30 March 2014)
- Xayaburi dam 30% finished, says Laos (Phnom Penh Post, 25 March, 2014)
- Should We Worry about Xayaburi Dam Safety? (Blog, 5 December 2012)
- Laos Evades Responsibility and Plows Ahead with Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, 5 November 2012)
- How the Next 12 Months of Xayaburi Dam Construction Will Affect the Mekong River (Blog, 26 July 2012)
- Ch. Karnchang Plows Forward with Xayaburi Dam Construction (Press Release, 27 June 2012)
- Illegal Construction on the Xayaburi Dam Forges Ahead (Press Release, 4 August 2011)
- Outrage Over Secret Xayaburi Dam Construction (Press Release, 18 April 2011)
Has Laos violated international law?
- Xayaburi Dam: How Laos Violated the 1995 Mekong Agreement (Blog, 14 January 2013)
- Xayaburi Dam: How Laos Violated the 1995 Mekong Agreement (Report, January 2013)
- Legal opinion by U.S. law firm Perkins Coie on International Law Implications of Xayaburi Dam (Legal Opinion, November 2011)
- Legal opinion by U.S. law firm Perkins Coie on the Mekong River Commission’s PNPCA Process (Legal Opinion, July 2011)
What is Thailand’s role in the Xayaburi Dam?
- Mekong Villagers Appeal Thai Court Case Decision (International Rivers Press Release December 25, 2015)
- Thai Court Takes Villagers Case Against Power Firm, Laos Dam. (Reuters, June 24, 2014)
- Thai Banks Face a Backlash Over Dam Funding. (The Phnom Penh Post, 21 June 2014)
- Justice for the Mekong – Thai Villagers Back At Court. (International Rivers Blog, 20 June 2014)
- Thai Communities Protest Xayaburi Dam at Asia-Europe Summit (Press Release, 4 November 2012)
- Thai Villagers File Lawsuit on Xayaburi Dam (Blog, 9 August 2012)
- Thailand Defies Neighbors on Contentious Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, 29 February 2012)
- An Alternative Power Development Plan for Thailand (Report, January 2012)
- Thai Utility Commits to Purchase Power from Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, December 2011)
- Guilty as the Getaway Driver? Thailand and the Xayaburi Dam (Blog, 5 December 2011)
- Power From Xayaburi Not Needed in Thailand (Press Release, 3 December 2011)
- Communities Urge Thai Prime Minister to Cancel Xayaburi Dam on the Mekong (Press Release, 9 September 2010)
What is Finnish company Pöyry’s role in the project?
- Trouble on the Mekong (The Diplomat, 2 July 2013)
- Factsheet: Pöyry’s Role in the Xayaburi Dam Controversy (Report, February 2013)
- Days After Xayaburi Gets Green Light, Pöyry Flaunts Project’s Corruption (Blog, 12 November 2012)
- Finland to Investigate Pöyry’s Role in Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, 31 October 2012)
- Pöyry Responds on its Role in the Xayaburi Dam (Blog, 27 August 2012)
- Laos uses New Report to Greenwash the Xayaburi Dam (Press Release, 9 November 2011)
- Sidestepping Science: Review of Poyry Report on Xayaburi Dam (Report, November 2011)
What is French company CNR’s role in the project?
- As Consultant Distances Itself, Cracks Appear in Laos’ Portrayal of Xayaburi Dam (Blog, 10 August 2012)
- Review of CNR’s Report for Laos on the Xayaburi Dam (Report, June 2012)
Photos
- Xayaburi Dam Flickr Gallery
- Xayaburi: On the Edge of Change (Photos and Video by Suthep Kritsanavarin)
