The Phnom Penh Post –
An activist who has been fighting for years against the planned dredging of sections of the Mekong River for greater shipping access has called on the authorities to clarify the status of the project, which was supposed to have been cancelled following a meeting between Thai and Chinese officials last month.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said two weeks ago that China had agreed to bring the project to a halt after it had learned about environmental concerns.
Activists, including Pianporn Deetes, campaign director for Thailand and Myanmar for International Rivers, and residents had raised concerns over the impact on ecosystems along stretches of the Mekong River arising from the proposed removal of rapids under the dredging works.
Don said China had promised to stop the project in a meeting he had with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Chiang Mai in mid-February.
“I am pleased to inform everyone that we have reached a consensus with China on the cancellation of the Mekong River navigation channel improvement project, as the Chinese side has already understood the possible consequences from this project, so they promised to end it for the greater good,” the minister was quoted as saying to the press.