Really? Good to hear!

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China Closes a Stretch of the Mekong River for Rock Blasting
Published 6 days ago on December 16, 2019
By CTN News

China has closed a 60-kilometre section of Mekong River to all types of boats indefinitely while rock blasting is undertaken. The blasting is to widen the channel for commercial shipping operations.

Chinese authorties announced on Friday that all boat operators should avoid entering the river from Guan Lei to Ganlanpa in Yunnan.

They also also erected wires across the river to prevent boats from entering the section of the river. The section of the Mekong river has now been declared a danger zone.

Guan Lei port, however, remains open to cargo and passenger boats as usual.

As a result of the river closure, passengers travelling by boat from Chiang Rai to Jinghong in China. They are being transferred to a bus to travel on to their destination, about 100 kilometres earlier than previously. This is according to Pakaimas Vierra, vice-president of the Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce.

Jinghong is the main city of Xishuangbanna and is popular among Thai tourists.

Ms Pakaimas insisted the closure of the river in China would not have any serious impact on tourism or cargo transport. Because travelling on to China by car is now convenient.

In 2000, China’s plan to widen the Mekong River by blasting rocks to make it possible for a 300-ton ships to navigate the stretch between Yunnan and Luang Prabang. China encountered resistance by Thai environmentalists in Chiang Rai over the possible impact on the river’s ecosystem.

The resistance led China to move the rock-blasting further back to areas of the river situated within its territorial boundaries.

Thai’s Fighting Mekong River Rock Blasting
Environmentalists and local villagers who have been fighting for years against the planned blasting of sections of the Mekong River. The blasting for greater shipping access has called on the authorities to clarify the status of the project. The blasting project was supposed to have been cancelled following a meeting between Thai and Chinese officials 2 month ago.
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand ... -blasting/

It's interesting how the Chinese are doing such wonderful projects in South East Asia.

maybe someoen can do a deal. they can blow the rapids if thailand can blow a few of their dams in laos to let water through to the parched bits of the basin

PR posted:
thailand-news-and-discussion/victory-th ... 36063.html
Good news indeed. Putting it here too, so readers can connect the news to the back story. The dispute on blasting the rapids in northern Thailand has been going on for years, and this 'victory' is something of a surprise. It may simply be a respite while China has other fish to fry. Time will tell.

Thai Government Officially Scraps Mekong River Blasting Project
The Mekong, the world’s 12th-longest river, stretches 4,350 km from China in the north to Vietnam in the south. It hosts at least 270 species of fish, experts say.
February 6, 2020
By CTN News
The Thai government has officially scrapped a Chinese-led project to blast rapids on the Mekong River in Chiang Rai Province. The blasting project was highly opposed by by local people and also environmental groups.

China initiated a plan to dredge the Mekong River in 2001. The plan was to make room for large ships to carry goods from its landlocked southern province of Yunnan to ports in Thailand and Laos.

The plan was high;y opposed by conservationists and communities in Thailand living along the Mekong River. They feared it would harm the environment and benefit only China.

The Thai cabinet agreed to scrap the dredging and blasting plan during a weekly meeting on Tuesday.

“The communities affected and non-profit groups were against the plan. Above all fearing it would affect the way of life, and China also had no funding for it … So we ended the project,” said Trisulee Trisaranakul, a deputy government spokeswoman.

“It didn’t take off yet. We were only doing environmental and social impact assessments,” she told Reuters.

The Chinese embassy in Bangkok was not immediately available for comment.
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand ... g-project/

A huge congratulations to all those pesky greenie environmental activists, and local communities, for taking on the governments of both Thailand and China.
Excellent work good folks! The people's will, and science, do win through - frequently.

ps, to give credit to Phuketrichard, he broke this story last week. But you can keep repeating it every day if you want
- to give heart to all those embattled communities and activist across the region that still need to wake up and fight for the planet, and their family's livelihood, every day of the week.

This is one way to cancel one lane of the Belt and Road
the one and only way it has ever been done (as far as i know)

Eventually China is "going to do what it wants," according to Thitinan Pongsudhirak, of the Institute of Security and International Studies, Chulalongkorn University, citing the build-up of dams, SEZs and cultivation of allies Laos and Cambodia.

Oh no no no! says some little skinny bloke with a ponytail.

Niwat Roikaew, "Kroo Tee" - your classic solo local environmental activist and his small bunch of assorted fishermen, kids and fish mongers wives.
They did what everybody thought was impossible.

"If anyone has reasons for optimisim about the river's future it should be Niwat Roikaew
The ponytailed conservationist leads 'Love Chiang Khong Group' which fought an unlikely 20-year rearguard defence against the blasting of the rapids." >>

This Bangkok Post story was written only a month ago - when the experts were still saying there was no stopping it.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/18328 ... the-mekong

Here he in2016
If you don't understand Thai like me, it is still worth watching.

When the small island nation of Palau stated that it would continue to recognise Taiwan as an independent of China nation there was an almost immediate unofficial travel ban put in place by the Chinese government which in turn meant that Chinese tourists did not go there. A great economic loss to a country that relied heavily on the tourist trade. Tourists from other nations cannot make up the sheer volume of tourists that were such a large part of the tourist operations of that country. Bottom line was, renounce Taiwan as independent and we will resume tourism.

When the Chinese said they would not build military outposts on the disputed islands in the South China Sea it was not long after that they not only built such outposts but also dredged several more islands and again turn those into fortresses as well while stating the aim was for search and rescue purposes. The international court ruled these islands did not belong to China and that man made islands could not form as basis for their claim to the sea. That verdict was ignored by China and now the Chinese fishing boat militia are further encroaching on territorial limits on all nations in that region. Mapping for oil exploration has been going on for a while now off Vietnam's coast with the survey ship being guarded by Chinese Coast Guard vessels. America and to a lesser degree Australia have pushed the claim by using the freedom of navigation quite close to the disputed areas as those islands now control key maritime routes and are also rich in minerals, oils and sea life all of which China is actively seeking. But China too no heed of the international court nor the claims of the nations that have economic zones in place. Chine got what China wanted.

Nepal as was reported recently has bowed to pressure from China and will return any Tibetan refugees although at this time those that arrived previously seem safe for now. The reasoning behind that is unclear and whether that in due course any of the current 30,000 Tibetans (approx figures) living in Nepal are forced to return is unclear. China got what China wanted.

I guess that the point I am trying to make is that I do not see this going ahead just not in the short term. China has invested literally billions if not more dollars in the Belt and Road plan and I can't see this plan not being approved at some stage.
Was there any world wide outcry from any government when the idea was first put forward? Did any government make a stand against the dams that have been built upstream on the Mekong River?
The world relies far too heavily on trade with China and as such dares not risk placing a nations economy over the environment more so if it is another country. Of course letters could possibly be written. A member of parliament may say a few harsh words or even a prime minister or president make denounce what is occurring and call in the ambassador for a talk.
Can you imagine if China did the same thing as it did to the island nation of Palau and cease tourism to Thailand? The economy is strong there now but take away what must be a large part of the income to the budget and it could destabilize the country if not completely then certainly by a large margin.

I can only hope that the Thai government stands firm on this issue, ignores any "threats" it may receive and that "skinny little bloke with a ponytail" as Stern referred to him which suit him perfectly is still there to bring it to someone's attention. Seems like he and the local people are the only ones making any noise. But next time will anyone listen and act?

China will get wants China wants.
Eventually.

Hey Kahuna, i was just about to give you a tick because i basically agree with what you say (well said too)

EXcept for the sentiments expressed in the the last paragraph.
Part of the problem, as i see it, is that we are giving the Chinese a free ride because of our defeatism.

It is really important that we challenge them at every turn.
That will make us all, including the Chinese, realise that their destiny is not written in The Heavens.
This attitude will build momentum, if we practice it, and eventually may put a bit of spine into our governments.

I doubt if the Thais will go back on their word, because Love Chiang Khong Group's victory was so widely cheered right across Thailand - once it was achieved.
This little skinny bloke has given the whole nation heart.

SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:20 am Hey Kahuna, i was just about to give you a tick because i basically agree with what you say (well said too)

EXcept for the sentiments expressed in the the last paragraph.
Part of the problem, as i see it, is that we are giving the Chinese a free ride because of our defeatism.

It is really important that we challenge them at every turn.
That will make us all, including the Chinese, realise that their destiny is not written in The Heavens.
This attitude will build momentum, if we practice it, and eventually may put a bit of spine into our governments.

I doubt if the Thais will go back on their word, because Love Chiang Khong Group's victory was so widely cheered right across Thailand - once it was achieved.
This little skinny bloke has given the whole nation heart.

King Canute - google it
We knoiw hat china is going to do, what we need is a plan to hit back. At the moment there is nothing anyone can do to stop them, only delay them. the only thing that hurts the chinese is money, and if every ponytailed treeclimber in the world stopped buying shit made in China they would listen. So come of treehuggers, give up all your electronics haha. Dying to know hoy you gonna stop trump and putin as well.
Its simple economice. You buy phone, phone bits are made in china. china builds more factories to supply you with phone. more powers stations for the factory, more polluted water, more transport to bring the phone to you. EVERYONE WHO CONSUMES ANYTHING is guilty, so all pack upand golive in a village on a dirt track somewhere and stop eating meat. or pRay that Wuhan flu wipes out a significant number of consumers and gives the planet a breathign space. One person chucking plastic in the sea is not a problem, 1 million doing it is.