Survey work to begin on Mekong River channel improvement
Survey work on the Mekong River navigation channel improvement will begin on Wednesday according to Chiang Rai Provincial Marine Department Office.
An official letter from Chiang Rai Provincial Marine Department Office was sent to Rak Chiang Khong Network on Tuesday advising that the Chinese company, CCCC Second Harbor Consultants, will start the survey on the Mekong River navigation channel improvement between Thailand and Laos in Chiang Rai on Wednesday.
The letter stated that the survey will take two months to complete. It did not disclose any details about the nature of this survey work.
However, Jirasak Inthayod, the coordinator of Rak Chiang Khong Network said that the survey will be part of preparations to blast the rocky rapids in the Mekong River for large cargo ships up to 500 tonnes gross to cruise from China’s Yunnan Province to Luang Prabang in Laos.
“We will surely protest this survey, as the operation … does not consider the impacts to the ecosystem, environment and the people’s livelihood,” Jirasak said.