Thanks to China rescuing the Mekong

Thailand's Prime Minister announced yesterday that the country will ask China for help in an effort to cope with Mekong's record low water level, a river related to the lives of more than 60 million people.

The section of the Mekong River lies between the Thai and Lao borders.Photo: outweb.info.

AFP quoted the announcement of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) as saying that the Mekong River flow is at its lowest level in 20 years, threatening water supply, waterway and irrigation activities.

"We can see that the river level is getting lower and lower. This situation negatively affects northern Laos, northern Thailand and southern China," Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on television.

Mr Abhisit said he would ask the Thai Foreign Ministry to discuss with Chinese representatives about cooperation to raise the water level of the Mekong.

The media said that Thai environmental activists urged the government to negotiate with Beijing after the Mekong River water level kept falling. The Bangkok Post cited Save the Mekong Coalition - an alliance of environmental protection organizations - saying irrigation dams in China have caused the Mekong River to drop significantly.

According to Jeremy Bird, executive director of the MRC secretariat, too low rainfall in Laos and China is also a cause.

"We cannot claim absolutely that hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River section of China are not related to the decline in the water level downstream , " AFP quoted Bird as saying.

Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, said Bangkok did not accuse anyone, saying that low rainfall is causing drought in many parts of the region.

"We want to solve the problem with China," Intarakomalyasut said.

MRC said more than 60 million people in the delta downstream of the Mekong depend on the river for fishing, farming, and transportation. The Mekong River is also home to many of the world's rarest fish species. Tourism companies have stopped providing services on the river section between Luang Prabang province and Huay Xai city in Laos due to the low water level.