I spent 2 years on a motorbike all over Northern Vietnam / Cambodia / Laos. The number of hydro dams being built by these countries (and China) in the region along the Mekong is insane.
They already feel the effects from this... in the summer the rivers dry up to the point that you're driving a motorbike across dry lake beds and in the winter (aka: rainy season) there is massive landslides and the dams break and wash away villages.
From what I can tell, it is less about blaming the dam and more about the thirst for power and complete disregard for how we go about getting it. It is a complete eco disaster.
I've spent 12 months of last 10 years (~1 month/year) at same region, on motorbike, too.
I could confirm your observations.
BTW, 95% of these dams are Chinese one and exports electricity to China, not to be used by locals. China build hospitals and some roads for this, which is good, but all these projects doesn't have any ecological expertise in it. And China DOESN'T CARE of course.
> China build hospitals and some roads for this, which is good, but all these projects doesn't have any ecological expertise in it. And China DOESN'T CARE of course.
But isn't the honesty refreshing? They don't come with guns or bibles or any notion of superiority. Just preying on the weak willed. I call that good business.
You're getting downvoted, for good reason. You're wrong on at least one point. "Any notion of superiority".
One thing I witnessed first hand in Laos is that China is building a very long road south. As they come in and build dams and the roads, the construction workers also move their families into the region. They buy up land from locals and then they bring a whole new set of expectations, including driving prices up.
The notion of superiority is what is driving all of this. "We are better than you, we will build you a dam, buy up all your land, give you some of the electricity and take the rest for ourselves."
I don't give two left feet and a chicken for downvotes/upvotes. What matters is discussion. At least to me.
On the point of "notion of superiority" I will admit the phrasing is incorrect. Every group thinks they are better than those not in their group from your local book club to whole nation states.
They already feel the effects from this... in the summer the rivers dry up to the point that you're driving a motorbike across dry lake beds and in the winter (aka: rainy season) there is massive landslides and the dams break and wash away villages.
From what I can tell, it is less about blaming the dam and more about the thirst for power and complete disregard for how we go about getting it. It is a complete eco disaster.