Vietnam and Cambodia have urged Lao PDR to halt the construction of the 27.6 trillion kip hydropower dam on the Mekong river in northern Laos pending further study. The Mekong River Commission, consisting of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand as member states, held a three-day meeting in northern Laos to discuss river development projects. The dam – one of the 11 planned for the lower Mekong river running through Southeast Asia – is likely to affect the livelihoods of millions. The Xayaburi Power Company, a subsidiary of Ch Karnchang PCL, is developing the dam project. The project has a concession period of 29 years; about 95 per cent of the generated electricity will be sold to Thailand.
