Bush’s 22 hour Thai visit ends on a hopeful note

Posted in General, Government, Guide, News August 9, 2008

After months of clearouts in the Thai capital for the much awaited visit of the US president George W Bush, his arrival further led to water tight security in the entire province with about 200 US security officials posted in Mae Sot since early this week.

While Bush was all devoted to some serious political issues, the first lady, Laura Bush, toured Mae La Refugee Camp a refugee camp packed with tens of thousands of desperate families. This came as an extension to her vigorous campaign for human rights in Burma. She also singled out Myanmar’s senior general, Than Shwe, several times as responsible for the plight of the refugees

While traveling through the Mercy Centre slums of Bangkok and lunching with Burmese dissidents on Thursday, the American president was heard greatly praising Thailand as “the land of the free.” He also addressed a handful of people including Thai politicians, university students and dignitaries at a convention centre. Bush seemed to be on a consolidation mission, marking 175 years of wonderful relation ships with the Thaïs.

In his 22-hour visit to Thailand, Bush traveled past fetid canals, shanties and skyscrapers before reaching the compound of the U.S. ambassador’s residence, where he dined with Burmese activists and academics. Bush was briefed by U.S. officials on the cyclone that struck the country’s Irrawaddy Delta in May, leaving at least 130,000 people dead or missing. He also gave interviews to dissident Burmese radio journalists.

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Mekong River Under Threat

Posted in Attractions, Destinations, General, Government, Guide, News August 9, 2008

It is believed by critics that the north and north east regions of Thailand have always been affected by dry climate. To do away with this difficult situation, Thailand has come up with no less than eight water diversion projects in the past 20 years, out of which at least two have affected the neighboring countries of Burma and Laos.

This time the Thai plans are expected to threaten one of the world’s largest and longest rivers Mekong, which runs through China’s Yunnan province, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Apparently, the Royal government has revived controversial plans to divert water from tributaries of the Mekong River to help agricultural production in the drought affected north east of the kingdom. This water diversion is not for small scale farmers but is to support the large scale farms too.

According to Dr Philip Hirsch from the Australian Mekong Resource Centre, the government’s rush to revive the projects is a political ploy. It is just a way of securing votes of northeastern Thailand by promising to green the region. Certainly some of those concerns from downstream countries about the impact of diversion of water on dry salinity in the delta area and particularly on the availability of irrigation water in the delta area and on the flow situation in the dry season are matters of grave concern.

The Mekong River Commission or the MRC is the body tasked with managing development along the river, and no project can proceed without an environmental assessment and neighbouring government approvals.

mekong river

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