In action
International Day Against Dam 2024, Ubon Ratchathani, 13-15 March 2024
Co-organized by the Ubon Monitoring Group in Flood and Mekong Dams (UMFD), Hong Hian Huk Mekong, Tamui, Villagers affected by Pak Mun Dam (Assembly of the Poor, Pak Mun Dam), Laos Dam Investment Monitor (LDIM) and International Rivers (IRs). The three-day event was organized at Pak Mun Dam, Khong Chiam District town, and Baan (village) Tamui in Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The local community proposed and created the event to join the campaign on International Day of Action against Dams to raise awareness and fight against the large dams that caused many problems in their livelihood. The 13-15 March 2024 event focused on Phou Ngoy and Ban Koum Dam, which was proposed to be built on the Mekong mainstream by Thai and Korean companies.
On March 13, the villagers affected by Pak Mun Dam, along with partner organizations and academics, gathered at Pak Mun Dam and joined in reading a statement opposing the Phu Ngoy Dam and demanded that the problems arising from the Pak Mun Dam be resolved. The group traveled to gather at Khong Chiam District town and marched together around the market areas of Khong Chiam District. After that, return to the area along the Mekong River to read the intentions and announce the activity to collect 50,000 signatures opposing the Phu Ngoy Dam to perform the ritual for Mekong ceremony, then go down to the waterfront to place incense sticks and float flower petals to pay homage to the river.
On March 14th-15th, the activities “Day for World Rivers and launching of faith community Area of Healing” happened at Baan Tamui, Khong Chiam District. In the morning, many boats traveled to “Song Bak Thua,” an island in the middle of the Mekong River. Then, allies from various areas were invited to discuss the value and intention of protecting the Mekong River from threatening dams.
In the afternoon, there was a discussion on "Tribes, Us, and Everyone Else" regarding beliefs and faith in people, soil, water, forests, conservation, and the community's spirit of respect for nature. In the evening, there were activities: lying down, hugging the stars, listening to healing music, and listening to stories of faith.
Water level measurement in Ubon Ratchathani, 2024
Laos Dam Investment Monitor (LDIM) and Ubon Monitoring Group (UMFD) on Flood and Mekong Dams set up a team to measure the water level along the Mekong to see how high the water could be if the Phou Ngoy Dam were built on the Mekong mainstream, far from where Mun and Mekong River meet around 60 kilometers.
Trip to Korea on Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam collapse, September 2018
On 17-20 September 2018, the Coordinated Response Team of the Korean Civil Societies for the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam Collapse (The Korean Task Force) and Sogang University Institute of Social Sciences hosted the visit of the Thailand and Cambodia activist team that works in association with Laos Dam Investment Monitor (LDIM). The team had a good chance to meet and discuss with the National Assembly Member, Mr. Kim Sung Whan (The Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee), and the secretary team of Ms. Sim Sang Jeung (Strategy and Finance Committee). The team also organized the press conference before SK Engineering and Construction Company, the lead company for the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy dam construction.
On the 19th of September, there was then an international Public Forum on “The Collapse of Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam in Laos: Voices from the Ground and Korea” at Sogang University.
Video from the live-stream of the public forum can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/ldimnetwork/videos/24132938654138/ (Good for the beginning to the first hour)
https://youtu.be/FV2xFX6BtGY and https://youtu.be/3-QBSRx3qLA (The second hour onward)
For more details about the forum, please visit LDIM's Public Forums
Finally, the team met with the Korea Eximbank/Economic Development Corporation Fund (EDCF) team responsible for the loan lent to the Laos government for the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam.
The meeting with Eximbank/OECF was followed by the final press conference
of the Mekong team and the Korean Taskforce.
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Video “The situation of Xe Pian Xe Namnoy dam collapse” (for the conference opening) https://www.facebook.com/ldimnetwork/videos/2126798200704946/
Some news and media about LDIM activities in Korea are as below;
News V (Korea) https://news.v.daum.net/v/20180926051800443?f=m&fbclid=IwAR2Jvsf8KFcVD9dDIi0B5zQmjIiBJ6sn5YGL0wSZ9M0DTTYmaXa5R3PLoeQ
Radio Free Asia
Transborder news
KBS News (Korea) - http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?ncd=4041099
Yonhapnews (Korea) - https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20180920133100004
The Fact (Korea) - http://m.tf.co.kr/read/photomovie/1733497.htm?fbclid=IwAR0Lfw3YMq3MUM0L0lFT7Q7yY0Fn4hgwipQvBeuCsQpDflEdXUC-q9hPIpY#_enliple
Thai PBS
News.joined (Korea) https://news.joins.com/article/22991079?fbclid=IwAR20BO9S-kznXUJTPB3RexoRR7CyLfQCtra2mdaldWiRt6lmP7LRkSoFRPA
M. News (Korea) - https://m.news.naver.com/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=001&aid=0010353934
TF News (Korea) - http://m.tf.co.kr/read/photomovie/1733497.htm
The Korean government's Inspection on Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy
Ms. SIM Sang-jung is one of the most popular politicians in South Korea. She was one of the five major presidential candidates in the South Korean presidential election 2017. She was the leader of the Justice Party, one of the opposition parties in 2018, when the LDIM and Mekong team visited her office and discussed it with her team.
Ms. SIM continued working on the case of XP-XNN, which has finally become the inspection case for the Korean parliament. The Korean Civil Society Taskforce on Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy was also working to continue with the Korean government on the case.
The news about her presence at the inspection can be found at http://m.kpinews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=82687&fbclid=IwAR3LcD6KYZVRhtCtS180459CL4MxmQKV6J9O-i_BvAti4M5oKNOMf68YME0
Statement of the Korean Taskforce “Assessment required to resolve whether alterations to the dam design and early filling of the reservoir caused the collapse of the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy dam “
http://www.peoplepower21.org/English/159114
More news coverage
SISAIN - https://www.sisain.co.kr/?mod=news&act=articleView&idxno=32946
KPI News (Korea) -
http://www.kpinews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=82687
http://www.edaily.co.kr/news/read?newsId=383146619373576&mediaCodeNo=257&OutLnkChk=Y
Transborder News (Thailand) - http://transbordernews.in.th/home/?p=19567&fbclid=IwAR3VYXZa4StALrXmn5EnZHNz5YyN2MZUgHfYmB3sbWiizAVagtSi826aqAA
Hani - http://m.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/assembly/86583.html?pushAndroid=
Visit the campsite in Sanamxai District, Attapeu Province in 2018
Laos Dam Investment Monitor (LDIM) had a chance to visit the campsite at Sanamxai District in Attapeu Province, Southern Lao PDR, after the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam collapsed in July 2018.
