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Information Still Lacking Depth Reflections on the PNPCA for the Sanakham Hydropower Project

By Associate Professor Kanokwan Manorom, phd,

Mekong-Subregion Social Research Center (MSSRC)

Faculty of Liberal Arts,

Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand

I participated in the Prior Notification, Prior Consultation, and Agreement (PNPCA) process under the 1995 Mekong Agreement for the Sanakham Dam on January 22, 2025, in Ubon Ratchathani. The event was organized by the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) and the Mekong River Commission (MRC). The following are critical issues that the MRC and ONWR must consider seriously in the PNPCA process:

First: The MRC Must Not Say That a Run-of-River Dam Functions Like a Weir

MRC officials told participants in the PNPCA process that the Sanakham Dam is a “run-of-river dam” because it functions like a “weir.” This statement needs to be corrected because the Sanakham Dam, with a capacity of 684 megawatts and located only 2 kilometers from the Thai border, does not function like an irrigation weir. (For example, two weirs in the Mun River Basin—Hua Na Weir and Rasi Salai Weir in Si Sa Ket Province—were later reclassified as dams due to their severe impacts on communities and ecosystems.)

The Sanakham Dam is designed for electricity generation and will cause severe impacts on hydrology, ecology, society, economy, culture, and livelihoods. Moreover, this dam is located in a major river system of the Mekong Basin, where over ten large dams have already been built upstream in China. In the Lower Mekong, eleven more dams are planned, including the already built Xayaburi and Don Sahong Dams, as well as the currently under-construction Luang Prabang Dam. These projects are expected to create cumulative impacts along the Mekong River, directly affecting 62,530 people and indirectly impacting 23,701,332 people (according to the Sanakham Dam’s social and economic impact assessment report).

Recommendation: When explaining in MRC forums, officials must clearly state that a dam is a dam. It should not be referred to as a weir or described as functioning like a weir.

Second: The Transboundary Cumulative Impacts are Superficial

After listening to presentations on hydrology, hydraulics, sediment, safety, environment, fisheries, and socioeconomics of the Sanakham Dam, I found that the reports presented at the forum barely mentioned transboundary cumulative impacts in a clear and concrete manner. 

Although MRC representatives attempted to address this issue by referring to cumulative impact assessments, they only cited general findings from the Council Study (CS) (a study on the sustainable management and development of the Mekong River Basin, including the impacts of hydropower projects on the mainstream). However, the data presented were not comprehensive, as the study primarily provided concepts, examples of tools, and models rather than concrete findings.

Recommendation: It is essential to present cumulative impact assessments for each river section and each dam, linking them with upstream dams already built, those under construction, and those planned for the future.

Third: Unclear Mechanisms for Participation and Insufficient Socioeconomic Data

The socioeconomic impact report has several weaknesses. For instance, it mainly relies on surveys rather than participatory research, despite the fact that participation is a crucial component of Social Impact Assessment (SIA) for hydropower dam projects. This weakens trust between stakeholders and project developers, as the study does not demonstrate that the impact data and mitigation measures were derived from a participatory research process.

Moreover, the data presented in the forum was based on surveys conducted in only 9 villages and 126 households. The report states that there are 68 villages in Loei Province and 47 villages in Nong Khai Province within a 15-kilometer radius of the project, covering six districts:

  • Loei Province: Chiang Khan, Pak Chom, and Tha Li
  • Nong Khai Province: Sangkhom, Pho Tak, and Si Chiang Mai

These districts collectively have a population of 79,341 people. Among them, 41 villages within 0-2 km of the Mekong River comprise 11,988 households with a population of 27,490 people. The closest village to the dam site is Ban Tha Di Mi (Chiang Khan District, Loei Province), located 1.7 km away.

Meanwhile, 20 villages within 2-5 km of the river contain 4,820 households and a population of 13,234 people. The closest village in this range is Ban Na Bon (Chiang Khan District, Loei Province), located 4.6 km from the dam site. In total, 16,808 households are within the impact radius.

The study’s sample size—126 households out of 16,808, or just 0.75%—is extremely small, considering the major hydrological, hydraulic, sediment, safety, environmental, fisheries, and socioeconomic impacts expected from the Sanakham Dam. 

Recommendation: The data collection should be expanded to include at least 50% of households in each community, covering all vulnerable groups, including all GESI groups (Gender Equity and Social Inclusion—women, the elderly, youth, people with disabilities, landless individuals, those dependent on the Mekong, younger generations, and people of diverse genders and ethnicities). 

Additionally, it is crucial to incorporate actual community perspectives, ensuring that affected individuals, as rights holders, can provide input on mitigation measures and solutions to anticipated impacts.

Fourth: ONWR Must Take a Stronger Scientific Stand

In alignment with the three points above, ONWR must push project developers to conduct more comprehensive and in-depth studies that reflect actual impacts—both in the project area and in terms of cumulative impacts from upstream dams.

Moreover, socioeconomic impact assessments must be conducted with meaningful participation, ensuring that the number of informants is large enough to represent the affected areas. Affected groups should also be given a meaningful role in the PNPCA process, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are respected.

Read original Thai article at https://transbordernews.in.th/home/?p=41144

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