ONWR Tries to Solve Mekong Crisis

BANGKOK, Aug 13 (TNA) – The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) is convincing countries along the Mekong River to jointly solve its critically fluctuating levels. ONWR secretary-general Somkiat Prajumwong said his office invited high-level representatives from the countries to discuss solutions to the quickly changing levels of the Mekong River. Five countries namely China, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam sent their officials to the meeting but Laos did not because of a short notice, he said. Participants were well cooperative in discussing solutions that could happen through various mechanisms including information exchange through information technology and social media. In the meeting, China expressed readiness to share useful information such as discharge rates at its dams, Mr Somkiat said. The cooperation would benefit Thailand and other countries along the river because local residents would be able to prepare themselves for the changing levels of the river beforehand, he said. The ONWR also brought participants in the meeting to inspect the impacts of the river’s fluctuations on people living along its Thai banks, Mr Somkiat said. (TNA)