Pak Beng hydropower plant on Mekong River discussed at Laos forum
Regional concerned parties met at a forum in Luang Prabang city, northern Laos on February 22 to discuss consultation process for Pak Beng hydropower plant on the Mekong River mainstream.
The forum in Luang Prabang on February 22 (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – Regional concerned parties met at a forum in Luang Prabangcity, northern Laos on February 22 to discuss consultation process for Pak Benghydropower plant on the Mekong River mainstream.
As part of the Proceduresfor Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) framework, thetwo-day event will provide data and scientific foundation related to the studyof impacts of hydropower projects in general, which will serve as basis for theresearch and assessment of impacts of Pak Beng hydropower project.
Participantswill study lessons drawn from consultation process for Sayabouly and Don Sahonghydropower projects, sustainable hydropower strategies of Laos and Pak Bengproject in particular, and make relevant recommendations for the consultationprocess and the PNPCA for Pak Beng project.
The Mekong RiverCommission (MRC) is to present the goal and roadmap for the implementation ofprior consultation process for Pak Beng and its follow-up activities.
It will alsointroduce the approach, scopes and methodology of Pak Beng technical review interms of hydrology, ecological system, biological resources, dam safety,socio-economic and environmental impacts and cross-border issues.
Lao Minister ofNatural Resources and Environment Sommath Pholsena told the Vietnam News Agencythat the event offers a chance to discuss with MRC member countries anddevelopment partners, towards ensuring the best interests of Lao people and thoseliving in countries in Mekong river basin.
Lying in PakBeng district in the northern Lao province of Oudomsay, Pak Beng hydropowerplant has a designed capacity of 912MW and an average annual generation outputof 4.775 GWh per year. It is the third plant on the Mekong River mainstream afterSayabouly and Don Sahong.
In November2016, the Lao government submitted detailed description of Pak Beng to the MRCSecretariat to seek approval for the six-month prior consultation process whichstarted on December 20, 2016.-VNA
Developing mainstream hydropower projects on the lower Mekong River could lead to long-term and unrecoverable losses to its deltas and the water environment, impacting millions of people.
Vietnam and Thailand will work closely with each other and with international organisations to use and manage Mekong river water resources efficiently to ensure interests of the river basin nations.
Cooperation among countries that share the Mekong – Lancang River should focus on water management for mutual benefit and sustainable growth in the region, said Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has proposed the Lao National Mekong Committee continue working with Vietnam to monitor and examine practical impacts of hydropower plants on Mekong River.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum in Luang Prabang on February 22 (Photo: VNA) 
