11 June 2002

PAK MOON DAM

Two major studies on the impacts of Pak Moon dam, though still incomplete, agree that the dam in Ubon Ratchathani has had a severe impact on river ecology leading to a decline in the number of fish species.

A study by Ubon Ratchathani University found that the number of fish species in the Moon river has increased from 90 to 154 since the dam gates were opened on cabinet orders in June last year.

Environmental science lecturer Praneet Ngamsnae said the move had enabled fish in the Mekong river to swim upstream and breed in the Moon and Chi rivers.

Dam protesters say there were more than 250 fish species in the Moon river before construction of the dam.

Cabinet asked the university to do the 10 million baht study. It is expected to wrap up in August.

Another study by Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, confirmed the dam has adverse ecological impacts.

The state research agency was commissioned by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the dam developer, to study the dam's ecological impacts and to develop a plan to preserve the ecology and enhance the livelihood of villagers.

The study, costing 6.2 million baht, started last October and will wrap up in August.

Chief researcher Suchart Sailamai said the research team had gathered data from 6,048 families which received compensation from Egat, and 900 families which had not been paid.

The team found that state pay-outs did not truly compensate villagers forced to find new places to live and change their occupations.

``We found that the majority want the dam gates to be opened during fish spawning season. They don't mind one way or another whether the dam still operates,'' he said.

Fish spawning season runs from May to September.

The studies were presented yesterday at a public forum held by Chulalongkorn University's Social Research Institute.

Meanwhile, the Ubon Ratchathani University study found that decommissioning the dam would have no effect on power supply to Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen and Phibun Mangsahan provinces as feared.

``Power blackouts are unlikely. Pak Moon dam has not generated power for a year and nothing has happened because the country has abundant power supply in the system,'' Pairat Kaewsarn, an electricity engineering lecturer, told the gathering. The study would be sent to cabinet, which will decide whether to decommission the dam.

It said the five provinces consume 330 megawatts of power a year while power supply to that area is 616 megawatts, and the supply could be strengthened when Egat buys 920 megawatts from Nam Thuen II dam in Laos starting in 2008. Mr Pairat said, however, the dam could be used as a back-up system for unexpected and severe power failures because it could supply power immediately at little cost.

Egat representatives at the forum declined to comment.