Mekong divides different worlds in golden triangle as. There are more than 250 million people living in the geographically, linguistically, and historically affiliated greater mekong subregion. The book is so filled with historical facts and figures that i didnt realize it was a novel rather than a memoir until i finished it. I chose across the mekong river in preparation for our trip to the mekong river delta on a river boat, although we visited vietnam and cambodia, rather than laos, which is the subject of this book. It flows through 6 counties, china, myanmar, laos, thailand, cambodia and viet nam. Millions of people living along the mekong river face a possibly irreversible depletion of key food supplies resulting from dam building and other diversions of its waters. While the mekong is a lifeline for residents of downstream nations, the river rushes through narrow gorges in china, making it impractical for economic activity other than hydropower. Apr 06, 2012 across the mekong river is a message for our time. Each boat normally goes out for two weeks to a month each trip. China, burma, thailand, laos, cambodia, and finally vietnam. Biophysical environment of an international river basin.
During the middle holocene the mekong river was discharging waters into both the east sea and the gulf of thailand. Like many incurable travel romantics, i was looking forward to tuning in to the fourpart bbc2 series on the mekong river, fronted by the great british bakeoff supremo, sue perkins. Sand mining in cambodia and dams upstream threaten mekong river there are many ways to kill a river. Feb 17, 2010 mekong divides different worlds in golden triangle as thailand thrives and laos struggles on opposite sides of the mekong river, laos and thailand also found themselves in different camps after. Cambodia, laos, burma myanmar, thailand, vietnam, and the yunnan province of china. The mekong river is a river in the southeast of asia. China reshapes the vital mekong river to power its expansion chinese companies are building infrastructure and dams along the vast river that. If built, these dams would destroy the rivers rich biodiversity and threaten the food security of millions of people. This river originates in the yunnan province of china, travels south, forming the boundary between laos and other countries such as myanmar and thailand. In china, the mekong river is known as the lancang jiang the turbulent river, the headwaters of which drains from an altitude of 4970 m on the tibetan plateau and flow for nearly 800 km in tibet before entering yunnan province in china, where it flows for a further 1200 km.
It is the worlds twelfth longest river and the seventh longest in asia. Rich in fascinating history, politics and natural beauty, there is much to know that will enrich your journey. The fate of 70 million people rests on the mekong river. River cruises are rated according to the quality of the vessel and its accommodations, the number of included amenities and activities both on and off the ship, the class of hotels used for land portions of itineraries, and the level of service delivered. The last days of the mighty mekong sets out to explore the state of a river now suffering from rapid. The mekong river basin is a diverse region, in 2007 approximately 70 million people lived across the six countries cdri, 2008. Jan 02, 2018 is mekong river set to become the new south china sea for regional disputes. Goodreads members who liked across the mekong river also liked. Alternate cover edition for isbn 1466338105 9781466338104.
The path of the mekong crosses cambodia and then ends in southern vietnam, forming the famous mekong delta. Drought, dams cause mekong river in laos to turn unhealthy. Dec 31, 2004 across the mekong river is a moving account of one hmong family braving war, persecution, and trauma to find a new life in the u. China reshapes the vital mekong river to power its. Nong khai, thailand the water is so clear on the mekong river in northeastern thailand that the sunlight pierces through to the riverbed. Future travellers on the mekong river will encounter a growing number of hydroelectric dams. China could have choked off the mekong and aggravated a. Across the mekong river by elaine russell goodreads. The river is the centre of the culture for tribal people as well as for the more modern culture that is encroaching on the hill tribe areas of northern thailand. The worlds dirtiest river unreported world youtube. More than 80% of the 40 million strong population living along the lower mekong river basin depend on the river for their food and income. It is a seminal examination of the mekong and its people, a testament to the their struggles, their defeats and their victories. Damming the lower mekong, devastating the ways and means. It would take 48 hours of driving at roughly 62 mph to drive the same distance as the length of the mekong river.
The holocene history of the mekong delta shows delta progradation of about 200 km during the last 6 kyr. The mekong, or mekong river, is a transboundary river in southeast asia. Compared to river basins such as the gangesbrahmaputrameghna and the indus average population density is generally low in the mekong river basin, around 88 inhabitantskm2. Putting a value on the mekong river and measuring the impact it has on the gross domestic product gdp of downstream countries has for a long time been. Your adventure sets off with a boat cruise along the mekong river. A chronicle of a yearlong journey along the nearly 3,000 miles of the mekong river as it descends from the tibetan plateau through southern asia, gargans book is a vivid look at the disparate.
The mekong river is the lifeblood of southeast asian countries and supports the livelihood of nearly 200 million people there who depend largely on farming and fishing. Mekong wikipedia interestingly, the exact source location has been disputed over the. The mekong is the most controversial river in southeast asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. The mekong, o r mekong riv er, is a transbou ndary ri ver in southeast asia. Photos of the mekong river in vietnam brownwater navy. Explore the mighty mekong river in laos on a mekong kayaks river adventure. Along the mekong, from northern tibet to lijiang, from luang praba. Apr 21, 2020 understanding the mekong rivers hydrological conditions. The mix of culture, culinary experiences and exploration combined with the premium facilities will make this river cruise an unforgettable experience. Kayak, cruise or cycle the mighty mekong departing ban lad khammune village and arriving in luang prabang 1, 2 or 3 days later depending on your choice of tour. Taking the slow boat down the mekong river earth trekkers. The mekong river basin stretches about 4,500 km from the tibetan plateau to the south china sea and comprises some 795,000 km.
The oddly blue waters of the mekong river can be seen in this dec. It requires extensive planning and preparation, and this article offers everything youll. Popularly described as the lifeblood that courses through mainland. Along the mekong river, a timeless place where time marches. This ambiguity leaves the mekong region vulnerable to a water conflict. The present mekong delta system has two major distributary channels, both discharging directly into the east sea. The mekong begins in the lasagongma spring which is in the plateaus of tibet, disputed part of china, and flows about 2,703 miles 4,350 km southeast to the south china sea. Last days of the mighty mekong by brian eyler jstor. Mekong river simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Photos of the mekong river and riverbanks taken by veterans from the uss satyr and nsa vinh long. Deep in the western mekong delta, protected from the sea by a low concrete and timber dyke and the remains of degraded mangrove forest, khanahoks nine villages have been battered by cyclones occasionally but mostly by storms and high tides that regularly overtop the dyke, swamp farmland and force people to move. Decisions affecting the flow and the flood need to be based on a clear understanding of the relationship between the river and the livelihoods of the people who live along it. On the nam ou river, laos the former chief of pak chim, a tiny village on a tributary of the mekong river, remembers clearly the moment he knew his hamlet would be no more. The mekong river with sue perkins too much sue, not. Mekong river, cambodian mekongk, laotian menam khong, thai mae nam khong, vietnamese song tien giang, chinese pinyin lancang jiang or wadegiles lantsang chiang, river that is the longest river in southeast asia, the 7th longest in asia, and the 12th longest in the world. From the tibetan pl ateau the river runs through china, myanmar, laos, thailand, cambodia, and vietnam. Find books like across the mekong river from the worlds largest community of readers. Mekong press books and publishing in the greater mekong subregion. Today we take you to the worlds most polluted river. May 12, 2016 the schools 20 meter longboat boasts its credentials on the canopy the mekong river is not for sale. Apr 04, 2017 along the mekong river, a timeless place where time marches on an ancient khmer temples restoration draws adventurous tourists to a littleknown corner of southeast asia.
Ravaged by the vietnam war, a culturally ingrained family from laos leaves everything behind to pursue a dangerous journey across the mekong river leading them from thailand to the united states in russells novel. Like these other rivers as well, the mekong river means more than environmental and economic stability it has. Its estimated length is 4,350 km 2,703 mi, and it drains an area of 795,000 km 2 307,000 sq mi, discharging 475 km 3 114 cu mi of water annually. As each characters internal conflicts unfold, his or her unique voice sheds light on the different aspects of hmong culture.
From the opening of the prologue of her new book, across the mekong river, author elaine russell pulls you into a tale at once fascinating and engaging. Tracing the history of the mekong river, this book shows how its conceptualization and utilization have been transformed in modern times, and particularly during the vietnam war when the mekong. The mekong has more large fishincluding the mekong giant catfish, which can weigh up to 660 lbs. The mekong river basin is almost the size of france and germany put together. There are two cli book boats taking lao books to villages along the mekong river and its tributaries. Parallels laos government says it needs the money the two dams will generate. In the future, we hope that the mekong governments, donor governments, and civil society organizations will explore ways to develop a more comprehensive and transparent approach to mekong river cooperation that includes a role for the mrc, but also recognizes its limitations. Find mekong journal by nick zungoli at blurb books.
Celebrated for its natural beauty and its abundance of wildlife, the mekong river runs thousands of miles through china, myanmar, laos. The rivers tale is a rare and profound book that delivers more than a correspondents account of a place. Starting in china and travelling all the way throughout southeast asia, the river will take you through mesmerizing destinations such as the luang prabang province in laos, sapa in vietnam and myanmar. Mekong river economist world news, politics, economics. The mekong river provides vital resources to laos, thailand, cambodia and vietnam. The mekong river defines much of south east asia, but it was only explored by westerners for the first time in 1866. Even with its advantages, the lower mekong river is not an itinerary that one can just book on a whim. The boats serve children in more than 100 riverside villages, who otherwise would never have books in their hands. Traditional vietnamese music, like the yangtze, the nile, and the mississippi, the mekong river in southeast asia is a giver of life.
The mekong river has several vibrant stories to tell. Through the eyes of each family member, elaine russell brilliantly spins each story strand seamlessly into a deeply personal, and yet universal portrait of the immigrant experience of leaving ones homeland to begin. Diary of an eccentric book blog from the opening of the prologue of her new book, across the mekong river, author. A conversation on the mekong and a changing southeast asia. The 10 best mekong river cruises 20202021 with 434. Is mekong river set to become the new south china sea for. A beautifully woven tale of two cultures blending in the lives of an immigrant family, mekong provides insight and empathy for the struggles facing anyone who makes the difficult decision to flee his country.
A commentary note on the eyes on earth study this publication discusses the mekong rivers hydrological conditions, as it attempts to offer a brief commentary on the monitoring the quantity of water flowing through the upper mekong basin under natural unimpeded conditions study by alan basist and claude williams. With southeast asias storied mekong, chinas upriver damming is taking a. The beijingled lancang mekong cooperation mechanism was set up to help ease tensions over development projects, but. Sand mining in cambodia and dams upstream threaten mekong.
Mar 19, 2019 winning photos capture amazing diversity of the mekong river when night falls, electric power lights up a renowned fish farm village floating on the viet nams cuu long mekong waterways in the dark, with sparkling lights warmly embracing every family who relies on the mekong to make a living. Mekong river basin food and agriculture organization. This factsheet provides an overview of the controversy around the proposed dams. While the mekong river one of the worlds longest and largest rivers has long been in peril, its future has gotten more attention over the past few years both on its own terms as well as. The governments of laos, cambodia, thailand, and vietnam are planning to build eleven large hydropower dams on the lower mekong river.
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