Mekong River Dam
   How can Thailand, a country faced with at least four major
environmental concerns -- deforestation, wildlife destruction,
water scarcity, and urban environmental quality -- afford to build
another dam?  However, the utility of building hydroelectric dams has
been challenged on a number of grounds.  First, they are extremely
expensive. A dam proposed on the Mekong River bordering Thailand
and Laos will cost $2.7 billion. Second,  previous dams have adversely affected local climate conditions, soil fertility, and water and fishery resources.  Third, in many countries the construction of hydroelectric dams has displaced people and altered local community life.

 Although Thailand uses its dams for local energy use, the
potential for trade is enormous given the fact that Thailand
imports much of its energy.  As the economy grows other neighboring
countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Burma may be tempted to export
energy to Thailand.  In 1989, Thailand's dams produced 4.5 billion
Kilowatt hours and in 1982 the figure was 3.8 billion kilowatt
hours.  The world's net production of hydroelectric power was
2,144.8 billion kilowatt hours in 1991.
  Culture has played a role in the environmental consequences of
dams.  In particular, Thailand is heavily reliant on rice
production as both an export crop and subsistence staple.  Thus,
the scarcity or reallocation of water can have a severe effect on
the rural economy.  Compared with a pastoral people, dams displace
those who are tied to crop production based on seasonal rainfall.
In addition, Thailand has historically had an indigenous dam system
which maximizes the community usefulness of irrigation by
distributing water to all according to size of their land holdings.
Similarly one's land determines the amount of work one has to
contribute to the communal irrigation system.  However, dams have
replaced this system with a system determined by proximity to the
major dam.