My first see of the Salween River was on October 3, 2000, when we were going to Kohkan district, a special autonomous region, in the vicinity of the border between Myanmar and China. It was exposed on the road side. The river water looked dark as I have imagined. There was absolutely no dam in the basin; completely virgin river.
In the time of Thailand's economic development in the late 1980s, the Salween basin was a garden of Japanese consultant, and they were planning not only hydropower but introduction of its water into Bangkok. As Myanmar's military government increasingly isolated in the process, China's economy has been growing. The dam development was controlled by Chinese companies, most of the Japanese withdrawal. It is heard that the dams are proceeded in cooperation between China and Thailand.
Thailand's environmental experts are saying that China's current government should have to control the Chinese companies in the Myanmar. The experts say the Salween river should be developed with more comprehensive consideration in cooperation with upstream development plan in the territory of China. The problem in the Mekong River, is treated in an article yesterday.
In the downstream of the plan, Hutgyi and Tasang dams are being proceeded. The Hutgyi dam is relatively small and proceeded ahead of Tasang. The Tasang dam development project had 40% of share. But, the Myanmar government took over it and gave to Chinese companies. A a results, the Chinese group become a majority for the project. In today's article, the Wai Gyi dam project may be upstream of Tasang and near the border of China.
In the upper reaches of Salween in China territory , several dams of cascade are planned. In the past of Time magazine, it was argued that the plans of upstream and downstream should be cooperated. Also, it was said that the local government should consider the residents in the basin.
The Chinese new government, in an age of Premier Wen Jiabao, said about the development of the dam, quite negative. the purpose of the National understood that, while quite negative, And China will take the initiative if any international development organizations want to be built.
Reference
Pakistan
●080927A Pakistan, pakobserver
Rs 5b Jagran hydropower station
http://pakobserver.net/200809/26/news/topstories09.asp
Philippines
●080927B Philippines, Manila Bulletin
PSALM to prepay $ 184-M yen loans
http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20080927136361.html
Myanmar
●080927C Myanmar, mizzima
Junta's hydropower projects to endanger biodiversity of Salween River http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/1105-juntas-hydropower-projects-to-endanger-biodiversity-of-salween-river.html
China
●080927D China, xinhuanet
New hydropower station starts operation in Tibet
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/26/content_10118158.htm
