Agenda: Public Forum on “Sharing the Mekong River Basin”

Public Forum: Sharing the Mekong River Basin

1st April 2010

Mekong Studies Center, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Chulalongkorn University
Master of Arts in International Development Studies (MAIDS) Programme, Faculty of
Political Sciences, Chulalongkorn University

The Chumbhot-Pantip Conference Room,

Prajadhipok-Rambhaibarni Building, Chulalongkorn University

In cooperation with:
• Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance (TERRA) (Thailand)
• Vietnam Rivers Network (Vietnam)
• Mekong Energy and Ecology Network (MEE Net) (Thailand)
• Thai Peoples’ Network for the Mekong (Thailand)
• Chiang Kong Conservation Group (Thailand)
• Eco-Culture Study Group / Isan Human Rights and Peace Information Center
(Thailand)
• Living River Siam (SEARIN) (Thailand)
• Hug Nam Khong (Thailand)
• Save the Mekong Coalition
• Mekong Watch (Japan)
• International Rivers (US)
• Service Center for Development Cooperation (KEPA) (Finland)

Introduction
The Mekong Agreement, signed by the governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand
and Vietnam in 1995, aims to promote cooperation through the Mekong River
Commission (MRC) “in all fields of sustainable development, utilization, management
and conservation of the water and related resources of the Mekong River Basin.” The
past fifteen years have seen many challenges to sharing the river’s resources both within
and between the Lower Mekong countries, as well as with China located upstream.
Whilst the Mekong region has undergone rapid economic integration and growth
bringing benefits to many people, this development has been accompanied by growing
environmental degradation and deepening social inequality.

Amongst decision-makers, opinion-formers, business and civil society leaders, riparian

communities and the general public, divergent visions are emerging for the Mekong
River basin’s future development. On the fifteen year anniversary of the signing of the
Mekong Agreement, this public forum will bring together a diversity of perspectives on
the use and sharing of the Mekong River and its resources.

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 Agenda: Public Forum on “Sharing the Mekong River Basin”

Agenda

Registration (8:30 – 9:00)

Welcoming remarks (9:00 – 9:15)

Opening remarks by Prof. Surichai Wun’gaeo, Chair Professor, Faculty of Political
Science, Chulalongkorn University, and Director, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies,
Chulalongkorn University

Session 1: Sharing the Mekong River: Context and reflections on recent experience
(9:15 – 10:40)

• Witoon Permpongsacharoen, Director, Mekong Energy and Ecology Network,

Thailand
• Pham Thanh Hang, Programme Coordinator, Basin Development Plan
Programme, Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS)
• John Dore, Water Advisor, AusAID Mekong Region Water and Infrastructure
Unit, Australian Embassy
• Carl Middleton, MAIDS Programme, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn
University (discussant)

Facilitator: Pornpimol Trichot, Researcher, Mekong Studies Center, Institute of Asian

Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Coffee (10:40 – 11:10)

Session 2: Contemporary challenges: Mekong mainstream dams and Mekong

drought (11:10 – 12:30)

• Pianporn Deetes, Thailand Campaigner, International Rivers/ Save the Mekong

Coalition
• Jeremy Bird, Chief Executive Officer, Mekong River Commission Secretariat
(MRCS)
• Le Phat Quoi, Head of Natural Resources Division, Institute for Environment and
Resources, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Representative of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom
of Thailand
• Ukrist Pathmanand, Mekong Studies Center, Institute of Asian Studies,
Chulalongkorn University (Discussant)

Facilitator: Dr. Masud Hossain, Service Center for Development Cooperation

Lunch (12:30 – 13:30)

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 Agenda: Public Forum on “Sharing the Mekong River Basin”

Session 3: Future visions of the Mekong Basin (13:30 – 15:00)

This session will be a forum to explore public expectations on the future of the Mekong
Basin through case studies from Burma, Thailand/ Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

• Sangthong Inthong, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand

• Japhet, Director, Lahu National Development Organization
• Long Socheat, Chair, Cambodian Coalition of Fishers (CCF), Cambodia
• Ly Quoc Dang, Soc Trang Province, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta/ EarthRights
International Mekong School

Facilitator: Toshi Doi, Director, Mekong Watch

Coffee (15:00 – 15:30)

Session 4: Future visions of the Mekong Basin (15:30 – 17:15)

Reflecting on the past experience and present situation, this session will explore visions
for the future of the Mekong basin.

• Nguy Thi Khanh, Deputy Director, Center for Water Resources Conservation and
Development (WARECOD)/ Vietnam Rivers Network, Vietnam
• Om Savath, Program Manager, Fisheries Action Coalition Team, Cambodia
• Niwat Roykaew, Chiang Khong Conservation Group, Thailand
• Charm Tong, Advocacy Team Manager, Shan Women’s Action Network
• [Previous speakers will respond to questions]
• Facilitator: Srisuwan Kuankachorn, Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional
Alliance, Thailand

Closing remarks: (17:15 – 17:30)

Prof. Vitit Muntarbhorn, Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University

Contact

For inquires, please contact Dr. Carl Middleton (mob: +66 (0) 84 681 5332; tel +66 (0) 2
218 7221; email carl.m@chula.ac.th).