Laos defers decision to build Mekong River dam

Cambodian fishermen move their fishing net from the Mekong River as they catch fish on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Laos has deferred a decision on erecting in the first dam on the lower Mekong River. -- PHOTO: AP

BANGKOK - LAOS has deferred a decision on erecting in the first dam on the lower Mekong River in face of strong opposition from neighbouring countries including its closest ally, Vietnam.

The decision came at a meeting of four Southeast Asian countries in the Lao capital of Vientiane on Tuesday.

Opponents had feared the Xayaburi dam would open the way for as many as 10 others on the Mekong's lower mainstream, degrading the river's fragile ecology and the lives of millions who depend on it for their livelihoods.

Laos argues that revenue from the 1260 megawatt dam will spur economic and social development in one of the world's poorest countries. 

-- AP