The Mekong
- Thread starter DavidFL
- Start date
The Golden Triangle - Don Phueng / King Roman & what an amazing transformation happening on the Laos side.
Disturbing you may well think.
Disturbing you may well think.
Disturbing, ugly, sad.... and other words come to mind.
The local Laos people will gain nothing from this development.
The local Laos people will gain nothing from this development.
February 2019
The Mekong & the 4th Friendship Bridge from Wat Phra That Doi Mae Ya Mon
Wat Phra That Doi Mae Ya Mon has featured on GTR here: Chiang Khong - Wat Pra That Doi Ya Mon - Mekong Phaya Nak Blessing
The Mekong & the 4th Friendship Bridge from Wat Phra That Doi Mae Ya Mon
Wat Phra That Doi Mae Ya Mon has featured on GTR here: Chiang Khong - Wat Pra That Doi Ya Mon - Mekong Phaya Nak Blessing
Came back from Mekong Pizza in Sop Ruak, a couple of nights ago and noticed they have put pointy top pieces on the 16 story hotel across the river.
In fact, night time really shows the huge extent of the ugly transformation across the river, as the city now covers a large area.
Much of it looks like a childrens fairground with lights everywhere. There seem to be light effects on all the larger buildings. Bright reds, yellows and pinks, flashing around across the roofs and outside of the buildings.
The other time you notice it, is when coming down the hill before the Hall of Opium, on the way from Mae Sai.
It would probably not be an understatement to say it is one of the ugliest views in Thailand.
Fortunately, it isn't in Thailand.....
In fact, night time really shows the huge extent of the ugly transformation across the river, as the city now covers a large area.
Much of it looks like a childrens fairground with lights everywhere. There seem to be light effects on all the larger buildings. Bright reds, yellows and pinks, flashing around across the roofs and outside of the buildings.
The other time you notice it, is when coming down the hill before the Hall of Opium, on the way from Mae Sai.
It would probably not be an understatement to say it is one of the ugliest views in Thailand.
Fortunately, it isn't in Thailand.....
June 2019 some magnificent views from Wat Phrathat Pha Ngao, downstream from Chiang Saen
It is amazing how low some of the boats sit in the Mekong.
A MRC Mekong River Commission survey boat in the river. I would love to know exactly what they were checking.
It is amazing how low some of the boats sit in the Mekong.
A MRC Mekong River Commission survey boat in the river. I would love to know exactly what they were checking.
An interesting comparison @ Google Maps
19 August 2018
Now at the end of the rainy season 14 October 2019
What's going on??
19 August 2018
Now at the end of the rainy season 14 October 2019
What's going on??
June 2021 & the first rain depression of the year & the Mekong goes straight back up.
The Chiang Khong cargo port
Tha Pha Tan port downtown central Chiang Khong.
The Chiang Khong cargo port
Tha Pha Tan port downtown central Chiang Khong.
June - July 2021 A comparison on how much has rises & falls so quickly.
15 June 2021 the first heavy rains, but with some significant help from the Chinese dams.
The main Chiang Khong port downtown.
19 June. 4 days later & the taps have been turned off.
The river then stayed significantly low for a month
The Chiang Khong cargo point 15 June 2021
I always use the power box marker to gauge the river height - if it is flooding or not.
8th July back down low again
Note the position of the meter box towards the bottom of the ramp.
In the second half of July some extremely heavy rainfall upstream starts to fill the river in 48 hours.
21 July 2021 the main cargo port and the river is rapidly on the way back up
22 July 2021 - 24 hours later & the water is closing in on the meter box.
How high does it get?
The 2018 flood
1991 at the old immigration port
But 2008 is maybe the winner that I know of.
www.gt-rider.com
Enjoy, watching the river flow @ Chiang Khong.
15 June 2021 the first heavy rains, but with some significant help from the Chinese dams.
The main Chiang Khong port downtown.
19 June. 4 days later & the taps have been turned off.
The river then stayed significantly low for a month
The Chiang Khong cargo point 15 June 2021
I always use the power box marker to gauge the river height - if it is flooding or not.
8th July back down low again
Note the position of the meter box towards the bottom of the ramp.
In the second half of July some extremely heavy rainfall upstream starts to fill the river in 48 hours.
21 July 2021 the main cargo port and the river is rapidly on the way back up
22 July 2021 - 24 hours later & the water is closing in on the meter box.
How high does it get?
The 2018 flood
1991 at the old immigration port
But 2008 is maybe the winner that I know of.
Mekong Flooding Now!
2008 Heavy rains and flooding are forecast for Northern and NE Thailand. The Mekong is overflowing it's banks. Here are some photos sent to me from David and Mai who live in Chiang Khong. The ferry service is not running and David says trucks are backed up waiting for it to resume. I don't...
www.gt-rider.com
Enjoy, watching the river flow @ Chiang Khong.
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Kaeng Khut Ku rapids at Chiang Khan on 9 September 2021.
17 July 2019
17 July 2019
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Thanks for Jean Baptiste I was recently tipped off about some old French survey maps of the Mekong for the Siam - Laos border. Dated January 1931.
Here is one for the Chiang Khong area
The detail is incredible. Every rock, cliff, beach & island in the Mekong!
Upstream from Chiang Khong
Downstream from Chiang Khong: Kaeng Pha Dai & "the Mekong end of the road."
Here is one for the Chiang Khong area
The detail is incredible. Every rock, cliff, beach & island in the Mekong!
Upstream from Chiang Khong
Downstream from Chiang Khong: Kaeng Pha Dai & "the Mekong end of the road."
11 February 2021.
A few pics from the "60 year low" upstream from Chiang Khong.
Check out this fabulous, free, downloadable book on the Mekong
https://themekongbutterfly.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/photobook.pdf
news.yahoo.com
www.bloomsburycollections.com
themekongbutterfly.wordpress.com
A few pics from the "60 year low" upstream from Chiang Khong.
Check out this fabulous, free, downloadable book on the Mekong
https://themekongbutterfly.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/photobook.pdf
The Mekong River is a regional life source. There's only one country to blame for its crisis, critics say .
“When the river has problems, the people beside the river have problems,” one activist said.
Last Days of the Mighty Mekong
www.bloomsburycollections.com
Tracing Sediment Starved Aquamarine Mekong with Scientific Evidences and Citizen Science
It has been two years, starting from the end of 2019 to early 2021, since we noticed the unusual aquamarine hue of the Mekong River, the freshwater algae bloom[1] and their adverse impacts on the M…
themekongbutterfly.wordpress.com
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28 September 2023 at the old Tha Bak ferry port, Chiang Khong city.
Not a lot of water & usually September was the wettest month, but in 2023 the rainfall at Chiang Khong is way down, plus our friends upstream having been restricting the water flow.
The location: Bak Ferry Terminal · 7CG4+29G, Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand
Not a lot of water & usually September was the wettest month, but in 2023 the rainfall at Chiang Khong is way down, plus our friends upstream having been restricting the water flow.
The location: Bak Ferry Terminal · 7CG4+29G, Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand
The Golden Triangle 28 September 2023
Location: Golden Triangle Viewpoint · 933J+CG6, Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand
Location: Golden Triangle Viewpoint · 933J+CG6, Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand
2nd May 2024 at the Golden Triangle.
Hazy days on the Khong.
Photos take from the Flow restaurant, looking across to the Lao Vegas, Kings Roman casino city.
maps.app.goo.gl
Hazy days on the Khong.
Photos take from the Flow restaurant, looking across to the Lao Vegas, Kings Roman casino city.
Flow Chiang Saen · 455 à¹à¸§à¸µà¸¢à¸ Tambon Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand
âââââ · Cafe
maps.app.goo.gl
2nd May 2024 at the Golden Triangle.
Hazy days on the Khong.
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Photos take from the Flow restaurant, looking across to the Lao Vegas, Kings Roman casino city.
Flow Chiang Saen · 455 à¹à¸§à¸µà¸¢à¸ Tambon Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand
âââââ · Cafe
17 June 2024
6 weeks later & the weather has changed with the water level rising nicely.
Cargo boats are running vehicles up the Khong for delivery to....??
It's dam impressive how they load & stow these vehicles on board in precarious positions.
August - September: After Typhoon Yagi, there was extensive flooding in North Thailand and later downstream along the Mekong.
Here are a couple of photos of the GT for comparison.
29 August
13 September
29 August.
13 September with the Ruak River in flood, trying to get into the Mekong.
29 August.
13 September.
Here are a couple of photos of the GT for comparison.
29 August
13 September
29 August.
13 September with the Ruak River in flood, trying to get into the Mekong.
29 August.
13 September.