Fears for Mekong ferry services

FERRY services for tourists along the Mekong river have been suspended due to extremely low levels of water.

Leisure cruises between Chiang Rai and Luang Prabang in Laos were officially ceased a fortnight ago, although some operators are continuing to ply the route by taking special safety measures.

Journeys that would normally take no more than 45 minutes can take two hours as pilots struggle to avoid grounding their boats in low spots, some just 35cm deep in places.

There were fears that ferry travel along the Mekong continues to face such difficulties it will be axed within five years.

Riverside resorts are also suffering with beds advertised in “floating rooms” now actually found resting on the bare riverbed instead.

Cargo ships have also been adversely affected by the dry spell with no journeys having been made along the Chiang Rai portion of the waterway for several weeks.

“Big boats can only sail along the river with a depth of at least 2 metres but the Mekong is now running dry,” Sanyan Piyanont, a 53-year-old boat operator told the Nation.

Industry experts put the damage to Thailand’s freight trade at around 100 million baht for February.

Farmers in the north of Thailand are also suffering from the water shortage and many may have to seek alternative ways of feeding their families.

Experts want negotiations to take place with China, who many blame for the problem for its series of dams further upstream.