Mekong study tour update: 7.19.2013

Other than top-notch commentary on China and SE Asia, ExSE isn’t known for too much and it’s quite clear now that keeping promises isn’t a strongpoint of ours. If you were expecting regular updates on our excursion to Thailand and Laos, we deeply apologize for not delivering. However, if there’s any worthy excuse, it’s that Brian, Dequn, Tai and I have been too busy learning. The following is simply a recap of what’s been going on so far; the true implications of the things that we’ve learned are too much for me to explore in any one post.

Our first two days were spent rather relaxingly, and thankfully far away from a 3G or broadband connection, taking a cruise down the Chao Praya River with Traidhos Three Generations Barges. On the cruise, we learned the river’s watershed, conservation efforts on the river and its significance to Thailand. It was a wonderful introduction to the country through its principal waterway.

The next morning, we met with Pete Cutter at the World Wide Fund for Nature Greater Mekong Office in Bangkok. The WWF Bangkok Office is involved in some very important efforts to preserve more than a half-dozen endangered species in the region and coordinates often with other NGO’s and governments in the GMS.

Our two days in Chiang Mai, where I’m writing from now, have been our most fruitful. Thanks to our friend and ExSE team member Tom Fawrthrop, we were able to meet with many of the top journalists, NGO heads and scholars in northern Thailand. On the 16th we had a lunch talk with Tom himself and learned a ton on the region in general, and specifically the dangers of the 1250MW Xayabouri Dam in the Lao Mekong and the movement to resist its completion. We then two lectures by Professor Narut and Professor Panuwat from the Chiang Mai University Political Science Department on Thailand’s economic role in the GMS and democracy in Thailand, respectively. Afterwards, we met with the Forest Restoration Research Unit at Doi Suthep National Park and learned about their groundbreaking research on tropical forest care.

Yesterday was our day on Burma and, being a Burma watcher myself, was by far the most intellectually stimulating day for me. In the morning we met with Earthrights, an international environmental law firm that looks at watersheds, construction development and shady land-grabbing. Afterwards, we had lunch with Marc Miller, Vice Consul in charge of political and economic policy at the Chiang Mai US Consulate, where we learned more about the US policy towards Burma and its work with Burmese refugees in northern Thailand. The afternoon and evening was jam-packed with meetings, meals and discussions with Pippa Curwen director of the Burma Relief Centre, Kevin McLeod from the Irrawaddy Magazine, representatives from the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand. Yesterday afternoon, our eyes were opened to the violence in Kachin State and its brutal, far-reaching effects. We learned about the international community’s silence on the issue, the true complications of ethnic politics in the “new”Burma and possibilities in the future. We were also fortunate to forge new and strong friendships with people who work everyday to fight for equality and human rights for Burma’s minorities. For me at least, yesterday was a sobering reminder of the progress that still has to be made in the region before there can be development in the human sense of the word.

As you can see, the past few days have been a whirlwind of activity and have provided all of us with thinking and writing material for the next few months. There are so many stories, so many problems, so many solutions that are buzzing around the region right now, and ExSe has been rejuvenated and inspired by seeing them first-hand. The next few months should be very fruitful in research and writing for everyone on the blog team. Thanks for your support so far, and we promise, the posts will keep coming on this trip and for long, long, after.