The Mekong

DavidFL

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Huai Sai Mann viewpoint.
August 2018


GTR - IMG_6644B.JPG


GTR - IMG_6645B.JPG
 

ianyonok

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Disturbing, ugly, sad.... and other words come to mind.
The local Laos people will gain nothing from this development.
 
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ianyonok

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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.....
 

DavidFL

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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.
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19 June. 4 days later & the taps have been turned off.
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The river then stayed significantly low for a month
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The Chiang Khong cargo point 15 June 2021
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I always use the power box marker to gauge the river height - if it is flooding or not.
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8th July back down low again
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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
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22 July 2021 - 24 hours later & the water is closing in on the meter box.
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How high does it get?

The 2018 flood


1991 at the old immigration port
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But 2008 is maybe the winner that I know of.
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Enjoy, watching the river flow @ Chiang Khong.
 
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DavidFL

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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
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The detail is incredible. Every rock, cliff, beach & island in the Mekong!

Upstream from Chiang Khong
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Downstream from Chiang Khong: Kaeng Pha Dai & "the Mekong end of the road."
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Eoin Christie

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It's good to see a diligent cartographer express their inner artist's soul through their interpretation of the North arrow.
 
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DavidFL

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11 February 2021.

A few pics from the "60 year low" upstream from Chiang Khong.

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Check out this fabulous, free, downloadable book on the Mekong
https://themekongbutterfly.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/photobook.pdf



 
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DavidFL

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2nd May 2024 at the Golden Triangle.
Hazy days on the Khong.
View attachment 155187

View attachment 155188

View attachment 155189

View attachment 155190

Photos take from the Flow restaurant, looking across to the Lao Vegas, Kings Roman casino city.


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17 June 2024
6 weeks later & the weather has changed with the water level rising nicely.
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Cargo boats are running vehicles up the Khong for delivery to....??
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It's dam impressive how they load & stow these vehicles on board in precarious positions.
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DavidFL

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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
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13 September
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29 August.
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13 September with the Ruak River in flood, trying to get into the Mekong.
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29 August.
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13 September.
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