water-grabbing-in-the-mekong-basin

This paper uses a political ecology approach to examine how state and private actors in Thailand and Laos mobilise power to control the benefits from hydropower while the social and environmental impacts are largely ignored, thereby constituting water grabbing. The authors argues that the structure and politics of the Thai electricity sector, private sector and civil society are driving Thailand’s hydropower investment in Laos. Thai investments are enabled by Laos' low capacity to enforce laws and regulate development. These enabling factors combine with economic-focused regional development to create opportunities for water grabbing. The winners are the powerful actors who control the benefits, while the losers are local livelihoods and the environment.