20 July 2026 (Eastern ThawLwin)
Ko Ye
Thai authorities have issued a warning to five northeastern provinces to prepare for the possibility of the Mekong River rising due to the increase in water release from the Nam Theun 1 hydroelectric dam in Laos.
According to the National Water Resources Office, the water level of the Mekong River on the Thai side could rise by 60 centimeters to 1.3 meters between July 17 and 20.
The five provinces that have been issued warnings by the National Water Resources Office are Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani, and residents in low-lying areas near the river are urged to be vigilant as the Mekong River could rise.
Bung Khla and Bueng Khong Long districts in Bueng Kan province have been designated as areas of special concern.
Due to continuous heavy rains during the rainy season, the Nam Theun 1 dam in Laos has been forced to increase its water release rate through the spillway since July 17.
Initially, the water release rate was only 200 cubic meters per second, but later it gradually increased from 1,000 to 2,500 cubic meters per second, with the peak water release rate being 12.5 times higher than the initial 200 cubic meters per second.
Officials have warned that the rising water levels could cause flooding in vulnerable areas along the Mekong River.
Residents living along the riverbanks are urged to closely monitor official news reports and move their belongings to safer areas if necessary, and continue to monitor the river conditions until July 20.
