Early drought affects Thai-Lao transport across Mekong

NAKHON PHANOM, February 20 (TNA) - An early drought this year is affecting boats and ships sailing across the Thai-Laos border through the Mekong River, carrying either goods or travellers. Apart from impacts from the current cold weather, people in Thailand's northeastern Nakhon Phanom Province along the Mekong River is also facing the early drought, as the water level in the Mekong River has unusually dropped to only two metres, its lowest level in 30 years, showing up large mounds of sand. To get to their destinations, the boats and ships have to take different directions where the water is deeper, but they are to bear more costs and time consuming, with a Thai-Lao border pass in Nakhon Phanom's Ta Uthen District appearing to be the most critical area as only one lane has been left for transportation. If the water in the Mekong River kept falling in the coming days, a suspension of the transportation across the river would cause serious economic impacts on Thai-Lao border areas. (TNA)