Cambodia denies China dam impact

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has denied that the hydroelectric dam projects on the Mekong River in China had disrupted the river’s flow. The premier said that in 1998 the Mekong hit a record low of 7.5 meters, but in 2000 it rose to nearly 12 meters.
Hun Sen blamed the variance of the Mekong’s water levels on climate change and carbon emissions. He said the Mekong fell to its lowest level in 50 years in northern Thailand and Laos earlier this year. "It’s related to the emissions that changed the pattern of the rains. . . . Don’t say that because of the hydroelectricity there is no water in the lower part of the Mekong. That would be a mistake," he said.
The Phnomh Penh Post reports a total of 12 dams have been proposed for the Lower Mekong River, including two in Cambodia.