"Four Thousand Island...Where the Mekong Die?" (by Suthep Kritsanavarin)

Samnieng Kambai crosses the Khone falls to reach his traditional fishing trap on the Mekong River in Siphandon, southern Laos. About 200 fish species are identified here, but the planned construction of Sahong Dam on the river will be threatened both the fauna and the fishermen who live off it.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:37:00 +0000

Samnieng Kambai crosses the Khone falls to reach his traditional fishing trap on the Mekong River in Siphandon, southern Laos. About 200 fish species are identified here, but the planned construction of Sahong Dam on the river will be threatened both the fauna and the fishermen who live off it.
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A boy walks on a wire across rapids in the Mekong River in Southern Laos to reach his fishing trap.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:37:00 +0000

A boy walks on a wire across rapids in the Mekong River in Southern Laos to reach his fishing trap.
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Kantara Khamputhorn crosses the Li Phi falls to reach his fishing trap on the Mekong River in Siphandon.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:37:23 +0000

Kantara Khamputhorn crosses the Li Phi falls to reach his fishing trap on the Mekong River in Siphandon.
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- Samnieng Kambai heads to his fishing trap in the Khone falls on the Mekong River in Siphandon, southern Laos.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:37:45 +0000

- Samnieng Kambai heads to his fishing trap in the Khone falls on the Mekong River in Siphandon, southern Laos.
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A fisherman sorts fish in “Li”, a traditional fishing trap during fish migrating season.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:38:15 +0000

A fisherman sorts fish in “Li”, a traditional fishing trap during fish migrating season.
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Siamese mud carp try to jump through the rapids of the Khone Falls during migrating in January.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:38:41 +0000

Siamese mud carp try to jump through the rapids of the Khone Falls during migrating in January.
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Oul Kamsawang stands on his “Li” in the hopes of a big catch during the last monsoon season.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:38:56 +0000

Oul Kamsawang stands on his “Li” in the hopes of a big catch during the last monsoon season.
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A crow steals tiny fish from a Li. For centuries, fishermen and crows have been enemies as crows like this easy source of food. However, the fishermen have failed to reduce their numbers, even through the use of poison.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:39:18 +0000

A crow steals tiny fish from a Li. For centuries, fishermen and crows have been enemies as crows like this easy source of food. However, the fishermen have failed to reduce their numbers, even through the use of poison.
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A boy carries fish harvested from a fishing trap under the Li Phi Falls.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:39:38 +0000

A boy carries fish harvested from a fishing trap under the Li Phi Falls.
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A boy checks Siamese mud carps in his floating basket on the Mekong River in Siphandon, southern Laos. The riverbanks of the Mekong channels in Southern Laos play host to a frenzy of activity as huge number of tiny fish make their annual migration to the upper Mekong in January. In Sohong channel, people from Don Sadam are waiting for the big migration to come in the following days.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:40:02 +0000

A boy checks Siamese mud carps in his floating basket on the Mekong River in Siphandon, southern Laos. The riverbanks of the Mekong channels in Southern Laos play host to a frenzy of activity as huge number of tiny fish make their annual migration to the upper Mekong in January. In Sohong channel, people from Don Sadam are waiting for the big migration to come in the following days.
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Shooting fish is the most effective fishing method in the dry season because of the clear water of Mekong River, Siphandon.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:40:20 +0000

Shooting fish is the most effective fishing method in the dry season because of the clear water of Mekong River, Siphandon.
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Samnieng Kambai teaches his boy to swim in the Mekong River in Siphandon.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:40:36 +0000

Samnieng Kambai teaches his boy to swim in the Mekong River in Siphandon.
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Ma Khamputhorn washes fish scales from his body in the Mekong River.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:40:54 +0000

Ma Khamputhorn washes fish scales from his body in the Mekong River.
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Villagers gather around a Giant Catfish caught in a “Li” of Sahong Channel. The Giant Mekong Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) is probably the largest freshwater fish in the world. It is endemic to the Lao, Thai, Chinese and Cambodian stretches of the Mekong River, where it is in danger of extinction due to overfishing as well as a drop in the water quality due to develop-ment and upstream damming.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:41:09 +0000

Villagers gather around a Giant Catfish caught in a “Li” of Sahong Channel. The Giant Mekong Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) is probably the largest freshwater fish in the world. It is endemic to the Lao, Thai, Chinese and Cambodian stretches of the Mekong River, where it is in danger of extinction due to overfishing as well as a drop in the water quality due to develop-ment and upstream damming.
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Two fishermen carry the head of a Giant Catfish weighing around 44 kg. The Lao Government has long considered the channel to be of critical importance to migratory fish. At various times in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the Lao Government specifically banned fishing in Sahong because of its well-known function as a pathway for migratory fish.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:41:22 +0000

Two fishermen carry the head of a Giant Catfish weighing around 44 kg. The Lao Government has long considered the channel to be of critical importance to migratory fish. At various times in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the Lao Government specifically banned fishing in Sahong because of its well-known function as a pathway for migratory fish.
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Fishermen bring a Giant Catfish out of their Li. As there are strong currents in the Mekong’s Sahong Channel, they have to work very carefully: a single mistake may result in the loss of the fish or injury to themselves.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:41:36 +0000

Fishermen bring a Giant Catfish out of their Li. As there are strong currents in the Mekong’s Sahong Channel, they have to work very carefully: a single mistake may result in the loss of the fish or injury to themselves.
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Two Lao fishermen is waiting for a big catch near Li Phi Falls.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:41:58 +0000

Two Lao fishermen is waiting for a big catch near Li Phi Falls.
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Don Khamputhorn prepares a number of catfish for dinner. She says that some days they have no fish to eat, something that has not happened for ten years.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:42:13 +0000

Don Khamputhorn prepares a number of catfish for dinner. She says that some days they have no fish to eat, something that has not happened for ten years.
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Srinual Khotburi from Don Det uses a rope to cross the Li Phi Falls, a channel of the Me-kong River in Southern Laos.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:42:26 +0000

Srinual Khotburi from Don Det uses a rope to cross the Li Phi Falls, a channel of the Me-kong River in Southern Laos.
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Ole Siwongmuk carries a Giant Bagarius back to his home from the Mekong River in Siphandon.

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:42:38 +0000

Ole Siwongmuk carries a Giant Bagarius back to his home from the Mekong River in Siphandon.
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