The Songkhram River (, , ) is a tributary of the

Mekong River The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth longest river and the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annual ...

. It originates in the hills between

Nong Han District Nong Han (, ) is a district (''amphoe'') of Udon Thani province, northeastern Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise) Chai Wan, Ku Kaeo, Prachaksinlapakhom, Mueang Udon Thani, Phibun Rak and Thung Fon of Udon ...

Udon Thani Province Udon Thani province ( th, อุดรธานี, ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') which lies in upper northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. It is bordered by the provinces of Nong Khai to the north, Sakon Nakhon ...

and Sawang Daen Din District, Sakon Nakhon Province. It flows through Seka District (

Nong Khai Province Nong Khai province ( th, หนองคาย, ) was formerly the northernmost of the northeastern (Isan) provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand until its eight eastern districts were split off to form Thailand's newest province, Bueng Kan provinc ...

), Wanon Niwat (Sakon Nakhon Province), and

Si Songkhram District Si Songkhram ( th, ศรีสงคราม, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in Nakhon Phanom province in northeast Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise): Na Thom, Ban Phaeng, Tha Uthen, Phon Sawan, and Na ...

and empties into the Mekong River in ''tambon'' Chai Buri,

Tha Uthen District Tha Uthen ( th, ท่าอุเทน, ) is a district (''amphoe'') of Nakhon Phanom province, northeastern Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise) Mueang Nakhon Phanom, Phon Sawan, Si Songkhram, and Ban P ...

, Nakhon Phanom Province. It is long. The Songkhram is one of the more important but lesser known rivers in Thailand's northeast. It is the last Mekong tributary in Thailand free of developments blocking river flow. Fish can swim freely into the Songkhram River from the Mekong and use it as a spawning ground. This replenishes the fish stocks that are an indispensable food source for inhabitants of the Mekong region.

Wildlife

The lower Songkhram River basin provides habitat for 192 species of fish, 136 species of birds, and 208 plant species.

Ramsar designation

Since 2019 the lower river basin has been designated as a protected

Ramsar site A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O) *** Permanent 8 ha (P) *** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts) ** Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on W ...

on Wetlands of International Importance, as a result of the combined efforts of local governments,

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-Thailand, the National Environmental Policy Office (NEPO), and the

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-Thailand (WWF). This Ramsar site, Thailand's 15th, protects a 92-kilometre stretch of the Songkhram River and 34,000

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(5,440 hectares) of basin. Over 240,000 people and 49 communities are estimated to benefit from the designation.

Dam plans

For almost four decades, governmental organisations and investors have pushed for a dam on the river. Every effort has been beaten back by civil society groups. In 2019 the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) is again moving to build a "watergate" on the river in Tha Uthen District of Nakhon Phanom as part of its Khong-Loei-Chi-Mun (KLCM) irrigation project.

Wildlife

Ramsar designation

Dam plans

References

Further reading