On 2 May 2024, the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research Center (SERC) of the School of Management hosted a special lecture titled ‘Mekong River Changes During the Dry Season: from Chiang Rai to Northeastern Cambodia’ at M4U Centre. The lecture was delivered by Dr. Ian G. Baird, a renowned expert on the Mekong River from the Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Baird shared insights from his latest research on the river's transformations during the dry season. His work highlights the environmental and social impacts affecting communities along the Mekong, from Chiang Rai to northeastern Cambodia. Through extensive fieldwork, Dr. Baird engaged with local communities to understand these challenges firsthand. He conducted interviews with locals in 32 villages across eight provinces in northern and northeastern Thailand, nine villages in Champassak Province, southern Laos, and three villages in Stung Treng Province, northeastern Cambodia.
This lecture provided a great opportunity for an exchange of learning, information, and important issues regarding the complex dynamics of the Mekong River, especially during the dry season, and the challenges faced by people in the area. It also serves as a platform for exchanging knowledge that will lead to the development of joint research project proposals in the future.
