After writing earlier articles on Cambodia, I learned how the Mekong River is the life and livelihood of 
millions of Southeast Asians. I received the assignment to write “The Mekong River: Who Owns the Water?” as one of the greatest rivers in the world and examine how the countries along the Mekong all seek to harness its power and resulting wealth for their own use. Dams, climate change, and deforestation along the river all threaten the use, health and access to the water by millions of people, many the poorest in the world.
