As part of a two-year work programme to review the development effectiveness of large dams, The World Commission on Dams (WCD) has commissioned TDRI to lead the case study on Pak Mun dam on the Mun river in Thailand's northeast. Pak Mun was selected as one of the case studies on dams located in major river basins in different regions of the world. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) started construction of Pak Mun dam in June 1990, and has been operating Pak Mun as a run-of-the-river hydropower project since 1994. TDRI was assigned to re-examine the premises of the underlying economic case for Pak Mun, and to review the project's justification in the light of material evidence and developments to date bearing on its impact on the environment, in particular on fisheries. WCD's mandate is to propose a framework for weighing the alternatives in water resources and energy management, and to set internationally acceptable criteria in the planning, design, construction, monitoring, operation and decommissioning of dams.  

WCD's final report was released on November 16th, 2000 in London. With the issue of its final report, WCD has completed its mandate and was formally decommissioned. Pak Mun case study was part of the knowledge base which supported the Commission's conclusions. TDRI's report, which was submitted to WCD in its final form in March 2000, was previously circulated with other commissioned papers to participants at a stakeholders' meeting convened by WCD in Bangkok on 23rd February, 2000. 

The full report by TDRI is now posted on TDRI's website for information and attention of those who wish to contribute to the debate. The views expressed therein are TDRI's own and follow logically from our analysis and research on Pak Mun dam's case history within the given terms of reference. They do not necessarily coincide with WCD's general or particular conclusions on Pak Mun based on the facts of the case as presented in their final report.