Last Days of the Mighty Mekong. By Brian Eyler.

• Jurisdiction: Singapore
• Date: 01 April 2019
• Author: Yeophantong, Pichamon

Last Days of the Mighty Mekong. By Brian Eyler. London, UK: Zed Books, 2019. Softcover: 365pp.

Popularly described as the lifeblood that courses through mainland Southeast Asia, the Mekong River has constantly been under threat--whether from the forces of unbridled modernization, human encroachment or the increasingly visible effects of climate change. In addition to sustaining over 60 million people within the basin, the Mekong also serves to nourish a complex ecosystem that underpins the region's unique biodiversity. Given the river's centrality to Southeast Asia's natural environment and socioeconomic development, one might expect a flurry of cooperation between the riparian governments and other stakeholders to protect the river and its resources. And yet, the challenges which the Mekong now faces are ones that similarly bedevil other transboundary rivers: contending interests, power asymmetries and weak institutional governance.

Brian Eyler's Last Days of the Mighty Mekong is a very welcome contribution to the ever-expanding literature on the Mekong River and the politics that surround its governance. Written in engaging and compelling prose, Last Days paints a dynamic picture of the lives, livelihoods and ecosystems that have become...