I.A.G. A.I.G. International Association of Geomorphologists Association Internationale des Géomorphologues NEWS

This conference was organised by the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP), National University of Singapore. Using SPOT images of the Mekong River, the staff of CRISP led by Kwoh Leong Keong illustrated the application of remote sensing in geomorphological and land use studies with the help of huge posters (some with stereoscopic vision) and oral presentations. Generous help and advice was received from Lim Hock (CRISP and Temasek Laboratories), P.P. Wong (National University of Singapore) and Goh Kim Chuan (Nanyang Technological University).

The conference was formally inaugurated by Professor Bernard Tan. The papers presented at this conference were from R.C. Sidle (NUS), Z. Chen (East China Normal), A Gupta (Leeds), S.C. Liew, Chen Ping and C. Melsheimer (CRISP), Y. Saito (Geological Survey of Japan), S. Kubo (Chuo-Gakuin), R. Kostaschuk (Guelph), D.V. Malmon and M.B. Singer (Santa Barbara), B.L. Finlayson (Melbourne), C. Taylor (Western Australia), X.X. Lu and D. Taylor (NUS), T.S. Teh (NTU), J.C. Stevaux (Maringa), E.M. Latrubesse (Goiás) and E. Franzinelli (Amazonas). Leal Mertes (Santa Barbara) could not attend in person but sent a set of large posters on global river floodplains.

Eleven of the conference participants were joined by T. Tamura (Tohoku) for the field trip along the Mekong in Lao PDR, from Luang Prabang to the Cambodian border. The Mekong had been in flood several days earlier. A large boat was generally used, but modes of transport also included tourist buses, dusty pickups and elephants. The 180 km between Pak Lay and Vientiane were covered in four small boats with 1600 cc engines that swerved between rock exposures and went over rapids at about 70 kph. The nature and behaviour of the 8th largest river in the world provoked almost continuous discussion. Discussions in the field also included the possible effect of land clearing on very steep slopes and the proposed plans for dams across the river. The trip provided the opportunity to see the temples at Luang Prabang and Vientiane, and the historical ones related to the hydraulic civilisation that grew up on the river at Wat Phu Champasak and Um Muang.

Avijit Gupta

Photos: © by Brian Finlayson, 2000

Field trip along the Mekong River
Click on it for enlargement

Field trip along the Mekong River

Field trip along the Mekong River