Mekong Dam Victims - Thailand. A fisherman in his boat on the day of the closing of the gates. For the next couple of days the area upriver from the dam gets filled with fish because the dam blocks their migration downstream to the Mekong. The building of the Pak Mun Dam in Thailand has lead to strong opposition by the local population as the number of fish and fish species in the river is dramatically reduced because of the dam, affecting more than 20,000 people. Known as "The Mother of Waters", more than 60 million people depend on the Mekong river and its tributaries for food, fresh water, transport and other aspects of daily life. The construction of big dams is now threatening the life of these people aswell as the vital and unique ecosystem of the river.