The satellite image shows the water level of the Mekong River this year is much lower than in 2019, sand bars are exposed, according to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

GISTDA said the apparent drought will affect agriculture in the Northeast of Thailand.

The images, from the Landsat-8 satellite, were posted on GISTDA’s Facebook page, saying it was comparing January 2019 and 2021. The location is in the Pakchom district of Loey province.

GISTDA explained that the water’s colour in the image of 2021 appears blue, compared to green two years ago. That is because there has not been enough rain. If there is enough rain, the rain water will flow downstream washing soil down with it, which will change the water back to green.

The condition of the Mekong River, as seen in the latest image, shows that the river has been in crisis in the past 2 years. This will affect the ecosystem and agriculture in areas that depend on water from the river, such as in Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani.