The Mekong: River of Death
Tales of Death From Laos
Riding the river taxi gives you the chance to hear what’s happening. Last time I travelled on the river we were the only foreign visitors on board and the high water and dangerous currents made people nervous and as people do in such situations, they tried to reduce their nervousness by recounting even scarier stories.
The Mekong may look benign as it flows serenely past but look closely and you will see it is full of semi-submerged trees and other debris just waiting to knock a hole in the side of your boat and the currents are treacherous hiding shoals and sharp rocks. As a result, every year the river takes a large number of lives but its not just the water that is dangerous.
Incidentally, if you have ever wondered why river fish is so rarely found on the menu of Mekong restaurants, these tales may hold the answer.
