The Mekong River is the major inland waterway in Southeast Asia. It flows across six countries, namely: China, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam. Inland navigation in the Mekong River is regulated through two distinct regional agreements; the Agreement on Commercial Navigation on Lancang-Mekong River for the Upper Mekong Basin on the one hand and the Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River for the Lower Mekong Basin on the other.
The geographical scope of the study is restricted to Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia. Its purpose is twofold: a) provide a comprehensive overview of the existing legal framework governing living and working conditions on inland waterway vessels operating on the Mekong River system, both at the regional and national levels; and b) highlight gaps in the various legal systems and identify areas that need to be addressed to improve the living and working conditions of workers employed on these vessels. The study focuses on commercial vessels transporting passengers and goods, but does not cover fishing vessels.
The geographical scope of the study is restricted to Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia. Its purpose is twofold: a) provide a comprehensive overview of the existing legal framework governing living and working conditions on inland waterway vessels operating on the Mekong River system, both at the regional and national levels; and b) highlight gaps in the various legal systems and identify areas that need to be addressed to improve the living and working conditions of workers employed on these vessels. The study focuses on commercial vessels transporting passengers and goods, but does not cover fishing vessels.