Shopkeepers rush to make hay as Mekong unveils its dry side

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018
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Local people have built makeshift food and drink shops on sand dunes in the middle of the Mekong River in the That Phanom district of Nakhon Phanom province, as a source of income during the upcoming dry season.

Signs of the dry season are already visible with water levels in the Mekong sharply going down, revealing huge sand dunes in the middle of the river.
The sand dunes and beaches in the middle of the river in Tambon Tha Nam Klam in That Phanom is a major sightseeing spot because that part of the river is shallow and people enjoy swimming there.
Local residents said they could operate shops on the sand dunes until the Songkran festival when a lot of tourists come to play in the water splashing festival there.
The spot is popular because it is located near the Wat Phra That Phanom. When tourists visit the temple to pay respects to the sacred Phra That Phanom stupa, they often visit the sand dunes to have food in a cool atmosphere.