The Lao communist party’s newly selected General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith once promised change. Now he sits atop a closed and sclerotic system.
Category: Article
China is building border walls with Vietnam and Myanmar to keep people out, but also in
Border closures have become a key feature of the COVID-19 era, but China’s decision to reinforce border walls with its South-East Asian neighbours has stirred up fresh controversy.
Hun Sen: Lakes filled in for national developments
Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced continued operations to fill some lakes in Phnom Penh to create land for developments, though he is against the unrelated practice of damming rivers or blocking waterways.
Thailand rejects new technical report on large-scale Lao Mekong mainstream dam
Thailand called on the developer to conduct an extensive environmental impact assessment and again revise the report before the next prior consultation.
Lao govt to inspect safety of hydropower dams every five years
There are currently 78 operational hydropower plants with a combined installed capacity of 9,972 MW in Laos. According to the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines, dam builders have to enhance safety systems, both for existing and under-construction dams.
As World’s Deltas Sink, Rising Seas Are Far from Only Culprit
Vietnam can do little about China’s dams, its Mekong Delta Plan includes ending sand mining, restoring mangroves, and reducing shrimp farm expansion in the wetlands to staunch erosion and subsidence.
Laos shifts to China equity from loans as party congress starts
China’s rise as the country’s leading lender has been fueled by billions of dollars to finance a building spree of megaprojects, spanning large hydropower dams and economic zones to a flagship high-speed railway.
This Thai village created a tiny fish reserve years ago. Today, it’s thriving
The radical experiment of just 75 households proves that reserves work in freshwater environments too.
Saline intrusion in Mekong Delta forecast to be severe during Tet
The Mekong Delta – Vietnam’s largest rice, fruit, and seafood producer – has faced severe saltwater intrusion during recent dry seasons.