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A River’s Tail

Elephants and their Mahouts make their way back to shore after their morning bathing ritual in the Mekong River north of Luang Prubang, Laos.

Credit: Gareth Bright

A River’s Tail

The Mekong River is one of Asia’s longest rivers, stretching through six countries and supporting an estimated 60 million people. Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright, a pair of photojournalists based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia are on a journey to follow the Mekong River from sea to source, fully immersing themselves in the adventure of exploring one of the world’s most famous rivers. Over the coming months, The Diplomat will share some of the stories they’ve found along the river.

Writing and color photographs by Luc Forsyth, black and white photographs by Gareth Bright, videography by Pablo Chavanel.

For more about A River’s Tail, check out their website and Instagram.

Posts by A River’s Tail
August 25, 2016

Drowning Yunnan's Valleys

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In northern Yunnan, the future of multiple rural villages are under threat from hydropower dams along the Lancang.

August 24, 2016

Dams and the Rise of Lancang River Fishing

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In Jinggu county, the construction of dams on the Lancang have created a recent fishing boom, though it may not last.
August 23, 2016

Pu’er Tea: Worth Its Weight in Silver

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In Yunnan, the city of Pu’er is renowned for producing some of the country’s most prestigious and expensive tea.

August 18, 2016

Bananas on the Lancang: Grown in Yunnan, Destined for Shanxi

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
Along the banks of the Lancang in Yunnan, bananas grown from the river’s water are part of a complex network of national trade.

August 11, 2016

Dredging the Lancang River

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In Simaogang, a small fleet of sand dredgers work from sunrise to sunset, shipping river sand to construction sites around Yunnan.

August 05, 2016

The Packaging of Culture: Dai Along the Lancang

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
Spread across China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, the Dai are at the crossroads of tradition and the modern world.
July 27, 2016

Entering China: Where the Mekong Ends

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In Jinghong, the gateway to southwestern China, the Mekong ends and the Lancang river begins.

June 29, 2016

The Power of Power: Laotian Village Generates Its Own Electricity

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In a remote mountain village of northern Laos, a community has developed their own electrical grid, yet faces an uncertain future.

June 16, 2016

Laos: The Land of a Million Elephants

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
The expansion of civilization is pushing humans and elephants closer and closer together.

May 25, 2016

Damming the Nam Khan in Laos

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
The Nam Khan river, a major tributary of the Mekong, is being dammed in at least 3 places, displacing thousands.

May 12, 2016

Seeing Landlocked Laos' Sea

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright.
The Nam Ngum dam was Laos’ first major hydropower project, and it resulted in the formation of an immense reservoir--the Laos Sea.
May 04, 2016

Coffee, Kingdoms, and the Peace of Southern Laos

By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
The area around Pakse, the largest city in southern Laos, is best known for its coffee production and the ruins of an ancient empire.

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