Country
Laos
Laos Grants 25-Year Power Grid Concession to Chinese-Majority Firm
By Sebastian Strangio
The deal will deepen China's involvement in the Lao government's goal of transforming itself into the "battery of Southeast Asia."
UNESCO Calls for Heritage Assessment for Lao Hydropower Dam
By Sebastian Strangio
The U.N.'s cultural agency fears that the project might endanger the World Heritage-listed town of Luang Prabang.
Why Communist Anti-Corruption Campaigns Never Work
By David Hutt
Ongoing anti-graft campaigns in Vietnam and Laos focus on officials' moral conduct without addressing the political structures that incentivize corruption.
‘Not Sufficient’: Thailand Rejects Report on Lao Hydropower Dam
By Sebastian Strangio
The Sanakham dam is one of seven mega-dams that the landlocked country is planning, in defiance of environmental and economic sense.
In Laos, Reform Hopes Peter Out Into Business as Usual
By David Hutt
The Lao communist party's newly selected General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith once promised change. Now he sits atop a closed and sclerotic system.
In the Face of Criticism, Laos Pushes Ahead With Four Mekong Dams
By Luke Hunt
But costs and competition could leave the putative "battery of Southeast Asia" running on empty.
Hydropower vs Heritage: Will Laos Lose Luang Prabang?
By Tom Fawthrop
Another Mekong dam project threatens to cost the former royal capital its UNESCO World Heritage status.
Vietnam’s Sole Military Ally
By Khang Vu
The country's longstanding ties with its neighbor Laos constitute an alliance in everything but name.
How Much Should We Worry About Laos’ Debt?
By David Hutt
Laos has several options for dealing with its debt crisis, and none of them are palatable.
Eight Years, and Still No Answers on Lao Activist’s Disappearance
By Sebastian Strangio
Sombath Somphone's 2012 abduction heralded an alarming trend of "disappearances" in mainland Southeast Asian countries.
Thai Official Warns Laos on Power Purchases from Controversial Dam
By Sebastian Strangio
The Thai concerns about the Sanakham dam come amid growing recognition of the dire state of the Mekong.
Vietnam Is Losing Its Best Friends to China
By Derek Grossman
Over the past few years, China's economic gravity has begun to pull Cambodia and Laos out of Vietnam's orbit.