Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Samakomlao -> Samakomlao Main -> General -> Laos targets hydropower, not democracy-Lao PM
Post Info TOPIC: Laos targets hydropower, not democracy-Lao PM
Anonymous

Date:
Laos targets hydropower, not democracy-Lao PM
Permalink   

SINGAPORE, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Landlocked Laos is shaping itself into a battery for its power-hungry neighbours, by damming up its rivers to tap hydropower, but the communist state has no plans to introduce democracy, its prime minister told Reuters.
With an average monthly income of less than $2 a day and 80 percent of its 6.5 million population surviving on subsistence farming, Laos is one of the world's poorest countries.
"Compared to the U.S., which is in the 21st century, Laos is still in the 16th or 17th century," Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh said in an interview ahead of the ASEAN Summit.But the communist-led country, which dropped central planning for market reforms in 1986, is developing fast and saw its economy grow 8 percent in the fiscal year to September 2007."We are confident we can achieve another 8 percent growth for fiscal year 2007/2008, and we believe we can achieve higher growth beyond that," Bouphavanh, 53, said through a translator.Bouphavanh -- who became PM in 2006 -- expects that foreign direct investment (FDI) this year will more than double to $500 million, from $200 million in the last fiscal year, with funds mainly coming from neighbouring China, Thailand, and Vietnam.Much of Laos' FDI will go into turning the country into what it calls "a battery for the region", through a series of dams that will generate power for sale to its neighbours.Major investors in Laos' hydropower and infrastructure industries include China's Sinohydro Corp and Datang International Power, Thailand's Banpu and Italian-Thai Development, and Vietnam's Song Da Group and Petrovietnam.Companies from Western countries investing in Laos include Australia's Oxiana, French electricity group EDF, and London-listed Salamander Energy.Laos currently has the capacity to produce 600 megawatts of hydropower, of which 200 megawatt are exported.But Bouphavanh said the country has the potential to produce up to 28,000 megawatt of hydropower from the MekongRiver and the 16 Mekong tributaries within Laos borders.It has already commited to supply 7,000 megawatts to Thailand, 5,000 megawatts to Vietnam, and 1,500 megawatts to Cambodia by 2015, he added.Laos' dams have come under tough criticism from environmental groups, who slam the projects for harming biodiversity and displacing the many ethnic communities that live in the area.The Soviet-educated Bouphavanh -- a career cadre who took part in Laos' 1975 communist revolution -- refused to be drawn on a date for when Laos could become a democracy.

"I don't think it will be the right path for Laos to have a multi-party system," said Bouphavanh.The ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party is the country's only legal political group in the country.
"During the eighth party congress in 2006, we re-affirmed our ultimate goal to lead the nation towards socialism," he said.
On Tuesday, Bouphavanh and other leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations will sign a charter that spells out ASEAN's desire to strengthen democracy and protect human rights. (Editing by David Fox)

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

Yeah, right.. The Lao People's Revolutionary Party is the party of god. The only party that can lead laos out of poverty and into the heavenly socialist state. Nobody else knows better than this lprp. Just need a few more centuries then you'll see.
yawnyawnyawn

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

Laos don't need democracy. Who needs freedom of speach, religion, and basic human rights. With all the money their making from begging for foreign aid(from capitalist nations) and sell away all their natural resources. Laos is in great hands...

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

How is it going to change? Seriously? Even when thousands march on the streets in Myanmar the army can still come out and kill them. Nothing will change in Laos unless China has a crisis. If the Chinese regime changes then socialism is very weak. As long as the fastest growing and largest country in the world continues on this path, its tiny neighbours are wise to stay with it. What could America do even if its government wanted to? They don't care about democracy unless it helps them. Face it, LPRP will be here for a long time to come. We should be helping to reform it, make it better, not trying to knock it down, because that simply has not worked.


__________________
chiip


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 596
Date:
Permalink   

I don`t think multy parties is needed in laos it is even dangerous to have them according to lao mentality as we had experienced it in the past : endless civil wars : Kong lae war, Siho, Vangpao... I`m sick of it ! ! ! Now, we have no western democracy but at least people can create and produce what ever they want, what ever they need without scaring of sending their teen kids to be killed in civil war, think of it ! If the NGO or green environment commission
and yourself see the sustenable environment and some minorities more important then the well being of the whole Lao Nation.... of the whole lao people. I really do not know what to say ??? they don`t want to understand that Laos is not like other nations in the south east asia, we have no resources from the sea like other nations or they want lao people who is already poor to be poorer? we have no other way to develop our country except to create power plants and get sustenable income for the next generation !!

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

"Compared to the U.S., which is in the 21st century, Laos is still in the 16th or 17th century, that is why I don't think it will be the right path for Laos to have a multi-party system," Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh said in an interview ahead of the ASEAN Summit.

Bravo our Prime Minister!!!
Hopefully everyone can hear. Lao people still need food, but not "democracy". And absolutely true that no country needed democray in 16th, 17th or even 19th century. If having democracy in such current situation, Laos would suffer like Iraq or Afganistan, no doubt. The kind of democracy no single Lao person would need. Lao people have suffered a lot from war and don't want to see it again.

I am really impressed by the words that were said by former President of France: "Democracy cannot be imported from outside,.." Yes, really it needs right time and right circumstance  to develop. It's not you want it will be born. Like we cannot plant rice in stone field. As such, even you wait till your next life you would not be able to consume the rice.

Yes, I really agree with our Prime minister who said that now Laos needs investment, Laos needs cooperation, not confrontation. Laos still needs help. Once the life of Lao people improves the domcracy would come by itself.

However, I don't hope that Americans will help, even lots of their legacies "bombs" left in Laos 30 years ago, they never help to remove. They may still think that let that bombs kill Lao people more and more.  

Regards,
TSP

 

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

Well, i think Laos do not change about the political right now, but they have to change the societies in Laos such as they have to develop around the country not only in the Capital city or not in the government house. The Lao Gov have to go in the province or in the city or village that they want to report something that people suffering about, but not going to the village just want to eat some chicken!
I want to ask the opinian People about the Mekong River Hydropower, is that a good idea to build the hydropower in the Mekong river?
I think that was a bad idea, to build the hydropower in the Mekong river, because how many villages they will suffering about? and the Lao Gov is the communist and how could Lao people get justic about the property?. The Lao people cant give the opinian, cant talk about the politic, cant demostrate, cant deny of what the Lao Gov say or any order from the Lao com Gov, the Lao people have to do so!
Lao People, thanks 

__________________
chiip


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 596
Date:
Permalink   

Yeah ! TSP because the Yangkees know that we are weak and are not in mesure to counterattack them, but they will never attack china or Russia or not even N. Korea because the ripost would be silmultaneous ! they wouldn`t have time to breath ... they are cowardS ! COWARDS ! ! as you probably noticed in US history, they only are able to destroy weaker nations such as Vietnam, Laos, Irak, Afghanistan, Kossovo all these countries are tiny ... and they still lost ! How big would be their lost if they attacked russia or china !

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

Anonymous wrote:

Well, i think Laos do not change about the political right now, but they have to change the societies in Laos such as they have to develop around the country not only in the Capital city or not in the government house. The Lao Gov have to go in the province or in the city or village that they want to report something that people suffering about, but not going to the village just want to eat some chicken!
I want to ask the opinian People about the Mekong River Hydropower, is that a good idea to build the hydropower in the Mekong river?
I think that was a bad idea, to build the hydropower in the Mekong river, because how many villages they will suffering about? and the Lao Gov is the communist and how could Lao people get justic about the property?. The Lao people cant give the opinian, cant talk about the politic, cant demostrate, cant deny of what the Lao Gov say or any order from the Lao com Gov, the Lao people have to do so!
Lao People, thanks 


Yes, you are right that Laos would not need to change to democracy right now. However, I would like to tell you that the information about Laos which you have in mind is not really accurate in terms of its development and democracy.

Lao government has never planned to build hydropower dam on the Mekong river, but in the small rivers inside Lao land. As of now, Lao people who live near the construction always praise Lao government for building hydropower dam as it provides new life for them. They got new houses, new irrigations and new lands for farming. They even got new schools and new hospitals which were not before construction and new jobs as well. 

What's more amazing is before they never used electricity, but now they can. In addition, they can use civilization tools like television, refrigerators and the like. Their life is really changed. It's really amazing right?

If you don't believe because you are not in Laos you go and ask no one would disturb you. By the way, many medias have asked them already, and the outcomes were really positive. Otherwise the World Bank would have approved loans for Namteun II hydropower dam, I think you know that. The bosses of the Bank even praised Lao government that all dam projects are really good for Lao people and people in that region.

As far as democracy is concerned, I think the democracy situaion in Laos is not too bad. Lao people can do everything whatever they want according Lao law.
They can suggest their opinion what they think would be the best to Lao parliament members and Lao government for considering, sometimes they even critisize with constructive suggestion. Yes, it's right you cannot just criticize without any suggestion or without any reason. If you want to criticize just for your own benefit kinda you serve foreign countries to destroy Laos, you will go to  prison, no doubt.

Believe me in Laos the situation is as bad as you imagine, it improves day by day compared to previous time, and of course thing cannot be done over night. Now we almost can say Lao people are equal to our law, at least we have no KING as some countries still have.  
  



__________________
chiip


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 596
Date:
Permalink   

Pleasse don`t worry about people`s properties they will be relocated in a new appropriated places , laos has perhaps no democracy but we surely wouldn`t kill them Haha ! the Mekong dam construction is in its way of survey, and I don`t think that it can be stopped, the environementist would never, never feed lao people, they don`t want us to construct dam but what have they given to lao people , food ? meat ? fish ? money ? I haven`t received any kip from them, and we constuct dam IN Laos, our country after all ! lose it or win it it is ours, not theirs ! And what the hell worrying them so much ???

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

chiip wrote:

Yeah ! TSP because the Yangkees know that we are weak and are not in mesure to counterattack them, but they will never attack china or Russia or not even N. Korea because the ripost would be silmultaneous ! they wouldn`t have time to breath ... they are cowardS ! COWARDS ! ! as you probably noticed in US history, they only are able to destroy weaker nations such as Vietnam, Laos, Irak, Afghanistan, Kossovo all these countries are tiny ... and they still lost ! How big would be their lost if they attacked russia or china !


Yes, Mr. Chiip. I really agree with you. I always keep thinking that why certain countries still want to use the animal rules. Now is 21st century. They think that they are the superpower, they can force or eat other nations to do whatever they want for their own benefit just like tigers do in a jungle. 

Here I would like to quote what Putin, a President Russia said not so long ago:

 "Some people are constantly insisting on the necessity to divide up our country and are trying to spread democracy.  There are those who would like to build a unipolar world, who would themselves like to rule all of humanity. Some minor countries, under pressure from larger ones, are having a hard time figuring out how to defend their own interests.
And Russia has played and will continue to play a positive, stabilising role in the world. Some think we have too much resource wealth and should divide it. They themselves have no wish to share their own riches, and we should take that into account."
 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

why do we call it Russia and not the Soviet Republic Anymore?

__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   

Yes, previously, there was Soviet Union which was callapsed in 1991. As a result, Soviet Union doesn't exist anymore.

Yes, I understand what you want to say. You want to say that is because of certain country which always wants to destroy other nations and makes them under its influence.

As Lao history showed when Laos was divided in three kingdom: Chao Luanprabang, Chao Vientiane and Chao Chamsack (multi-system), Laos was very weak and as a result, Siam (Thaland) could occupy for quite long.
 
That's why Lao people need to stay united.

__________________
chiip


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 596
Date:
Permalink   

cheer ! well said !

__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Samakomlao -> Samakomlao Main -> General -> Laos targets hydropower, not democracy-Lao PM
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard