The Lao government has moved forward plans to build what would be the country’s seventh large dam on the Mekong River, another project in Vientiane’s ambitious strategy to become the “Battery of Southeast Asia” in the face of deepening environmental and social concerns. Residents of Laos and Thailand, as well as international experts and environmentalists, say the project is unnecessary and would add to pressure on the Mekong region, already struggling to cope with the impact of multiple Chinese dams.
