Laos’ Hydropower Plans: Will It Drown In Its Own Ambition? | Insight | Full Episode
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ต.ค. 2022
- Laos is on a dam-building spree, targeting 100 hydropower dams by 2030, up from the current 77. The reclusive country has ambitions to be Asia’s battery, selling electricity to its neighbours.
But such rapid development of the Mekong River has drastically altered water flows. As dams choke up its tributaries and mainstream, fish are unable to continue their usual breeding cycles. The river waters are also stripped of alluvial sediments, affecting the fertility of farmlands downstream.
As farmers and fishermen decry the loss of their livelihoods, the Laos government sees hydropower as one of the few resources it can tap to bring in foreign investments.
But as the landlocked nation racks up debts from dam building, what is the true cost of Lao’s power ambitions?
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Laos GDP @18 billions USD in 2021, with the energy infrastructure connectivity to ASEAN, every year it will generate US$8 billion which is almost 50% of their GDP earning. That will translate to fast development and economic recovery for the poor country, provided it minus the corruption factor in the Govt.
the minus corruption factor ... or kick back factor sadly hasn't seem much improvement.
Hydro-power is a gift offered to Laos by mother nature to compensate its disadvantaged location of Landlocked country.
They should be courting FDI to build industry to get the best bang for the buck. Exporting the electricity on the cheap is no different than exporting any other natural resource. Only a few get rich, but the resource could be used to compete for global industrialization. It’s easy for Westerners to complain about the dam construction, but they don’t live there.
Laos is quite isolated, being mountainous and landlocked. But they are busy investing in infrastructures and the people.
Their prospects for the future should be very good, having cheap energy and a gateway between ASEAN and China.
FDI won't happen cause Laos is landlocked and has a population 10 times smaller than neighbouring Vietnam or Thailand. They thought this through, it really is the only thing they can do.
This is a good report. Balanced and nuanced. Just a shame that other commenters seem hell bent on their anti-intellectualism.
Very few countries would invest in Laos but when they start building dams people start complaining. Because of no direct access to the ocean, This is a few option Laos has to advance their economy.
You are right my friend. It is called "survival".
It's very conflicting. Laos needs the dam for their economy. That's one of their top income - energy export. And it's not like they received much of foriegn investment.
But the problem with the Mekong isn't isolated to just Laos. It also affects the other countries that depend on Mekong. Also, as a landlock country, Laos has no access to the ocean, their fishery depends on the river.
Other countries don't give a phuck about Laos. Why Laos has to give the phuck about others? They want to survive like everybody else.
Singapore signed a deal with Laos to import electricity. Said to be clean renewable energy. This electricity is not from Laos to Singapore directly, but I think most likely through a power shift to Thailand, and Thailand to Malaysia, and from Malaysia to Singapore. This is my understanding of electricity grid. and from the other side, Australia's solar energy is going through Indonesia before it reach Singapore. What is Net-zero for Singapore ? It is impossible ! They just shift the goal posts.
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Just like how the government actively promote electric vehicle and battery storage. Green my bullshit, the power to charge them mainly comes from power plant that burn non renewable resources.
Totally agree with you. It is often the one who did something wrong, the one who talks louder. An example would be Europe with their green energy. Singapore is just the same.
U just wait india & China big shocking suprise ready Singapore Malaysia Singapore,, 2027 ur Singapore port totally finish,, bcs Thailand port is ready by 2027 very short & save time.
That's a freaking long way to get electricity. Singapore is on the equter, why not developed solar energy? Or newer technology under the sea
This is the same old problem around the world. Both sides see one thing from a different perspective. Give and take, the less power always loses. The state compensates and builds them housing, and employment. Everyone has a good life and transforms their career by adapting to change. The biggest loser is nature, the Mekong river never is the same. Laos will benefit and richer, and people will forget all the past. Take care all. Best.
Nature will never loose wait until it pisses off. We exist because nature allows us to exist and we will be destroyed when the nature disapproves us. With or without us nature evolves and exists.
This is also happened at the river Nile, causing political tension along the region, especially Ethiopia and Sudan
One thing for sure is one or two neighbors countries never want Laos to developed !!!! deep jealousy from their heart and mind ever...!!!.
12:30 North East Thailand*
Give the fishermen compensation for the dam's effect and move them to the cities.
or teach them fish farming.
They should be focusing on building pump storage hydroelectricity throughout the country side instead of building dams on the rivers problems solved.
The main reason Mekong having less water than ever before is because China are building so many dams in upper Mekong river another thing most people don't mentioned enough is that once the rain stop most of the rivers are dry up with or without the Xayaburi dam.
As for Xayaburi dam being the main cause of holding back the sediments is a BS hence anyone can see for themselves once the water are dry up.
welll....
Personally, i think Laos is shooting itself in the foot, by building so many dams. The most obvious effect is the devastation of its fishing industry. Migratory fish need to swim upstream to lay their eggs. With the dams blocking the way, the movement of fish is effectively blocked and the existing fish population will find it hard to procreate. This will definitely affect he most poor of Laos, forcing them to migrate to the big cities to make ends meet. We know the effect of such huge and sudden human migration, this will cause a lot of social problem.
The second most obvious effect is its effect on their own climate. We have seen how the 3 gorges dam directly contributed to China's drought problem. It won't be strange for Laos to also suffer the same fate 30-40 years down the road.
And the third most obvious effect is in its own economy. The only reason other countries would want to buy Laos's power would be if it's cheaper than their own or if they need to shore up their own power production inadequacies until they can build new power generation facilities. Which means Laos will need to sell its power cheaply. At the end of the day, Laos pays the cost, but those who benefit are their neighbours while Laos suffers the environmental and social problems associated with the existence of so many dams.
It’s a good thing that the population is low at around 8-9 mil
So your solution?
@@chvhndrtntlr3482 My solution is to not build such dams in the first place. Or at least, not to build at such scale. Laos does not need to be the power producer for the whole region. It needs to start slow, building up bit by bit, first to take care of its own people's energy needs, then slowly diversify.
At this rate, Laos is only choking its own finances (those constructions require loans, the interest of which it won't be able to afford), it's choking its own fishermen (because seasonal fish can't procreate) and it's choking its own future (as a huge chunk of the income from their cheap electricity is tied up to service their sovereign debt).
There is a reason why their neighbour Malaysia has only two major hydroelectricity dams, and proposed additional hydroelectricity dams were shot down by the locals.
Another "aquaman" or "fish expert".
money from these projects can help build the country's infrastructure and education system. The population will get educated and move away from agriculture.
Are these fishermen compensated?
sg imports energy from Laos via Thailand and Malaysia since June
Singapore will be control by CCP. If they take side against CCP in any dispute, CCP will cut their power. This apply to any other countries that depend on Laos for power because CCP control Laos. This is scheme by CCP to control ASEAN.
They are waiting for your rescue.
The hydropower benifit the whold country.fisherman need to change the way he catch them. But the high dept is something Laos need to find a way to solve.
It as nothing to do with high debt . Hydropower däm are starving the ecosystem if not done right...and most if not all Asian power dam have that same problematic they dont use much their brain to fix it either
Maybe more bombs, criticism and empty hand would help.(sarc)
Just like any technology, there are pros and cons. I concede that hydropower is better than fossil fuels, but what will you do with power if you're food source will eventually get depleted? You can't eat power.
With electricity, you have internet. They'd rather watch netflix than eat.
Without energy you can't do much either.
I think low fish catch is hardly an argument. Every single river in Southeast Asia have dwindling fish catch, despite having no dams at all.
too bad the Mekong is the longest in SEA, and it is important for so many countries along it
There will be a bigger price to pay.
Who creates "climate change" crisis? Is it Laos?
Most media complains any major projects in Asia. PERIOD.
It's always the same issue, by improving something we worsen something else.... What is worse for our planet? Carbon dioxide emissions from fossils energy or damaging the lancang river's water ecosystem and so all the people relying on it to survive???🤔
And whatever the choice that is made, rich get richer and poor get poorer, this is the world we're living in...
"What is worse for our planet?" "Us".
@@matson2361 definitely my friend, I believe that the cancer of our planet is us.
In Lao we have a beautiful nature and the most money come from tourism, we should find something new more interesting 🤨 for tourists to come back ,
Lao have to increase salaries for the people who with government , giving some welfare to poor old women and the kids pay more respect to police and soldiers , make them feel like they are a hero protecting us
And the money to do that has to come from ur ass?
This is a 1st step to The country of Laos to boost their economy ever since the Fall of the Royal Kingdom of Laos. The Laos government need to give these fisherman above fair living wages job to help maintain on those dams and surrounding land area as fishing was their daily lives to make a living and find food to feed their family. they know the waterways area better than anyone else. The country SouthEast Asia country is very beautiful for it's natural land. It's like the Asian Amazon. Don't ruin your land of beautiful resources and animals. Respect it and Learn how to live with it..
It is absolutely a joke for Singaporeans to criticize Laos building a dam on the river. How many people in Singapore nowadays live on catching wild fish from the sea? How many acres of land are reclaimed from the sea in SG?
@@bicolorangel4759 so you saying we should destroy the environment?
@@seeyouseemee3863 Who you are? Are you a Singaporean or Lao? If you never complain the wellfare of Lao people it is ok not to build any modern infrastructure.
Dam may change the ecology of the region but compared to fossil fuel, its effect is more localised while CO2 warms up the lower atmosphere to dangerous level that is already changing the global climate. The Laos government just need to engage those affected with new opportunities in a sustainable way.
No, CO2 is not changing temperatures that's a bullshit lie
Did anyone else notice the guy that can't quite seem to figure out how to wear his glasses properly?
This is old news. As I said many times Laos is poor and it will build whatever to get its two feet up like any other country around the world. Sadly you have people who are against it because Laos is a strategic location in South-East Asia for future development on other stuff.
Humans are the worst predator in this 🌏
Especially the westerners... barbarians in suits
It weird that norway gets its electricity 100% from hydro, the entire western world praise them.
norway has no dry season .....
They do is OK but Laos do is no K.
Whatever the benefits will be go to lao'sbneighbor Thailand
Nobody knows the truth. The real ambition is money underneath the table and selfish corruption.
Wow, the sour grape feeling.
Same problem as most of Asian hydropower dam. You guys dont really think about your ecosystem because your always aiming for economy.
When are you guys going to catch up on fish ladder? Sure it's not a miracle solution but its better than completely cutting the ecosystem flow
Singapore channel, a professor from Australia, an NGO man (as with other NGOs, I assume it is fund by NED). The organizations employed them are funded directly by the government, named public servant in own country; when overseas, better called them agent spy. There is one thing in common, US military station on their territories. There are not many rivers in Australia, how come you believe a Australian professor is knowledgeable is this. India has similar rivers, interview an Indian professor is more suitable.
Most of the carbon emissions and ecological and environmental disasters have been done by the developed countries in the west but they always criticize and complain when some developing countries builds dams or roads for their development.
This is a part of their wider strategy to derail developments of developing and underdeveloped countries. We cant remain poor forever to maintain environmental balance when our contribution to climate change is negligible...
you need to get an education.... the takeoff in the consumption did not occur until 1950.... and then things like cattle and rice production are major contributors to greenhouse gasses,,,
Every time other countries wanted to building something US is always saying its going to destroy the environment, etc in the meantime US are busy bombing and killing millions of peoples around the world.
@@oneviwatara9384 ah, and what is Russia doing right now.. ???... and why are people in these very regions desperate to get to a country like the US..but you won't answer any of this because you are full of BS - correct ? do you think it really matters to the US if Laos destroys it's own environment.. have you even taken a look at what is currently happening in China.. and you want to explain why there are 3.8 million Chinese in the US and only 77,000 US in China;.. no you can;t explain anything because you are an empty head who knows nothing and understands even less...
CNA is a Singaporean group you idiot. How far West is Singapore??
So they made that mistake and now you wanna repeat it? Pretty dumb
If Laos doesn't choose dams for its economy, the poverty of people will destroy their forest and rivers, though and poverty is a big problem for Laos forever. Laos is mountainous country, low population so it can't prepare to others countries
Even if Thailand not invest in Laos dam China will. If Laos don't built them they won't have cash. Laos will only eat fish forever. Other country always want yo tell other not to do something but themselve not doing it.
ha ha.. China is in desperate economic straights right now.... China will end up owning Laos....
@@milesinnz salty much anglo saxon bloke? typical western smear campaign. jealousy and fear of being behind the chinese in which the west can't do anything about🤣😂
@@xayvath5221 oh and here we have the typical internet dumbo who spends their life getting things wrong.. and a racist as well.. well well well,, or is it only white people who can be racist... funny how many Chinese are desperate to get out of China, even trying to illegally get into "anglo saxon" countries.. you are a joke, some cheap idiot who has never done anything, and will never doing anything... but hey,, you are amusing ...
Criticizing western ideology makes me a racist. Well well I think we have found our useful idiot who can't accept the fact that the world is slowly moving towards a multipolar reality rather than preserving the western imperialism. But I understand that you can only blame the Chinese for this and that but nobody really take you seriously anymore. Remind me how many regime change were the Anglo saxon involved?
The Chinese compared to that are quite amateurs.
They should be wary of Chinese intrusion or become like Cambodia
Nothing all good and nothing is all bad! Someone always complaining, sometimes justified complaints and sometimes just complaining
Why not built a nuclear reactor
Hydropower is much cheaper overall.
Laos needs to focus on building pump storage hydroelectricity throughout the country side instead of building dams on the rivers.
We are running out of uranium very soon !!! The vaste is never included in the price calculations .......
Permanent damage for temporary gains, highly doubtful having dams would somehow bring in investments, there are other problems with that region, particularly the high amount of corruption within and surrounding Laos.
Destroying the ecosystem will have a cascading effect on Laos and everything downstream.
Where are you from? How is your country's record over the past 100 years? Talk is cheap. Go stay in Laos and be an activist there instead of sitting in an air conditioned room writing this BS 🤣
And if SE Asia starts adopting nuclear power, all that investment and debt would've been for nothing...
Wind power is becoming popular. Solar energy as well. And if the mekong water levels decrease due to climate change, hydropower will have issues.
Australian always tries to act as good guy or expertise, look at how you mining and damming that land by the giant company Rio Tirino and others.
Who lend them the money to build them?
Laos and Cambodia are colonies of the Vietcong.
hum... nope actually
Yes, Vietnam orchestrated the take over of both Laos and Cambodia if you were to tell the leaders of both countries that they have been brainwashed by the communist Vietnam they wouldn't believe any of its.
No , they are both free, democratic countries. You drank too much, Yankee
@@_Alfa.Bravo_ I guess you're right, especially since you're not even from that region. Thanks for your false opinion. By the way, I don't drink. :)
... today there is no Vietkong only Chinese KP ... hope planet get rid of it
Laos need cash to built.
They are waiting for a "walk the talk guy" to lend them money with no interest. Are you the one?
Could they not adopt fish farming, to supplement production?
Could LA os not install more solar panels and wind turbines?
yes!!!!!!!! ai gene drives and thorium reactors. i hate fishermen.
Laos and Singapore military comparison
專門顚覆他國政府的新加坡國營新聞媒體。
It's terribly. Chinese propaganda. Casino, traficking. Shops purely in Chinese. They sold Laos, but as always, cash to the rich. 15 years ago was Vientiane a capital with no high rise buildings and old Ladas. Now, RMB rules.🤔🤔🥺
Laos is throwing away its environmental treasures for minuscule reward. They will regret this for decades to come..smh
Where are you from? Talk is cheap ..what's your own country's track record in protecting the environment over the last 100 years .
Did you bring food to their table? If not then butt off.
I think it's hilarious how people who subsist on fishing destroy their rivers lmfao 🤣