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  • It is very upsetting to see that the people in Laos are be hurt be this development then receiving help from it. Do you people not see that the Laos people are just making the best of what they have and that is very little, so why take away they life and resources? This project will make the richer, richer and the poor, poorer. Think about it people....

  • @ExoticAngel1000 I know it's sad! i'm Half Thai and Half Laotian and one of my cousins In Lao is already married even though she's 15! They were really poor so she had to go and marry somebody, so she married a 48 year old man! Last month, She came to visit with her "husband" and even though they were still poor, he was gambling all his money away! My cousin seems upset that she got married and she acts like a grown woman! I really hate that Laos is a communist country like North Korea.

  • @ExoticAngel1000 I know it's sad! i'm Half Thai and Half Laotian and one of my cousins In Lao is already married even though she's 15! They were really poor so she had to go and marry somebody, so she married a 48 year old man! Last month, She came to visit with her "husband" and even though they were still poor, he was gambling all his money away! My cousin seems upset that she got married and she acts like a grown woman! I really hate that Laos is a communist country like North Korea.

  • toda verdad es afirmada i y p n g f x e z d q

  • Laos is beautiful country and just stay the way it is with a beautiful nature.

  • @kskeune Yes,,I agree,,life of people will be hard soon just like on West,,Work, trafic, no time,,no more nature

  • La ecología si sanaría ser un pretexto para ciertos habladores.

  • I'm Laotian and I don't give a fuck. Everything is gonna get fucked up anyways. Reguardless where you live shit is gonna be all fucked up by humans.

  • Of cause, LAOS pride baby & Beautiful people! Beautiful country! I agree with u guys" leezybabaye & sitti98 ", Laos is rich of natural sources that Lao people should be proud of their culture as well. I've been back to visit LAOS on 11/2000, I've seen a lot of developments of the country and I'm guessing there would be more by now. I strongly believe that Lao government really know what they're doing and especially the LPDR PARTY must see & know how to lead the Country.

  • Beautiful country! Beautiful people! Be proud of yourself because your culture and your land are amazing!

  • LAOS pride baby.

  • If these "journalists" were reporting on the Amazon, would they call it the Mekong of South America? Why or why not?

  • I am against the DAMs, Laos can find money in other ways beside making dams to boost GDP. Mekong river is like blood of lao people who live along or close to the river, fishes have been feeding Lao people for thousands of years.. wonder why Lao Gov. has to do this, it will change forever, please think of Lao people who are making a living from Mekong river.. by the way what thai government had to say about the dams proposal from Lao Gov. this project will effect thai at other side of the river.

  • THESE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO WIPE OUT THE WILDLIFE ON THE MEKONG JUST FOR THEIR GREED! THIS IS REALLY SICK! WHAT PEOPLE WOULD DO FOR MONEY! THEY DON'T REALIZE TIL IT'S TOO LATE!!!

  • the lao people think they are benefiting from all these uprooting of their homes and altering their way of life, but sadly THEY ARE NOT! they should resist this foreign intervention cloaked on so called uplifting their standard of living!

  • 12 Things We Are and Have In Christ!!

    1. I am a New Creation. 2 Cor. 5:17. 2. I am Delivered. Col. 1:13. 3. I am Righteous. 2 Cor 5:21. 4. I am Sanctified. Heb. 10:14 5. I have Boldness, Access. Eph. 2:18, 3:12. 6. I have Eternal Life. John 3:36. 10. Blessed with all Blessings. Eph 1:3

    11. Needs met by God. Phil 4:19. 12. Have Freedom. Rom. 8:2.

  • Lao Pride!! Wish i didnt have to pay for electricity and the hell with what vietnam and cambodia has to say.. The river runs right through laos and its beneficial for the people and the whole country.. Laos finally got the upper hand and the river is going to make the country prosper. Forget about those dolphins animals go extinct all the time. LAO PRIDE! :p

  • Laos still in control of the land. Is there any native American has autonomous country? Every country in America continent speaks European language. American Native cultures are heading toward extinction and changed forever. West should stop lecturing Asian how to live and evolve.

  • that was very informative..

  • that's one BIG catfish

  • The average Laotians will not see much of the economic benefits the dams would produce. Most of the money would go into the hands of the corrupt officials in the government, who would then squirrel away most of the money in foreign bank accounts and foreign real estate investments.

  • Nice! Very nice!

  • I went to laos on OCT.22.11

  • @onuful thanks for telling us

  • We should stop building into nature, where all human and could live without money and where they were happy the way it was. I do not understand those people that start those so called 'social economical plans' . I'm really sad and shocked...what will it look like in 20 years?

  • @cosmeticsurgerythai Bro,Their is to much Poverty in Laos and Laos Is reduceing the Poverty Really Faster then Other nations in Sea.Laos will become a Deveolped country in 2020 and it will soon build into a stronger Rich Country

  • Im full Laos. Some peeps think mexicans are awesome but asians are awesomer

  • leave my country alone

  • A fair balance can be made if greedy assholes wake up and realise our environment is everything!

  • HAHHAHAha lol transcribe audio and put subtitles hilarious

  • Thanks to Journeyman pictures and abc team for bringing attention to this critical topic. Being raised in Mumbai I'm always interested in South-east Asia. Laos has to achieve economic uplift while balancing environmental sustainability.

    Keep it up abc team !

  • this is important

  • I went to laos for vacation this year

  • WOOOOOOT<3

    and oh, i just beat you emmie.

  • Tour Laos Package

  • I don't have a problem with all of the projects they are doing in laos, they need to change. i'm pretty sure the lao government make billion of dollars. My problem is the LAO GOVERNMENT is not investing in their people, rather then puting money in their own pocket. They are very selfish.

  • My dad is Lao me and my dad were watching this : )

  • Like this if you're a GEPer

  • It only takes Kobe Bryant 2 years to make $80 mil

  • I'm Thai, but boy, laos is my undiscovered paradise.

  • Laos food is the best...yummy.

  • Stirb englisches Schwein!!"!

  • The Mekong River is Mother River in Southeast Asia.

    New Dams build in China, Laos is uncertainty problem for Mekong River Delta tomorrow?

    Many Dams build in upper river ? Who will be benefits, or Absconder for the long term?

    Did US and EU & Western Countries Stop build new Dams in they country?

    Thanks for sharing the beautiful videos. Best wishes for your journeys .

    Greetings from Dalat Vietnam. June 28, 2011

  • Im here cause of Black Ops XD

  • Kahn Souphonosinphone :D

  • @eafanboyssuck king of the hill!

  • Go Pakse! All you Lao PDR aficionados. Go visit Southern Lao and Paxe also spelled Pakse. The town founded by the French 1905 sits on the banks of the mighty Mekong river. Now before it becomes another Luang Prabang.

    Check out mekongtourismforum

    Bangkok Johnny 

  • I love where I were born. L.P.B laos l love the country But we hating the systems.

  • I love Loa I would like to go to the land of my ancestor.

    I'll be there in some day

  • The Communist Lao Government brainwashed their people back in the 1960s Vietnam War that they didn't want any Foreigners in their country but now rely on Foreigners to built these darn dams. 60% of the profits goes to ther government's pockets? I've visited Laos a few years ago and the government people drove lexus while locals rode their cows and buffaloes. You relocate these people but are you building farms for them as well? The Red Lao killed their King annd now will destroy Lao forever.

  • Beautiful place

  • Save the dolphins and the giant catfishes you dam communists! No pun intended.

  • Fuck the Lao and Cambodian communist governments. They are ones of the most corrupt dictators in the world and they have no brain. The world should stop these evil dictators from destroying environment and the way of life of Lao and Cambodian people.

  • no matter what happen i'm laos too and i still love my country.

  • Where are thses villages located at? this town ans village are beautiful, I want to visit when I'm going to Laos.

  • They get free electricity but what about food? They are used to farming and hunting for food not buying food. If they need to buy food, what are jobs to earn that money?

  • Wtf Lao country have fuckens soviet flag this is so dumb wonder y Lao government can't be on their own always depend On nation!! grow up if u can't b a cumminism then become a Democratic Country so all your people will have a future but sorry your fuckens country is countrol by Vietcong so Laos have no land now hahaha

  • @c14k20b05 The nation is called "The Lao People's Democratic Republic". Also the Viet Cong were a guerrilla movement, not a political party. Also Grammar.

  • Umm... I say lets all band together if your Laos/American and over throw the Government? Lol . .

  • damn this dam project!

  • no the dolphins will die!!!!!!! dolphins!!!!!

  • always negative is western style even if you do your own righ.

  • Hey Mobspeak, take it easy !

  • @ 10:44 fish can't jump up river anymore...

  • no no no!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • also this effects a much more important fishing industry in neighboring Camodia

  • Check out my videos from beautiful northern Laos- an ethnic festivial

  • WOW! This is so captivating! I'm a Laos american, know very little about laos but i can't help but to have a soft spot for laos and it's people. I support these projects, the pros seem to over weigh the cons by a landslide. although i don't think you can put a price on a species and culture, if something can be worked out this seems to be highly beneficial from a economical standpoint witch seems to be desperately needed. i hope the people benefit from this and quality of life greatly improves

  • @baybossSKS Lao american.not Laos american

  • "Another Damn company"

  • Laos is awesome.

  • They should stop building stuff into nature, where all inhibitants could live without money and where they were happy the way it was. I do not understand those people that start those so called 'social economical plans' . I'm shocked.

  • I love all South East Asian countries. Love you all. Greeting from Vietnam

  • get out of Laos!

  • this river is a large power plant but they need to build hydro electric power plants to explote the power

  • I'm Lao, i proud to be Lao[iminent=nhn4D7sRf]

  • want want to go laos......

  • Coverment of Laos persecute Christians. They drive away believers out of they home`s. The allow budhism and other religions wich are not threat to communism. Laos is one of the dangerous country in the world to christians. Soon Jesus will come back again and then He will judge all nations. This will hapens maybe in our days. Bible promise that.

  • I don't think all the dams will helping most of the laos peoples but it will help out lot of laos coms ..party and and there good friends only ..

  • Let commi dies, who gives.

  • Laos is really is a beautiful place, I hope God will help Laos and all living creatures of it.

    Love from your brother,

    Vietnam

  • Laos has the best musics in the world. such a variety of beauty!

  • How can you call Laos poor. They don't wish it to be technologically rich, they wish it to be naturally rich. The place is a paradise of Mother Nature at its best. Stupid people just want profit and they go in and buy out the government to do this. This is why communist country get ruin. The people of Laos needs to rise up and run their country the way they wish.

  • Look on the bright side, You have cousins to look upon,

    And then thats half the battle

  • umm yea. there is so much human traffciking over there

  • LOUSE?

  • 2:00 great

  • everyone is against the dams b/c laos may lose it's natural beauty. have people forgotten that all countries had natural beauty before their governments started to develop across their lands.

    when you're stuck in poverty your whole life and you get a chance to get out of it; what would you do?

  • @vanchai1 well it seems that the people were plenty happy living off the land and not having to spend money to just survive. i think they are living more free then we are in 1st world countries because we dont live sustainable lives and are loaded down with debt. simpler doesnt mean poverty; im not saying they had easy lives, but who doesn't enjoy not having to rely on money.

  • @akaCaptainMorgan my family moved from laos a few decades ago and i still have relatives there, and let me tell you it's not a fun and joyous life. i would not chose to live that way, but most people do not have the opportunity to experience both sides of the fence, and therefore have a one sided prospective of the situation. there is more to the country life that is not shown and the gains of worldly improvements greatly improves the quality of life.

  • @vanchai1 I guess I can agree with you on that.  But I wish they hadn't done it like this; destroying the river's ecosystem and relocating them to somewhere where they don't know how to live seems kind of wrong.

  • Type PRIZE before youtube and hit enter

  • The developed countries will suck our country dry literally. The Lao government are just there as puppets being use as long as they get their money. 30 to 40 years from now, Loa will be the same, dirt poor and broken, corruption rampage, the world will keep on sucking everything possible from Laos. The saddest thing is that Loa leaders can see beyond the money that they get.

  • they fucker kill the beauty of Laos.......what dumb choice...

  • "Something beautiful about dead trees" Sir, there's nothing beautiful about dead things.

    Mekong river is THE LIFE LINE for millions of people in Laos and surrounding countries. The river provides over 2 million tons of fish each year for nearly 30 million people livelihoods. The dams will put these people livelihoods at risk and bring so many other negative consequences.

    Knowing all this, CORRUPT LAO POLITICIANS AND FOREIGN INVESTORS still went ahead and built the dams...LOL!!!

  • Damming for profit may turn out to be quite damning; but far into the future, when the ecological impacts come calling, the present regime will likely be no more. So, from one day to the next, its schemes to create "incomes," where 99% of its people having absolutely nothing to do with; ("incomes" seem to drop from the sky, as far as they're concerned). The government bureaucrats PERSONALLY take the lion share of the money, with the scraps & bones thrown at the uprooted & perplexed citizens.

  • The problem with the communist government's scheme of "raising living standards" of the average Laotians is through small, government-based, derivative incomes. Switzerland, being mentioned in a juxtaphosing manner here, generated its wealth from the BRAINS of the citizens: it builds its citizenry's wherewithal through education, which allows the Swiss to create highly technical and sophisticated things the world wants & it also runs international comapnies and banking conglomerates.

  • laos is so beautiful country, let protect your beauty...

  • so beautiful views:)

  • Its pretty bad news.

    One thing that strikes me whilst im here in SE Asia is that they dont use any solar power, I havent seen a single solar panel yet through Malaysia Thailand Cambodia Laos and all they have is constant sunshine.

    Its obviously due to the cost of a solar panel, but if Laos neighbors started using solar they wouldnt need power from these dams.

  • 80million a year? I think the locals got conned. And tropical fruit is all the natural resource anyone needs!

  • In order to bring money to their country, they're putting their country into debt at the same time as uprooting people and throwing them in a situation that they're unprepared for and is more expensive for them. Nice job, your messing up your country instead of improving it!

    But at least the government will live happier......... (communism for you, and statism for that matter)

  • I think the government of Laos is trying to find a quick fix to lift their people. Although commended, there are alternatives. For example, why no try renewable energy like win power or solar power.

    I'm sad. The Mekong is not just for Laos and the countries that it runs through. It's for the world as well.

    With food production a problem all around the world, why not make Laos and other Southeast Asian countries become the great food producer of the world?

  • I think the government of Laos is trying to find a quick fix to lift their people. Although commended, there are alternatives. For example, why no try renewable energy like win power or solar power.

    I'm sad. The Mekong is not just for Laos and the countries that it runs through. It's for the world as well.

  • Noo Im going to Laos affter I finish College and the Army and I hope theres no Dams

  • Laos looks amazing!!!! I want to definitely try to go there and sight see one of these days in the near future. Beautiful scenery. These electric/power companies are going to ruin the natural beauty of this country....

  • Laos looks amazing!!!! I want to definitely try to go there and sight see one of these days in the near future. Beautiful scenery.

  • @mch006 I think you should go there before they build the fucking dam!

  • we here in ukraine have those fucking dams too on many rivers, built by same fucking communists. its bad for the fish, its bad for eco system around those rivers and the water there is dead too. there sure is another, much more eco friendly way to get electricity than by destroying rivers!

  • please everyone, let us do our best to stop those communist government money-hungry fools from destroying the ecosystem of my country!!!!!!!!

  • @Phitsamay79 we need China to do what Egypt has done.. America cant Handle China and I dont think many Countries Care to try.

  • @Phitsamay79 how about lets vote for strict regulation of the free market system

  • man memories when i was living in laos.

    I am laos but i kinda hated it because it kinda got boring.

  • =_= really people should respect nature

  • They said the the dam in the intro would cost 1.5 billion to make, and give 2 billion in revenue. That's 500 million in profit, or a 30% profit margin. Will those 500 million exceed the money that villager have to spend on BUYING food instead of catching it? Or will it exceed the money lost by those who sell excess fish in markets? If they come up positive, I guess its worth it (though losing fish could mean losing other animals too)

  • ASIA <3

  • hmm...billions of dollars of social welfare for millions of people struggling to survive due to hydroelectric production....or some fish & pretty dolphins.

  • Lets not these people build dams and modernize so that a white man can go and see 14 left dolphins which are extinct from their rivers by building dams and modernizing..

  • It's really sick how people like to ruin nature's beauties. This is just one example.

  • the world is only thinking about money ... thats sad .

  • It's a beautiful country.

  • @choppstick1000 I know Laotians didn't slaughter the Indians silly :) That is my point. I'm paralleling the white man with these industrialists. The invasion of more primitive people for selfish gain. What the white man did to the Native Indians breaks my heart, I have a lot of respect for the Indian way. Some of the things the white man did were germ warfare, murder, placing them on useless land to rot, forcing children to be catholic by beatings, the stopping of all Indian traditions, etc.

  • I doubt the government will help the people. 60% out of 80 million in revenue is alot of money, and sadly it's going into their pockets.

  • lao's hand is being forced into hydro dam because it can't use it's land reserves, the reason it can't use it's land reserves for growing is because it was bombed during vietnam war...even though it stated it was nuetral. laos is the most bombed country on earth.

  • @choppstick1000 I highly doubt it. The minister featured said people in Laos' countryside live with less than two dollars but one has to take into account most of their livelihood comes from the fish industry; that can't be measured with dollars. Building damns will make people poorer in reality; giving them electricity will make them watch more tv and desire to have luxuries they can't afford in their villages. I foresee scores of poor and uneducated teens in the future migrating to cities.

  • That Mr. Stephen Duthy guy actually acknowledges this project is terrible for the environment, yet he thinks it'll help the people of Laos get out of poverty? oh please, someone tell me he's not that naive!

    In underdeveloped countries all the wealth generated in this megaprojects goes directly to politicians' pockets; common people see next to nothing and in return have to live with their main sustenance, the fishing industry, severely disrupted and a less-than-healthy environment to live in

  • @SSgtParmer Instead of Big Macs you can buy fish fillets . Haha wait where do they get the fish? Ahhh I see a hole in your logic.

  • Neeto. 

  • 伪善。

  • @SSgtParmer yeah! fuck fish long live McD! come on man, you really want to replace delicious healthy food by big macs? there's better options for all that electricity like a hospital and schools in every village, wich would be an even better source of employment than mcdonalds, don't you think?

  • @hongenaertn yeah i got it now, you're kidding:p

  • @SSgtParmer Haha, I thought you were serious for a moment. Good troll.

  • Unfortunately nothing is free...my country has to be exploited to reduce his poverty level...Mekong (Mother Khong) is Laos blood...someday people will know that leaving with nature is the best way of life...someday people will know that Mekong will take life back...and that day everyone who chose to change it will see their tears flowing in this river...NATURE IS WATCHING YOU

  • @lilpodbebe im so agree with u:)

  • beautiful country!

  • I love Laos. It's a beautiful place with extremely friendly people.

  • @no9008

    i know

  • @gQuaresma07 and of course the girls.... :)

  • Despite being rude, pradungam does have point. "Shadow" was a very poor choice of words. It's what spies do. I'm sure you had a perfectly benign Lao "minder. Also, you say you were "fairly free" in your movements. Either you were free or you were not. If the government interfered with you doing your job you should report the fact, not resort to innuendo.

  • LoL. Shadowed by the government!!? You must be pretty dumb, or

    extremely paranoid to belive that.. Or you might just be a sensation journalist..

  • @JesusPaid4You yeah the fucking industrialists are going to have to pray for what they are doing to this planet..

  • 9 fucking dams .. that means goodbye fish! what the fuck is wring with these ppl.. man I hate the world bank and I hate these fucking industrialists .. kill em all!!

  • @mobspeak yes,a totally fu** u* for the Mekong river valley (Lao&Thai)people,they do not care about the people who make a living out of the river,wether it be fishing or transport,they will sell the electricity to Thailand,while the Lao people have to depend on generators,only very few will have benefit of this....one day they will find out,that money(or electricity)cannot be eaten. I have been in Laos,and have friends in Isaan/Thailand,I have seen how difficult&hard life is there..

  • @mobspeak shut the fuck up

  • @SiNgHayStyle are you standing up for these corrupt people?? what the fuck is wrong with you? telling me to shut up.. I will never shut up ..! when WW3 hits I'm killing ppl like you.. make you shut up for ever!

  • @mobspeak that's my country of course im going to stand up for Laos NO SHIT!

  • @mobspeak This is a perfect example of John Perkins-Confession of an Economic Hit Man. READ the book(referring to others) and you'll understand what I'm talking about. DON'T MAKE DEALS WITH WORLD BANK. YOU'LL BE FUCK!!! They will own Laos one day. The engineer even say that the debts won't be paid off for more that 25 years. THESE DEBTS ARE DESIGN NOT TO BE PAID OFF ALL.

  • For anyone interested in dam building in the third world and the catastrophic affects on local subsistence farmers and the ecology check out "the cost of living" by Arundahtti Roy. This is a crime against the poor and must be exposed. If poverty is definted by GDP then yes these people are poor, but if wealth is defined as long term sustainability and an enriched, connected, spiritually fulfilling life, then no, these people are not poor!!

  • Yeah i know what you where trying to say- but normal is just a strange word

  • I don't know if at the end of our lives, we really want money. Even the richest men in the world want to go back to normal lives.

  • @iverxang What is normal? Who decides what normal is? I think nobody knows what being normal is.

  • @defmanz Basically, what i'm trying to say here is we can't take anything with us when we die. By being normal, I mean if we all get rich get everything we want, then what? We finally find our ways back to live like normal people. So instead of going there, we'd rather stay at this spot. Instead of valuing materials (money), we'd rather value nature.

  • great documentary. laos and the mekong are among the most stunning places in the world.

  • beautiful place....shame it has to be ruined for development....

  • 2 big-head Yanks have watched this video, without realizing their own country is hardly any richer than Laos now.

  • i hate australian accent

  • I want to send a message to the people of Laos : INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT MAKE LIFE ANY BETTER. LOOK WHAT WE HAVE IN WESTERN COUNTRIES; CRIME, INEQUALITY, DEPRESSION.

    PRESERVE YOUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, DON'T SACRIFICE YOUR CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT FOR MONEY. YOU WILL REGRET IT IN 100 YEARS.

  • @hecktick133 you are absolutely correct. if only they and other countries like them would heed your words of wisdom. it is quite sad......

  • @hecktick133 Yes, I agree with you if this message is sent to The Government officials not to the ordinary people . Because the fact is even though people realize that doing so will definitely effect their long term living, but they can do nothing about it . you know that Communist system " government is king" . If the Government officials really care bout thier people then it's good, since I have been observing, many thing they have done is all for own sack!

    That's damn bad!!