Laos
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Global Commons
PRC infrastructure scheme drowns Laos in heavy debt, high inflation
Voice of America Laos is straining under soaring inflation made worse by the stress of massive loans owed mostly to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for a series of mega-projects that have yet to pay off. The landlocked nation of nearly 8 million people has already deferred some payments. But economists and analysts say Beijing may start demanding a…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
ASEAN leaders want South China Sea consensus, peace in Myanmar
FORUM Staff Amid rising regional tensions, leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at their October 2024 summit called for speeding up adoption of a long-awaited code of conduct for the South China Sea. They also demanded an end to Myanmar’s civil strife that has killed at least 5,350 civilians and displaced more than 3.3 million people…
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Partnerships
Indo-Pacific Endeavour links Australia with Allies and Partners for military exercises, training
FORUM Staff Legal workshops on security issues hosted in Sri Lanka recently kicked off Indo-Pacific Endeavour 24 (IPE), Australia’s five-month engagement involving 14 countries across Southeast Asia and the northeast Indian Ocean. Australian ships, aircraft and personnel deployed to individual countries for military exercises, training, workshops, and cultural and athletic activities. IPE, which runs from August to December 2024, covers…
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Climate
Scientists Identify 380 More Species in Mekong Region
Radio Free Asia An aggressive color-changing lizard, a venomous snake named after a goddess in Chinese mythology and a camouflaging green frog found only in the forested limestone mountains of northeastern Vietnam were among the hundreds of plant and animal species discovered in the Mekong River region in the past two years, researchers announced in May 2023. Hundreds of scientists…
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Climate
PRC’s hydroelectric dams threaten Mekong River
FORUM Staff The Mekong River stretches nearly 5,000 kilometers from the Tibetan plateau, winding through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and, ultimately, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. The river, the longest in Southeast Asia, carries nutrient-rich sediment essential to the livelihoods of those who rely on the waterway for agriculture and fisheries. But the river is drying up. In recent years, its water…
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Culture & Custom
Laos trumpets return of Elephant Festival
Radio Free Asia Laos’ annual Elephant Festival returned in February 2023 after a three-year hiatus, with about 75 of the majestic animals taking part in a grand procession in an event that stressed the cultural ties between the mammals and communities and highlighted the elephants’ endangered status. The three-day festival in Xayaburi province, in northwestern Laos near the Thai border,…
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Partnerships
ASEAN exercise, naval chiefs meeting demonstrate unity, ‘voice for peace’
Maria T. Reyes Navies from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states displayed a united front in the South China Sea during the ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX) hosted by the Philippine Navy. The exercise, conducted May 12-15, 2023, consisted of shore and sea phases, including the simulated rescue of a cruise ship being harassed by pirates off…
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Global Commons
In ‘battery of Southeast Asia,’ citizens struggle to keep lights on
FORUM Staff As Laotians grapple with supercharged inflation that has spiked electricity prices nearly 30%, many wonder why energy and other necessities are so costly in a nation dubbed the “battery of Southeast Asia” for its dozens of hydropower dams. “Electricity rates are too high for ordinary people to afford,” a resident of Luang Prabang province told Radio Free Asia…
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Asymmetric Threats
One Road, Big Debts
Chinese Infrastructure Scheme Leaves Trail of Buyers’ Remorse
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Key Issues
General: Mekong River nations, U.S. strengthen partnership for sustainable water management
Maj. Gen. Diana M. Holland/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water is life. The need for this resource is universal, yet access to water is not guaranteed in many parts of the world. Together, the world faces new and evolving challenges. Climate change — and its anticipated effects such as prolonged droughts, changing weather patterns and food insecurity — will create…
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