Gypsy Journal Blog

Laos - Forget the Past

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:20:00 GMT

Introduction

Development in Laos is broad and deep - with almost all of it being built and much of it funded by China. Within just a few years rails, roads and dams are changing the character of Laos from a country lost in the backwaters of time to a country lost in the march of progress. The gains are greater access to health and educational resources and an increase of material living standards. The losses are environmental, social and political. In addition, Laotian politicians are some of the most corrupt in the world and for a few million in kickbacks they are signing their country up for insurmountable debt to finance their part of the deal.

Rail

Currently Laos has no rail infrastructure. This is about to change big time.

China is building a 420 km rail connection from Laos’ northern Mohan-Moten border area with China (where it will connect to Kunming), through Luang Prabang to Vientiene on the border with Thailand (where it will connect to Bangkok and on to Singapore). Over 60 percent of the route is bridges and tunnels! The $6 Billion USD project was started in the summer of 2016 and is estimated to be completed by the end of 2021. The China-Laos railway is designed to operate at speeds of 160 km per hour. From Kunming to Luang Prabang will take 6 hours. Luang Prabang on to Vientiane in another 2 hours or less. Currently it takes between 10 and 14 hours to travel from Luang Prabang to Vientiane by bus.

Over 4,000 families are already affected by their land being seized, however as of July 2018 compensation had not yet been paid.

The China-Laos rail project is part of the much greater, $1 trillion USD Road and Belt Initiative, discussed further below.

http://jclao.com/tag/laos-china-railway/

http://jclao.com/the-great-rail-dilemma-of-laos/

http://www.atimes.com/article/china-train-project-runs-roughshod-over-laos/

Roads

Although our experience in the ‘back country’ was limited, in all the places we visited roads had arrived in just the last few years. While this brought greater access to health and educational resources, greater access also brought in beer and Chinese products. Change is in the air. The new roads are crucial for communities along the rivers since dams are causing the breakdown of long standing river boat transportation systems.

Dams

Dams along the Mekong and its tributaries are a major concern.

Dam under construction between Muang Khua and Nong Khiaw.

The Mekong River originates in the Tibetan highlands and runs through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam before flowing into the South China Sea. It is home to the world’s largest inland fishery, with an estimated 25 percent of the global freshwater catch. Sixty million people make an income off the fish, as well as crops grown along the Mekong River and its tributaries.

China started damming the Mekong in the early 1990s, but the main river has stayed undammed largely due to concerns and disagreements between the four member nations of the Mekong River Commission, which was established in 1995. Energy needs and the financial incentives of hydropower, however, caused land-locked Laos to announce more than a decade ago that it would build nine dams on the main river, as well as dozens of new dams on Mekong tributaries. Laos exported close to $1 billion in electricity in the first nine months of 2017. Cambodia and Vietnam soon launched their own dam projects. All tolled, 134 projects are scheduled just for the lower Mekong basin in additional to dozens already completed.

A study by the Mekong River Commission released earlier this year showed that Mekong fish stocks could fall by up to 40 percent as a result of the dam projects. It also predicted a 97 percent reduction in the amount of sediment flowing downstream, which would lower soil fertility and hamper agriculture.

The Nam Ou river, that we boated down, used to have boat transportation services from Pongsali near the Chinese border to Muang Khua, Muang Khua to Nong Khiaw, and Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang. In just the last 5 years dams have become operational on the Pongsale to Muang Khua and Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang segments, bringing an end to river boat transportation. Only the Muang Khua to Nong Khiaw section still provides boat services, but a damn under construction on that stretch will be completed in 2020 and close a colorful chapter of history along the Nam Ou to a close. Dozens of villages have been or will be submerged.

This home in Muang Khua is about 25 meters higher than the river and is marked as condemned because it will be flooded by the dam under construction 30 kilometers downriver.

In July 2018 a dam burst in southern Laos, with over a hundred people killed or missing.

View of the Nam Ou river from Muang Ngoi, which is between Muang Khua and Nong Khiaw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydropower_in_the_Mekong_River_Basin

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/08/news-southeast-asia-building-dams-floods-climate-change/

http://www.pattayamail.com/featured/laos-dam-disaster-leaves-24-dead-scores-missing-217399

Road and Belt Initiative (BRI)

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. "Belt" refers to the overland routes whereas "road" refers to the sea routes. The Chinese government calls the initiative "a bid to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future". Observers, however, see it as a push for Chinese dominance in global affairs with a China-centered trading network.

Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been called a Chinese Marshall Plan, a state-backed campaign for global dominance, a stimulus package for a slowing economy, and a massive marketing campaign for something that was already happening – Chinese investment around the world.

Over $200 Billion USD has been spent so far with the final cost over $1 trillion USD when complete. However, contributions from and loans to partner countries have resulted in even greater sums flowing back into China via construction contracts. It is interesting to note that the BRI initiative to establish a dominant global trade and cultural infrastructure will cost far less than the US war on terror. The US has shelled out $2.4 trillion USD as of 2017 and there is no end or gain in sight.

Initially the BRI will handle traditional freight. However, China is now a world leader in green and alternative energy technologies, especially solar cells. Through the BRI it is well-placed to be the dominant player in facilitating the transition and roll-out of renewable energy infrastructure across Eurasia. This is especially so since the Trump administration has ceded American influence in international climate politics through its repudiation of proactive climate policies.

In addition to leadership on international climate action, through strong armed trade policies and by carrying the debt some countries, such as Laos, are expected to default on China can develop a significant soft power cache. China’s BRI announcement is also reflective of the relative decline of the US as the world’s pre-eminent power.

China has helped finance at least 35 ports around the world in the past decade, according to a Times analysis of construction projects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/ng-interactive/2018/jul/30/what-china-belt-road-initiative-silk-road-explainer

https://theconversation.com/the-belt-and-road-initiative-chinas-vision-for-globalisation-beijing-style-77705

https://www.economist.com/briefing/2018/07/26/china-has-a-vastly-ambitious-plan-to-connect-the-world

How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port

Sri Lanka was unable to make payments on the debt it had taken on from China to finance a massive port in Hambantota. Under heavy pressure and after months of negotiations with the Chinese, the government handed over the port and 15,000 acres of land around it for 99 years in December of 2017.

The case is one of the most vivid examples of China’s ambitious use of loans and aid to gain influence around the world — and of its willingness to play hardball to collect. The debt deal also intensified some of the harshest accusations about President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative: that the global investment and lending program amounts to a debt trap for vulnerable countries around the world, fueling corruption and autocratic behavior in struggling democracies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/world/asia/china-sri-lanka-port.html

Inside China's audacious global propaganda campaign

Beijing is buying up media outlets and training scores of foreign journalists to ‘tell China’s story well’ – as part of a worldwide propaganda campaign of astonishing scope and ambition.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/dec/07/china-plan-for-global-media-dominance-propaganda-xi-jinping

Laos - Nam Ou River

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 10:45:00 GMT

Introduction

Laos is a mountainous country. Ample rainfall provides for lush forests. There are numerous slow moving brown rivers with small villages and clusters of homes scattered along the banks. From time immemorial, many of these outposts were inaccessible by land and only threaded together by boats and ferries.

The Nam Ou river drains a large section of northern Laos, just south of the Chinese border. After meandering 250 kilometers, it joins the mighty Mekong just upstream from Luang Prabang, Laos’ second largest city.

Our Itinerary

Simone and I boated down the Ou river on the daily ferry from Muang Khua to Nong Khiaw. Along the way we laid over two nights at Muang Ngoi.

Muang Khua

We journeyed to Muang Khua with four other travellers we had met from previous adventures. Finn, from Belgium, had joined us a week earlier at the Lao border in Chiang Khong, Thailand. Michael, from Germany, had been on our jungle trek several days earlier in Luang Namtha. Two Vietnamese women had joined us the day before in Oudamxai.

In the morning, we had all piled into the local bus. Yes, there were chickens in the back.

Available Snacks - Pig Skin, Chilies, Salted Fish and Grubs

We slowly wended our way along the twisted and potholed roads. Vast swaths of forest have been converted to rubber tree plantations depriving locals of ancestral hunting grounds for both animals and edible vegetation.

Homes and businesses have sprung up along the roads - many of them just a few feet from the asphalt. Dogs and pigs and motorcycles would sometimes choke the highway. Somehow the passing vehicles just fit into the fabric of life without causing any harm.

We arrived in Muang Khua in the early afternoon. Our guesthouse was precariously perched on a steep bank across the river from the village center. To reach it, we crossed over via an impressive suspension bridge.

The town still had some French charm with coffee, baguettes and hints of colonial architecture.

Modernization is bringing more Chinese goods, WiFi, smartphones and a change of culture.

We could see the impressive Chinese-Lao railway under construction.

Cement plant and train trestles with strings attached.

Muang Khua is an excellent departure point to visit hill tribes as well. There are a lot of tribes and very few trekkers. Many villages only see tourists a few times a year.

Hmong hill tribe women along the highway.

There are many similarities to the people of northern Thailand and northern Laos. At one time they were both part of the Lanna kingdom and their languages are still similar. Although Thailand does not have the French influence, many of the traditional foods are the same. The most striking quality, to me, was a sweet gentleness.

In their culture it is honorable to be gracious and give way. To be pushy or ‘stand your ground’ is seen as uncouth. No one hassles you, or is assertive in their negotiations. Sure they may ask for a bit more in the markets, but it is never unreasonable and they quickly agree to a price that is “good for you and good for me”. More often than not, we were offered the local price right off - especially for food. They seemed to find pleasure in being kind and fair. The relationship, even if fleeting, was more important than petty profit.

The next morning, the two Vietnamese women took an early bus to the Viet border - they were on their way back home. The rest of us headed down to the local ferry, which already had more than its quota of tourists.

As more tourists continued to show up there was one round after another of shuffling and moaning to get all of us into the narrow boat. Right when we were finally settled and about to leave a second boat showed up so we positioned ourselves all over again but this time with more room.

Soon we were off, half carried and half motored down the muddy river. The day was warm and with a cool breeze.

After three or four hours we approached a massive dam under construction, part of the extensive Chinese investment in Laotian infrastructure.

The boats beached upstream and we were all shuttled around the dam in dusty pickup trucks to a dock down river.

This time we were all packed like sardines into a single boat. There was a mixture of laughing, disbelief and grumbling.

After a few more hours motoring downstream we finally arrived at our destination.

Muang Ngoi

Until recently, Muang Ngoi was only accessible by river boat.

As part of Laotian rural development, and to compensate for the disruption of river transit that the new dams are causing, many remote villages are now getting overland road access provided.

Simone and I spent a few nights here, hiking to local tribal villages, exploring caves and chillaxing on the restaurant verandas overlooking the river.

Nong Khiaw

Before we knew it we were on heading down river again.

Tall karst mountains stood sentinel on both sides, their peaks shrouded in mist.

One of the first things we saw approaching Nong Khiaw was a high bridge spanning the beautiful gorge. Overall the town was quite beautiful and there was a nice assortment of restaurants including an Indian joint that served vegetarian thalis.

Several hikes scaled the local hills up to a spectacular overlooks.

Jungle Fly Zipline

One day I joined a rough and ready crew on the local Jungle Fly zipline expedition. We motored deep into the nearby mountains with an unusual 4 wheel drive tractor contraption.

After about 40 minutes, we hopped off and continued by foot. Up and up we went until we were at the top of a watershed between two karst mountains. The guides gave us a quick intro to how the equipment worked and, most importantly, how to brake in order to decelerate because the 12 different zip lines had two speeds - fast and very fast.

The gathering river below was clear and inviting, cascading down the steep canyon crowded by dense forest.

The zip lines were lost in the foliage, only dropping below the canopy when one’s weight drew the cable lower. One of the guides would go first, wildly swinging a machete to hack back the brush. Some of the runs were nearly half a kilometer and the destination platform would be out of sight when launching.

Care was need to avoid striking branches along the way or falling through the broken slats of the dilapidated platforms. It was very exhilarating and a first time for me.

Some rope course elements were included.

Au Revoir

Michael headed off after a day or two. Finn, Simone and I would catch the bus two days later and we all met up again in Luang Prabang. Even later, in Vietnam, we met up with Finn and one of the Vietnamese women!

So ended our trip along the remote Nam Ou river.

Laos.MKhua.Portrait.Edited