The Political Controversy on Don Sahong Dam in Champasak Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Abstract

          Although the civil society has been resisting and criticizing the Xaygnabouli dam project but Lao government has been constructing the dam. Moreover, In November 2013 Lao government announced Don Sahong run-of-river dam project will sell all of the electricity to Electricite du Laos for domestic consumption amid rising demand for power in the southern part of Laos under the Battery of Asia policy in Lao socio-economic development. This issue has been criticized by civil society because of its impacts but Lao government has been supporting the dam, that lead to the political controversy between Lao government and civil society. Each group has a different factor in order to bargaining to archive their goals about the dam.