At the end of March 2014 the Lao PDR
government will consider a proposal to build a special economic zone slated for
tourism development and other unspecified commercial uses in Siphandone, one of
the world’s most pristine and biodiverse areas.
The SEZ will showcase a casino located less than one kilometer from the
famed Khone Falls, the largest in Southeast Asia.
“The
Siphandone area is set to become a more sought after tourism destination with
many more activities to experience,” remarked Buasone Vongsongkhone, Deputy
Governor of Laos’ southern Champassak province on Monday, March 17 after a
meeting to discuss the proposal.
Vongsongkhone
said the plans for the SEZ will include a casino and other facilities in
keeping up with developing tourism trends in the Siphandone and Khone Falls
area while protecting the environment.
“At the
meeting we discussed how to regulate the casino to ensure the zone has proper
security.”
What
Vongsongkhone did not discuss was the impact of the new SEZ on the relatively
untouched ecosystem of the Siphandone area.
Siphandone, translated as “four thousand islands” is where the Mekong
River fans out into a waterfall and islet ridden expanse more than 15
kilometers wide. The sparsely populated
area has been described as an environmental oasis and is home to numerous
native fish and bird species. The Khone
falls area is the perhaps the last habitat where endangered freshwater
Irrawaddy dolphin can be found in the wild.
Satellite image of
Siphandone. Khone falls is the on left side of the image. Google Earth
Laos’
growing reputation of holding some of our world’s last untouched natural areas
and idyllic vacation spots has brought increases in international tourists to
Siphandone area. With the increase in
tourism, the need for regulation and protection is obvious, but is marking a
zone for economic development first and environmental protection second a
sustainable approach or is it just another way for local Lao officials and
outside investors to gain quick wealth through the exploitation of Laos’
abundance of resources?
Last
week in an article in the Vientiane Times, the official English language outlet
for Laos’ state controlled media reported “the government attaches great
importance to developing SEZs to boost the country’s growth, which is crucial
to lifting people out of poverty and enabling Laos to graduate from the list of
least developed countries by 2020.”
Mock-up of the That
Luang Marsh SEZ in Vientiane
The
track record for SEZs in Laos, often dominated by Chinese and Vietnamese
investment, is sketchy at best. In Vientiane, construction of theThat
Luang Marsh SEZ (yet to begin commercial activities) has negatively
impacted the local urban environment. The natural wetland filters and
holds the capital city’s waste water acting as a terminus of the city’s
century-old waste canal system; many of these canals are now blocked by
construction.
Much of
the That Luang wetland areas has been filled in and long-time residents have
noticed an average rise in temperatures as water is removed from the ecosystem.
In
Laos’ northern Bokeo province, the Golden Triangle SEZ dominated by the Chinese
owned King
Roman Casino complex has a seedy reputation as a conduit for money
laundering from China and zone of human trafficking. The SEZ has scarred the
scenic views of the Golden Triangle area, also known for its tourism, with open
quarry mining and industrial development.
King Roman Casino
along the Mekong in Bokeo Province, Laos
To make
matters worse, the Siphandone area is slated for the construction of the 260
megawatt Don Sahong dam located on the
only of Siphandone’s Mekong channels that allows for the passage of hundreds of
species of migratory fish. In September
2013, the Lao PDR government notified the Mekong River Commission that the Don
Sahong dam project would begin construction in 2014 despite years of protest
and opposition by local and international environmental NGOs.
Eco-tourism
opportunities such as river cruises, dolphin sighting tours, village homestays,
and fishing demonstrations have brought sustainable sources of income to local
communities in the Siphandone area for years.
Investors interested in building large resorts and casino complexes will
likely be majority Chinese and Vietnamese taking more than they provide while
leaving a stained and irreversible mark on one of the Earth’s most scenic
spots.
Business & Investment Opportunities
Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC) is incorporated
in Singapore since 1994.
No comments:
Post a Comment