Luang Prabang doesn't need a risky dam

Opinion Tom Fawthrop p published : 27 May 2023 at 04:00 newspaper section: p Monks read sacred books outside a temple after evening prayers in Luang Prabang.Andrea Pistolesi Few sites anywhere in Asia can match the charm and cultural importance of Luang Prabang, the old royal capital of Laos situated on the Mekong River.Luang Prabang's rich layers of architecture -- Buddhist temples, palaces, wooden houses, colonial-era villas, vintage shophouses -- have survived for centuries, despite sitting in a seismically active zone.A study by Unesco found that the 1,460MW Luang Prabang Hydroelectric Power Project would endanger people, buildings and the natural environment in the event of a quake or flood.

"If Thailand does not sign the contract to buy from the Luang Prabang dam, almost certainly the dam would not go ahead," he told me.Beyond the risk to Luang Prabang's built heritage is the threat to the natural heritage of the river and its environs, which are part of the town's credentials as a Unesco site that embraces the harmonious coexistence of nature and culture.