Judge knocks back villagers on Laos dam

A Central Administrative Court judge has given a preliminary opinion dismissing villagers’ demands to have a say in the Xayaburi hydropower dam project, on the grounds that it is not a state-owned project.

The judge, whose name court officials declined to reveal, also said that a process of public participation had been carried out under the Mekong River Commission (MRC)’s framework and is considered complete. The MRC comprises Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Keep reading