4th November 2013

Road to Luang Prabang

The major roads connecting the major urban centres, in particular Route 13, have been significantly upgraded in recent years, but villages far from major roads can be reached only through unpaved roads that may not be accessible year-round.

There is limited external and internal telecommunication, but mobile phones have become widespread in urban centres. In many rural areas electricity is at least partly available. Songthaews (pick-up trucks with benches) are used in the country for long-distance and local public transport.  Here is a typical one in the above photo

These thatched roofed houses with matted straw walls are newly built by the government on the edge of the mountain roads for villagers who have been evacuated from the lowland areas, which will be flooded when the dam is completed.

These look to small for habitation, maybe they are for storage.

This lady coming up to her house in the photo above, and here just tethering her chicken must feel very displaced from the lowland living she has been enjoying.

http://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/267/the-mekong-dams-dispute-four-trends-to-watch