Damming the Mekong River (2010)

The Amazon of Asia (2010): Building a series of dams on the Mekong river could provide revenue and electricity to the people of Laos, but the cultural and environmental damage it will cause must be considered. For similar stories, see: Ruthless damming of Mekong river could displace millions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC07S8QuSlw A Plea From The Heart Of An Ancient Amazonian People https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvUBZU_Obgo Chasing the Pororoca, the Longest Wave in the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyZCFyuR_Sk Subscribe to journeyman for daily uploads: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=journeymanpictures For downloads and more information visit: https://www.journeyman.tv/film/4946/the-amazon-of-asia Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeymanpictures Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JourneymanVOD https://twitter.com/JourneymanNews Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/journeymanpictures The Mekong River is already being put to serious economic use by the Chinese, and now the Lao people are determined to do the same. But can it really pull the nation out of poverty, and at what cost? Until recently the Amazon of Asia , was one of the world s last untouched rivers, but plans for a series of 55 dams in Laos look set to change that. With the majority of the population of Laos living below the poverty line, the government claims that hydropower is the quickest way to raise living standards, anticipating revenue of $80 million a year. Yet as scores of villages are uprooted to make way for the development, traditional subsistence communities are struggling. "We used to rely on nature for our living. Now if we don t buy, we can t eat", complains villager Cham Pha. The new dams also pose a threat to the ecosystem, endangering several species. Weighing up potential development and damage, the Lao people face a tough dilemma: "I m worried about the environment but I want our village to have electricity". ABC Australia – Ref. 4946 Journeyman Pictures is your independent source for the world s most powerful films, exploring the burning issues of today. We represent stories from the world s top producers, with brand new content coming in all the time. On our channel you ll find outstanding and controversial journalism covering any global subject you can imagine wanting to know about.