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With around 70 hydropower dams under construction or consideration, Laos is being labeled the “battery of South East Asia”.

Power from the dams will be exported to countries like Thailand and Vietnam.

In return, Laos will receive foreign exchange and technical expertise.

The government says this will used to fund education and health.

But critics argue that the government has a poor track record when it comes to mitigating the effects of dams.

They say that dams currently in operation have had huge environmental and social impacts, and that the new dams are unlikely to be any better.

In Laos, Elise Potaka has more.

Laos might be relatively small with a population of around 7 million, but over 100 different ethnic groups make up the mix.

Differences can be found in language, and also in material culture like weaving and embroidery. In this way the different groups all contribute to the complexity of Laos’ cultural heritage.

Elise Potaka takes a look at two different projects in Luang Prabang.

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The growth in tourism and foreign investment in Laos is opening up numerous opportunities for young people.

But, with just over a third of Laotians completing secondary education, a department already severely under-resourced, some are finding it hard to grasp the chances on offer.

Poor English and a lack of negotiating and problem solving skills are just some of the barriers to success.

In Luang Prabang, Elise Potaka visits a couple of projects helping young Laotians find their way.

Laos has beautiful clean rivers and lush forest, and small villages with unique customs and culture.

In the 1990’s annual visitor numbers were in the tens of thousands, but now the country welcomes around one million people each year. Tourism is one of the largest generators of foreign exchange.

In particular, the eco-tourism sector has flourished, with nature and culture-based tourism accounting for nearly half of all visits.

To find out more, Elise Potaka visited the Laos’s first eco-tourism project in Luang Nam Tha province.