Laos

Laos

Key Facts

Geography: land-locked country Capital: Vientiane Climate: tropical monsoon climate Religion: Theravada Buddhism Language: Lao

Economy: benefited from high foreign investment in hydropower, mining, and construction.

Agriculture: about 30% of GDP, 75% of total employment.

Economy

GDP - real growth rate: 8.3% (2011) 7.9% (2010) 7.6% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27.8% industry: 34.8% services: 37.4% (2011)

2007 GDP: US$ 4,053 (agricultural 40.3%, industry 34.1%, service 25.6%) -- World bank, 2008

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (2011) 5.7% (2010)

Note: Industries (copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, cement, tourism)

Exports

Exports: $1.842 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $1.474 billion (2010 est.)

Exports - commodities: wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold

Exports - partners: Thailand 31.1%, China 23%, Vietnam 12.9% (2010)

Imports

Imports: $2.37 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $2.06 billion (2010 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners: Thailand 65.6%, China 14.6%, Vietnam 6.6% (2010)

Laos

Laos-economyKey Macro-Economic Indicators

Angola, Laos and Niger will all benefit from relatively high commodity prices

Laos-economy

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artners, 2010

Laos-economy

Requirements for the World Trade Organization (WTO) accession in 2012 New Seventh National Socioeconomic Development Plan (2011–15) : broaden

tax income, including the full rollout of value-added tax. Financial system: shallowed with high levels of non-performing loans. Slow bureaucracy is an impediment and demands for kickbacks are frequent. Laos’s investment: hydropower and mining sectors. Hydropower: Thailand and Vietnam as key markets. Mining: 50% of total export value (mineral and mental ), copper(27%).

Laos-hydropower

Laos-hydropower Ownership

From total of hydropower plants, 304MW (45%) are under EdL’s responsibility and another 360MW (54%) are owned by Independent Power Producer-IPP ( 2 projects) and the rest of 7MW (1%) under provincial authority.

In 2007 the Lao Government said that by 2015 it was committed to supply 7,000MW to Thailand, 5,000MW to Vietnam and 1,500MW to Cambodia.

Laos plans to build 10 hydroelectric dams over the next five years as part of plans to become the "battery of South-East Asia

Of the 10, five are currently under construction:

Nam Ngum 5 in Vientiane province is 60 per cent complete Theun Hinboun expansion in Khammouane province is 78 per cent complete Nam Xong in Vientiane province is 30 percent finished Nam Nhone in Luang Namtha is 91 percent complete Xekhaman 3 in Xekong province is 90 percent complete

By January, 2012

Laos-hydropower

Laos-hydropower

Controversial Xayaburi Hydropower Project Positions Laos Against Other Mekong Countries

1,260MW Xayaburi hydropower project, the first hydropower plant to be built in the Lower Mekong Basin.

11 other hydropower projects proposed on the main flow of the Mekong River.

CH. Karnchang, a Thai company based in Bangkok, would lead construction, with financing from four Thai banks, and 95% of the electricity will be sold to Thailand.

What is more, a positive decision could also have given the go-ahead to eight other dam projects in Laos, and two in Cambodia

Xayaburi Hydropower Project

Hydropower – Chinese Company

Hydropower plant: NEWS: On August 11, 2009, Sinohydro Corporation Limited and EDL signed

contracts for Nam Khan 2, Nam Khan 3 , the total value (around USD 559 million)

Nam Khan 2: on the part of Nam Khan river 30 km southeast of Luangprbang city in the northern party of the Laos.

Nam Khan 3: 70 km east of Luangprbang city. Xeset 2: completed on September 9th, 2009 Sinohydro, in the Saravan province,

Sinohydro served as EPC contractor Completed Xeset 1 Planned Xeset 3

Conclusion-Laos Hydropower

Three under construction: Nam Long & Nam Ngiep 2: in Luang Namtha and Xieng Khuang provinces Nam Khan 2: in Luang Prabang province.

Two under planning: Nam Khan 3, Xeset 3

Nam Khan 2 hydropower plant

Expected to commence in 2015. 136 metres high and 365 metres long. “Construction work on the project is now 15 percent complete.” Electricity du

Laos (EDL) Managing Director Mr Sisavath Thiravong said.(by December 28, 2011 )

Total investment of about 2.4 trillion kip (US$308 million) Exim Bank of China (95 %) EDL’s coffers(5 % ) Construction by the Chinese company Sinohydro.

Laos-construction

House Construction before dam construction

NEWS: About 300 homes and more than 4,000 hectares of rice and other crops in low-lying areas along Nam Ngum River in Thoulakhom district, Vientiane province, have been flooded after the Nam Ngum I Hydropower Plant released water from its reservoir over the weekend.

August 23, 2011

Construction - Tourist attraction and cultural centre

In December 2011, Wan Feng Shanghai will spend 12,000 billion kip (more than US$1.5 billion) to develop the marsh into a tourist attraction and cultural centre.

303 hectares and leave 62 hectares undeveloped.

Includes six villages in Xaysettha and Sisattanak districtsNonvai, Meuang Noi, Nonkhor Neua, Phonthan, Phonpapao & Donekoi.

Contains open spaces, a public park, lagoon, drainage, roads, a sports centre, and trade, service centers and a residential area that contain five-star hotels, shopping centers and entertainment venues.

Development period: 15 to 20 years

Lao Embassy, January 3, 2012

Laos-mining

Sepon Project

ONGOING drilling at and around Minmetals Resources’ Minerals and Metals Group (MMG) Sepon project in southeast Laos has returned encouraging results in shallow oxide gold.

Vientiane Potash Project ASIABASEMETALS has agreed to terms for the acquisition of a 90% interest in a

16.5sqkm potash exploration property in the Huaxieng - Xaithany area of Vientiane Province.

The Vientiane Potash Project is currently being expanded to 55sqkm. The resource of potash salt may be as high as 50 billion tonnes.

Laos-mining

SAMPLING at Argonaut Resources’ Xekong concession in southern Laos has identified five new gold drill targets peripheral to the Ban Khlong gold discovery. A possible polymetallic skarn has also been identified in the Ban Bak area also at Xekong.

Drill testing in the upcoming Laotian dry season.