"Chinese-funded project would build industrial city near Laos mine" 3 April 2023

A project funded by Chinese investors to build an industrial city near a potash mine has local villagers in Khammouane province concerned about negative impacts to their communities and their forest-based livelihood.

Developer Sino Agri International Potash Co. signed a memorandum of understanding with the Laos government on March 24 to build a “smart-eco industrial city” on 20 square kilometers of land in Nong Bok and Tha Khek districts.

The industrial city will be divided into three zones: An industry zone for production of fertilizer feedstock, a city zone with office buildings and a community zone for living. 

Sino Agri began excavating a potassium mine in 2020 near the site for the industrial city. The company is a subsidiary of Asia Potash, which has direct links to entities directed by China’s governing State Council. [...]

One villager told RFA that construction has begun on forested land that villagers use to search for food and otherwise make a living. 

Another villager said the project hasn’t encroached on villagers’ private land but people are still worried the community will undergo too much change because of so many workers moving to the area.