"Lao Families Fear Getting Cheated by Developers of New SEZ in Champasak Province", 25 June 2017

Nearly 150 families in six villages in Khong district of southwestern Laos’ Champasak province say they do not want to give up their homes and land to a special economic zone planned for their area and that they fear that project developers will not compensate them fairly.

The first phase of the Mahanathy Siphandone special economic zone (SEZ) is expected to be built by 2021 and will cover nearly 200 hectares (494 acres) of land throughout the six villages....

...35 five-star hotels and casinos will be built at a cost of more than U.S. $9 billion. The Laos Mahanathy Siphandone (Hong Kong) Investment Co. Ltd., also known as Laos Maha Nathi Sithandone (Hong Kong) Investment Co. Ltd., received a 99-year concession for the land on which the SEZ will sit, is providing 80 percent of the funding, while the Lao government is supplying the rest.

Residents...are concerned that their lifestyles will change and developers will not compensate them at fair cost when they are forced to leave their homes.