"As Lao-China Rail Line Nears Completion, Some Displaced by the Work Still Wait to be Paid", 17 June 2021

Lao villagers displaced by construction near Vientiane of the $5.9 billion high-speed rail line linking China with Laos are still waiting for promised compensation though most stations on the line are almost fully built, Lao sources say. [...]

But another Xaythani district villager said that some local residents displaced by the railway work have now been paid the money they were promised for lost land, and are happy with the amount of compensation they received. [...]

Also speaking to RFA, a village official living close to a rail station in the southern part of Vientiane municipality said that almost all residents of his village have also been paid for lost land, with just 10 percent of families still waiting for something to come in. [...]

Speaking to RFA on June 11, a local official speaking on condition of anonymity said that work on the still-unfinished stations has now been stepped up to meet a deadline for construction.

However, he declined to discuss compensation issues, saying information on payments would be provided in a coming report issued by the company doing the work.

Company officials reached for comment refused to discuss the matter, saying they were not authorized to speak. [...]