"Laos eyes a tourism boom in hydro dam area" 27 January 2025

Almost 13 years after the relocation of villagers for the Nam Khan 3 hydropower plant, many displaced residents continue to rebuild their lives – as the dam’s operator considers turning the area into a tourist destination... The dam is one of three built on the Nam Khan River...

It required a catchment area of more than 7,000 square kilometers, inundating the homes of 650 families from 10 villages in the Phoukhoun and Phonexay districts.

More than a decade later, many of these families continue to adjust to their new lives, making the dam stand as both a symbol of progress and a reminder of the complex trade-offs between development and the local livelihoods...

Électricité du Laos (EDL), the state-owned corporation managing the country’s electricity generation and distribution, owns the Nam Khan 3 Hydropower Plant. A subsidiary, EDL-Generation Public Company (EDL-Gen), is now overseeing the project and relocation of villagers...

The dam was funded by a US$127.77 million investment, with 95% of the funds coming from the Export-Import Bank of China and the remainder provided by the Lao Electric Power Company...

“Relocation was a significant challenge, but we prioritized fairness and support for the families affected,” said Sengchan Xayavong, Director of the Nam Khan 2 and 3 Hydropower Plants at EDL-Gen.

To ease the transition, EDL-Gen organized training programs for the displaced communities, focusing on practical skills such as farming, fishing and livestock care. Additionally, healthcare initiatives, including free bird flu vaccinations, were launched for relocated families...

Looking to the future, EDL-Gen has envisioned the transformation of the area around Nam Khan 3 Dam into a major tourist destination...