TO GO WITH STORY LAOS-ECONOMY-ENVIRONMEN

NAKAI PLATEAU, LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC: TO GO WITH STORY LAOS-ECONOMY-ENVIRONMENT-DAM The regulating dam of the Nam Theun 2 power dam under construction is pictured 28 June 2007 in Laos' Nakai plateau. The Nam Theun 2 dam, a 1.45 billion dollar project set to start operation in 2009, is the country's largest hydropower project and biggest foreign investment. The communist government says revenues from electricity sales to neighbouring Thailand will help fight poverty in one of Asia's least developed countries. Critics say efforts to ease the impact on over 6,000 villagers being displaced by the reservoir, and tens of thousands more impacted by the mega-project, are moving too slowly. AFP PHOTO/HOANG DINH Nam (Photo credit should read HOANG DINH NAM/AFP via Getty Images)