There is talks about the leaders in laos that they are corrupt, use the donated money for there own benefits etc, though I assume its true does anybody have hard evidence, and not just mouth by mouth talk?

Its a truth that power does corrupt expecially in fascist type goverments

Corruption exist in ALL Thrid world nations.

their have always bean corruption ever since the fall off lanxang im not saying that lanxang did not have any coruption im saying the corruption level of the new regime is worst the new regime have always bean corrupted if it was not corrupted i would not be here in the united states thats why we the lao people should do something about it no one will do it for us we have to step up our self the future of laos is in our hands thats if we choose to step up if not we will not win our culture will slowly die out and foriegn aliens will seek this opportunity to take us over they will run all over us they will be our friend and then take us over not bye force but bye helping us and then expecting something in return. A real friend would not want something in return

http://www.factfinding.org/Past_News_Releases/page94.html

I hope this prove yoru facts.

anything or everything you say jb just goes out the door lol

Maybe that's what all lao in laos think, perhaps someday someone will rape your country like the russians rape berlin.

HAHA VERY FUNNY HEHE.....

BY THE WAY HMONG USE TO BE A MAJORITY IN LAOS.....MORE THAN LAO PEOPLE.......BUT WE DIDN'T TAKE THEIR NATION...WHY? BECAUSE WE LIVE WITH THE LAND AND FARM THE LAND , NOT A WARLIKE PEOPLE......IF WE FOUGHT THEN I THINK THERE BE NO LAOS TODAY ....

Enough said. Beast!

so visiting this website somebody created and reading what they say means we know it all?

Isn't that proof enough for you? I guess not huh. I guess you'd have to see a act of genocide in person huh?

so visiting a website and reading it means its true?

So you got any facts to prove it isn't true??? Can't find none huh?

well why dont you go find some proof and show it to me that its true, and dont just give me a website link, cause Its not hard to create a website and start saying shyt

ask the old lao folks, they could talk smack about our leaders for hours

Well I guess that hard evidence video of the teenage hmong girls being raped and killed means nothing to you then. You sure have no heart. You're just like these bush backers...willing to do and say anything to protect their president/government. What a shame.....nothing more to say since you only see it your way.

I am talking about lao leaders being corrupt taking donation money, we might as well talk about pokemon and charlies angels then

If they aren't corrupt, why are they lying?

Laos should get liberated. Then id go back and open up theme parks and malls and $hit. Make mad doe.

You're crazy...

just jokes man.

Quoted for ignorance

Riiiight. Hmongs were never the majority...any where. They could never take any nation. Yall just use slash and burn agriculture and ruin the land, smoke your opium.

Hahaha...You Lao people were such weaklings...if it weren't for our alliance with the US some of you wouldn't even be here. Not to mention that the major fighting was mainly hmong and you sissies can't even fight but betrade your King. How shameful...

same thing can be said to the Hmongs, stop your trash yapping and get some senses into that thick head of yours, it's realty. deal with it and live with it, it was the past and nothing can change it. its time to move on and hope for better futures between the lao and the hmongs.

Are you mad? Im just curious. Most of your posts always seem negative.

Yeah and now WHat happen in Laos its also reflect to Thai cuz we have 20million of Laos Esarn always get some small penny and voted for our corrupt leader.

It's populism. It'll happen when the vast majority are poor. Poor people aren't usually sitting around on the internet wondering about the complexities of politics. They're usually interested in the immediate. The here and now, and what they could get out of it. They are interested in only what they can see. Poor folks aren't used to thinking on very sophisticated terms. They just weren't trained that way. We have to remember that we are trained to think. Trained to become problem solvers, so it is easy for us to criticise.

I don't think Thailand was ready for that kind of democracy. Maybe a more limited democracy like how it was in Japan, Malaysia or Singapore would be better until it is ready for something else.

You have no country. Your people are getting massacred in Laos. Your people are losing their culture around the world. How shameful...

Are you even Hmong? Most Hmongs would not say this. Hmongs are humble and honest people, so to hear one say all this makes me think twice if this person is really Hmong.

Thats right ,by d time d skill workers or upper class busy with their job till dont have time to making baby. D poor one in d province keep on making baby.
what gonna happen with the democracy when d majority of vote in d future will rely more on those uneducade people? The communist also lets have a look on what happen to those poor people in Laos ,is their life getting better after communist control Laos for 20 or 30 yrs? Thailand and Laos we use d different theory ;democracy and communist to govern countries but we still face the same problem I think its d culture problem not the system problem. Those 2 theory is only work well for Europe but not for Asia.



Believe me in this 10 years we may change to the something else that you mention

I think if Thailand did not experience the 1997-98 economic disaster that called in the IMF then maybe in 10 years from now it would have become a developed country already and not have to worry too hard. But since that event it makes it so hard because now they have to compete with China and other places. Southeast Asia not as attractive to investors anymore like it was in 1980s and 1990s. 1997 financial crisis made investors scared to go into Southeast Asia and invest like they used to cuz now there are better places.

Corruption is tough issue. Sometimes corrupt people is needed because he can improve macroeconomics in the long term and there is no one better to replace him with. Sometimes it's hard to find someone better that is not corrupt. I think sometimes it is better to have skillful men that are corrupt than to have corrupt men that have no skills or men who are not corrupt and have no skill. That is until the nation is more wealthy and better equipped to handle true democracy. Democracy is good for putting corrupt people out of business if the voters are very educated. South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and many other places were ruled by very corrupt people until the nation became richer. The only difference between them and the Philippines is that the corrupt leaders were interested in making their country more powerful, rather than just keeping themselves in power. Tough issue anyway.

People consistently mention that education in Thailand is missmanaged. Is this true, Aero? If that is the case, then that could also be a problem that needs to be addressed. There are some people who say that the education system is kept retarded in order for corrupt people in politics to maintain their power by keeping the people il-informed.

As for the making babies issue, many countries around the world before they make strides towards better economic situation will always tackle this situation first. Education is the best method. Encouraging family planning. They tackle this issue first because in order to put forward a real successful economic plan the people have to have enough free time to go to work. They cannot be tied down by having to rear children. That is one way to increase potential workforce. If people are busy raising kids then they do not work as much, which defeats the whole purpose of economic reform and retards any attempt at economic progress. I think Thai leaders knew this, but ignored it to a certain extant. China has worst problems in culture. Having more children is good in their culture, too but they defeated it with a simple One Child policy, which is a bit extreme but they knew that they needed it in order to improve economic in the shorter term.

But yea, full democracy is not good when the people don't know what they are voting for. Communism was not good, either. Laos is too small to even try to become self sufficient through autarchy.

with all the killings still going is there any possiblity for peace?

an end to the rebellion from the Hmongs(not all Hmongs are fighting, some are peaceful) and a bit lightening up from the government should do the trick, of course im only assuming. anything can happen. the main problem is Vang Pao and his fellow rebels are on the countryside bombing and plunder the innocents and are causing even more destruction that produces instability.

??
so the hmong people are the bad guys, but yet there are all this killing around? so are u saying that the killings of the hmong will stop the rebellion and bring peace?

Not all the Hmongs are bad some are living peacefully and the ones that are not are the one that are causing the country problems, go back and visit Laos for a change. Go to the countryside and ask the locals there that live near those areas of the rebels they'll tell you of all the problems that they are causing. Bombings, killings, and destroying properties.

After reading this post I have become confused. When did it ever become about Lao and Hmongs? There was a time when our parents sided to defend our country. Fought and died together in attempt to perserve our land and culture to have a bright future.

Being an undeveloped third world county I don't think anyone can say the new government has given us a bright future. Not to say that our country would have been better if tides had changed.

I don't think anyone here is in the position to confirm or disagree with REAGAN's corruption question. Unless they have direct contact with government officials.

I just got back from Laos in June-July of 2006 and this is what I've seen "first hand":

1. I've seen a case of corruption on a state education level but have not seen on a political level. A person that I know was involved in this incident. Ask anyone in Laos about how one can buy a seat to advance grade levels. But even more developed countries have their problems. If what I have seen exist on state education level who or what is to regulate government officials? Maybe each other?

2. After speaking with the rich and even an army personnel they were taught and believe that everything about the West is bad. (Typical communist ideals, but interesting that most of them want to come to the US)

3. The poor is still neglected. People would never fight to remain poor. Truth is that they have not seen the new government being beneficial to their livelyhood. All government ideas being Democratic or Communist is intended for the well-being of a country. I'm sure governmental contributions would be more convincing that their efforts are for the good of the country.

4. With my last point, I do see the government changing towards the right direction. There is the Nam Nguem projects I and II, Wild Life protection plan, etc.

The point is that, the current government is far from perfect but starting to realize that we need to catch-up with the rest of the world. They are giving more opportunities for people and investors to develop our country. So all I'm saying is, if those that are so concerned than prepare yourselves to contribute. Not for the old Laos or new Laos but for OUR LAOS.

They will take over St. Paul soon, the American census stated there were 90,000 Hmongs in the US now they're close to 200,000. Anything is possible, who knows.

yeah I think that is the biggest Hmong community, 2nd is in Norcal.

Those Chinese eyes on those kids are scary, just how they look at you.

all government bodies are corrupt some way or another...it dont matter if its third world or not....theres corruption everywhere

I stayed in Laos for some weeks last summer and I did found the trace of corruption there. In the capital Vientiane, I rode the bicycle to ge to That Luang, I was lost in the way so I cycled for about one hour to reach That Luang. On the road, I found many many villas , hiding in the beautiful tropical flowers in the nearby area of That Luang. There is warning card on the gate: dogs inside, do not come in. I asked the locals who are the owners of these houses? They all replied: the high officials. Well, although these houses can not be compared with those in USA, but you have to imagine the villas with swimming pool in a GDP<400USD country... Where is the money from.

I accidentely talked with a Chinese civil engineer who worked in VT for 3 years. He told me that the aid construction project have to bribe the officials ! Amazing! It means that if some country want to aid Laos, you have to bribe the offcials first (10%-20% of the total amount), then you can implement your aid project! What is more, in Laos, the tax could be negotiated! Although the law has set the tax ratio, it could be leveled at much lower level if you insert some banknotes to the official's pocket.

That is why, in Laos, the richest ministry is the education ministry.