The Lao government offer 1.5 million Lao kip (USD 176) for each person who died in devastating floods triggered by a breach on Saddle Dam D of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydroelectric project in Champasak province on July 23.
The compensation amount for the dead victims is not sufficient, said a retired health official who declined to be named, citing fear of retribution for talking to the media.
"I think this amount is not worthwhile and inappropriate for the loss of lives," said the source as quoted by RFA.
The government is also paying about USD 60 in pocket money to each family affected by the dam breach. Netizens have criticized officials for the paltry amount for the loss of property.
For a comparison, according to Numbeo.com, a free database on cost of living, the average price for a monthly 60 Mbps internet in Laos is about USD 85.23.
An official from the Labor and Social Welfare Department in neighboring Attapeu province, told RFA on Tuesday (21/8) that the amount of compensation for each death is in accordance with a government resolution based on the country’s social welfare laws.
The official, who also declined to be named, said, “I think the amount is less [than people think it should be] because Laos lacks funds in its budget.”
As of August 21, all donations for Attapeu totalled about 130 billion kip (USD 15.2 million), with about 21 billion kip (USD 2.5 million) in cash, according to officials.
Another official, Bounhome Phommasane, chief of Attapeu’s Sanamxay district, told RFA on Wednesday that officials are not in a position to say whether the compensation is less or more than it should be because the amount is based on a government resolution and legislation. "I have no idea about how to answer because I am an implementer," he said.
The deadly disaster
The fatal collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydroelectric dam saw 5 billion cubic liters of water flood villages in Champasak and Attapeu provinces. The hydroelectric dam is one of many built as Laos strives to be the "Battery of Asia".
Roughly 13,000 residents of 13 villages were affected by the deadly disaster. Authorities have placed 7,000 of them in five main temporary camps in Attapeu’s Sanamxay district, while the rest have sought shelter in other districts or are living with relatives in Attapeu or other provinces.
At least 39 people have been confirmed dead in the disaster, while 131 people have been reported missing.
These numbers are questionable since some of Laos and Thai first-rescuers testified that the numbers on the ground are higher than what's told by the government, as reported by South China Morning Post. The full death toll would probably never be known because no official census or records were being taken of the dead and missing.
Source: RFA, SCMP, Time