Laos eco-hoteler Sompawn "Pawn" Khantisouk was abducted in April and has not been seen or heard from since.
Laos' ecotourism industry was just beginning burgeon and many foreign tourists began visiting - but this could also be the problem. Several Chinese building projects were threatening protected areas and evidence of detriments from these projects were beginning to show in the local popluation. The Lao government is still suspicious of foreign travelers and is willing to subcontract its land for environmentally destructive projects only for the purpose of endowing itself. Athough touted as an eco-destination, travelers should think about visiting a country that would kidnap one of its own ecopioneers.
Melody Kemp wrote a wonderful in-depth article about this subject for Webdiary.
Read more about this:
Webdiary: Lost in Laos
Lonely Planet's travel blog: The fate of Lao ecotourism
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This might make a clickable link. Does Laos Really Want Eco-Tourism
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