OPINION

Laos leads region, but only in repression

News, Charles Santiago, Published on 27/08/2016

» On Sept 6, heads of state from around the world will gather in Vientiane, Laos, for the year's only Asean Summit. The high-profile meeting should be a chance for the Lao government, as hosts, to showcase its regional leadership potential. But don't expect a spectacle of economic, social or environmental innovation. The only thing on display will be the communist government's unflinching commitment to authoritarianism at all costs -- something that neighbouring governments seem ever eager to emulate.