Laos: From Buffer State to Crossroads?

by Vatthana Pholsena, Ruth Banomyong

Overview

Can Laos—with its small, scattered, ethnically diverse population, enchanting but rugged landscapes, and rich natural resources—emerge from the shadows of its more powerful neighbors? It has been carved up by colonial powers in the nineteenth century and dragged into devastating revolution and war in the twentieth. The authors provide a full, frank, and engaging survey of Laos today, assessing its history, prospects, and hopes. The book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in coming to grips with Laos today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789749480502
Publisher:	Silkworm Books
Publication date:	04/06/2007
Series:	Mekong Press Series
Pages:	228
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Vatthana Pholsena is assistant professor of Southeast Asian studies at the National University of Singapore. Ruth Banomyong is head of the Department of International Business, Logistics, and Transport at the Thammasat University Business School, Thailand.

Table of Contents

List of maps, figures and tables
List of boxes
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Geopolitics of a buffer state: From the pre-colonial period to the Cold War
2. A regional positioning: Integration into ASEAN
3. Bilateral realtions with Vietnam and Thailand
4. The realities of a less developed state
5. Laos - logistics platform for the Mekong region?
6. The myth of isolation: Old and new cross-border phenomena
7. Society and culture: Continuities and changes
8. Conclusion
Chronology
Bibliography
Index
About the Authors