Fears grow that dam across Mekong River in Laos could harm World Heritage site of Laos' Luang Prabang

Workers build Luang Prabang dam in Mekong river in Luang Prabang, Laos, on January 27, 2024. - AP

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP): Landlocked Laos doesn't have the famous beaches of its neighbors to attract tourists, but instead relies on the pristine beauty of its mountains and rivers and historical sites to bring in visitors.

The crown jewel is Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where legend has it that Buddha once rested during his travels. It brings all the elements together, with its mix of historic Laotian and French colonial architecture on a peninsula at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers.