[revertmean]

It's also worth noting that dams aren't just built for electricity. They're also built to control flooding and to control water supply. I'm not saying that's the case in Laos, but it does happen.

People can live without electricity, but it's difficult to live without water.

[throwaway2037]

I cringe each time that I hear a foreigner complain about China's Three Gorges Dam as an "environmental damage". The number of people who have died from floods on those rivers in the last 2000 years in mind-boggling. Yes, it generates a lot of electricity, but it is dual purpose to also control flooding.

    People can live without electricity, but it's difficult to live without water.

This part is also interesting. While traveling in developing countries in East/South/Southeast Asia, the driest places and always the poorest. The only way to overcome is irrigation. The wealthiest places find a way to move water from wet lands to dry lands.

[sremani]

If flood control is the main concern, then the size of the dam does not have to be that of Three Gorges -- there are many things that went into three gorges and Vanity of CCP is a significant part of them.

[ImHereToVote]

CPC

[PaulDavisThe1st]

> While traveling in developing countries in East/South/Southeast Asia, the driest places and [sic] always the poorest

s:East/South/Southeast Asia:the United States:

[starkd]

People can live without electricity, but only for very brief periods of time. If we had to go extended periods, I don't think it would be a stretch to say civilisational collapse would be immanent.