The Fall of the Water

17

The boundaries are not necessarily authoritative

Figure 11: Major road projects in the Mekong region.

benefit from the greater access and reduced transpor- tation costs provided by improved road systems They also include market access for farmers as the road opens a wider vent for surplus, but only if such surplus is available. Employment alternatives to subsistence agriculture may expand by virtue of the opportunities supported by a new road. Representatives of official and NGOs may be better able to serve client populations, and easily preventable communicable diseases may

In general, poor or central governance and trans- boundary projects seem to reduce probability of proper environmental assessments. Common to all projects is that while some sectors, such as trade, transport and en- ergy, it happens at the expense of biodiversity, wildlife and quality of and access to water sources.

The positive effects of development typically affect traders, merchants, and transport operators that may