Activists and regional development experts on Thursday demanded that Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy Power Company (PNPC) take responsibility for all damage caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam on July 25.

They made their demands at forums held in Bangkok and Seoul. In Bangkok, the forum was hosted by the Laos Dam Investment Monitor (LDIM), while the Seoul event was held by the Coordinated Response Team of the Korean Civil Societies for the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam Collapse.

Activists in Bangkok said the forum was held to help represent those worst affected by the dam collapse in Laos's Attapeu province and neighbouring Cambodia's Rattanakiri province. They called on PNPC, which is a joint-venture between SK Engineering and Construction (SK E&C), Korea Western Power (KOWEPO), Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (RATCH) and Lao Holding State Enterprise (LHSE) to take full responsibility for all of the damage caused.

They also wanted Vientiane to halt any development on the collapsed dam and called for the suspension of future investments in hydropower dams, as well as to formally apologise to the people of Laos and Cambodia for the disaster.

"The problem is that Laos has invested significantly in the construction of dams as a means for economic growth and development. In this case, the country rushed to build a huge dam that was not realistic in terms of its forecasted export potential. The amount of megawatts generated by hydropower from Laos was never adequate in making an economic impact," said Suapalak Ganjanakhundee, managing editor of The Nation newspaper.

"The Lao government has announced that it will suspend the development of Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, while also bringing current and future plans for new dams to a complete halt. They have also promised to conduct safety inspections of all dams across Laos. This is a big step forward," Mr Supalak said.

Thailand's interest in exporting electricity from Laos is mired in controversy, as the kingdom faces no energy shortages for the foreseeable future.

"There appears to be no need to support construction in a foreign country to export energy on grounds that Thailand is on the verge of running out. On the contrary, we have a surplus," Witoon Permpongsacharoen said, Director of Mekong Energy and Ecology Network.

Quantifying the damages from the dam collapse is difficult, he continued, as many areas in Laos and Cambodia are still completely submerged and rescue efforts are still ongoing.

"A lot of people in Laos and Cambodia have died. We still do not know the exact figures. A lot of houses and farmland were inundated by up to ten meters of water in  minutes," said Mech Mean, a resident of Cambodia's Rattanakiri province.