During the 2nd Indochina War which started in 1959, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Air America, and the Air Force waged a secret and unconventional air war in Laos from Udorn Air Force base locat...During the 2nd Indochina War which started in 1959, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Air America, and the Air Force waged a secret and unconventional air war in Laos from Udorn Air Force base located in Thailand and across the Mekong River from Vientiane, Laos. Starting in 1961, four years before the official start of the American-Vietnam War, Agent Blue, the arsenic-based herbicide used to kill rice and other food crops, was used extensively in Laos, Vietnam and to a lesser extent in Cambodia. During the secret 2nd Indochina War and the Vietnam Civil War the public knew little about the use of Agent Blue. After the official start of the American-Vietnam War in 1965, the United States media news reports, about chemical warfare were dominated by the story of Agent Orange and its devastating impacts. The public knew very little about the previous use of Agent Blue in both wars. The first known media pick up of the Agent Blue (arsenic based) and Agent Pink, Agent Green, and Agent Purple (all three contain 2, 4, 5-T and unknown amounts of dioxin TCDD) was in May of 1964. Jim G. Lucas, a Scripps-Howard staff reporter submitted an article that was published as an editorial in Washington Post on May 26, 1964. The next news reference to this chemical weapon was a Letter to the Editor published in the New York Times titled “Agent Blue” in Vietnam by Arthur H. Westing in (1971). The use of herbicides, including Agent Blue in Laos during the 2nd Indochina War, was kept a secret until 1982, when a draft of Buckingham’s study of Operation Ranch Hand was made public. Much about the U.S. war effort in Laos is still classified. In a 2014 issue of the VVA Veteran magazine, Loana Hoylman published an article on “Today’s Blue Arsenic in the Environment”. The first refereed journal article on this topic, “The Fate of Agent Blue, the Arsenic-Based Herbicide, Used in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War” was published in 2020 in the Open Journal of Soil Science by Kenneth R. Olson and Larry Cihacek. In 2021 the Asia Times (print) and VietnamVeteranNews (radio podcast) picked up the Agent Blue story. During the early 2020s, Olson published six additional refereed journal articles on Agent Blue, cacodylic acid, and arsenic. The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?展开更多
The Dongsithouane National Production Forest (DNPF) is one of the largest natural forest areas in Savannakhet, Lao PDR, which has been a vital support for the local community’s livelihood, Recently, significant chang...The Dongsithouane National Production Forest (DNPF) is one of the largest natural forest areas in Savannakhet, Lao PDR, which has been a vital support for the local community’s livelihood, Recently, significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC) have been observed in this area, leading to a reduction of natural forests. There were two separate methods of this study: firstly, to identify LULC changes across three different periods, spectral imagery from the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) for the years 2001 and 2011, and the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) for 2021 were used as the primary data sources. The satellite images were preprocessed for various forest classes, including pretreatment of the top of atmosphere reflectance by using QGIS software’s semi-automatic classification plug-in (SCP), and ArcGIS was used for post-classification. A supervised classification approach was applied to the satellite images from 2001, 2011, and 2021 to generate diverse maps of LULC. Secondly, a household survey dataset was used to investigate influential factors. Approximately 220 households were interviewed in order to collect socio-economic information (including data on population growth, increased business activities, location of the area, agriculture land expansion, and need for settlement land). Household survey data was analyzed by using SPSS. Descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and percentages, were applied to observe characteristics. Additionally, a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the socioeconomic factors related to LULC change in DNPF. Key findings indicated a decline in natural forest areas within the study site. Specifically, both dry dipterocarp forest (−11.35%) and mixed deciduous forest (−0.18%) decreased from 2001 to 2021. The overall accuracy of the LULC maps was 94%, 86%, and 89% for the years 2001, 2011, and 2021 respectively. In contrast, agricultural land increased significantly by 155.70%, while built-up land, and water bodies increased by 65.54% and 35.33%, respectively. The results also highlighted a significant increase in construction land, up to 65.54%. Furthermore, the study found a correlation between agricultural expansion and a reduction of forest areas, along with an increase in built-up land along the forest areas’ boundaries. Timber exploitation and charcoal production also contributed to the decline in forest cover. The logistic regression model identified significant determinants of LULC change, including the area’s location, agricultural land expansion, increased business activity, and the need for settlement land. These factors have influenced the management of DNPF. Urgent sustainable management practices and actions, including forest ecosystem protection, village agricultural zoning, water source and watershed protection and public awareness, are required to preserve the forest areas of DNPF.展开更多
A new species, Bactrocera （Zeugodacus） gansuica Chen, Han et Zhou sp. nov., is discovered from China, and B （Z.） vultus （Hardy, 1973） is recorded for the first time in Laos. These two species are here described ...A new species, Bactrocera （Zeugodacus） gansuica Chen, Han et Zhou sp. nov., is discovered from China, and B （Z.） vultus （Hardy, 1973） is recorded for the first time in Laos. These two species are here described and illustrated.展开更多
Based on the brief introduction of western contemporary eco-philosophies and Lao Zi’s eco-philosophy,there will be an analysis of the differences according to historical context and critical target and their converge...Based on the brief introduction of western contemporary eco-philosophies and Lao Zi’s eco-philosophy,there will be an analysis of the differences according to historical context and critical target and their convergence.The analysis leads to the conclusion that eco-philosophies,whether contemporary or ancient,are against any form of domination and centrism.展开更多
Assessment of the forest land use change and proposed land suitability for tea for the area along Laos – China Border were the main purpose of this research paper. An integrated GIS-based analysis system （IGAS）, su...Assessment of the forest land use change and proposed land suitability for tea for the area along Laos – China Border were the main purpose of this research paper. An integrated GIS-based analysis system （IGAS）, supporting assessment of forest land-use and land suitability for the study area where along Laos-China border was developed. Multi criteria analysis and system dynamics techniques were used to assess forest land use and land suitability and to forecast potential land-use for tea. The total study area is estimated at 10 325.07 km2 according to the field data collection and data analysis. The area of current forest cover decreased rapidly from 6337.33 km2 （61.38%） in 1992 to 5106.28 km2 （49.46%） in 2002 in the study area. The current forest was mainly trans-ferred to potential forest and permanent agriculture especially to rubber plantation areas even in the National Conservation Biodiversity Conser-vation Areas. The main causes of forest land use change are poverty. In order to address the problems, land suitability classification for tea was developed based on the multi-criteria. And finally two options of land suitability classification for tea for the study areas were developed.展开更多
文摘During the 2nd Indochina War which started in 1959, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Air America, and the Air Force waged a secret and unconventional air war in Laos from Udorn Air Force base located in Thailand and across the Mekong River from Vientiane, Laos. Starting in 1961, four years before the official start of the American-Vietnam War, Agent Blue, the arsenic-based herbicide used to kill rice and other food crops, was used extensively in Laos, Vietnam and to a lesser extent in Cambodia. During the secret 2nd Indochina War and the Vietnam Civil War the public knew little about the use of Agent Blue. After the official start of the American-Vietnam War in 1965, the United States media news reports, about chemical warfare were dominated by the story of Agent Orange and its devastating impacts. The public knew very little about the previous use of Agent Blue in both wars. The first known media pick up of the Agent Blue (arsenic based) and Agent Pink, Agent Green, and Agent Purple (all three contain 2, 4, 5-T and unknown amounts of dioxin TCDD) was in May of 1964. Jim G. Lucas, a Scripps-Howard staff reporter submitted an article that was published as an editorial in Washington Post on May 26, 1964. The next news reference to this chemical weapon was a Letter to the Editor published in the New York Times titled “Agent Blue” in Vietnam by Arthur H. Westing in (1971). The use of herbicides, including Agent Blue in Laos during the 2nd Indochina War, was kept a secret until 1982, when a draft of Buckingham’s study of Operation Ranch Hand was made public. Much about the U.S. war effort in Laos is still classified. In a 2014 issue of the VVA Veteran magazine, Loana Hoylman published an article on “Today’s Blue Arsenic in the Environment”. The first refereed journal article on this topic, “The Fate of Agent Blue, the Arsenic-Based Herbicide, Used in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War” was published in 2020 in the Open Journal of Soil Science by Kenneth R. Olson and Larry Cihacek. In 2021 the Asia Times (print) and VietnamVeteranNews (radio podcast) picked up the Agent Blue story. During the early 2020s, Olson published six additional refereed journal articles on Agent Blue, cacodylic acid, and arsenic. The primary objective is to determine why no major news organization in the United States, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have never investigated Agent Blue use during the 2nd Indochina and Vietnam wars? Why did the use of Agent Blue story, used to destroy Laotian and South Vietnamese civilian food (rice) sources and production sites, received only very limited coverage by US print media news organizations during the last 64 years?
文摘The Dongsithouane National Production Forest (DNPF) is one of the largest natural forest areas in Savannakhet, Lao PDR, which has been a vital support for the local community’s livelihood, Recently, significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC) have been observed in this area, leading to a reduction of natural forests. There were two separate methods of this study: firstly, to identify LULC changes across three different periods, spectral imagery from the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) for the years 2001 and 2011, and the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) for 2021 were used as the primary data sources. The satellite images were preprocessed for various forest classes, including pretreatment of the top of atmosphere reflectance by using QGIS software’s semi-automatic classification plug-in (SCP), and ArcGIS was used for post-classification. A supervised classification approach was applied to the satellite images from 2001, 2011, and 2021 to generate diverse maps of LULC. Secondly, a household survey dataset was used to investigate influential factors. Approximately 220 households were interviewed in order to collect socio-economic information (including data on population growth, increased business activities, location of the area, agriculture land expansion, and need for settlement land). Household survey data was analyzed by using SPSS. Descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and percentages, were applied to observe characteristics. Additionally, a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the socioeconomic factors related to LULC change in DNPF. Key findings indicated a decline in natural forest areas within the study site. Specifically, both dry dipterocarp forest (−11.35%) and mixed deciduous forest (−0.18%) decreased from 2001 to 2021. The overall accuracy of the LULC maps was 94%, 86%, and 89% for the years 2001, 2011, and 2021 respectively. In contrast, agricultural land increased significantly by 155.70%, while built-up land, and water bodies increased by 65.54% and 35.33%, respectively. The results also highlighted a significant increase in construction land, up to 65.54%. Furthermore, the study found a correlation between agricultural expansion and a reduction of forest areas, along with an increase in built-up land along the forest areas’ boundaries. Timber exploitation and charcoal production also contributed to the decline in forest cover. The logistic regression model identified significant determinants of LULC change, including the area’s location, agricultural land expansion, increased business activity, and the need for settlement land. These factors have influenced the management of DNPF. Urgent sustainable management practices and actions, including forest ecosystem protection, village agricultural zoning, water source and watershed protection and public awareness, are required to preserve the forest areas of DNPF.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30770267)Special Fund for Entry-Exit Inspections and Quarantine Scientific Research in the Public Interest (201210079)
文摘A new species, Bactrocera （Zeugodacus） gansuica Chen, Han et Zhou sp. nov., is discovered from China, and B （Z.） vultus （Hardy, 1973） is recorded for the first time in Laos. These two species are here described and illustrated.
文摘Based on the brief introduction of western contemporary eco-philosophies and Lao Zi’s eco-philosophy,there will be an analysis of the differences according to historical context and critical target and their convergence.The analysis leads to the conclusion that eco-philosophies,whether contemporary or ancient,are against any form of domination and centrism.
文摘Assessment of the forest land use change and proposed land suitability for tea for the area along Laos – China Border were the main purpose of this research paper. An integrated GIS-based analysis system （IGAS）, supporting assessment of forest land-use and land suitability for the study area where along Laos-China border was developed. Multi criteria analysis and system dynamics techniques were used to assess forest land use and land suitability and to forecast potential land-use for tea. The total study area is estimated at 10 325.07 km2 according to the field data collection and data analysis. The area of current forest cover decreased rapidly from 6337.33 km2 （61.38%） in 1992 to 5106.28 km2 （49.46%） in 2002 in the study area. The current forest was mainly trans-ferred to potential forest and permanent agriculture especially to rubber plantation areas even in the National Conservation Biodiversity Conser-vation Areas. The main causes of forest land use change are poverty. In order to address the problems, land suitability classification for tea was developed based on the multi-criteria. And finally two options of land suitability classification for tea for the study areas were developed.
