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Laos’ Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavath Lengsavad said the government will compensate fairly to all property owners in the That Luang marshland area which will be developed by a Chinese company into a new residential and economic zone.

Mr. Somsavath said there will be 3 categories of compensation: people who are actually living on the land legally will be compensated for the land itself, for their houses and agricultural products or whatever they grow on the land; owners who have not built and cultivated any thing on the land will be compensated for the land only; and people who have been illegally occupying the land but have built structures and cultivated the land will be compensated for their agricultural products but not for the land. People who have illegally claimed the land but have not built or grown anything will not receive any compensation.

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The Lao government has granted a 50-year concession of a 1,000-hectare area of the That Luang marshland or Bung That Luang to a Chinese company to develop into a new residential and economic zone in exchange for the new stadium and sports facilities that Chinese companies are building for Laos to use when it hosts the 25th SEA Games in December 2009.

 Listen to our Laos Today report for more details in Lao.