This Brief provides a cross-sectional analysis of development-directed
investments in the wider Mekong region. The wider Mekong region includes
Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Chinese province of
Yunnan. Evidence highlights that a few critical dynamics, including
human migration, natural resource flows, and financial investments,
generate a high level of connectivity between these countries. Such high
levels of connectivity increase complexity and the potential for ripple
effects of national decisions. The emerging links between countries can
unfold in financial investments, migration, or the flow of resources. As
these links intensify the regional connectivity increases and over time
a highly connected region can emerge, as experienced by the Mekong
region. This Brief also contains a chapter at the end of the book
featuring numerous charts and diagrams further illustrating the impact
of development activities in the area.