Michael Kirk (1996):
Land Tenure Development and Divestiture in Lao P.D.R.

7. National Entrepreneurs

National entrepreneurs must de facto be counted part of the group of international investors. These entrepreneurs are often returning Lao citizens from the former small upper class who fled after 1975. In order to look after their claims to restitution, they partially take on Lao citizenship again. Since most of the families, who were wealthy and had influence in economics and politics, never broke off contact with their relatives who stayed on as custodians of house and property. They are well informed about land policy and have been quickly able to rebuild a power base in politics and the economy. Many have built up new wealth through hard work under competitive conditions in the USA, other Asian countries or France, and are prepared to invest in their homeland under the condition, however, that market an investment friendly climate is created. They exert both economic pressure on the State in family unions, and especially exert political pressure in clearing up the question of returning property, in that they also take up positions in administration and projects, etc. Other national entrepreneurs work as representatives, as frontmen for foreign companies so that these companies gain access to land in their name.