The State Department has a narcotics affairs project center (called a Lao-American Project) in Nong Khiaw, the town we hired the boat in. Anyway, on our return, while Luther napped I went to find the project center. Our American contractor employee wasn't there at the time, so I just kind of looked.

The LAP finances roads to villages so they can grow things besides opium and get them to market, runs a detox center, and does other community development stuff.