The town of Pakse is the sort of place that gives rise to the clichés that predominate in descriptions of Laos. Slow, sleepy and peaceful. Nestled on the Mekong, not far from the border with Thailand, it serves as an entry point to the picturesque Bolaven plateau
Vixay Keosavang is one of the most ruthless and prolific wildlife criminals operating in South-East Asia today. Some call him the “Pablo Escobar of animal trafficking” in Laos, the tiny one-party communist state bordered by Myanmar, China, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam that continues to harbour him
Alongside significant trade and abundant forests, some reports have estimated as much as US$17 billion dollars' worth of illegal trade flows from the East Asia Pacific region, with the Mekong particularly susceptible because of poor forest governance, weak regulation, corruption and porous border controls
A propaganda battle – or charm offensive, if you’re feeling expansive – is already under way in a bid to win over hearts and wallets if not minds to secure international approval for a legal trade in rhino horn, overturning a ban which has been in place for more than 30 years
Hard-fought battles that commenced years ago have come to a constructive and logical conclusion in the interests of sharks, manta rays and rosewoods. For Asian big cats, there was a good decision that will review of efforts to combat illegal trade and to end trade in parts and products of captive-bred tigers
If 2012 has shown anything, it’s that we’re still small and that our concise reports anchored in hard documentary evidence – often obtained undercover in potentially dangerous circumstances – continue to give us the clout to punch well above our weight