Vientiane - The people of Laos are voting to choose a new national assembly. However, all but one of the 166 candidates for 109 assembly seats come from the ruling Communist party which has monopolised power here for the past 26 years.
Despite opening Laos to foreign investment and tourist, the government allows no other parties to function, and the few attempts at political opposition in recent years have been suppressed.
The normally secretive rulers of this landlocked nation are taking great pains to make this election seem meaningful. In a country whose exact size and population are still uncertain, an abundance of statistics has suddenly been produced about the candidates contesting the election.
The average age has come down to 51 years; 20% are women, and 64% are university graduates. Voter turnout is predicted to be 100%.
But only one of the candidates is not a member of the ruling party, and all have been screened and approved by a government-appointed committee.
Changing times
The Communist Party, which, in 1975 won a long and bitter war against a succession of pro-French and pro-American regimes, still insists it alone can solve the country's problems.
These are formidable: Laos is one of the world's poorest and least developed countries. Its attempts to break out of its socialist isolation and emulate the success of its neighbours faltered after the Asian financial crisis five years ago.
The value of the local currency plunged, but corruption has continued to grow within the ruling elite, to an extent which deters foreign investment. The mainly rural population here rarely confronts the regime which has always treated its political opponents severely.
But the candidates say they are hearing complaints from the voters over official corruption, the slow pace of development, and the poor quality of health and education - a sign perhaps that one of Asia's most tranquil countries may not stay that way much longer.