In the late 1860 ’ s, the French tried to find a navigable route up the Mekong into China. Their hopes were dashed, however, when they encountered rapids near the town of Kratie, in Cambodia, and a formidable series of cataracts called the Khone Falls, in southern Laos.
Taču viņu cerības sagruva, kad Kambodžā netālu no Kratjehas pilsētas viņi uzdūrās bīstamu krāču virknei un tālāk Laosas dienvidos nonāca pie iespaidīgas ūdenskritumu kaskādes, ko sauc par Kona ūdenskritumu.