Until the year of 1991, Laos was a country that was mostly untouched by the Western world influence. The people that lived there really had very little idea of what was going on in the Western world and that is how they preferred it. After all, they likely heard nothing but bad things through the “grapevine” of other Asian countries. Because of this lack of Western world influence, the women of Laos are still quite natural in look and behavior. They do not wear makeup or fuss with their hair. In fact, they always dress conservatively as well. There is no reason for them to get “fancied” up to go to the local market, after all.

This is a big attraction for some men to women who would rather not waste time and money on the unnecessary things in life that Western women spend thousands on each year. So, if a man is looking for an all-natural woman, then Laos might be the right place for them. With rumors of female abuse and human trafficking spreading around about Laos, there are always plenty of women who want to get out of the country to avoid the possibility of those horrors. So, many Western men will bring them over from Laos and marry them. This is a situation that usually works well for both the brides and the men that bring them over. So, if you are looking for a natural woman who would love to flee Laos for love, you might find one easily!

Filed under: People & Lifestyle | No Comments »

Thought of as the most enigmatic of the three French Indochina states, Laos is definitely the sleepiest. At least for the moment. After years of isolation, Laos is now slowly opening its doors to the world - mainly a result of the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River linking Vientiane with Thailand. these days you have to actually look both ways before crossing the road in Vientiane and the main road in Lung Prabang is lined with western restaurants. Having said that, tourism (and life!) is remarkably low key even on the tourist axis of Vientiane, Vang Vien and Luang Prabang. Off the axis life is much the same as it has been for years.

Vientiene, the capital, is emerging from hundreds of years of slumber and the centre now even boasts a number of restaurants and bars. The hotels aren’t much with the exception of the Villa Manoli - a beautiful old villa in a sumptuous garden. It even has a small swimming pool - all for about $20 a night. After a day’s wandering around the magnificent temples, there is nothing better than strolling up the river bank to the stilted restaurants and enjoying a great Mekong sunset over a cold Bia Lao and a spicy pork Laap (minced meat salad) or sizzling Mekong catfish.

Filed under: General | No Comments »

The pagoda school was the main unit of the traditional educational system in Laos. Efforts toward modernization came in the wake of the country’s becoming a French protectorate in 1893 and finally after its inclusion in 1904 within the French Indochina Union. The medium of education was changed to French when the French Education Service was created.

During the colonial period, the French established a secular education system patterned after schools in France, and French was the language of instruction after the second or third grade. This system was largely irrelevant to the needs and life-styles of the vast majority of the rural population, despite its extension to some district centers and a few villages. However, it did produce a small elite drawn primarily from the royal family and noble households. Many children of Vietnamese immigrants to Laos–who made up the majority of the colonial civil service–also attended these schools and, in fact, constituted a significant proportion of the students at secondary levels in urban centers. Post-secondary education was not available in Laos, and the few advanced students traveled to Hanoi, Danang, and Hué in Vietnam and to Phnom Penh in Cambodia for specialized training; fewer still continued with university-level studies in France.

Filed under: Society & Culture | No Comments »

Considered one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia, you may think that Laos has nothing to offer being a tourist destination. That didn’t hinder tourists to discover this archaeological wonder that has the makings of being an asia travel spot. Haven’t you heard, there’s this historical landmark that consists of thousands of jars scattered in the highlands of Laos called Plain of Jars. Situated at Xieng Khouang plain, this Laos pride consists of thousands of stone jars big and small distributed in the place.

It is believed that this stone jars ages from 1,500-2,000 years and older. According to a local folktale, the emerging of jars began when the king of the giants Khun Jeuam fought and won a battle against the evil ruler Chao Angka. The king, whose fond of throwing parties brew and store huge amounts of lao lao rice wine in this huge stone jars. When the archaeologists studied the jars, they have found burned bones, beads and iron tools leading them to the conclusion that these jars were used as giant urns to bury the dead. Another mystery yet unsolved is how the jars are made. Locals believed that these jars were made from clay, sad, sugar, and animal products mixing together to form a cement-like mixture.

Filed under: Society & Culture | No Comments »

With Burma around the corner, Laos is one of the most beautiful landlocked countries in Southeast Asia. Known as the Land of the Million Elephants, Laos is filled with forested landscapes, and rugged mountains all through. The climate here is tropical, and rains happen between May and November. It is part of the Golden triangle, since it is a country where Opium is grown here.

With economy on the upward slide, tourism is the major source of income in Laos. People come here to explore the hidden terrains, learn more about their culture, unique language, and style of dressing. Buddhism is the predominant religion here and so don’t be surprised to see all those temples strewn across. Keep in mind, these five things that you must see when holidaying in Laos.

Filed under: Travel & Tourism | No Comments »

Laos, officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang or Land of a Million Elephants, which existed from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century as a vassal of Siam. After a period as a French protectorate, it gained independence in 1949. A long civil war ended officially when the communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975 but the fighting between factions continued for several years.

If you have a chance, please come to Laos to find out a lot of interesting things in there. I hope that you like it and have a wonderful memory in Laos.

Filed under: General | No Comments »

Travelling on a private adventure itinerary is a great way to see the country. The roads are bad…really bad, the distances are long and the public transport is lacking in comfort, convenience and punctuality. Travelling with your own driver and better quality of vehicle ensures you pack a lot into visit, but of course will cost extra.

You’ll trek virgin trails, learn the ways of the rainforest and the tribes that live within it. On many tips you’ll get to spend time with the Laos elephants (it’s not known as the ‘land of a million elephants’ for nothing you know!) and learn about the work being done to preserve them. Then there is the wonderful Luang Prabang, with its legacy of ancient red-roofed temples, French colonial architecture and refined cuisine. It is unquestionably one of Southeast Asia’s most enchanting cities and is an essential stop on any visit. From here you can reach the likes of the Pak Ou caves and the Kuang Si Falls.

Filed under: Travel & Tourism | No Comments »

When you visit Laos you will notice immediately how important the culture, heritage and Buddhism are to its inhabitants. Laos is located between Vietnam and Thailand in the south east of Asia. It is a beautiful country with many rivers, rugged mountains, forests, plains and plateaus. Laos has been isolated from outside influences so the tourist gets a unique view of traditional Southeast Asian life. With its fertile lowlands of the Mekong River valley and the rugged Annamite highlands, Laos has got to be one of the highlights in Asia. Laos has a tropical monsoon climate with the rainy season during the months of May to November and the roads can become washed out & the dry season starting from December to April. The weather is not too hot and there is less rainfall between November and February. The most popular time that tourists actually visit Laos are December to February but the good thing is there are not too many during these times. For trekking or visiting the mountains, May and July are good, warm, dry months to experience them. One of the most beautiful places in Laos is Luang Prabang and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. It is a magical ancient city that seems to have stood still in time surrounded by its mountains. In the centre of the city of Laos is Mount Phousi. From this amazing standpoint you will witness stunning views of the hills and temples that surround it. Khone Phapheng is considered to be the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia and with this in mind makes it an amazing place to experience. You will find this waterfall at the southern end of Si Phan Don home to the rare Irrawaddy dolphins. The Pak Ou Caves are an absolutely spectacular sight to behold. One of the caves is filled with hundreds of statues of the Buddha which can be seen through a rugged hole in the cliff face. If you want to see this amazing scene up close then it is possible to climb out onto the dock where the beautifully carved stones will lead you up to the entrance of the cave. There are statues of Buddha’s absolutely everywhere that you look, balancing on stone shelves, lining the stairs and in the nooks and crannies in the cave. Pilgrims and kings have gone to the caves to worship for at least the last 500 years. Pha That Luang is a Buddhist temple in Vientiane, Laos which was built in the 16th century. The temple was destroyed by a Thai invasion but has since been restored to its former glory. There are some people that believe that relics of the Buddha are housed in this temple. This temple has become a symbol of Lao nationalism due to the architecture including the Lao people’s culture and identity. There is a wonderfully unique place known as the Plain Of Jars, located in the remote north east of Laos, where you will find hundreds of huge stone urns. These stone jars cover an area of several square miles and have become a great crowd puller. The urns are one of the most enigmatic ancient sights in Asia. To this day the many jars have kept their secret from the many historians who have tried to date them and discover what they actually signify. In the province of Champasak you will find an amazing mountain Temple dating back to the 5th century which is known as Wat Phu, is an impressive ruin of Khmer style. There are a number of carved rocks above the temple site, each of them resembling different animals including a cobra, an elephant and a crocodile. Some believe that these rocks may have been used for human sacrifice in times gone by.

Filed under: Travel & Tourism | No Comments »

To resolve the boundary issue, the powers that be have started defining Asia subcontinents. The areas are:

Central Asia - Kazakhstan Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

1. East Asia - China, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, North and South Korea.

2. North Asia - Russia.

3. India Subcontinent - India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

4. Southeast Asia - Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar [Burma], Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

5. Southwest Asia - The Middle East including Turkey, Iran, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and sometimes Egypt.
With so many countries, it is hardly surprising to find a wide variety of religious practices in Asia. There are a wide variety of belief systems, but Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam have the largest number of adherents.

Filed under: General | No Comments »

IN THE EARLY 1990s, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR, or Laos) was among the ten poorest countries in the world, according to a World Bank ranking, with a per capita gross national product (GNP) in 1991 of just US$200. Its labor force is poorly trained and educated, its infrastructure severely damaged from years of inadequate maintenance, and its ability to feed itself precariously dependent upon the weather. Development expenditure is financed almost entirely by foreign aid, and, by 1991, exports financed only 40 percent of imports. By the beginning of the 1990s, however, Laos, while still an impoverished country highly dependent on foreign aid for its development, had taken some essential steps toward a free-market economy.

Despite the many obstacles to economic development that remained in the early 1990s, however, in little more than a decade, starting in 1979, the government had deliberately shifted the focus of its economic policy away from socialist goals and has made great strides. Many state-owned enterprises, which had been draining the nation’s treasury through subsidies, were privatized, and tax collection was boosted tremendously, helping to bring the fiscal deficit under control. Liberal laws on foreign investment and trade were passed, precipitating a surge of investment activity. Prices of many commodities were freed from government controls, domestic transport restrictions were lifted, and the cooperative farming system was ended.

The Seventh Resolution, passed at a plenary session of the Central Committee by the ruling Phak Pasason Pativat Lao (Lao People’s Revolutionary Party–LPRP) in late 1979, marked the start of the country’s shift toward a market-oriented economy. The resolution affirmed the government’s commitment to begin to open to a market economy, as the necessary path to economic development. Since its inception in 1975, the government, in theory, has recognized private property and private enterprise. However, they were not encouraged, and, in fact, the provincial governments of Louangphrabang (Luang Prabang) and Phôngsali abolished private trade and traders through 1987. The objectives of the First FiveYear Plan (1981-85) included self-sufficiency in food production, defined as the equivalent of 350 kilograms of paddy rice and other foodstuffs per capita per year, and the collectivization of agriculture. The plan also focused on developing industrial activity, increasing trade with Thailand, improving the shattered rural infrastructure, and increasing export revenues, all goals that received much greater attention as the tentative steps toward a market-oriented economy continued.

However, growth during the plan period was slower than had been anticipated, and the government decided to take bolder steps toward reform. At the Fourth Party Congress in 1986, the Second Five-Year Plan (1986-90) was endorsed, and new national development strategy was introduced. The New Economic Mechanism, as this program was called, was designed to expose the economy to world market forces gradually, without sacrificing the nation’s goal of food self sufficiency . To implement this plan, many facets of the economy were decentralized. Although the central authorities continued to set policy guidelines, responsibility for administering and financing many programs for economic and social development was delegated to the provinces. About a year after the congress, the new policy was promulgated into regulations, and changes became rapid and extensive.

The second plan also sought to encourage foreign and private investment. Among the reforms called for under the New Economic Mechanism were the lifting of numerous trade regulations and the creation of opportunities for foreign investment. In a major shift from its economic dependency on Vietnam, Laos began to look toward Thailand–and, later, toward other socialist countries–for private investment, technology transfer, and trade. Through the improvement of transportation and communications systems, encouragement of the private sector, and development of the agroforestry industrial processing sector, it was hoped that nonfood imports could be reduced and exports increased, thus improving the balance of payments. Although Laos showed an overall balance of payments surplus in 1985 and 1986, the current account deficit had been increasing, and during those years exports financed less than 30 percent of imports. The government took a new interest in environmental protection and sought to limit the practice of swidden, or slash-and-burn cultivation as a means of protecting its forest resources and encouraging cash cropping. It proved difficult, however, to bring about such a change because of negative effects on upland farmers’ livelihoods. Traditional swidden agriculture does not adversely affect forest resources to the same extent that commercial exploitation does.

Many reforms were carried out successfully during the late 1980s, but the Second Five-Year Plan ended with economic performance lagging well behind planned achievements. Not least among the disappointments was the need to import rice during the droughts of 1987 and 1988, underlining the fact that an objective identified over ten years earlier–sustained self-sufficiency in food–had not been met.

Despite economic failures, however, the Fifth Party Congress, held in March 1991, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the development of a market-oriented economy. The Third Five-Year Plan (1991-95) proposes a “strategy” that aims to continue progress made under the previous two plans: improving the country’s infrastructure, promoting exports, and encouraging import substitution industries. In August 1991, the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) approved a new constitution–the first since the previous constitution was abolished in 1975. Among its provisions is the affirmation of the right to private ownership; the words “democracy and prosperity” replaced “socialism” in the national motto.

Filed under: Business & Economy | No Comments »