Style is automatic. TISSOT everytime swissmatic. UP TO 3 DAYS OF POWER RESERVE.
#ThisIsYourTime TISSOT BOUTIQUE & SERVICE CENTER MERCURE HOTEL 10 RUE SAMSENTHAI, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR. TEL: +856-20-555 24 098 EMAIL: WORLDTIME.MH@JKALEXINTERNATIONAL.COM
TI S S OT WATC H E S .CO M TISSOT, INNOVATORS BY TRADITION
WORLDTIME - VIENTIANE CENTER NO. 13, KHOUVIENG ROAD, NONGCHAN VILLAGE, SISATTANAK DISTRICT, GROUND FLOOR, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR. TEL: +856-20-555 24 097 EMAIL: WORLDTIME.VC@JKALEXINTERNATIONAL.COM OFFICIAL RETAILER: TAIFA TIME TRADERS 132, # 62/3 NONGBONE ST, NONGCHAN VILLAGE, SISATTANAK DISTRICT, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR . TEL: + 856-21-215 268 # 01-10, 11, 12 FIRST FLOOR TALAT SAO SHOPPING MALL( II ), LANE XANG AVE, CHANTHABOULY, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR. TEL: +856-21-285 028
东盟腹地 投资热土 — 老挝万象赛色塔综合开发区
HEARTLAND OF THE ASEAN REGION: HOT INVESTEMENT DESTINATION VIENTIANE SAYSETTHA DEVELOPMENT ZONE OF LAOS
老挝万象赛色塔综合开发区（简称“开发区”）位于万象市主城区东北
The Zone is invested, constructed, developed and operated
议的示范项目，是中老两国政府共同确定的国家合作项目，也是中国
Investment Holding Group Co.,Ltd. and the Government
方17公里处，占地1149公顷，是中老两国紧密合作实践“一带一路”倡 在老挝唯一的国家境外经贸合作区和老挝经济专区，已列入中国“一
带一路”建设重点规划和优先推进项目。开发区由云南省建设投资控
with the concerted efforts of Yunnan Construction and of Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.
股集团有限公司与老挝万象市政府共同出资建设及开发运营。
开发区一期主要发展工业产业，重点是农副产品加工、五金建材、电力
Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone is located 17 kilometres
业创业。 二、三期重点发展商贸、旅游和努力建成万象新城。
from the north east of downtown Vientiane, covering an area
配套设备生产、清洁能源生产、物流商贸以及支持科技创新和中小企
of 1149 hectares. The zone is an embodiment of the close
In Phase I, the Zone will mainly develop industrial sector,
Belt and Road Initiative, a cross-national cooperation project
hardware and building materials, electrical equipment
cooperation between China and Laos in implementing the new determined by both countries. The development zone is China’s only national-level overseas economic and trade cooperation zone in Laos, and a national economic zone to be listed as a
project of key planning and prioritised promotion under the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
focusing on the processing of agricultural and sideline products, production, clean energy production, as well as logistics and
commerce & trade. It will also support technological innovation, small and medium-sized business start-ups in Phase I. In Phase
II and Phase III, the Zone will mainly develop commerce & trade along with focus on construction of Vientiane New City.
开发区优势 Advantages of the development zone 一是拥有绝佳的政策扶持。该项目由中老两国政府共同打造，双方均 倾力从各方面给予扶持、倾斜，有力地为其插上了腾飞的翅膀。 Excellent support policy: The project is jointly undertaken by China and Laos, and both sides will offer complete support for the full development of the project.
二是拥有绝佳的地缘区位。老挝地处东盟腹地，与中国、越南、泰国、缅 甸、柬埔寨五国接壤，位于东盟自由贸易区、大湄公河次区域、泛北部 湾经济合作区及中国“一带一路”倡议范围内。 Superior geographical location: Laos is located in the ASEAN hinterland, bordering China, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia. It's also seated within the ASEAN Free Trade Area, Greater Mekong Sub-Region, and the Pan Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Zone, in the scope of the Belt and Road Initiative.
三是拥有绝佳的经贸优势。老挝为WTO成员国以及东盟成员国，享受 多个国家给予的关税和配额优惠政策。全球38个国家和地区已将老挝 列为其普惠制（GSP）受惠国。 Superior economic and trade advantages: As a member of the WTO and ASEAN, Laos enjoys preferential tax and quota policies granted by many countries, and has also been listed as a GSP beneficiary state by 38 countries and regions across the world.
四是拥有非常便捷的交通。开发区毗邻老挝450周年大道、13号公路， 距老泰第一友谊大桥17公里，距瓦岱国际机场19公里，距正在施工建 设的中老铁路货运站仅1.5公里。 Convenient transportation: The Zone, adjacent to the 450th Anniversary Avenue and No.13 national highway (from the north to the south of Laos), is located at 17km away from the No.1 Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, 19km away from Wattay International Airport and 1.5km distant from the freight station affiliated to the China-Laos Railway.
五是拥有绝佳的平台优势。开发区提供“一站式”服务平台，为投资者 提供从项目前期考察到项目落地、建设、运营全过程全方位的服务。同 时为入园企业提供多种融资手段和金融保险。入驻企业可享受中老两 国政府给予的财政补助和其他包括税收减免在内的优惠政策。
Favourable platform advantages: A one-stop service platform during the whole process will provide all-round services for investors throughout the entire process, including project inspection in the early stages, project implementation, construction and operation. Established enterprises will also be provided with multiple financing means and financial insurance services. Fiscal subsidies and other preferential policies covering tax breaks will be granted by both governements.
地址：老挝万象市赛色塔综合开发区友谊路
（赛色塔县纳诺村）
网址：http://lvsdz.com/ch
VIP LINE: +856-21-766006 / -766012 Address: Youyi Road, Saysettha Development Zone, Vientiane, Lao PDR (Nano Village, Saysettha District)
Website: http://lvsdz.com/ch
Site Location
on Google Maps
Sabaidee
Message From The President
Dr. Somphone Douangdara President & CEO of Lao Airlines
Dear Passengers, Welcome aboard, and thank you for choosing Lao Airlines. To ensure our services continue to meet the needs of our passengers during the cooler months, Lao Airlines has introduced more flights and adjusted our schedules to ensure convenience, safety, and passenger satisfaction. Two years ago, Lao Airlines received IATA Operation Safety Audit standards certification, which was a big first for our airline. But as the certification had a lifespan of only two years, our safety standards were recently audited. Thanks to the hard work of the relevant department heads, Lao Airlines has passed its auditing requirements and has received the Enhanced IATA Operation Safety Audit (E-IOSA) certification. This demonstrates that Lao Airlines considers safety to be paramount, and aims to ensure our organisation is defined by comprehensive safety standards, building confidence among our passengers, and in the aviation arena. We will continue to improve and develop Lao Airlines as the national carrier of the Lao PDR, and as a modern organisation that adheres to international standards. On behalf of the board and all employees of Lao Airlines, I would like to thank all our passengers for choosing to fly with us, and for instilling the airline with confidence in our international standards, ensuring our continued expansion into the future. Lao Airlines remains at your service, whether you are travelling near or far. We hope to serve you again soon, and wish you a pleasant flight.
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PUBLISHER PUBLISHER’S LETTER Hello readers, Welcome to the November-December edition of Champa Meuanglao, our very first themed issue! Cover image: Luang Prabang Film Festival. Courtesy of Luang Prabang Film Festvial
For movie fans and festival-loving tourists, the end of the year has an important calendar date: the Luang Prabang Film Festival. To celebrate, we’ve decided to devote the entire edition this quaint and beautiful city that brings thousands of tourists to Laos every year.
www.champameuanglao.com
PUBLISHING
Luang Prabang’s World Heritage listing, bestowed in 1996, has ensured the town’s place on the international tourism trail, and our selection of stories gives some clues as to why this is – from the top-notch coffee produced by northern farmers and sold through Saffron Coffee, to a buffalo dairy farm giving locals a new take on milk and cheese.
Managing Editor Editors
New kid on the luxury hotel block Azerai, parked right on the main street, has stunning rooms and even more stunning fusion cuisine, while the French-Lao riverboat company Luang Say can take you beyond the city limits and into the jungle in high style.
Contributing Editor
Our intrepid travel writer Mick Shippen takes us on a journey through the delights of northern soul food, exploring the distinctive traditional cuisine of Luang Prabang.
Creative Director
Sally Pryor Cameron Darke Dalaphone Pholsena Duangtavanh Oudomchith Jason Rolan Soukthida Sengthavong Jochen Moravek
Contributing Writers
Francis Savanhkham Latsamy Phonevilay Mick Shippen Lilani Goonesena Tara Gujadhur
Head Photographer Contributing Photographers
Phoonsab Thevongsa Mick Shippen
Happy reading! The Champa Meuanglao publishing team
ADVISORY BOARD Somphone Douangdara President Somsamay Visounnarath Vice President …– Technical, Operation & Training Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh Vice President – Planning, Cooperation & International Relations & Legislation Leuangsamay Leuangvanxay Vice President – Administration, Finance & Accounting Rada Sunthorn Vice President – Passenger Service, Cargo & Catering Saleum Tayarath Vice President – Commercial, Tourism
ADVERTISING Director of Marketing & Sales
Marketing & Sales Executive
Aditta Kittikhoun aditta.kittikhoun@champameuanglao.com (856-20) 55555521 Duangtavanh Oudomchith duangtavanh.oudomchith@champameuanglao.com (856-20) 55474555
LAO AIRLINES STATE ENTERPRISE LIMITED
RDK GROUP
Headquarters Wattay International Airport Vientiane Capital, Laos Tel: (856-21) 513243-46, Fax: (856-21) 513247 www.laoairlines.com
134 Samsenthai Road, Xiengyeun Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Capital, Laos (856-20) 55731717 info@rdkgroup.la
Follow our official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/laoairlinesofficial to get the latest news and updates from the national carrier of Laos DISCLAIMER
Champa Meuanglaois published bi-monthly for Lao Airlines State Enterprise by RDK Group. The views and opinions expressed or implied in C hampa Meuanglao do not necessarily reflect those of Lao Airlines State Enterprise or its publishing agents. All information in C hampa Meuanglaois correct at time of printing. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2017 by Lao Airlines State Enterprise and RDK Group.
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CONTENTS 18
24 COVER STORY
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48 hours in Luang Prabang Eat, Drink, See & Do
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A river runs through it Cruise the river in style
24 34
Living history A heritage success
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Beans of perfection Saffron Coffee & Café
48 34 44 54
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48
MADE FOR THE MOVIES The Luang Prabang Film Festvial
54 63
The lap of Luang Prabang luxury The impressive Azerai Northern soul food Distinctive cuisine
On the air Airline news, timetables and contacts
LUANG PRAbANG
EAT
Sena Steak House A great option for meat lovers and those who love them. Succulent steaks, both local and imported, are seared to perfection by a western chef. Burgers and salads are also on offer, as well as Lao and Italian food. Wine and cocktail pairings are also on offer to enhance the people watching on this bustling end of the main street. Tangor Tangor serves a unique selection of French, Vietnamese, and Lao fusion tapas, as well as an array of original cocktails. Highly recommended are the Fish Ceviche and the locally farmed Goat Cheese Salad. Enhanced by ambient tunes, the atmosphere and food really reflect the beauty of Indochina.
DRINK
The Belle Rive Terrace Located on a veranda along the Mekong, shaded by coconut trees, this hotel’s bar and restaurant offer panoramic views of the river and is especially great for sunset vistas. Order a beverage and spend a lazy afternoon with a book, watching the boats glide up and down the Mekong. 12
Bouang This newcomer to the food scene serves up unique reinterpretations based on traditional Asian home cooking. The restaurant has become a haven for photographers and foodies alike, as every dish drips with creative presentation. Specialties include Cinnamon Pork Stew, Gnocchi Green Curry, and salads called “Buddha Bowls” made of fresh local vegetables.
525 Moving inside beyond the unassuming exterior, a modern and well-stocked lounge awaits. A plethora of hardto-come-by spirits line the bar, which is home to a range of unique sophisticated cocktails, like the Ultimate G&T served with a ribbon of cucumber, or the Pineapple Ginger Mojito. Modern bar food and desserts also fill out the menu.
Icon Klub This cozy bohemian bar is the creation of Hungarian expat, Lisa. Her creative spirit is evident in every wall and corner of the room. The cocktails contain classics, as well as new concoctions like the Vanilla Sky and Absinthe Martini. Depending on the mood on any given evening, poetry readings and live music might spontaneously occur. Stop in for a drink and end up staying all evening.
DO
Mandalao The first elephant experience in Luang Prabang to offer responsible adventures that do not involve riding. Instead, participants learn about elephants and walk with them through the jungle and rice fields, and even bathe them! Build a deeper connection with these amazing creatures and understand why they are also the symbols of Laos. Cycle the Mekong’s Hidden Side Grab a bicycle and travel to the other side of the Mekong with local specialist EXO Travel, cycling off-roads, to discover the authentic countryside which is so near and yet so different from the UNESCO town. Venture to visit a temple retreat for the former Kings of Laos, meet local villagers, pottery makers, and enjoy a picnic at a secluded waterfall. Cruise back up the Mekong in time to catch a sunset.
Ock Pop Tok From the Lao words for “East meets West”, this socially responsible enterprise started nearly two decades ago and is a leader in unique weaving patterns based on traditional Lao themes. With a few boutiques in town, as well as a weaving center on the Mekong where courses in weaving and dyeing are offered, Ock Pop Tok has unique insights to this most Lao of handicrafts handed down by generations of women.
SEE
Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre The only museum in Laos dedicated to its ethnic peoples, while illustrating their unique aspects through the textiles they create. Informative lectures and demonstrations are sometimes given. There is even a kids’ area offering activities to enhance their enjoyment and understanding. In the boutique, there are unique high-quality handicrafts not available elsewhere in town.
Tad Sae Luang Prabang’s lesser known waterfall only has water from JulyDecember and requires both a drive and a short boat ride to visit, but well worth it! Composed of calcified tiers of crystal blue water, there are many more areas to soak in the pools away from crowds of tourists. For the adventurous, there is also a zipline course that ends over the main cascade. Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden Laos’ first and only botanical garden, this area across the Mekong from Luang Prabang town is devoted to collecting, researching, and interpreting the rather unknown flora of Laos. It is impossible to visit and not learn new information about their fascinating plants. There are gardens devoted to gingers, folk remedies, types of bamboo, and much more!
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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LUANG PRAbANG
OUTDOORS 2 3
ADVENTURE
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1 On the night of a new moon, tourists camping at Phou Khoun Mountain can clearly see the Milky Way
3 Tourists taking in the amazing view at Kuangsi Waterfall
2 Camping in the mist at the Phou Khoun Strawberry Farm
4 Sunrise at Phou Phachao Mountain
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NATURE 5 Ancient Buddha images at Pak Ou Caves Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
4 5
ຮູບໂດຍ: ພູນຊັບ ເທວົງສາ
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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A slow cruise down the Mekong is a beautiful revelation, writes Lilani Goonesena
T
he rainy season isn’t lauded as the best time to visit Laos. The roads are muddy and it rains daily. The river swells and the clouds hang heavy over the dense green jungle. Not that this should stop you from visiting; there’s always a way to enjoy a visit to Laos! And, when the rains set in, the best way to appreciate it is on a boat. There are few Mekong River cruises in Laos that travel for more than a few
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hours. Hydropower dams have forever altered the flow of this majestic waterway, with more underway, including the Pak Beng dam north of Luang Prabang. So, it is a rare treat to hop aboard an intimate two-day cruise by French-Lao luxury riverboat company, Luang Say. Our journey begins in the crisp morning air at the Lao border town of Huay Xay. Having arrived from Luang Namtha the previous day, we are picked up after breakfast at our hotel by Luang Say’s cheerful drivers and transfer us to our waiting boat. We make ourselves at home on comfortable, padded chairs. The custom-built boat is spacious and easily seats 30 people, but there’s only
14 of us today, and we’re waiting on a few people coming through the nearby Thai border crossing. It has rained the previous night, and wisps of thick white fog linger on the surrounding mountains. Finally, the others board and our boat putters away from Huay Xay. As the fourth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge falls behind us, so too do the signs of life and activity. Soon, it’s just us, the boat and a green, lush mosaic of jungle landscape. Other passengers curl up with books or watch the world float by from cosy front and back vantage decks. Friendly deckhands stop by to take coffee orders, handing round bowls of vegetable chips and bottles of water.
Main The Luang Say cruise boat 1. Taking in the view 2. Nam Ou River 3. A fisherman at sunset Photos: Courtesy of Luang Say
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Our two young kids get the VIP treatment and a supply of on-demand cookies. It’s called the slow boat for good reason, but it’s less about the pace, and more that time seems to take on a different meaning. I look up from my page and realise that the thick green jungle has slipped quietly into farm land. Long, neat rows of rubber trees follow dense banana plantations, and there’s an occasional small farm with a foraging pig or herd of goats. A lone fishermen on his wooden longboat throws out a fishing net with a gentle splash.
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As lunchtime approaches, a delicious aroma wafts down the length of the boat from a tiny kitchen at the back. Size is no barrier, as from it emerges a delicious spread of Lao food-beef stew, fried rice, vegetables and the popular Luang Prabang sausage, plus fresh fruit, (including bananas, of course), for dessert. It’s falang style Lao food (aka minus the chilli and padaek, Laos’ potent fish sauce) and there’s plenty of it. Boat travel with all its fresh air and beautiful scenery makes everyone hungry.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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Overnight at Luang Say Lodge By mid-afternoon, our boat putters into Pak Beng and our lodging for the night. The Luang Say Lodge perches high on a hill, reached by a set of almost vertical stairs. 4
1. A view of the Luang Say Lodge from the river 2. The Lodge's terrace 3. One of the frangipani-lined walkways 4. The bungalow interior 5. Pak Ou cave 6. A woman at Ban Bo village Photos: Courtesy of Luang Say
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At the top, we’re rewarded with cool drinks and a spectacular view across the valley. Walkways framed by fragrant frangipani trees lead to our traditionally-styled wooden villas. We wile away the warm afternoon reading on our giant four-poster bed, while outside our windows, the Mekong marches cheerfully on.
At sunset, we head to the main verandah for drinks overlooking the valley. Dinner is another delicious buffet-style meal of local Lao dishes. Afterwards, the staff whisper to our children to look out for the elephants at night; the kids peer curiously into darkness, but hear only a night-time cacophony of frogs and insects. Inside our villa, the beds are turned down and on each pillow rests a tiny cloth elephant.
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Village life on the Mekong The next morning, we reluctantly part ways with the lovely Luang Say Lodge. Our journey today includes two stops at local villages; on a weekday, one of those visits is to a local school. Our visit, however, is on a Saturday, and as the boat pulls up, an army of children appear from nowhere. They surround us, giggling and holding out handmade bracelets, cloth bags and scarves. Our guide points out traditional stilt houses, a tiny temple and subsistence farming. One village uses traditional wooden looms for silk and cotton weaving. Another distills whiskey from local ingredients. Just outside Luang Prabang, there’s one last stop at the Cave of a Thousand Buddhas. It’s a popular landmark with both local people and tourists. A well-worn stone staircase snakes around the mountain. I plod, and my daughter skips, up the stone steps – we count over 300. It’s enough to shake off the peaceful lethargy of the past two days. Less than an hour on and we arrive in Luang Prabang. Our gentle trip to the untouched wilderness of Laos is over.
Luangsay.com
Lao Construction Bank Limited, a joint venture between private Lao and foreign investors, was officially incorporated and began operations on the 22nd of February, 2012. Over the five years since its inception, the bank has continued to expand, evidenced by the customers who have opened accounts and who regularly use the bank’s services. When compared to 2013, the total volume of transactions (valued in kip) increased by 9%. In 2014, this increased by 33.19%, and increased continuously to 27.14%. At present, fixed deposit accounts make up 60.25% of the total sum of the bank’s cash deposits, and this is increasing each year. At the end of 2012, and until the 26th of August, 2016, it has been averaging 21.47% per year, and the bank has been able to make use of this capital to issue credit to investors, businesspeople, retailers, including small-scale, medium-scale and large-scale, in order to play a part in the effective implementation of the 8th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2016-2020), as well as the bank’s business plan as endorsed by the management board.
The Lucky Draw Event for Mahasab and Mahasok Savings Account Holders
Dato’ Sri Dr Yuhao Aixinjuelo Chairman of the Board, Lao Construction Bank
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made
FOR THE
F
or a tiny town famous the world over for being sleepy and laid-back, Luang Prabang sure does know how to host a festival. If you’ve ever found yourself there in the midst of Lao New Year, or the end of Buddhist Lent, you’ll know the place can turn it up like no other – being just small enough for a decent crowd to flood the streets with energy and goodwill, transforming the sleepy streets and winding lanes into conduits to the good life.
The Luang Prabang Film Festival is now part of a world-wide cultural circuit By Sally Pryor
It’s the perfect place, then, for a film festival. And not just any film festival, but a fast-growing cultural event that has become a touchstone for Southeast Asian filmmakers, and a crucial calendar event for lovers of film throughout the region. The Luang Prabang Film Festival is now in its eighth year, a highly anticipated regional event that brings locals and tourists to the old Royal Capital in their thousands, lured by the concept of a town already saturated in culture playing host to the fascinating creative universe that cinema reveals. “It was clear from the beginning that Luang Prabang would be a perfect place for a festival like this,” says Gabriel Kuperman, the festival’s founder and director. “The town is teeming with culture, interesting architecture, and natural beauty. It’s small and intimate, allowing for visitors to get between venues with ease, and to feel the energy of the festival wherever they are. “In a bigger city, a festival can just get lost among the mayhem. In a place like Luang Prabang, the whole town becomes part of the event.” When he refers to “the beginning”, Kuperman is really alluding to the time when he, like many an expat before him, made the transition from tourist to resident. Born in Washington DC and formerly a resident of New York NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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In a bigger city, a festival can just get lost among the mayhem. In a place like Luang Prabang, the whole town becomes part of the event.
Photo: Phoonsab Thevongsa
City, he finished his masters studies in 2008 and headed off on the obligatory Southeast Asian jaunt with a friend. After a long sojourn in Thailand, he planned to take in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia alone before returning to the US to get on with whatever life as a Media Studies graduate had in store for him. But, after three days in Vientiane, he never made it further than Luang Prabang. “I thought I’d be here for another three days as well, and those three days turned into three weeks, and then three months,” he says. “I never thought I would leave New York. I wasn’t looking for a place to move to, it wasn’t even on my radar.” That’s what they all say. It’s almost impossible to describe the unique allure of Luang Prabang, in a world filled with quaint historic towns. But at some point, Kuperman decided to make a permanent move. He found a job at a tourism company, entrenched himself into the local life, and almost instantly started planning to set up a film festival. 26
He approached the Lao Department of Cinema, which operates under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, with the proposal of a two-pronged mission. “One was to help develop the local Lao film industry, and the second to create a space for Southeast Asian filmmakers to meet, connect, discuss the individual film industries in the region and then a more cohesive Southeast Asian film industry,” he says. Nine years down the track, and the festival, run as an official Lao Government project, has retained the exact same concept as when it started, showing films from all of the 10 ASEAN countries, with a bursting program of screenings, lectures, workshops and concerts over six days. And, most importantly, and unusually, for a film festival, the entire event is free and open to all. “We want Lao people to be able to participate in anything that they want to participate in,” he says. “We’re doing this in Laos where many people don’t have a lot of disposable income, and I want it to be as open as possible for them.”
Kuperman and his team run the festival as a not-for-profit event that runs entirely on sponsorships and donations, and while some of the sponsorships are significant – Beerlao, Pepsi – the event has no endowment or enduring source of income. Getting it off the ground each year means starting from scratch, although it helps that Kuperman himself has become something of a local celebrity – known to many on Facebook as Falang Seu Somchan. The persona was born, he says, as a way of connecting more Lao people to the festival, and turning it into a local event rather than an experience only foreigners would appreciate. And if there’s one thing most Lao people appreciate, it’s a foreigner who speaks their language. And not only speaks, but posts videos about his life and travels, often linking back to the festival. “I felt like I wanted a better way to connect Lao people to the film festival and the work that we do in terms of our educational activities and workshops and those kinds of things,” he says.
With around 225,000 followers, it’s undeniable that this page has helped attract both sponsors and visitors to the festival. This year’s event promises to be bigger than ever, with more than 30 films in the program carefully curated by a team of cinema experts from each country represented, as well as a local selection committee.
“[The expert] is either a producer, a critic, a journalist or an academic, someone who knows the history of the film in that country, the present atmosphere, and the potential for film in that country,” he says. The festival has helped put Luang Prabang on the map for more than just its physical charms, although these are integral to the event’s success.
“Each year, as the festival has grown, with more regional filmmakers attending, participating, and contributing, it has made a bigger impact on the more cohesive Southeast Asian film community. It has filled a creative – almost spiritual – need for the region’s filmmakers to connect and dialogue in a non-competitive, nurturing space.”
Five Films Not to Miss at the 2017 Luang Prabang Film Festival
Father and Son (Vietnam) Director: Luong Dinh Dung Ca is a young boy who lives with his father in a mountainous area. Ca dreams of reaching the nest of what he thought is a huge bird in the sky (which is actually an airplane) and climbing to the top of the tallest building in an unknown city. Suddenly, Ca contracts a disease that seems to threaten his life. Hence, the father and son start their journey to the city.
Jailbreak (Cambodia) Director: Jimmy Henderson A group of Special Task Force Officers are sent to Prei Klaa prison where the country’s top criminals are detained. What starts as a simple escort mission will soon turn into chaos as the prisoners take over the prison grounds. Trapped in the building, our four heroes will have to fight their way out for survival, or die trying.
Saving Sally (Philippines) Director: Avid Liongoren Marty is an aspiring comic-book artist who is secretly in love with his best friend, Sally, the gadget inventor. Like every love story, there are complications: Sally has monsters for parents and an incredibly obnoxious boyfriend, while Marty has vivid fantasies of defending the love of his life from the big bad world.
Santi-Vina (Thailand) Director: Thavi Na Bangchang Produced in 1954, then considered lost for over sixty years, Santi-Vina was discovered and restored by the Thai Film Archive in 2016. In the film, Santi, a 10-year-old blind boy, lives with his poor father. He has his best friend, Vina, who protects him from bullying by a naughty Krai. The story follows the friends into adulthood, when a love triangle develops.
Burma Storybook (Myanmar) Directors: Petr Lom & Corinne van Egeraat Burma Storybook is a creative documentary about a country emerging from years of dictatorship, told through Burmese poetry. The film circles around the story of the country’s most famous living dissident poet alive, as he waits for his long-lost son to return home.
The 2017 Luang Prabang Film Festival is on December 8–13. lpfilmfest.org @lpfilmfest
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embroidering the
past
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A Luang Prabang artist is breathing life into some almost-forgotten traditions By Sally Pryor
W
hen Somsanith David first learned that UNESCO would be bestowing his hometown with a World Heritage listing, his feelings were mixed. On the one hand, he was overjoyed that the physical fabric of the town would be preserved and cherished for years to come. But on the other, he was worried about the hidden texture of a culture that time had almost forgotten. Traditional architectural styles are one thing, but what about the stories and objects they contain? What about the creative culture that such buildings once nurtured? The second could not exist without the first, and yet only one was being officially protected. The other, Somsanith feared, was swiftly disappearing, with generations leaving barely a trace of a rich material culture that had endured for hundreds of years. As a descendant of an old Luang Prabang family, Somsanith has firsthand knowledge of what the town stands to lose. He grew up in 1960s Luang Prabang surrounded by traditional courtly arts – embroidery, lacquer, painting, puppetry and dance. He watched
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and learned as his mother and grandmother practiced these arts, according to old traditions, using gold threads imported from France to embellish elegant ladies’ sashes, jackets, collars and dowry objects. Although this was traditionally women’s work, Somsanith had an artistic bent even as a boy, and absorbed what he saw from a young age. It was an apprenticeship, of sorts, one he carried with him onto art school in France, at the Beaux-Arts d’Orléans, and even later when he studied psychology at the Sorbonne. After many years away, the traditions of his homeland were firmly in his psyche; in 2002, he came home with great hopes. 2
1. An example of Somsanith's intricate gold embroidery in a modern context 2. Somsanith and his work 3. Somsanith with one of his recent artworks 4. A detail from one of his works Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
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With just a few of his family’s exquisite embroideries, and several examples of traditional gold thread, silver vessels and textiles, he began reviving these arts through his individual projects and sharing his art informally with the younger generation. He continues to create traditional Lao embroideries, using gold and silver threads from an artisanal mill in France. But he has also become famous for intertwining contemporary themes into his work – his leaf motif, inspired by fallen autumn foliage on trips to eastern Australia, is a recurring theme. It is, he says, the young people of today, rather than the older generations, who will have the responsibility of keeping these traditional arts alive. From puppetry to stenciling, embroidery to lacquerware, he is now devoted to preserving these as a professional artist, and passing on what he knows to the next crop of artists. Of course, there is always the immensely popular Royal Palace Museum, home of the former ruling royals, preserved in aspic and attracting daily crowds of visitors who wander through the rooms filled with treasures and adorned with murals. “For me, the concept of the museum is familiar to foreigners only,” he says. “Lao people feel uncomfortable just
going to see items inside the museum, because we are animists – we believe that every item has a spirit, and they are not in a harmless situation there. All the important or powerful items are kept in Buddhist temples, and the museum is not a concept for the local people. They’re afraid about going inside. But a temple can protect you from these spirits.” “My generation feels standing like a link between old traditions and modernity. We are made of a complex blending of the value of the sacred and the profound, of the experience of war, of revolution and exile – we are the bridge between the old people and the younger ones,” he says.
For me, it’s not a decision and not a choice – it’s like a mission, because I was born in a family where art, culture and religion were our reason for living.
But the most recent generation is showing great curiosity about their history. In his home studio on the outskirts of downtown Luang Prabang, Somsanith has created a hive of creativity, and a treasure trove of traditional Lao embroidery, textiles, artefacts and religious imagery. Here, he regularly welcomes artists who want to work alongside him, and learn how to keep these traditions alive.
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“I believe in this generation, in sharing what I know with them – they want to be taught,” he says. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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Living Luang Prabang may be one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, but this wasn’t always the case By Sally Pryor
Main Wat Xieng Thong 1. Luang Prabang from Phousi Hill 2. Nang Sangkhan – Miss Lao New Year 3. Almsgiving in front of Wat Sene 4. Sisavangvong Street Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
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history A
s coveted destinations go, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a town that fits the bill better than Luang Prabang.
The perfectly preserved former royal capital of Laos is nestled in the northern mountains, dotted with Buddhist temples and has streets lined with French colonial architecture. Tourists flock to this town of just 25,000 people for its sleepy ambiance as much as for its exceptional restaurants and mix of high-end luxury and backpacker appeal. Saffron-robed monks roam the streets, French pastries are plentiful and river views almost inevitable. Yes, for almost any kind of traveller Luang Prabang has it all.
But unlike many of the world’s quaint small towns, Luang Prabang has not evolved over the years by osmosis, but rather by a very deliberate strategy of preservation and protection. In the two decades since it was inscribed on the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s World Heritage list, the town has been a repeat entry on countless Top Travel lists, and is often cited as a successful exercise in preservation and nostalgia. Due to the establishment of the French Protectorate in 1893, the town became what UNESCO describes as “an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries”.
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The need to preserve such a beautiful blend of traditions may seem obvious to the average traveller seeking beauty and harmony around every corner. But, much like a skillfully executed film set, the amount of work required to keep the town intact – both in the past and on a daily basis – is not obvious to the average dreamy-eyed tourist as she drifts through its tranquil streets. Luang Prabang is, in many ways, a labour of love for anyone who’s been involved in its restoration and preservation process. From the senior political figures who returned to their hometown after the revolution and saw its heritage potential, to the architects and heritage experts who devised a strategy to ensure the preservation of an area comprising around 600 different structures, Luang Prabang is a project that will never be finished, only maintained in the delicate sweet spot between the ancient past and the modern present. Long-time resident Francis Engelmann, a now-retired French town planner, came to Laos in the 1990s and in Luang Prabang in 2002 to help implement Lao
government and UNESCO’s vision. With experience in several countries in Asia and Africa, his task back then was very defined – “to enforce a project and to transfer what I knew about it to the young team that was there, and then to leave, and let them do it by themselves.” It can’t have been an easy task, convincing locals not to knock down some old buildings in favour of new, modern facilities or over-restore them. To maintain that if everything was kept intact, tourists would eventually flock. But, in the state the town was in by then, many locals didn’t take much convincing at all.
I remember the first time I came here… It was the early 80s, and really it was a ghost town. Most of the houses were closed. Many roofs were collapsing, there were very few tourists, there were no international flights.
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“And something I cannot forget – there was grass growing in the main street. There were no cars, few motorbikes, a lot of bicycles, and no young people at all because there were no jobs. So there were a few old people sitting in front of their closed houses with collapsing roof, and they had nothing to do.” Three decades on, and here we are, sitting at the pavement tables of a chic café on the main street. It’s low season, but the street is still bustling, with busy locals and tourists moving through the newly paved laneways, cycling along the riverside roads and drifting in and out of cafes and shops. It’s a vision that was not immediately obvious to Luang Prabang’s residents all those years ago, or even in the mid1990s, as UNESCO set about creating an inventory of protected structures, and rules to keep them both intact and habitable. But today, the project is well and truly part and parcel of the local psyche. 36
Most people understand that being a World Heritage site is a good label in terms of tourism – it’s appealing, and beyond farming, there is precious little else by way of income in the region if not tourism. And the reverse – risking losing this label – could be dangerous for the tourism economy and employment. By now, it’s a cause in which the local population is well and truly invested – more than 600,000 tourists in 2016, and new flights regularly popping up from Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and China. A recent report from the Provincial Finance Department predicts that the province will collect more than 1.41 trillion kip in the next five years, 90 per cent of which will come from the trade and service sector. Today, the role of the Department of Luang Prabang World Heritage, a provincial office of the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, is threefold: to enforce the rules
established in collaboration with UNESCO in 1996; to assist residents wanting to adapt their houses or businesses in accordance with those rules; and to embellish the town with all that’s needed to make life easy and visits a pleasure. This means paving sidewalks and laneways, and removing unsightly electricity pylons, among other things. Many returning visitors have been struck by the town’s changing social structure over the years. New Lao residents in the town have come in two waves. The first were workers who left long ago returning home to reap the benefits of the flourishing economy. The second are ethnic minorities, particularly Hmong people, looking for job opportunities in town, having recently been persuaded to stop shifting cultivation and growing opium. It’s consistent with the goals of the Lao government to have all ethnic
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1. Novices releasing a floating lantern at the end of Buddhist Lent 2. The colorful fireboat procession at the end of Buddhist Lent 3. Pou Nyer, Nya Nyer, and Singkeo Singkham, the guardian ancestor spirits of Luang Prabang 4. Khan River boat racing festival 5. Almsgiving Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
components working together, and by all accounts seems to be working. But with a changing population comes a new kind of problem – how to create affordable housing for the hundreds of young workers of the tourism economy, beyond the aesthetically pleasing heritage-listed confines of the old town. Luang Prabang is and always will be a work in progress, and, like many success stories, already has its nostalgic-for-nostalgia detractors. “You see it from time to time, usually from journalists, saying, ‘This is becoming a fake place, a kind of Disneyland or open-air museum’ or things like that, so there are people who have been here 10–20 years ago who are regretting the old atmosphere,” Engelmann says. “But nothing stands still.”
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cultivation By Latsamy Phonevilay
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obacco has long been a feature of the agricultural landscape of Laos, but the early native varieties had several uses other than smoking. Local tobacco leaves were burnt during funeral ceremonies, and farmers also used the smoke as an insect repellant when working outside, especially during the rainy season. In fact it wasn’t until the late 1950s that the French introduced commercial tobacco to Laos, bringing industry varieties and cigarettes, says the Deputy Managing Director of Lao Tobacco Limited, Khamphoumy Keophengsy. Mr Khamphoumy studied economics in Russia in the 1980s, and has been working with Lao Tobacco Company – originally as a leaf technician, and now as Deputy Managing Director of HR and Leaf Growing.
“I have watched the company grow over the years,” he says. Not long after, in 1958, the country’s first tobacco company, Bolisad Yasoub Lao, was set up by a Chinese businessman and until the Revolution, and the establishment of the Lao PDR in 1980, this was the only tobacco company in Laos. The following year, in 1981, Bolisad Yasoub Lao became the Lao Tobacco Company, using a mixture of locally grown and imported tobacco and producing several trademarked varieties of cigarettes. In 2001, the company became a joint venture between the Lao Government, Imperial Tobacco group (UK) and S3T (Singapore), with the government focused strongly on helping farmers out of poverty by helping them grow successful tobacco crops.
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Back then, around 300 families were growing tobacco for the company, and producing 600 tonnes of leaf a year. Today, 1500 families make a living from growing tobacco. “In Laos, we have only the best farmers producing crops for us, so we have no need to buy tobacco from elsewhere,” Mr Khamphoumy says. “The farmers are spread across eight difference provinces, only where the soil produces the best leaf.”
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ຮູບພາບຈາກ ບໍລິສັດ ຢາສູບລາວ ຈໍາກັດ
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Beans of
PERFECTION Saffron Coffee brings the cult of coffee to Luang Prabang By Sally Pryor
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op-notch riverside cafes have much to recommend them, but when it comes to Luang Prabang’s Saffron Coffee, everything starts with the coffee.
cabinet laden with sweet treats and menu featuring gingerbread pancakes and iced Cascara-ginger tea (sipped through environmentally-responsible bamboo straws).
From seedling to plant, from cherry to bean, from roaster to packaging, and from there to an espresso machine, French press, or Aeropress, it’s the coffee itself that’s the whole point.
Café cool – not to mention caffeinated excellence - has finally made it to Luang Prabang, and it has taken a surprisingly long time, given the town has been on worldwide lists of top travel destinations since the early 2000s.
There is nothing quite like taking that first sip of a coffee that you know has been lovingly crafted, both by nature and by countless expert hands, before it has made its way into your cup. And when it comes to the physical, the unspoiled view of the Mekong just over the street – sun-lit or rain-drenched, depending on the season – wending its way lazily along a riverbank that makes up the streetside of downtown Luang Prabang, doesn’t hurt. And nor does the comfy interior, with window-bench seating, WiFi, large and small tables, a counter 44
In fact, says director Todd Moore, Saffron Coffee (the company), selling produce from local villages around northern Laos, has existed for the past 10 years, with a café shopfront (Saffron’s Espresso, Brew Bar, and Roastery) as a conduit for promoting selling coffee. But while the current model of buying coffee from local farmers at higher-than-average prices and supporting them through the cultivation and harvest process has long been part of the company’s ethos,
the notion of a top-notch café fronting the business has not. When Moore moved from the United States to Luang Prabang with his family in 2010, the company was being run by its founder, another American, David Dale. The café itself, while occupying a prime spot on the Mekong bank in the centre of town, was not a priority for the business of selling coffee. Dale left Laos in 2016, leaving Moore in charge, alongside his new staff, Australian Derek Smith, who has also shipped his young family to this corner of the world to devote their lives to coffee. Together, the two have transformed the Saffron shopfront – which happened to serve coffee – into a bona fide destination. “It’s the same coffee company, but we just re-envisioned, repurposed, and refocused the cafe,” Smith says.
1. Saffron coffee beans being processed 2. Ton Sokphonexai making magic at Saffron Coffee 3. The interior of Saffron Coffee 4. Assistant director Derek Smith, morning manager Ton Sokphonexai and director Todd Moore Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
This involves educating farmers as to how to grow shade, maintain plantations, when to pick the coffee cherries, and how to sort the viable from the over-ripe or malformed. “We have 750–800 families that grow coffee that we buy from, so I think our reach is fairly good,” Moore says.
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And as a local enterprise, Saffron is involved with various community initiatives (such as the regular blood drive and fundraising for a local children’s hospital) and has also teamed up with several nongovernment organisations, including Oxfam, the Wildlife Conservation Society and World Vision, to promote the growing of coffee among northern farmers. “Everything we’re trying to do is with our own profit rather than going and borrowing money, so the more partnerships that we can make, the better, and the more that we can work with farmers, the more farmers we can work with, the more people we can help. So we’re profitable, but we can only do so much with that profit,” Moore says.
He and his team – made up almost entirely of local Lao, from baristas and wait staff to roasters and sorters – are heavily involved in the entire life of each coffee plant, which at this stage come mostly from the north of Laos, in Luang Prabang province, Phongsaly, Xiengkhouang and Houaphan. “Our goal is to have 100 per cent northern coffee,” says Moore. “We’ve had to buy some from the south because last year there was a big frost, so this last harvest was really bad… They’ve got some good coffee down there as well, but we just really want to focus on high-quality good coffee and we can’t go down there and check out their farms. Here we can go and do inspections and make sure that everything’s going well and help farmers to do better.”
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“We’d love it to be bigger. We’d love for the farmers that we have now to have more coffee, we’d love to expand to other villages where we can grow coffee as well, and all that takes time.” And this kind of care and consideration extends right up to the customer. In an era in which coffee – at least in the West – is being fetishised to an extraordinary degree, a visit to Saffron Coffee’s Espresso, Brew Bar, and Roastery is an experience that is now carefully curated to appeal to even the most discerning coffee drinker. With tastings and tours to its roasting factory 15 minutes out of town, Saffron wants everyone to experience the product as a journey, of cultivation, preparation, taste and smell, rather than simply a shorthand for morning energy booster or casual catch-ups. facebook.com/SaffronCoffee Instagram @saffroncoffee www.saffroncoffee.com
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The lap of
Luang Prabang
luxury
The latest offering from legendary hotelier Adrian Zecha is bound to impress By Sally Pryor
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t’s a conspicuously new building in a town lauded for its heritage charm, but Azerai, Luang Prabang’s newest luxury hotel, has drawn as much inspiration as possible from the previous building’s footprint. Set back from the street, the graceful two-storey façade is both sparkingly modern, and completely in synch with its surroundings. Hotel manager Gary Tyson said while the structure was new, the building process was subject to the same regulations as older, more traditional structures. “Under UNESCO regulations, the hotel had specific guidelines to follow and to draw from elements of the hotel that was on the site prior to Azerai,” he says. “The footprint of the L-shaped accommodation building is identical to the previous building, and the architect wanted
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to be sure the additional buildings were influenced by the even earlier history of original structures, which were French bungalow living quarters.” Once inside, however, exquisitely contemporary good taste is the order of the day. The place is all blonde wood, natural fabrics and recessed lighting. The rooms – 53 in all – are as luxurious as they come – both compact and spacious, minimalist but perfectly equipped with every modern comfort, from the luscious bath products, to the gift-wrapped package of locally sourced coffee placed on my pillow on the first evening. Most of the rooms face onto the serene lap pool in the central courtyard, and there’s also an even more serene spa service upstairs.
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But Azerai’s greatest drawcard is its bistro, a chic, standalone establishment facing the town’s bustling main street, a deliberate positioning to entice the casual diner who may or may not also be a hotel guest. And the bistro boast’s Azerai’s greatest weapon – chef Ben Faker, poached from the grasps of at least two of Sydney, Australia’s finest hatted restaurants. Having arrived in Luang Prabang just one year ago, and with almost no experience of Lao or even Asian
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culture, he has spent his time fossicking through local markets, sampling the traditional food, and working how to blend it with the hotel’s classic modern ethos. “I knew nothing about Lao food, nothing about what ingredients were available – I started from scratch,” Faker says. “But my philosophy here is the same as what it always has been, which is just using what we locally have and making the most of it.”
His version of “making the most of it” is a revelation – a small, regularly changing menu of bistro classics with an Asian twist. Or is it the other way around? A fish-egg red curry was a vivid showstopper, that went surprisingly well with a classic duck terrine, and traditional eggplant and chili dips, all paired with simple Australian wines. The other revelation is the bistro prices – eminently reasonable for such standout fare. “The thinking behind the food is to have it appeal to a range of tastes so you can share a variety of dishes, family-style. Pricing was put in line with the concept of the brand,” says Tyson. “It was very important to preserve the design and architectural elements of the location but at the same time one must be realistic that it has to be approached in response to today’s urbane travelers. The idea was to help it evolve into a tasteful and contemporary representation of how to make that transition. Hopefully this is what has been achieved.”
Sally Pryor and Phoonsab Thevongsa were guests of Azerai Luang Prabang. Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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enduring SINHS I
n a country that is changing as fast as Laos, it can be comforting to see many traditions standing the test of time. The Lao sinh, a traditional garment regularly worn by Lao women from north to south, is a most vivid example. A sinh will usually adhere to a single, common design – a tailored, mid-calf skirt that folds over on itself (for ease of movement), with an embellished, contrasting band across the bottom. But the particular combinations of colour, fabric and texture are seemingly endless. No two sinhs are alike, and styles are constantly changing. Things were not so different a century ago, in the royal court in the ancient kingdom of Luang Prabang. The Queen herself, along with her daughters and surrounding noblewomen, all wore some variation on the traditional sinh, though the silk may have been finer, and the embroidery more intricate. This outfit, worn 100 years ago by a member of the royal family in Luang Prabang, and now part of the private collection of Kualao restaurant, has a embroidered band around
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the collar of the tailoured silk jacket that was distinctive for nobility; those of common stock did not use such an embellishment. But, a century later, young Lao brides are still opting for traditional ensembles that would have befitted the former royal family. This example, from a 2012 Vientiane wedding, is a perfect reconstruction of a formal royal outfit, but with a modern twist – eye-catching gold buttons and a heavily embellished black silk sinh.
1. A traditional ensemble worn by a member of the Royal Court in Luang Prabang 100 years ago 2. A 100-year-old Sinh 3. A modern Lao bridal ensemble 4. Collar detail
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Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
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Northern Soul Food These days, Luang Prabang is better known for French cafĂŠ culture and an increasingly cosmopolitan dining scene than it is for Lao cuisine. But writer and photographer, Mick Shippen is having none of it. When in the languid riverside town, he opts for northern soul food. Photos: Mick Shippen
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here’s something deeply reassuring about northern Lao food. From a restorative breakfast bowl of steaming khao soi noodle soup to the peppery flavours of or lam buffalo and vegetable stew, and herb-rich sai oua sausages, this is food that lets you know all is well with the world. And as the sun sets in Luang Prabang, is there any better way to induce an early evening endorphin rush than with a plate of sin savan, sun-dried beef and jaew bong chili paste? I think not. Northern Lao cuisine first received the attention it deserved in the early 80s when Alan Davidson, the
British ambassador to Laos from 1973 – 75, published The Traditional Recipes of Laos. The book, which documented local ingredients and cooking techniques, was significant because it included a collection of recipes by the chef at the royal palace, Phia Sing. Born in Luang Prabang in 1898, Sing had three notebooks full of recipes, many of which were for northern dishes. After he passed away in the late 60s, Sing’s wife gave the notebooks to the then Crown Prince in the hope that the precious archive would one day be published. It was during a conversation with Davidson, who was researching his book Fish
and Fish Dishes of Laos, that the Crown Prince handed over two of the notebooks (the third had alas been lost), which he photocopied and eventually published. Beautifully illustrated with line drawings by local artists, The Traditional Recipes of Laos is published by Prospect Books in the UK. Although it has since changed hands, the company was originally founded by Davidson and remains one of the most important publishers of historic and more idiosyncratic books about food and food culture.
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a taste of northern lao cuisine The food of northern Lao is rich and varied. Here’s a taster of some of the dishes you are likely to find in Luang Prabang.
khao soi Ignore butter-rich croissants and crisp baguettes at your hotel; breakfast in Luang Prabang is all about khao soi, a delicious noodle soup served at open-fronted shophouses and street stalls. A light, bright, flavoursome meat stock is ladled over bootlacewide rice noodles topped with a tomato, pork and fermented soy bean mixture, reminiscent of a bolognaise sauce. For the breakfast of champions, scatter with fresh coriander, spring onions and pickled vegetables, mix in a generous spoonful of roasted chili paste and enliven with a squeeze of lime juice.
sai oua Every country has its sausage, and Lao is no exception. Wandering around the streets and markets of Luang Prabang you will undoubtedly see this northern-style pork being grilled on small charcoal stoves. Each cook has their own recipe, with additions to minced pork that include varying amounts of lemongrass, spring onions, shallots, coriander, kaffir lime leaves, chilies and black pepper.
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khai phaen (river weed) Khai phaen is made using chlorophyta spirogyra, edible algae that grows on the rocks in the fast-flowing tributaries of the Mekong. It is harvested and processed into dried sheets from November to January. The paperthin sheets are flash-fried and served with jaew mak len, a spicy chili and tomato dip. Khai phaen is one of the foods included in the Ark of Taste, a catalogue of food products and ingredients maintained by the Slow Food movement to safeguard edible biodiversity threatened by industrial agriculture, environmental degradation and homogenization. Khai phaen was nominated to The Ark of Taste by chef Ponpailin Kaewduangdy of Doi Ka Noi, a Vientiane restaurant renowned for traditional Lao cuisine using local, seasonal ingredients.
oua hua si khai This classic dish of lemongrass stuffed with pork, glass noodles and herbs is a Lao favourite. Traditionally, a lemongrass stalk is cut lengthways so it can be concertinaed and filled with the mixture, although the chef at renowned 3 Nagas restaurant in Luang Prabang opts to fold it over a ball of pork. Round or long, oua hua si khai is first steamed to infuse the meat with lemongrass flavours, then dipped in beaten egg and fried. Severed with a spicy dipping sauce, it’s a ‘must-try’ dish while in Luang Prabang.
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or lam Or lam is best described as the signature dish of Luang Prabang. Traditionally made with smoked buffalo meat or beef, this stew includes apple and pea aubergines, long beans, mouse ear mushrooms, lemongrass, chilies and a wide variety of herbs including dill. A key ingredient is mai sakarn or pepperwood that imparts a peppery heat, similar to Szechuan. Or lam is thickened with broken sticky rice.
sin savan with jaew bong So, you are comfortably seated in a restaurant overlooking the Mekong, the sun is setting, and you’ve asked the waiter for a Beerlao and a bucket of ice. In Luang Prabang, the mere mention of ubiquitous amber nectar should trigger a reflex action causing you to add, “and sin savan jaew bong, please.” Jaew bong is a thick paste made with dry roasted chilies, garlic, galangal, shallots, sugar, salt and fish sauce. The ingredients are pounded until smooth and cooked low and slow, with the addition of strips of buffalo skin, until heady with spice and aromatics. Spread on sin savan or ‘heavenly sun-dried beef’, jaew bong delivers an assertive kick of chili heat and complex layers of flavour that make it one of the ultimate beer snacks. 58
cooking up a storm in Luang Prabang Lovers of local flavours can take home more than memories of their time in Luang Prabang. Chefs at the luxurious Sofitel Luang Prabang share the secrets that enable you to create restaurant quality Lao cuisine back home, and you don’t have to be a guest to take part. Each class begins with an early morning tour of the local fresh market accompanied by the chef who introduces local produce, before returning to the hotel for breakfast at the Governor’s Grill. Foodies keen to master Lao techniques learn to cook a fabulous four-course meal with dishes which can include delights as yor khao (fresh spring rolls), oua hua si khai (lemongrass stuffed with pork), mok hed (mushrooms steamed in banana leaf parcels), and other favourites. Unlike many classes that provide students will individual workstations, Sofitel Luang Prabang invite participants to gather around a central kitchen island. It’s a collaborative hands-on experience where aspiring chefs get to make new friends, share stories and create delicious dishes together. The class, which includes a recipe booklet, ends with lunch at the Governor’s Grill.
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Classes are available on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and costs $35 per person including breakfast, lunch and soft drinks. Visit Sofitel.com for more information. Private oneon-one classes can also be arranged. Other Lao cooking classes in Luang Prabang are available at Tamarind tamarindlaos.com and Bamboo Tree restaurant, both on Kingkitsarath Road by the Nam Khan river.
1. The chef from 3 Nagas restaurant teaching a student on Sofitel‘s popular Lao cooking class how to make banana leaf parcels. 2. Fresh fish being sold at a local market NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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By Tara Gujadhur
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uang Prabang’s Night Market is famous for its riot of colour and vast range of traditional handicrafts – everything from silver bracelets to hand-embroidered purses and quilts. Today, the market encompasses hundreds of pavement stalls lining the main street every evening. But back in its earliest incarnation, it was just a handful of Hmong handicraft sellers, who came into the town in the evening to show and sell their wares to tourists. The offerings have since expanded to include local coffee, BeerLao t-shirts and elephant-printed pants. What used to be a valuable income opportunity for local female handicraft producers is now proving to be more difficult, with the influx of factory-made imports. “Many of us support our families with this money, but now there are so many stalls and so many cheap products,” says Sia Yang, a Hmong handicraft producer and seller. Some Hmong sellers 1 have
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given in to the trend and started selling replicas, while others continue to make their painstakingly stitched purses and ornaments out of pride and persistence. During Hmong new year, these same tensions between the convenience and colour of manufactured clothing and the homage to tradition through handmade costumes can be seen. The Hmong are one of the more famous ethnic groups in Laos; proud of their identity and protective of their culture, they have their own spoken and written language, and are the third largest ethnic group in Laos, about 9% of the population. The group began migrating from southern China into Laos in the 19th century. They inhabit the northern and central parts of the country including Xiengkhouang, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, Xayaboury, Vientiane, and Bolikhamxay provinces. Today, they have a large overseas diaspora in the US, Australia, and even French Guiana, in South America. The Hmong were once called the Miao or Lao Soung. Lao Soung means Lao of the mountaintops and was used by the government to refer to where the Hmong traditionally settled. However, this name is no longer official, and generally the Hmong prefer to be called by their ethnic group name. The Hmong are one of the larger
1. Hmong girl in traditional clothing 2. Hmong embroidery 3. Hmong girls working on their embroidery 4. Girls playing Hmong ball throwing game Photos: Courtesy of the Traditional Arts & Technology Centre in Luang Prabang
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groups living in Luang Prabang Province, and in mid-December, will be celebrating their new year, called Nor Pe Chao. At home, families will make rice cakes, present offerings to the ancestor spirits, and share meals with relatives and friends. Celebrations last about 10 days and are held in a large field near town. There are many activities during this event, such as top-spinning games, arrow shooting contests, singing and dancing, and courtship games. Young
men and women wear colourful traditional clothing, in the hopes of attracting a life partner. Visitors are welcome to attend, and can partake in photo booths with traditional clothes, play games, and watch local performances.
boiled off revealing a pattern in white. This cloth would be used to make skirts of the Mong Njua sub-group. Each group has their own traditional costume. Nowadays, the traditional clothing is worn only on special occasions like wedding ceremonies and New Year. To learn more about the Hmong new year and the handmade crafts of Laos, visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre in Luang Prabang.
Hmong women are well known for their embroidery skills and batik cloth textiles. For Hmong batik, hemp cloth is etched with beeswax, then dyed with indigo. The beeswax is then
www.taeclaos.org
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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on the
air
UPDATES
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Lao Airlines Mobile App An official launch ceremony was held in October at the head office of Lao Airlines for the new Lao Airlines Mobile Application. The event was attended by Dr Santhisouk Sommalavong, Vice Minister of Public Works and Transport, members of the business community, ticketing agencies, media, and invited guests. At the ceremony, Dr Somphone Douangdara, President of Lao Airlines made a statement about business development, quality assurance, safety, and management during a period of high competition, before officially launching the new service. The sale of flights via the mobile application is a new service offered by Lao Airlines that will assist customers in enjoying more convenience when booking flights. It will also help Lao Airlines reach a wider range of potential customers. A video demonstration of the application was shown at the launch ceremony, demonstrating how to purchase a ticket and make use of online check-in services. Lucky guests also received prizes including free flights and other gifts. The Lao Airlines Mobile Application allows users to easily check flight schedules, book flights, check-in online, track flights, and advertise products. Users simply need to download the application from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to quickly access application functions and access Lao Airlines products.
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A peek inside the precise and highly-trained world of airline mechanics By Francis Savanhkham
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hat image springs to mind when you think of an airline mechanic? A burly figure in oil-stained overalls and permanently dirty fingernails? Lots of clanging tools and loose bolts? The reality, as mechanic Soutsakhone Lounsengchanh discovered early in his career, couldn’t be further from the truth. “Being an airline mechanic isn’t a job where you get your hands dirty,” he says. “It follows a strict schedule and involves a lot of modern technology and documentation. So it’s not a lowly job that anyone can do.”
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It’s a standard Wednesday morning at Wattay Airport in Vientiane, but the atmosphere in the hangar out the back of the building is far removed from the low-level-stress hum of the arrivals and departures lounges, with all their exhausted queues of people and clattering suitcase wheels.
“This is just the base maintenance, and it’s all very serious and done on a strict schedule.” It’s a long way from where he found himself more than five years ago in his first career choice. He was a qualified English teacher working part-time in Vientiane, having finished a degree in English pedagogy.
Here, amid soaring steel beams and scaffolding, aircraft stand in orderly “I could see that Being an airline mechanic rows, while teams of the level of my isn’t a job where you get technicians in neat work would never your hands dirty blue overalls are quietly change, that I would absorbed in the gaping never be able to innards of whichever plane is up next. enhance my professional experience,” The hinges swing back easily, and the Soutsakhone says. mass of coiled steel, knobs, lids and wires inside look shiny and clean. “So I decided to apply for something that would let me increase my “Every aircraft is checked and knowledge and experience – to be an maintained each day, according to aviation technician.” the documentation provided by the engineering division,” he says. All qualified technicians must first
have a technical background, as well as excellent English skills, so Soutsakhone spent his first two years as an unskilled assistant to the airline’s mechanics. He then had to complete over 200 hours of basic training, but as Laos has no university, college or school that can provide this kind of training, he travelled to Vietnam to finish his basic studies. He has since done further training in Singapore, Germany, Thailand, and India, and has been working as a qualified technician for Lao Airlines Engineering Company, a joint venture with between CIT-MRO and Lao Airlines. He’s one of 70 staff doing base maintenance on Airbus 320 and the ATR72-500/600, although he’s one of the few who can work on both. He says many people would be surprised at how methodical, technical and complicated the work is – the word “mechanic” is very misleading. “It’s different to being a car or motorbike mechanic – we follow the documentation from manufacturers or authorities, perform all the checks exactly and sign a lot of documents,” he says. “There is a much greater responsibility for everyone, because every time you carry out maintenance, you have to make sure the aircraft is safe to fly. 3
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The work must be double-checked by two mechanics and one inspector. Otherwise "you can’t sign the documents or release the aircraft for service.” For now, he works six days a week, and has a superior ultimately sign off each aircraft, but, with his training reviewed every two years, his ambition is to rise to the level of his superiors, with even more responsibility. “They have to evaluate your experience, your skills and your knowledge regularly,” he says, adding that he has no regrets about changing his career. “I never thought about aeroplanes when I was a young boy, but when I was choosing a profession, like many
people, I didn’t know what it would be like until I started,” he says. “Now, in this job, it’s impossible for one person to know everything about the aircraft systems, because technology is always changing and all the jobs are separated into different roles.” And he says now, looking back, he can see that teaching isn’t so different when it comes to the learning process. “Even as a teacher, you have to keep improving your knowledge, because now students more than you!” he says.
1. Soutsakhone Lounsengchanh at work 2. The LAECO team 3. Engine Pylon NDT & BSI Inspection Photos: Phoonsab Thevongsa
67
1
68
2
3
69
ີ
ເດນ ີ ທາງ:
ເລອ ື ກວນ ັ ທເີດນ ີ ທາງໄ
ກບ ີ
5ມ້ື 4ຄນ ື
ເດນ ີ ທາງ:
ອອກທກ ຸ 4 ຄນ ົ
ກບ ີ
HOT LINE
LAO AIRLINES PARTNERS
ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ
LUANGPRABANG > JINGHONG Th Su
10:30
-
12:30
QV811
AT7
-
13:25
QV535
A320
ສິງກະໂປ
> SINGAPORE W F Su
07:40
Transit (VTE) Arr. 08:25
PAKSE
09:25
ບາງກອກ -
10:55
09:45
QV223
11:20
QV515
0
AT7
0
ສຽມຣຽບ
> SIEMREAP
SAVANNAKHET
AT7
ໂຮຈີມິນ -
Th Su
JINGHONG > 13:10
-
13:10
QV812
14:15
-
17:45
QV536
ສິງກະໂປ W F Su
> 1
BANGKOK > 11:50
-
13:20
QV224
ໂຮຈີມິນ T Th S
A320
AT7
HO CHI MINH > 12:00
-
13:35
QV516
ສຽມຣຽບ
AT7
0
SIEMREAP >
13:00
-
14:00
QV513
AT7
0
Daily
14:40
-
15:40
QV514
AT7
0
T Th
08:55
-
09:55
QV511
AT7
0
T Th
10:30
-
11:30
QV512
AT7
0
ບາງກອກ
M W F S Su
08:25
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 08:55
-
10:55 Dep. 09:25
QV223
AT7
1
ບາງກອກ M W F S Su
PAKSE
0
Daily
> BANGKOK
LUANGPRABANG
0
Dep. 17:00
ບາງກອກ M W F S Su
AT7
SINGAPORE
Transit (VTE) Arr. 16:10
> HO CHI MINH T Th S
1
Dep. 09:30
> BANGKOK M W F S Su
0
ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ
BANGKOK > 11:50 -
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 13:20
14:30 Dep. 14:00
QV224
AT7
1
SAVANNAKHET
ຍງ່ິບນ ິ ຫາຼຍ, ຍງ່ິມສ ີ ດ ິ ທພ ິ ເິສດຫາຼຍ
*:
*
WINTER TIMETABLE 2017
LUANGPRABANG > JINGHONG Th Su
10:30
> SINGAPORE W F Su
07:40
Transit (VTE) Arr. 08:25
PAKSE
> BANGKOK M W F S Su
09:25
> HO CHI MINH T Th S
09:45
> SIEMREAP
SAVANNAKHET
Daily
13:00
T Th
08:55
> BANGKOK M W F S Su
08:25
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 08:55
WINTER TIMETABLE 2017
ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ
LUANGPRABANG > JINGHONG Th Su
10:30
-
12:30
QV811
07:40
-
Transit (VTE) Arr. 08:25
PAKSE
13:25
QV535
09:25
09:45
ບາງກອກ -
10:55
QV223
AT7
-
11:20
QV515
AT7
0
ໂຮຈີມິນ 0
ສຽມຣຽບ
> SIEMREAP
SAVANNAKHET
1
ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ Th Su
JINGHONG > 13:10
-
13:10
QV812
ສິງກະໂປ W F Su
14:15
-
17:45
QV536
> 1
BANGKOK > 11:50
-
13:20
QV224
12:00
-
13:35
QV516
ໂຮຈີມິນ T Th S
A320
AT7
HO CHI MINH >
ສຽມຣຽບ
AT7
0
SIEMREAP >
13:00
-
14:00
QV513
AT7
0
Daily
14:40
-
15:40
QV514
AT7
0
T Th
08:55
-
09:55
QV511
AT7
0
T Th
10:30
-
11:30
QV512
AT7
0
-
10:55
QV223
AT7
11:50 -
14:30
QV224
M W F S Su
08:25
ບາງກອກ
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 08:55
Dep. 09:25
Valid from 29 Oct 2017 to 24 Mar 2018
1
ບາງກອກ M W F S Su
PAKSE
0
Daily
> BANGKOK
LUANGPRABANG
0
Dep. 17:00
ບາງກອກ M W F S Su
AT7
SINGAPORE
Transit (VTE) Arr. 16:10
> HO CHI MINH T Th S
A320
Dep. 09:30
> BANGKOK M W F S Su
0
ສິງກະໂປ
> SINGAPORE W F Su
AT7
BANGKOK >
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 13:20
Dep. 14:00
AT7
1
SAVANNAKHET
FLIGHT ROUTES
Narita
ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ
LUANGPRABANG > JINGHONG Th Su
10:30
-
12:30
QV811
AT7
-
13:25
QV535
A320
ສິງກະໂປ
> SINGAPORE W F Su
07:40
Transit (VTE) Arr. 08:25
M W F S Su
09:25
ບາງກອກ -
10:55
09:45
QV223
11:20
QV515
0
AT7
0
ສຽມຣຽບ
> SIEMREAP
SAVANNAKHET
AT7
ໂຮຈີມິນ -
Th Su
JINGHONG > 13:10
-
13:10
QV812
14:15
-
17:45
QV536
ສິງກະໂປ W F Su
> 1
BANGKOK > 11:50
-
13:20
QV224
ໂຮຈີມິນ T Th S
A320
AT7
HO CHI MINH > 12:00
-
13:35
QV516
ສຽມຣຽບ
AT7
0
SIEMREAP >
13:00
-
14:00
QV513
AT7
0
Daily
14:40
-
15:40
QV514
AT7
0
T Th
08:55
-
09:55
QV511
AT7
0
T Th
10:30
-
11:30
QV512
AT7
0
ບາງກອກ
M W F S Su
08:25
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 08:55
New Route
-
10:55 Dep. 09:25
QV223
AT7
1
ບາງກອກ M W F S Su
PAKSE
0
Daily
> BANGKOK
LUANGPRABANG
0
Dep. 17:00
ບາງກອກ M W F S Su
AT7
SINGAPORE
Transit (VTE) Arr. 16:10
> HO CHI MINH T Th S
1
Dep. 09:30
> BANGKOK
PAKSE
0
ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ
BANGKOK > 11:50 -
Transit (PKZ) Arr. 13:20
14:30 Dep. 14:00
QV224
AT7
1
SAVANNAKHET
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