Champa Holiday #6 by insmai

V O L 0 1 I S S U E 0 6 C H A M PA H O L I D AY S T O U R A N D G U I D E I N L A O

Issue 06 July - August 2011

ຂຊາງທຽ່ວເ�ືອງວງພະບາງ Elephant Riding in Luang Prabang ແ�ງທອງທຽ່ວໃ�ຊ�ເ�ືອ, ແ�ວງຫ�ວພ�ນ

Highlights in Houaphanh Province

ການເ�ີນທາງສູໝາກຫ�ວໃ�ຂອງປະເ�ດ

Journey into the Heartland

ນາລີນາ ນ�ກອອກແ�ບ

Nalina Boutique

www.laoairlines.com www.champaholiday.com

ສານຂອງທ່ານ ດຣ. ສົມພອນ ດວງດາຣາ ຜູ້ອຳນວຍການໃຫ່ຍລັດວິສາຫະກິດການບິນລາວ Message from Dr.Somphone DOUANGDARA President of Lao Airlines

ໃນທ່າມກາງບັນຍາກາດທີ່ປະຊາຊົນລາວ ທົ່ວທັງປະເທດກຳລັງເບີກ ບານມ່ວນຊື່ນກັບການສະເຫລີມ ສະຫລອງ ວຽງຈັນເປັນນະຄອນ ຫລວງ ຄົບຮອບ 450 ປີ ແລະວັນສະຖາປະນາ ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະ ຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ ຄົບຮອບ 35 ປີ ຊຶ່ງລັດວິສາຫະກິດ ການ ບິນລາວ ກໍໄດ້ມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມທີ່ສຳຄັນໃນການປະກອບສ່ວນຮັບໃຊ້ວັນ ສຳຄັນຂອງຊາດດັ່ງກ່າວຄຽງຄູ່ກັບການປັບປຸງແລະພັດທະນາສາຍ ການບິນແຫ່ງຊາດໃຫ້ເຂັ້ມແຂງ ເທື່ອລະກ້າວເພື່ອໃຫ້ຫຍັບເຂົ້າສູ່ ມາດຖານສາກົນ. ນອກຈາກນີ້ ລັດວິສາຫະກິດ ການບິນລາວ ກໍຍັງໄດ້ ຮັບພາລະໃນການຮັບໃຊ້ກອງປະຊຸມລັດພາຄີຄັ້ງທີ່ 1 ວ່າດ້ວຍການ ເກືອດຫ້າມລະເບີດລູກຫວ່ານ (ບອມບີ) ໂດຍໄດ້ຈັດຖ້ຽວບິນຮັບໃຊ້ ຄະນະຜູ້ແທນທີ່ໄປຢ້ຽມຢາມສະໜາມ, ກວດກາເກັບກູ້ລະເບີດທີ່ບໍ່ ທັນແຕກ ທີ່ແຂວງ ຊຽງຂວາງ. ຕັ້ງແຕ່ມື້ສ້າງຕັ້ງມາເຖິງປັດຈຸບັນ ພັກແລະລັດຖະບານ ແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ ຍາມໃດກໍ່ໄດ້ເອົາໃຈໃສ່, ເປັນຫ່ວງເປັນໄຍຕໍ່ລັດວິສາຫະກິດ ການບິນລາວ ຊຶ່ງໄດ້ສະແດງອອກໃນການສະໜັບສະໜູນ ແລະ ອະນຸມັດໃຫ້ລັດວິສາຫະກິດການບິນລາວ ຈັດຊື້ເຮືອບິນໃໝ່ ຊະນິດ ATR72-500 ມາເພີ່ມ ເພື່ອຮອງຮັບງານສຳຄັນ ຂ້າງເທິງ ແລະເຮັດ ການບໍລິການການຂົນສົ່ງທາງອາກາດຂອງລັດວິສາຫະກິດ ການບິນ ລາວ, ຊຶ່ງລຳທີ່ 4 ກໍໄດ້ເດີນທາງມາເຖິງນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນໃນ ວັນທີ່ 24 ທັນວາ 2010 ທີ່ຜ່ານມາ. ມາຮອດມື້ນີ້ ລັດວິສາຫະກິດ ການບິນລາວ ມີເຮືອບິນ ຊະນິດ ATR72-500 ຈຳນວນ 4 ລຳ ແລະ MA60 ຈຳນວນ 4 ລຳ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເຊື່ອໝັ້ນວ່າ ການນຳໃຊ້ເຮືອບິນໃໝ່ນີ້ ຈະເຮັດໃຫ້ລັດວິ ສາຫະກິດ ການບິນລາວ ໄດ້ຮັບຄວາມໄວ້ວາງໃຈ ແລະຄວາມເຊື່ອ ໝັ້ນຈາກຜູ້ໂດຍສານ ກໍຄືນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ທີ່ໃຊ້ການບໍລິການຂອງ ສາຍ ການບິນພວກເຮົາ. ພວກເຮົາກໍຈະພະຍາມປັບປຸງຕົນເອງ ເພື່ອເຮັດ ໃຫ້ການບໍລິການຂອງພວກເຮົານັບມື້ດີຂື້ນ ເປັນກ້າວໆ ແລະຫວັງວ່າ ຈະໄດ້ຮັບການສະໜັບສະໜູນຈາກບັນດາທ່ານຫລາຍຂື້ນກວ່າເກົ່າ. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ຂໍຕາງໜ້າໃຫ້ພະນັກງານ ແລະ ກຳມະກອນຂອງ ລັດວິສາຫະກິດການບິນລາວ ຂໍສະແດງຄວາມຮູ້ບຸນຄຸນ ມາຍັງທຸກ ທ່ານທີ່ເລືອກໃຊ້ການບໍລິການຂອງພວກເຮົາໃນທີ່ຜ່ານມາ ແລະ ໃນໂອກາດ ປີໃໝ່ລາວ ພ.ສ. 2554 ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຂໍອວຍພອນໄຊ ອັນປະເສີດ ມາຍັງບັນດາທ່ານ ຈົ່ງມີແຕ່ຄວາມຜາສຸກ, ສຸຂະພາບ ເຂັ້ມແຂງ, ປະສົບຜົນສຳເລັດໃນໜ້າທີ່ການງານ ແລະສົມຫວັງໃນ ທຸກສິ່ງ ທີ່ທ່ານປາດຖະໜາ ຕະຫລອດປີໃໝ່ ນີ້ດ້ວຍເທີ້ນ.

This year’s Lao New Year, 2554 was celebrated amidst the country’s commemoration of the 450th Anniversary of Vientiane Capital and the 35th Anniversary of the proclamation of the Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic. Lao Airlines, the national flagship carrier, is proud to have played an important role in serving these remarkable events in parallel with improvement and development efforts to bring Lao PDR closer to international standards. Since the establishment of Lao Airlines, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the Government of Lao PDR have supported the airline, such as authorizing the purchase of the brand new ATR72-500 aircraft to add to its fleet. This will not only guarantee services to meet traveler’s needs, especially in light of this year’s combined celebrations, but also supports future expansion of Lao Airlines. At present, Lao Airlines has four ATR72-500’s and four MA0 aircraft. I believe that with a larger fleet, this will render Lao Airlines more confidence in the market place. In addition to our regular services, Lao Airlines has provided services to various events, such as the First Meeting of States Parties on Cluster Munitions (bombies) by organizing the delegates’ field trip flights to Xiengkhouang Province. At Lao Airlines, we will endeavor to improve ourselves and hope to receive support from all our loyal and trusted passengers. On behalf of Lao Airlines staff, we would like to express our gratitude to all of you for choosing our services.

ສາລະບານ

Contents

8 Entering the Buddhist Lent 12 Dos & Don’ts in Laos 14 Ecotourism Laos

Five Highlights in Houaphanh Province

16 19 25

Lao Food, what’s that?

ໄດ້ທົ່ວໂລກ

ຂີ່ຊ້າງທຽ່ວຫຼວງພະບາງ

Elephant Riding in Luang Prabang Largest Eelephant Conservation Camp in Laos 26 Hotel Phouphadeng or Auberge de la Plaine des Jarres 28 ຂໍລະລຶກເຖິງ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ In Memoriam Claude Vincent 33 ການເດີນທາງສູ່ຫມາກຫົວໃຈຂອງປະເທດ Journey into the Heartland 41 ໄທເກີເບຍເສິກຄົນພັນຣ໋ອກ 45 ນາລີນາ ນັກອອກແບບ Nalina Boutique 49 ເປີດນຳໃຊ້ ບັດພາຍໃນໃຊ້

26 41

BCEL - UnionPay 45

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note Lao AIrlines In-Flight Magazine EXECUTIVE ADVISER: MR. SOMPHONG MONGKHONVILAY MR. SOUKASEUM PHOTHISANE DR. SOMPHONE DOUANGDARA MR. SOMSANOUK MIXAY MR. CHANTHY DEUANSAVANH Editor-in-Chief: Mr. Soukhee Norasilp Proof editor: Mr. somsouk souksavath Executive Editor: Inphom Deuansavanh English Editor: KaYing Yang PROJECT MANAGER: Xaixana Champanakone Graphic Designer: Phitsamai Chanthaboury Xayaphone Thesavong transalation: Vonglatda Omany Anousa KOUNNAVONG PHOTOGRAPHER: Inphom Deuansavanh Account-Finance: Khounkham Chanthaboury Executive Marketing: Jeppe Bauer Carlsen

jeppe@insmai.com

Marketing & Creation By: insmai Creative Communication Tel/Fax: (856-21) 223590 info@insmai.com | www.insmai.com Owner & Publisher: Inter Media Lao Co.ltd Tel/Fax: (856-21) 480947 intermedia_laos@gmail.com under license of Lao Airlines Lao Airlines Head Office: 02 Pangkham Rd, Xieng Gnune Village, Chanthaboury District, Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel : (856-21) 212051-54, 212016 Fax: (856-21) 212056, 212058 info@laoairlines.com www.laoairlines.com

Dear Readers, We meet again in this sixth issue of Champa Holiday, which is being distributed during the beginning of Buddhist Lent, a religious ceremony that has been practiced since the ancient times of Laos. According to Pali language, the word for Buddhist Lent has two meanings: Vatsupavasa means the beginning of Buddhist Lent and Vatsavasa means that monks are required to remain at a particular place or wat (temple). These two words have the same meaning, which is not to travel from one place to another within the three months of the rainy season. During this period, monks cannot stay overnight in other places based on monastery rules unless it is necessary and approved under religious principles. Buddhist Lent begins on the full moon (15 kham) of the eighth lunar month until the first waxing moon of the eleventh lunar month. Based on the international calendar, this year it is on July 15, 2011 and the end of Buddhist lent is on September 12, 2011. The rainy season has arrvied on time, enabling farmers to grow seasonal rice accordingly. However, in provinces such as Xieng Khouang, Vientiane and Borikhamxay, some districts located along the Mekong tributaries have faced severe flooding, destroying agricultural crops and roads, causing difficulty for local people who live in those areas. After the previous issue (the fifth issue) was published, our editorial team received an email from an Australian tourist and a big dish of Tam Mak Nhor as encouragement for us to continue our work. Please read this email reprinted in its full version. Thank you and look forward to seeing you in the next issue. Editor Soukhee Norasilp

ວາລະສານຂອງການບິນລາວ ຄະນະທີ່ປຶກສາ: ທ່ານ ສົມພົງ ມົງຄົນວິໄລ ທ່ານ ສຸກກະເສີມ ໂພທິສານ ທ່ານ ດຣ ສົມພອນ ດວງດາລາ ທ່ານ ສົມສະນຸກ ມີໄຊ ທ່ານ ຈັນທີ ເດືອນສະຫວັນ ຫົວຫນ້າບັນນາທິການ: ທ່ານ ສຸຂີ ນໍຣະສິລປ໌

ບົດ ບ.ກ ສະບາຍດີທ່ານຜູ້ອ່ານທີ່ເຄົາລົບ ພົບກັນອີກເທື່ອໜຶ່ງໃນສະບັບທີ 6 ຊຶ່ງພໍດີປະຈວບກັນມື້ເຂົ້າພັນສາຊຶ່ງເປັນພິ ທີປະຕິບັດກັນມາແຕ່ສະໄໝບູຮານຂອງລາວເຮົາທີ່ມີຄວາມສຳຄັນທາງພຸດ ທະສາສະໜາສຳລັບພຸດທະຊະນິກະຊົນທັງຫຼາຍ. ຄວາມໝາຍຂອງຄຳວ່ າ ເຂົ້ າ ພັ ນ ສາທີ່ ພ າສາປາລີ ກ່ າ ວວ່ າ ມີ ສ ອງຢ່ າ ງຄື : ວັສສູປະວາສາ ການເຂົ້າພັນສາ ແລະ ວັສສາວະສະ ໄດ້ແກ່ການຈຳພັນສາ ທັງສອງຢ່າງມີຄວາມໝາຍຄືກັນ ຄືບໍ່ທ່ຽວໄປໃສມາໃສຕະຫຼອດ 3 ເດືອນ ໃນຍາມຝົນ. ໃນໄລຍະ 3 ເດືອນນີ້ພຣະສົງຄ໌ ຈະບໍ່ໄດ້ທ່ຽວໄປຄ້າງຄືນຢູ່ແຫ່ງ ອື່ນເຊິ່ງເປັນວິໄນຂອງສົງຄ໌ເວັ້ນເສຍແຕ່ມີກໍລະນີຈຳເປັນຕາມໄດ້ອານຸຍາດ ໄວ້ໃນພຣະວິໄນ. ການພັນສາເລີ່ມຕົ້ນແຕ່ມື້ເພັງ 15 ຄ່ຳ ເດືອນ 8 ຈົນຮອດ ແຮມຄ່ຳໜຶ່ງເດືອນ 11 ສຳລັບປີນີ້ກົງກັບ ວັນທີ 15 ກໍລະກົດ 2011 ແລະ ມື້ອອກພັນສາກົງກັບວັນທີ 12 ຕຸລາ 2011 ຕາມປະຕິທິນສາກົນ ຟ້າຝົນຊົນສະທານປີນີ້ຕົກຖືກ ຕ້ອງຕາມລະດູການດີ, ຊາວນາພາກັນລົງມືເຮັດນາທັນຕາມລະດູການ. ມີບາງ ທ່ອງຖິ່ນເຊັ່ນ: ແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງ, ແຂວງວຽງຈັນ ແລະ ບໍລິຄຳໄຊ ຢູ່ໃນບາງໂຕ ເມືອງທີ່ມີທີ່ຕັ້ງຢູ່ຕາມລຽບແຄມແມ່ນ້ຳສາຂາຂອງແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງໄດ້ເກີດອຸທົກ ກະໄພເຮັດໃຫ້ຜົນຜະລິດ, ເສັ້ນທາງສັນຈອນໄປມາເສຍຫາຍສ້າງຄວາມ ເດືອດຮ້ອນແກ່ພີ່ນ້ອງປະຊາຊົນຢູ່ຕາມທ້ອງຖິ່ນດັ່ງກ່າວ. ສະບັບທີ່ແລ້ວນີ້ (ສະບັບທີ 5 ) ຄະນະບັນນາທິການຂອງພວກເຮົາໄດ້ຮັບຈົດ ໝາຍເອເລັກໂຕຣນິກ (E-mail) ຈາກນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ຊາວອອດຊີ (Aushalia) ຕຳໝາກຍໍມາຝາກຄົກໃຫ່ຍໜຶ່ງເຊິ່ງເຮັດໃຫ້ພວກເຮົາມີກຳລັງໃຈເຮັດໜ້າທີ່ຕໍ່ ໄປຂໍເຊີນອ່ານຕາມ ຈ. ມ ສະບັບນີ້ທີ່ນຳລົງພິມ ໂຕບໍ່ໄດ້ຕັດຕໍ່ຂໍ້ຄວາມໃດໆ ສະບາຍດີ ພົບກັນໃໝ່ສະບັບໜ້າ ບກ ສຸຂີ ນໍຣະສິລປ໌

ບັນນາທິການພິສູດອັກສອນ: ສົມສຸກ ສຸກສະຫວັດ ບັນນາທິການບໍລິຫານ: ອິນພົມ ເດືອນສະຫວັນ ບັນນາທິການພາສາອັງກິດ: ຄາຍີງ ຢາງ ຫົວຫນ້າໂຄງການ: ໄຊຊະນະ ຈຳປານະຄອນ ອອກແບບ ແລະ ຈັດຫນ້າ: ພິດສະໄຫມ ຈັນທະບູລີ ໄຊຍະພອນ ເທສາວົງ ຈັດທຳການແປ: ວົງລັດດາ ໂອມະນີ ອານຸຊາ ກຸນນະວົງ ຖ່າຍພາບ: ອິນພົມ ເດືອນສະຫວັນ ບັນຊີ-ການເງິນ: ກຸນຄຳ ຈັນທະບູລີ ຜູ້ຈັດການ ຝ່າຍການຕະຫຼາດ: ເຈພີ ເຢຍເປີ ຄາຣເຊັນ jeppe@insmai.com ການຕະຫຼາດ-ໂຄສະນາ ແລະ ສ້າງສັນ: ອິນສະໄຫມ ການສື່ສານທີ່ສ້າງສັນ, ໂທແຟັກ: (856-21) 223590 info@insmai.com | www.insmai.com ເຈົ້າຂອງ ແລະ ຜູ້ຈັດພິມ: ບໍລິສັດ ອິນເຕີ ມີເດຍ ລາວ ຈຳກັດ ໂທແຟັກ: (856-21) 480947 intermedia_laos@gmail.com under license of Lao Airlines ສຳນັກງານໃຫຍ່: 02 ຖະຫນົນປາງຄຳ, ບ້ານຊຽງຢືນ ເມືອງຈັນທະບູລີ, ນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ ໂທ : (856-21) 212051-54, 212016 ແຟັກ: (856-21) 212056, 212058 info@laoairlines.com www.laoairlines.com

Entering the Buddhist Lent Somsanouk Mixay

he rocket festival in May and June (See Champa Holiday, issue 05, May-June 2011) sent thousands of rockets into the sky of Laos to ask the heavens for rain. Those calls were heard. Throughout the country rain has been pouring and rice cultivation has begun. The rainy season is also a time for spiritual retreat for members of the clergy as well as the lay community. It is the time of Vassavasa or Phansa, the Buddhist Lent, which starts on the 15th day of the waxing moon on the eighth month of the Lao calendar (this year, on July 15). Monks prepare for the solemn rites of entering Lent by cleaning and decorating their monasteries. On the day of Khao Phansa (entering Lent), lay people prepare offerings and make large candles, carried in a colorful procession to the temples and presented to the monks. The candle will be solemnly lit to start the Lent and will stay lit up for the duration of Lent as a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment and the teachings of Lord Buddha. As if the Lord Buddha himself has entered Lent the monks perform the ceremony with a statue of Buddha. Each monk places flowers, candles and incense sticks in a bowl at the foot of the statue and in turn, they lift the bowl three times to their forehead declaring: “I enter the house of the rainy season and will stay in for three months.” Then, each will commit to abide by the

Triple Obligations of Sin or Sila (morality), Samathi (concentration), and Panya (knowledge). After that, in unison, each monk performs Patimokkha, telling the community whether they have infringed upon the 227 monastic rules and to ask for forgiveness in case they have. A time for intensive religious life during the three-month retreat, monks as well as lay people will engage in an intensive religious experience and self imposed restriction in some activities. Monks cannot spend nights out of their monastery, except in case of illness or death of their parents. On a daily basis, monks and lay people attend evening prayers at the temple. On holy days, the eighth and fifteenth days of the waxing moon, lay people will go to the temple to make merit and in the evening they participate, with members of the clergy, in candlelit processions around the temples. For the lay community, there is no formal obligation. They can choose to observe their own Traisikkha, which are Tharn (charity), Sin or Sila (morality) and Bhavana (meditation). Some lay people may also choose to follow strictly the Eight Precepts (do not kill; do not steal; do not commit adultery; do not lie; do not drink alcohol; do not participate in or attend entertainment activ-

ities such as dance and music; do not wear flowers, perfume or jewels; and do not sleep on a high bed). Some may decide to refrain from drinking alcohol or quitting smoking. Others may enter the monkhood or become novices for the length of Lent. As the Lent coincides with school holidays, mass ordinations are organized at various temples for schoolboys to become novices for the time of the retreat, as a way to prevent temptations from drugs and delinquency. Commemorations of the deceased during Phansa, people refrain from attending entertainment events. Therefore, no weddings are held during Buddhist Lent. There are no religious festivals either, except for two commemorations of the departed. The first commemoration is Hor Khao Padab Din, which means â&#x20AC;&#x153;to make rice packs and place them in temple groundsâ&#x20AC;? for the deceased. The belief is that that evening, a night without moonlight, the King of Hell will allow the deceased to come out and enjoy offerings from their relatives. This festival is held on the 14th day of the waning moon of the 9th month of the Lao calendar (this year, August 28th). In all temples, at the darkest hour of the night, around 2:00 or 3:00 am, people place in a small container made of banana leaf, salted food and sweet food with betel leaves and nuts for chewing, plus candles and incense sticks. People will call their ancestors and other departed members of the family to come take the offerings. Later in the morning, everybody goes back to the temple for normal rituals. In the evening a candlelit procession is organized around the main sanctuary of the temple. In Luang Prabang, in northern Laos, there is an exception to the no-festival rule during Lent. There, a boat race is organized on Hor Khao Padab Din day. People from northern provinces flock to the UNESCO-listed World Heritage City to watch the race on the Nam Khan river. The race pays homage to the Nagas, the mythical giant serpents that are the protectors of the city, to request for calmness and happiness. In Vientiane and other places, boat races are held at the end of the Buddhist

Photo by Christophe EYQUEM

Lent, in October. The second commemoration of the dead is called Hor Khao Salak, which means â&#x20AC;&#x153;to make rice packs and make a draw.â&#x20AC;? Bamboo baskets are filled with ritual fruits and vegetables such as sugar cane, galanga, ginger, etc. The names of the departed are written on a piece of paper and pasted to a basket. All baskets are drawn among the monks and novices, who act as intermediaries between the living and the dead. The monk or novice who receives the offerings will say prayers and recite sutras to transmit them to the dead whose names are written on the piece of paper. In the evening, monks and lay people participate in a candlelit procession. From these many activities, Phansa, the Buddhist Lent, plays an important role in the life of the monastic community as well as the lay community. These two communities become closer because of the many ceremonies that are actively engaged by both communities during this time, thus implementing the important teachings of Lord Buddha. Â

Photo by Christophe EYQUEM

DOS & DON’TS

IN LAOS

WELCOME TO LAOS! WE HOPE YOUR VISIT IS ENJOYABLE AND REQUEST THAT YOU RESPECT THE LAO LAW, CULTURE AND CUSTOMS. PLEASE READ ON TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DO’S AND DON’TS FOR CULTURALLY SENSITIVE TRAVEL IN THE LAO PDR.

The Lao word for Hello is “Sabai dee”, usually said with a smile. Touching or showing affectionn in public will embarrass your hosts. Lao people traditionally greet each other by pressing their palms together to ‘NOP’, although it is acceptable for men to shake hands.

Kissing and hugging in public is impolite. Please be discrete.

Remember, your head is ‘high’, your feet ’low’, it is polite to gently crouch down when passing someone who is seated. Never, ever step over someone in your path.

In Laos your head is ‘High’, your feet ‘Low’. Using your feet for anything other than walking or playing sport is generally considered rude.

Lao people speak softly and avoid confrontation. Please do not shout or raise your voice. Before you take a photo of someone ask if it is ok.

Touching someone’s head is very, very impolite. Lao people appreciate clean and neatly dressed visitors.

Please do not distribute gifts to children as it encourages begging, but give to an established organization or village elders instead.

Bathing nude in public is impolite. Please remember to take your shoes off before you enter a Lao person’s home.

Try eating delicious Lao food whenever you can. It helps local business and Lao farmers.

Monks are revered and respected in Laos. However woman should not touch a monk or a monk’s robes.

Please help keep Laos clean and beautiful by not leaving litter. Picking up rubbish sets a good example for Lao youth. Laos loses a little of its heritage every time an antique is taken out of the country. Please do not buy antique Buddha or other sacred items. Instead, support local craftsmen by purchasing new, quality handicrafts.

Please show respect and dress neatly while in temples and when taking photos. There are many other sacred items and sites in Lao. Please don’t touch or enter these places without permission.

The use of drugs is illegal in Laos. The consequences may be severe for you and Lao society.

Ecotourism Laos

Five Highlights in Houaphanh Province

Bernie Rosenbloom spotlights five of Houaphanh’s top attractions, from an audio tour of the iconic Viengxay Caves and Hintang Archaeological Park to river adventures and sightseeing tours around this remote northeastern province. Houaphanh Province – the Birthplace of Lao PDR – presents the country’s most revered symbol of independence amid pristine nature. The road to Houaphanh from Luang Prabang or Phonsavanh winds through rugged mountains before reaching Xam Neua Town, where you can find comfortable accommodation, hire transportation, and book tours.

1. Hidden City Audio Tour

Houaphanh’s star attraction, the Viengxay Caves, takes visitors inside the sprawling Hidden City with a taped audio explanation of 18 stops, from Laos’ first President Kaysone Phomvihane’s house to the entertainment amphitheater at Xanglot Cave. This cavern complex housed the Lao revolutionary movement’s military headquarters during the Indochina War, while sheltering some 20,000 civilians from massive aerial bombardments. These inhabitants transformed the grottoes into kitchens, factories, hospitals, and schools. The audio tour presents first-hand accounts of their lives in the caves.

2. Mysterious Standing Stones

The origins of Hintang Archaeological Park’s standing stones remain a mystery, but are known to mark grave sites and predate the Plain of Jars, and one 1931 expedition uncovered ceramic urns and crude bronze bracelets. More than 1,500 immense blades of cut schist have been identified in 70-plus groups scattered along a 12-km-long mountain ridge. The standing-stone “menhirs” cover deep chutes accessed by ladders and covered by massive stone disks. You can explore the Bronze Age burial chambers by foot during a two-hour trek from Sang Kong Phan, about 6-km south of Xam Neua.

3. Nam Nern Night River Trip

If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of rare wildlife, this two day adventure takes you up the Nam Nern River in the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area, where few tourists have ever ventured. Led by local Khmu ethnic guides, this tour places you on an evening long-tail boat ride with spotlights to peek at the nightlife of sambar deer, otters, barking deer, civets, slow loris, porcupines, and owls. Adding to this ultra-real experience, the guides show what it takes to survive in the jungle. A portion of the tour fee is placed in a fund to protect wild tigers.

4. The Road to Vietnam

Meander through the mountain scenery on an 80-km drive from Viengxay to the Vietnam border. Start at the impressive Hospital Cave, before stopping at a series of “Bamboo Villages” known for their quality bamboo handicrafts and baskets. Among them sits Ban Kang, recognized for its distinctive red tea grown from 100-year-old trees. You can also examine the Textile Cave and Sewing Cave set up in the 1960s to streamline clothes and uniform production. The nearby Steel Cave began manufacturing shovels, hoes, picks, watering cans, knives, nuts, and bolts in 1968.

5. Stroll around Xam Neua Town

This walking tour stops at religious sites, national monuments, weavers at work, and a market, and includes a pleasant saunter along the Nam Xam River Promenade. You can examine Vat Phoxaysanalam’s 3,850 kg Buddha statue dating from 1565, and inspect the nearby cluster of weaving houses. Climb to the hilltop Independence Monument offering a city-wide panoramic view, before wandering west on a path along the Nam Xam River, past vendors selling fresh food, silk textiles, and ethnic clothing. Picture-takers can pause on bridges for great village shots.

ientiane-based travel writer, Bernie Rosenbloom, has covered Southeast Asia for more than 15 years. He has authored several Lao provincial guidebooks, and co-authored “The Guide to Responsible Tourism in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam”. Along with Champa Holiday, Bernie has recently contributed feature stories about Laos to Sawasdee, PATA Compass, Travel Review, Yunnan Mekong Travel, and Travel Trade Gazette. Contact: bernie.rosenbloom@gmail.com. For more information on booking Houaphanh tours, contact the Provincial Tourism Department on Pathi Road in Xam Neua (email: hp_pto@yahoo.com) or visit www.visit-viengxay.com.

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Lao

what’s that

by Xaixana Champanakone

Introduction

Kin Khao – ‘eat rice’ is the daily celebration of life, and the way of cooking what you ‘eat with rice’ – kin kap khao – reflects the Lao attitude to life : Simplicity. Three rocks, some firewood and a pot will do the trick, and a mortar and pestle would come in handy. Ah, and a steam pot and bamboo basket! You buy fresh in the market what has been newly gathered and caught along the rivers, in the fields and in the jungle vegetables, leaves, herbs and fish. Whatever livestock runs around the house yard makes for a feast. Bamboo skewers grill things on the fire while banana leaf wrappings roast food in the hot ashes or steam it in the bamboo basket; the pot cooks soups and stews, and fries the odd meat. Mortar and pestle pound roots and spices, chilli pastes and the life sustaining papaya salad; and the steamer and basket makes a home for it all with sticky rice. With few tools and some herbs the Lao know to magically produce culinary delight, finely balanced in flavour, varied in preparation, all of it ultra healthy - light and fresh. Cooking and life - simple, immediate, receiving the abundance of nature with humility. Every meal is Thanksgiving, an auspicious and merry occasion blessed by the presence of family, friends, neigbours and colleagues … or you as the guest, anytime. Where does this leave you? Venture on foot or by kayak into the deep countryside for a ‘homestay’, eat in the local street stalls or bypass exercise and culture shock and go adventuring at a restaurant dedicated to serving Lao food in style. Where daily meals are ‘ingenuity in simplicity’ – sticky rice, a chilli dip, something grilled and something boiled, all of which is accompanied by mountains of fresh herbs – festive occasions justify the extra effort to produce some of the Lao signature dishes to be featured in this magazine’s next issues together with everyday fare for healthy sustenance : Copyright © Vincent Fischer-Zernin 2010

The infomation in this article was recorded at Vat Xai village about 4 km north of Champanakone, Champasak province.

PA DAEK, (ÎàãÈÀ) defining Lao Cooking Fermented Fish to you and me, “rotten fish” to foreigners who don’t know any better; the Swedes call theirs lovingly surströmming! This is definitely an acquired taste. Once you get used to it, though, you will most likely become an aficionado of its haut gout taste; here, the smell of a well matured, runny French Brie cheese comes to mind. In the case of surströmming and Brie you are excused if you don’t like it but do not miss out on the peculiar flavour of this indigenous Lao condiment which replaces salt or fish sauce in cooking. It is used with joyful abundance in preparation of the national dish none other than the famous Green Papaya Salad (tam mak-houng). Any kind of small fishes will do, about 10 - 15 cm long. Gutted and cleaned, they are then fermented whole in earthenware jars, preserved with salt, (30 kg fish, 10 kg salt, 0.5 kg sticky rice husks) for a period of three months. You then add 3 liters of water, another 1 kg salt and 3 kg of unhusked sticky rice. This unhusk rice is first roasted in a dry pot. During the roasting process the rice will inflate, turn white and start to pop and jump all over the place your kitchen - so much so you need to put a lid on. (Peeled white rice behaves in a more orderly way when roasted. Why it does that is a mistery to me).

The fermentation is then continued for at least another two weeks, and you have an authentic Lao delicacy, like the French and Swedes have theirs. This is the starter set; the stuff keeps forever. People do not completely finish a jar but rather top it off with more of the above (no different from topping off the jar with your home made vinegar with leftover wine). Like a good wine pa daek matures and blossoms with age!

safe for consumption, bring to boil and simmer for twenty minutes, which will destroy any harmful bacteria in the same way water is sterialised. Pa Daek Thai fish sauce (nam pla) is produced in a similar fashion but pa daek is much more pungent, like a ripe durian fruit. Unlike nam pla it is made from fresh water fish and thus it is the cause for serious wide spread liver fluke diseases in the region. To easily make it

Pa chao (ÎàÄà×) is produced like pa daek but with large chunks of fish. While in pa daek the small fishes need to completely disintegrate by way of fermentation over time to produce the required liquid, the fish chunks in pa chao are fermented without adding water and only for about one month for the meat to stay intact. Add more salt than in pa daek to preserve the meat which should then be consumed rather sooner than later or your pa chao will turn into pa daek. The meat is either fried, pounded into a chilli dip (jeow pa daek) or wrapped like a packet in banana leaves which is then steamed or roasted (mohk). ‘Fry & Simmer’ with Fermented Fish Start off frying any mined meat with little oil at low heat. Then keep adding small spoonfuls of fermented fish and continue to simmer until the meat is tender; neither dry, oily nor salty.

Young bamboo is added to keep worms out.

Pa chao

You find the previous articles at tropicaldesignfz.net/articles See you for the next issue

Lao Cooking and The Essence of Life by Xaixana Champanakone

- Monument Books in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse - Green Discovery Travel Specialists’ offices in Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, Thakhaek and Pakse - Preview and online purchase at tropicaldesignfz.net/book 17

0uj-hk’mujs^;’rt[k’

Elephant Riding in Luang Prabang by Nico Holiday

Boun Sou and Mr. Heung ບຸນຊູ ແລະ ຄວນຊ້າງເຮືອງ

At 55 years, Boun Sou is the oldest of eleven Asian elephants at the Mahout Lodge, twenty minutes from Luang Prabang. As one of two males, he is the biggest and most beautiful of the little herd. His mahout, an elephant herder, Mr. Heung is only twenty-one years old, but the two have been together every day for the last six years. One elephant. One mahout. That‘s the way it is. The mahout gives the elephant verbal commands and is his person of trust.

ເນື່ອງຈາກບຸນຊມີອາຍຸ 55 ປີ, ບຸນຊູມີອາຍຸສູງທີ່ສຸດໃນ ບັນດາຊ້າງພັນອາຊີຈຳນວນ11ໂຕ ທີ່ປະຈຳຢູ່ລີສອດ Mahout Lodge ເຊິ່ງຕັ້ງຢູ່ຮ່າງຈາກຕົວເມືອງຫຼວງພະ ບາງ ປະມານ 20ນາທີ. ຍ້ອນວ່າມີຊ້າງຜູ້ພຽງສອງໂຕ, ບຸນຊູເປັນຊ້າງທີ່ໂຕໃຫ່ຍ ແລະ ງາມທີ່ສຸດໃນຝູງ. ຄວນ ຊ້າງ ເຮືອງ ຜູ້ຮັບຜິດຊອບລ້ຽງຊ້າງ ບຸນຊູ ມີອາຍຸພຽງ 21ປີ , ທັ ງ ສອງໃຊ້ ຊີ ວິ ດ ຮ່ ວ ມກັ ນ ທຸ ກ ວັ ນ ໃນໄລຍະ 6 ປີແລ້ວ. ຊ້າງໜຶ່ງໂຕ, ຕໍ່ຄວນຊ້າງໜຶ່ງຄົນ. ນີ້ແມ່ນ ວິ ທີ ປ ະຕິ ບັ ດ ຄວນຊ້ າ ງເປັ ນ ຜູ້ ອ ອກຄຳສັ່ ງ ໃຫ້ ຊ້ າ ງ ປະຕິບັດຕາມ ແລະ ກໍ່ເປັນຄົນທີ່ຊ້າງໃຫ້ຄວາມໄວ້ເນື້ອ ເຊື່ອໃຈ.

hen I first saw Mr. Heung interacting with his elephant, the mutual understanding and the familiarity between the two was fascinating. The brain of an elephant is said to be rather complex and has the same level of complexities as dolphins and non-human primates. And for some reason, you believe that when looking an elephant in the eye.

ມື່ອຂ້ອຍເຫັນ ຄວນຊ້າງເຮືອງຊື່ສານກັບຊ້າງຂອງລາວ ຄັ້ງທຳອິດ, ຄວາມເຂົ້າໃຈກັນ ແລະ ຄວາມລຶ້ງເຄີຍລະ ຫວ່ າ ງທັ ງ ສອງເປັ ນ ສິ່ ງ ທີ່ ໜ້ າ ປະທັ ບ ໃຈ. ມັ ນ ສະໜອງ ຂອງຊ້າງເປັນທີ່ຮັບ ກັນຮູ້ວ່າຂ້ອນຂ້າງສະຫຼາດ ແລະ ມີ ຄ ວາມຊັ ບ ຊ້ ອ ນໃນລະດັ ບ ດຽວກັ ນ ກັ ບ ມັ ນ ສະໝອງຂອງ ປາໂລມາ ແລະ ສັດທີ່ລ້ຽງລູກດ້ວຍນົມທີ່ຈະເລີນທີ່ສຸດແຕ່ບແ ໍ່ ມ່ນ ຄົນ, ທ່ານຈະເຊື່ອເມື່ອທ່ານສົບຕາກັບຊ້າງ.

ເ

My elephant experience started in Vientiane. I booked an elephant trek online at the Mahout Lodge website. After the nice and short flight to Luang Prabang, I was picked up at the airport and conveniently shuttled to the lodge. It was only a short ride, but the lodge certainly felt as though it was in the middle of the jungle. After a good khao pad gai (fried rice with chicken), several other travelers and myself climbed on the backs of the elephants. To start, we sat on wooden benches attached to the rounded backs of the massive animals. I rode on Boun Sou, with Mr. Heung sitting on his neck, commanding him. It was quite a ride, the terrain was rough and I felt as though we were in a boat. During the rainy season, when the ground is muddy, elephants are often the only means of transportation on rough terrain. Mr. Heung proudly told me stories of Boun Sou helping stuck cars out of the mud. Boun Sou has his own mind, though. He does not always immediately follow the commands of his mahout. I found myself comparing them to an old married couple more than once. The next day, we were introduced to the language, in which a mahout and his elephant uses to communicate. It is a lot of vocabulary but the basics are learned fast. ‘Go’, ‘stop’, ‘left’, ‘right’ and ‘spray water’. Our Lao teacher spoke very decent English and was happy to answer any questions about those fascinating animals. After the one hour Mahout Training Session, we tried to put our new skills into practice. 20

ປ ະ ສົ ບ ກ າ ນ ຂ ອ ງ ຂ້ ອ ຍ ກ່ ຽ ວ ກັ ບ ຊ້ າ ງ ແ ມ່ ນ ເ ລີ່ ມ ທີ່ ນ ະ ຄ ອ ນ ຫຼ ວ ງວຽງຈັ ນ . ຂ້ ອ ຍໄດ້ ຈ ອງບໍ ລິ ກ ານຂີ່ ຊ້ າ ງນຳທ່ ຽ ວຜ່ າ ນເວັ ບ ໄຊ ຂອງລີສອດຄວນຊ້າງ, ໂດຍໃຊ້ບໍລິການຂອງສາຍການບິນຈາກ ວຽງຈັນ ເຖີງຫຼວງພະບາງພຽງເວລາສັ້ນໆ, ທິວທັດທຳມະຊາດເຮັດ ໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍເພີດເພີນດ້ວຍຄວາມສະດວກສະບາຍຂອງການບໍລິການ ຂອງສາຍການບິນລາວເຮັດໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍປະທັບໃຈ ເຖີງຄວາມມີນຳ້ໃຈ ຂອງຄົນລາວທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ຮູ້ສຶກແຕກຕ່າງຈາກບ່ອນອື່ນທີ່ເຄີຍໄປ. ເມື່ອຮອດຫຼວງພະບາງ, ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ພົບກັບພະນັກງານທີ່ຈະນຳພາ ພວກເຮົາເດີນທາງໄປທີ່ລີສອດມາຮູດລອດ. ເຖິງແມ່ນ ວ່າຈະໃຊ້ ເວລາຂີ່ລົດບໍ່ພໍທໍ່ໃດ, ແຕ່ມັນເຮັດໃຫ້ອົດຄິດບໍ່ໄດ້ວ່າລີສອດ ດັ່ງ ກ່າວຕັ້ງຢູ່ໃຈກາງປ່າຕືບດົງໜາ, ຊື່ງແຮງເຮັດໃຫ້ຮູ້ສຶກເຖີງກິນອາຍ ທຳຊາດທີ່ ຕົ້ນໄມ້ໃຫ່ຍ, ໃບໄມ້ທີ່ຂຽວ ແລະ ສາຍນຳ້. ຄວາມລົງໂຕ ຂອງການອອກແບບເຮືອນ ທີ່ເຫັນເຖິງຄວາມງົດງາມຂອງການຢູ່ ແບບລາວ, ພາຍໃນເຮືອນກໍມີອຸປະກ່ອນໃຫ້ຄວາມສະດວກສະ ບາຍ, ຈາກມູມລະບຽງກໍສາມາດຫຼຽວເຫັນຊາວບ້ານກຳລັງຫາປາ ເບີ່ງແລ້ວຮູ້ສຶກຊີວິດນີ້ຄືມາລຽບງ່າຍແທ້ເດ. ຫຼັງຈາກກິນເຂົ້າຢ່າງເຕັມອີ່ມແລ້ວທີ່ຮ້ານອາຫານຂອງລີສອດທີ່ໃຫ້ ບໍລິການ, ພວກເຮົາກໍໄດ້ເລີ່ມເດີນທາງໄປຫາເຮືອນຊ້າງທີ່ຢູ່ບໍ່ໄກ ຈາກບ່ອນນັ້ນ. ພວກເຮົາພາກັນປິນຂຶ້ນຫຼັງຊ້າງ ເພື່ອເລີ່ມຕົ້ນການ ເດີນທາງພະຈົນໄພ, ເທິງຕັ່ງໄມ້ຫຼັງຊ້າງນັ່ງໄດ້ສອງຄົນ, ຄວນຊ້າງ ເຮືອງເປັນຜູ້ນັ່ງເທິງຄໍຊ້າງເພື່ອບັນຊາທິດທາງເດີນ.ຈຸດດີຂອງການ ຂີ່ຫຼັງຊ້າງແມ່ນ ບ່ອນທີ່ຄົນຍ່າງຍາກແຕ່ ຊ້າງຜ່ານໄປໄດ້ສະບາຍ. ຍ້ອນເສັ້ນທາງກາງປ່າມັນມີທັງຫລຸບ ໂນນ ຕົນຕົວຂອງຂ້ອຍກໍນັ່ງຢູ່ ລ້າລ້າບໍ່ໄດ້ຕ້ອງໂອນໄປເອນມາ, ເໝືອນດັ່ງນັ່ງຂີ່ເຮືອຢູ່ເທິງນຳ້ທີ່ ພັດແຮງ ໂຍກໄປ ເຍກມາ ແລະ ເວລາຝົນຕົກເສັ້ນທາງໄດ້ປ່ຽນສະ ພາບກາຍເປັນບວກເປັນໜອງ ເປັນຂີ້ຕົມ, ດັ່ງນັ້ນການນັ່ງເທີ່ງຫຼັງ ຊ້າງແຮງມີຄວາມສະດວກ ແລະ ຊ່ວຍທຸນແຮງຄົນໄດ້ຫຼາຍ ເພາະ ບ່ໍແມ່ນແຕ່ຕ່າງພວກເຮົາມັນຢັງຕ່າງເຄື່ອງໃຊ້ສ່ອຍຂອງພວກເຮົາ

Not surprisingly, the task was difficult at first. But pronounced with some confidence, the newly learned commands took effect and the elephants started moving. This time, we didn’t use the wooden seats. Instead we were sitting on the necks of the elephants. I was a little concerned at first, but the mahout told me they hardly felt the additional weight. With a maximum weight of 5,400 kg or 12,000 lbs, he weighs roughly fifty times more than me, so I guess he can take my weight quite effortlessly. Most of the elephants in this lodge have been work-elephants before, as Mr. Heung tells me. Carrying a couple of tourists is less work than moving tree trunks, he assures me. After a while of riding through the forest, we reached a river bed, a side arm of the Mekong river, and we were told to make the elephants go into the river. At that point we understood what the command ‘spray water‘ was used for, we started having fun in the river. Wet, happy and a little exhausted, we arrived at the lodge again, ready for a nap in the afternoon breeze.

ໄປນຳ. ຄວນຊ້າງເຮືອງໄດ້ເລົ້າເລື່ອງກ່ຽວກັບບຸນຊູຊ່ວຍຢູ້ລົດຄາ ຂີ້ຕົມດ້ວຍຄວາມພາກພຸມໃຈ. ບາງຄັ້ງບຸນຊູເບິ່ງຄ້າຍຄືມີຄວາມ ຄິດເປັນຂອງຕົນເອງ, ມັນບໍ່ໄດ້ຟັງຄຳສັ່ງຂອງຄວນຊ້າງໂດຍທັນ ທັນທີ, ມັນເຮັດຄືຢອກລໍ້ເປັນບາງຄັ້ງ. ຂ້ອຍກໍ່ຮູ້ສຶກເຊັ່ນດຽວກັນ. ມື້ຕໍ່ມາ, ພວກເຮົາໄດ້ເລີ່ມຮຽນພາສາທີ່ຄວນຊ້າງ ແລະ ຊ້າງໃຊ້ ເພື່ອສື່ສານກັນ. ມັນມີຫຼາຍຄຳສັບ, ແຕ່ຄຳສັບທີ່ເປັນພື້ນຖານແທ້ ກໍ່ສາມາດຈື່ໄດ້ງ່າຍເຊັ່ນ: “ໄປ”, “ຢຸດ”, “ຊ້າຍ”, “ຂວາ”,“ພົ່ນນ້ຳ”. ອາຈານສອນຄົນລາວສາມາດເວົ້າພາສາອັງກິດໄດ້ດີ ແລະ ຍິນດີ ຕອບທຸກຄຳຖາມກ່ຽວກັບສັດທີ່ ຊວນໃຫ້ຫຼົງໄຫຼ, ຫຼັງຈາກການ ຮຽນວິທີອອກຄຳສັ່ງຊ້າງເປັນເວລາໜຶ່ງຊົ່ວໂມງ, ພວກເຮົາພະ ຍາຍາມໃຊ້ຄວາມຮູ້ໃໝ່ນີ້ເພື່ອປະຕິບັດຕົວຈິງ. ໃນເບື້ອງຕົ້ນຮູ້ສຶກໂດຍບໍ່ແປກໃຈ ວ່າມັນເປັນ ວຽກທີ່ຍາກ.ແຕ່ຖ້າ ຫາກວ່າອອກສຳນຽງດ້ວຍຄວາມໝັ້ນໃຈແລ້ວ, ຄຳສັ່ງທີ່ຮຽນມາ ໃໝ່ນັ້ນໃຊ້ ໄດ້ຜົນເຊິ່ງເຮັດໃຫ້ຊ້າງເລີ່ມເຄື່ອນໄຫວ. ເວລານີ້, ພວກເຮົາບໍ່ໄດ້ນັ່ງເທິງຕັ່ງໄມ້. ແຕ່ພວກເຮົາຊຳພັດນັ່ງເທິງຄໍຊ້າງ ແທ້ໆ, ໄດ້ສຳພັດກັບຜິວໜັງອັນຍາບໆຂອງມັນ, ເຮັດໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍ ຕື່ນຢ້ານ. ຂ້ອຍກໍ່ກັງວົນໃຈຕອນຢູ່ເທິງຄໍມັນ, ແຕ່ຄວນຊ້າງບອກ ໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍ ຮູ້ວ່າຊ້າງຈະບໍ່ຮູ້ສຶກຫຍັງດອກ. ຊ້າງອາດມີນ້ຳໜັກສູງ ສຸດ 5400ກິໂລ ຫຼື12000 ປອນ, ມັນອາດມີນ້ຳໜັກຫຼາຍກວ່າ ຂ້ອຍເຖິງ50ເທົ່າ, ສະນັ້ນຂ້ອຍເດົາວ່າມັນຄົງຈະຮັບນ້ຳໜັກຂອງ ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ຢ່າງບໍມີບັນຫາ ດັ່ງກັບນົກຕົວນື່ງຈັບຫຼັງມັນ. ຄວນຊ້າງ ເຮືອງ ບອກຂ້ອຍວ່າຊ້າງສ່ວນໃຫ່ຍໃນລີສອດນີ້, ລ້ວນແຕ່ ເຄີຍ ເປັນຊ້າງລາກໄມ້ມາກ່ອນ ແລະ ລາວກໍ່ຮັບຮອງວ່ານັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວຂີ່ ບໍ່ທໍ່ໃດຄົນມັນ ເປັນວຽກເບົາຫຼາຍເມື່ອທຽບກັບການລາກໄມ້. ຫຼັງຈາກໃຊ້ເວລາຂີ່ຊ້າງຜ່ານປ້າດົງຕືບ, ພວກເຮົາກໍ່ມາເຖິງແມ່ນ້ຳ ເຊິ່ງເປັນສາຍຂອງແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງ ແລະ ຄວນຊ້າງກໍ່ບອກໃຫ້ພວກ ເຮົາຂີ່ຊ້າງລົງນ້ຳ. ພວກເຮົາເລີ່ມຮູ້ວ່າຄຳສັ່ງ “ພົ່ນນ້ຳ” ໃຊ້ເພື່ອຈຸດ ປະສົງໃດ, ແລະ ກໍ່ເລີ່ມມວ່ນຊື່ນກັບຊ້າງກັບການພົ່ນນ້ຳ, ອາບ ນຳ້ຊ້າງກໍມັກຫຼີ້ນນຳ້ແທ້ໆ. ຫຼັງຈາກທີ່ປຽກ, ມ່ວນຊື່ນ ແລະ ເມື່ອຍ, ພວກເຮົາກັບລີສອດເພື່ອພັກຜ່ອນໃນທ່າມກາງສາຍລົມເຢັນອ່ອນໆ ຕອນບ່າຍໃນປ່າດົງໜາ ທີ່ບໍ່ຈຳເປັນຕ້ອງຄິດເປີດແອເລີຍ.

For dinner, I decided to check out Luang Prabang. I got a room at the fabulous Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel, which is beautifully decorated with just 12 rooms based on the zodiac signs. Each room had its own unique look and charm, with a mix of modern and traditional design, using antique inspired furniture and artwork. After checking in, I strolled along the riverside. From several possibilities, I picked a small restaurant directly on the bank of the Mekong. The steamed fish was excellent and provided me with fresh energy. I wanted to have a look at the colorful Luang Prabang night market. All kinds of handicrafts and products of artisanship were displayed and it was rather crowded.

ສຳລັບອາຫານຄ່ຳ, ຂ້ອຍຕັດສິນໃຈເຂົ້າໄປທຽ່ວຊົມ ໃນຕົວເມືອງ ຫຼວງພະບາງ ເມືອງມໍລະດົກໂລກ. ຫຼັງຈາກຢ່າງເລາະຊົມເພີດ ເພີນໃຈກາງເມືອງ, ຂ້ອຍກໍໄດ້ຊອກຫາໂຮງແຮມເພື່ອຈະເຂົ້າພັກ ອີກຈັກຄືນເພື່ອຊຶ່ນຊົມ ແລະ ພັກຜ່ອນແບບທີ່ຕັ້ງໃຈໃນການມາ ທຽ່ວ, ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ເຂົ້າພັກໃນໂຮງແຮມເອນຊຽນຫຼວງພະບາງທີ່ຕັ້ງ ຢູໃ ່ ຈກາງເມືອງ, ຕຶກຂອງໂຮງແຮມເບີ່ງດ້ານນອກອາດຈະທຳມະ ດາ, ແຕ່ເມື່ອເຂົ້າໄປດ້ານໃນຈື່ງຮູສ ້ ກ ຶ ວ່າ ການອອກແບບຂອງໂຮງ ແຮມນັ້ນມີຄວາມສວຍງາມ, ຕົບແຕ່ງດ້ວຍໄມ້ເປັນສ່ວນຫຼາຍເບີ່ງ ແລ້ວລົງຕົວ, ມີການບໍລິການຮ້ານອາຫານ ແລະ ເຄື່ອງດື່ມຊັ້ນລຸ່ມ ຂອງໂຮງແຮມ. ເມື່ອເຫັນຫ້ອງນອນແລ້ວຂ້ອຍຫຍິ່ງຮູ້ສຶກຢາກພັກ ຜ່ອນ, ຫ້ອງນອນແຕ່ລະຫ້ອງມີການຕົບແຕ່ງທີ່ບໍຄືກັນແຕ່ງຕາມ ລາສີ ຊື່ງລາວເຮົາກໍມີສິບສອງລາສີ, ຫ້ອງແຕ່ລະຫ້ອງມີເຄື່ອງ ໃຊ້ໃຫ້ຄວາມສະດວກຫຼາຍຢ່າງ ແລະ ສີ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍມັກແມ່ນການ ອອກແບບຫ້ອງນອນ ແລະ ມີອ່າງອາບນຳ້ທີ່ເຮັດພິຖີພິຖັນດ້ວຍ ຫີນອ່ອນ, ເບີ່ງແລ້ວເຮັດໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍຢາກນອນແຊ່ທັນທີ. ຫຼັງອາບນຳ້ ແລະ ພັກຜ່ອນໄດ້ຫນ້ອຍນື່ງ, ຂ້ອຍກໍ່ໄດ້ຍ່າງເລາະ ທ່ຽວລຽບ ຕາມແຄມແມ່ນ້ຳຄານ ແລະ ໄດ້ເລືອກຮ້ານອາຫານບໍ່ ໃຫ່ຍປານໃດທີ່ຕັ້ງຢູ້ແຄມນ້ຳ. ລີ້ມລົດອາຫານພື້ນບ້ານ, ໝົກປາ ລົ ດ ຊາດອັ ນ ເປັ ນ ເລີ ດ ເຮັ ດ ໃຫ້ ຂ້ ອ ຍມີ ພ ະລັ ງ ທີ່ ສົ ດ ຊື່ ນ ຂຶ້ ນ ທັ ນ ທີ. ຫຼັງຈາກທ້ອງອີ່ມການຢ່າງເລາະເບີ່ງຕະຫຼາດການຄືນທີ່ໍເປັນ ອີກໜື່ງສີສັນຂອງຫຼວງພະບາງ. ພວກເຮົາສົ່ງເສີມເຄື່ອງຫັດຖະ ກຳດ້ວຍການຊື້ຂອງຕ້ອນຫຼາຍຢ່າງ, ມີຫຼາຍອັນທີ່ຫນ້າສົນໃຈ ຊື່ງ ເຄື່ອງຫັດຖະກຳທຸກຊີ້ນລ້ວນແຕ່ເຮັດດ້ວຍມື ຊື່ງມັນມີຄຸນຄ່າ ແລະ ເຄື່ອງຕ່າງໆ ລ້ວນເປັນເອກະລັກຂອງຊາວຫຼວງພະບາງ, ງາມແທ້ເນີ :-)

I started my last day with a tasty western style breakfast at the coffee shop in Ancient Luang Prabang, then went for a walk in the old city centre, where there was a lot to see: old colonial architecture as well as the impressive, ancient Buddhist temples. As I stepped onto the plane to Vientiane later that day, I wondered if I was going to be able to make out the Mahout Lodge from above, and maybe even get a last glimpse of Boun Sou.

ໃນເຊົ້າມື້ສຸດທ້າຍ, ເຊົ້າທີ່ສົດສື່ນ ກັບອາຫານເຊົ້າແບບຕາເວັນ ຕົກ ທີ່ຮ້ານກາເຟຂອງໂຮງແຮມຊັ້ນລຸ່ມ.ໃນລະຫວ່າງນັ່ງດື່ມກະ ເຟ ກໍເຮັດໃຫ້ຮູ້ສຶກທີ່ບໍ່ຢາກຕ້ອງລາຈາກເມືອງຫຼວງອັນແສນຮັກ ນີ້ເທື່ອ, ດ້ວຍມົນສະເນຂອງເມືອງຫຼວງພະບາງ, ສະຖາປະຕິ ມາກຳອັນເກົ່າແກ່, ວັດວາອາລາມທີ່ມີຄວາມງົດງາມ ຂອງພຸດ ທະສາດສະໜາ ແລະ ການດຳລົງຊີວິດຂອງຊາວຫຼວງພະບາງ ທີ່ມີຄວາມລຽບງ່າຍ ເຮັດໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍຢາກທີ່ຈະຢູ່ຕໍ່ອີກດົນໆ. ແຕ່ ເນື່ ອ ງຈາກວ່ າ ຂ້ ອ ຍຕ້ ອ ງກັ ບ ວຽງຈັ ນ ໃນຕອນບ່ າ ຍຂອງມື້ ນັ້ ນ ຂ້ອຍ ກໍຕ້ອງຮີບໂຮມກຳລັງອອກໄປຖ່າຍພາບເກັບຄວາມງົດງາມ ມາຝາກຜູ້ອ່ານ ແລະ ລົງບັນທຶກໃນຊີວິດຊ້ວງນຶ່ງຂອງຂ້ອຍທີ່ລືມ ໄດ້ຢາກ.

ແຫຼ່ງຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ຂໍ | Please visit: www.mahoutlodge.com www.ancientluangprabang.com

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Largest Eelephant Conservation Camp in Laos Run by All Lao Service and Mahout Ecolodge

Mr. Khamvanh, Director of All Lao Service (ALS), was born in Si Phan Don or the Four Thousand Islands area of southern Laos. Living on the islands, surrounded by water and nature, Mr. Khamvanh has taken a deep interest in preserving Laos’ natural resources and especially its heritage of Lan Xang, the ‘land of a million elephants’. Given the drastic decline of Asian elephants in Southeast Asia, he hopes to develop an elephant conservation program and mahout school wherein the mahouts would learn how to better take care of their charges. This is especially important now that logging is illegal, former logging elephants need great care as they settle into a less demanding life.

The Mahout Eco Lodge consists of 19 separate chalet-like cabins lined up in a slight arc nestled amongst one of the meandering bends of the Nam Khan; a picturesque atmosphere for relaxing and absorbing Lao country life. The wood cabins are constructed from locally grown and harvested wood. The posts for the stilted cabins are at least a foot in diameter, providing a solid foundation for the cabins elevated wood hewn floors which are several meters above ground. Each cabin has two king-sized beds providing accommodations for up to four persons. At the rear of each cabin is a large private bathroom with ‘western’ style toilet and shower.

ALS has already used its 35 hectares of forest as well as 15 hectares made available by the village of Ban Noon Savath to provide a home for 14 elephants, making ALS the largest elephant camp in Laos. Every three days, Ban Noon Savath villagers, employed by ALS, harvest close to 5,400 kilos (over 12,000 pound) of various grasses, one thousand kilos of leafy pineapple crown tops harvested by the village of Ban Kok Yew and other elephant food are prepared to feed the pachyderms. In this way, ALS is able to support and benefit the local villagers on the outskirts of Luang Prabang. Another way that ALS supports the elephant camp is through the Mahout Eco Lodge.

Each cabin has its own balcony with scenic views of the Nam Khan looking back across to where elephants from the All Laos Elephant Camp emerge from an opening at the river bank’s rain forest canopy and where they frequently are seen being ‘bathed’. From this opposite bank one also easily discerns in the distance ‘Phu Sang’ or ‘Elephant Hill’ distinctly conjuring an elephant’s back while an adjacent hill form its head and ears. In addition, the Mahout Eco Lodge is serviced by an openair pavilion restaurant, ideal for a fresco dining.

Mahout Eco Lodge

Many travelers are familiar with Luang Prabang and that it forms a peninsula at the confluence of Mekong and the Khan River. The tributary water of Nam Khan runs clearer than the most famous Mekong and that is what makes Khan River a perfect setting for the Mahout Eco Lodge set across the banks from the All Lao Elephant Camp.

The Mahout Eco Lodge is uniquely situated to combine the All Lao Elephant Camp (now totaling fourteen elephants with other outdoor activities such as mountain biking, bamboo rafting, kayaking, or swimming as well as cultural activities such as visiting ethnic minority villages and /or crafts villages (i.e. the nearby weaving village of Ban Phanom).

Please visit: www.alllaoservice.com | www.mahoutlodge.com | www.laosfly.com 25

Hotel Phouphadeng or Auberge de la Plaine des Jarres by Xaixana Champanakone

f you have not visited the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrace at least once, on a late afternoon, with its panoramic view of the paddy fields and the town of Phonesavanh down below, surrounded by rolling hills and encircling mountains on the horizon, you have not visited Xieng Khouang.

For visitors to Xieng Khouang province and the Plain of Jars this auberge / hotel, given its history, authenticity and originality, is as much a must-visit tourist attraction as all the others.

Nestled among the pine trees on the upper slope of Phou Pha Deng (Mountain of the Red Cliff ) overlooking the highland of Xieng Khouang, this resort endears itself to the visitor with its old world charm. It was built back in 1990 by Claude Vincent (see accompanying story) to welcome his many friends. The rustic-cozy chalets, built with a skillful combination of rough hewn rock and timber, are spread out underneath the canopy of a pine grove. Each chalet has its own layout and character featuring open fireplaces for the many cold nights at 1,175 meters above sea level. They provide all the creature comforts (except TV but wireless internet access is available) one does expect from such an exquisite establishment. The adjoining restaurant, lounge, bar, music corner and mini library have not only one but three fireplaces to provide warmth throughout, inviting guests to follow their mood and to move leisurely about in pursuit of a very memorable evening full of companionship. The music corner, equipped with a piano, guitar, harmonica and three kaen (traditional, intricate bamboo wind instrument), the fully stocked bar and comfortable armchairs are arranged around a central open chimney where a blazing fire is kept going in the evenings. Guests are welcome to play a tune for everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enjoyment. Fine Lao and French dining is served in the restaurant with warmth radiating from fireplaces on both ends of the room. The service provided from breakfast to dinner is excellent, refined with a sweet Lao smile and attention to details, all to the delight of the guests. The Hotel Phouphadeng is still, to this day, unrivalled among all the new-fangled hotels springing up all over the country.

ຂໍລະລຶກເຖິງ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ

In Memoriam

Claude Vincent

He, the man who envisioned tourism to Laos. He, who had taken the first pioneering steps to make this vision become reality. He, who was always aware of the potential negative impact that a not well managed inflow of tourists and tourist related investments would – and does have today - on Lao society. ໂດຍ ໄຊສະນະ ຈໍາປານະຄອນ ສໍາພາດ ສັນຍາ ແລະ ສຸລວ ິ ນ ັ , ລູກຊາຍສອງຄົນຂອງ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ Xaixana Champanakone interviews Sanya and Soulivan, Claude Vincent’s two oldest sons . The hotel Phouphadeng was built by Claude Vincent as far back as 1990 when tourism had yet to be re-introduced to Laos after the country’s closure over the previous 15 years. Claude Vincent was born on 15 October 1939 in France. In 1950 he moved with his parents to Laos where his father would be working for an import-export company that looked after the colonial protectorate government at the time while his mother would teach French. He attended school in Viangchan where he just happened to be classmates with the very people who would eventually become part of the future government. Upon his return to France in the mid-1950 many of them joined him there to further, like him, their studies. He became very much part of the local expatriate Lao student community, imbued by French socialism and communism which had already inspired Ho Chi Minh in the 1920’s when he lived in France. Studies completed, he was bitten by the travel bug and set out to roam the world throughout the sixties as did so many other restless youth at the time, in the exploration of their new found freedom to discover this world for themselves. Having seen interesting sites and gained unique experiences during his travels, he was able to compare and contrast different regions of the world. He then decided to come back to Laos. That was in 1968 at the age of 29. In 1970, he opened the country’s first travel agency, Lao International Travel (LIT), supported by Royal Air Lao with offices at what we know today as the Diethelm Travel building next to the Nam Phou. With the country at war LIT blissfully organized tours around Viangchan, and to Luang Prabang with cruises down the Mekong (which were occasionally stopped by the Pathet Lao, and let go for the sake of tourism), and Champasak. Meanwhile, in 1972, he married Miss Saymanila of the Xieng Khouang family. The communist’s peaceful takeover of the government in 1975 meant, nonetheless, the end to tourism, and the end to business for him. Socialist at heart and friends since childhood with the mid- to upper level officials of this new government, he stayed on in Laos, one of the very few foreigners to do so. 28

ລາວເປັນຜູ້ທີ່ນໍາວິໄສທັດການທ່ອງທ່ຽວມາຢັງປະ ເທດລາວ. ລາວເປັນຜູ້ບຸກເບີກຄົນທໍາອິດທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ ວິໄສທັດນີ້ກາຍເປັນຄວາມຈິງ. ລາວເປັນຜູ້ທີ່ຮັບຮູ້ຢູ່ ສະເໝີກ່ຽວກັບຜົນກະທົບດ້ານລົບຈາກການບໍ່ຄວບ ຄຸມການໄຫລເຂົ້າຂອງນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ແລະການລົງ ທຶນທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການທ່ອງທ່ຽວຈະເປັນແນວໃດ ສົ່ງຜົນກະທົບໃນປະຈຸບັນ - ຕໍ່ສັງຄົມ. ໂຮງແຮມພູຜາແດງໄດ້ຖືກສ້າງຂຶ້ນໂດຍ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ໃນຊ່ວງ ປີຫລັງ 1990 ເມື່ອແນວຄວາມຄິດເລື່ອງການທ່ອງທ່ຽວຍັງບໍ່ທັນໄດ້ ຖືກນໍາກັບມາສະເໜີຄືນໃໝ່ໃຫ້ປະເທດລາວ ພາຍຫລັງຈາກ ການ ປິດປະເທດມາຫລາຍກວ່າ 15 ປີ.

ໂ

ກລດ ແວງຊັງ ເກີດໃນວັນທີ 15 ເດືອນຕຸລາປີ1939 ຢູ່ປະເທດຝຣັ່ງ. ໃນປີ1950 ລາວໄດ້ຍ້າຍມາຢູ່ປະເທດລາວ ກັ ບ ຄອບຄົ ວ ເຊິ່ ງ ໃນຕອນນັ້ ນ ພໍ່ ຂ ອງລາວຈະມາເຮັ ດ ວຽກ ໃຫ້ ບໍ ລິ ສັ ດ ນໍ າ ເຂົ້ າ -ສົ່ ງ ອອກແຫ່ ງ ໜຶ່ ງ ທີ່ ເ ຮັ ດ ວຽກໃຫ້ ລັ ດ ຖະບານ ເມືອງຂຶ້ນ ສ່ວນແມ່ຂອງ ລາວຈະສອນພາສາຝຣັ່ງ. ລາວໄດ້ເຂົ້າ ຮຽນຢູ່ໂຮງຮຽນວຽງຈັນເຊິ່ງກໍ່ເປັນ ເລື່ອງບັງເອີນ ທີ່ເພື່ອນຮ່ວມຫ້ອງ ຮຽນຫລາຍຄົ ນ ຂອງລາວໃນທີ່ ສຸ ດ ຈະໄດ້ ກ າຍເປັ ນ ສ່ ວ ນໜຶ່ ງ ຂອງ ລັດ ຖະບານໃນອະນາຄົດ. ເມື່ອກັບໄປຝຣັ່ງໃນຊ່ວງກາງປີ 1950 ໝູ່ຂອງ ລາວຫລາຍຄົນ ກໍ່ໄດ້ກັບໄປເພື່ອຮຽນຕໍ່. ລາວໄດ້ກາຍ ເປັນສ່ວນໜຶ່ງ ຂອງຊຸມຊົນນັກສຶກສາ ລາວຜັດຖີ່ນ, ໄດ້ຖືກເຊື່ອມ ຊືມໂດຍລັດທິສັງຄົມນິຍົມ ແລະ ຄອມມຸຍນີສຝຣັ່ງເຊິ່ງໃນຕອນ ນັ້ນກໍ່ໄດ້ເປັນແຮງບັນດານໃຈໃຫ້ ໂຮຈິມີນ ໃນຊວງປີ 1920 ເມື່ອລາວອາໄສຢູ່ຝຣັ່ງ. ພາຍຫລັງຮຽນຈົບ ໃນຊວ່ງປີ 1960 ລາວໄດ້ອອກເດີນທາງໄປ ຫລາຍແຫ່ງທົ່ວ ໂລກ ຄືກັບຄົນໜຸ່ມຫລາຍຄົນທີ່ບໍ່ຢຸດຢູ່ບ່ອນເກົ່າ ເພື່ອຄົ້ນຫາອິດສະລະພາບແລະ ຄົ້ນພົບໂລກຂອງຕົວເອງ. ຈາກການໄດ້ພົບເຫັນຫລາກຫລາຍສະຖານທີ່ ແລະ ປະສົບການ ທີ່ໄດ້ພົບພໍ້, ເຮັດໃຫ້ລາວສາມາດປຽບທຽບ ແລະ ໄດ້ຕັດສິນໃຈ ກັບຄືນມາປະເທດລາວ ໃນປີ 1968 ຕອນອາຍຸໄດ້ 29 ປີ. ໃນປີ 1970 ລາວໄດ້ເປີດບໍລິສັດນໍາທ່ຽວແຫ່ງທໍາອິດຂອງປະເທດ, ຕັ້ງສື່ວ່າບໍລິສັດ ລາວທ່ອງທ່ຽວສາກົນ ຫລື Lao International Travel (LIT) ເຊິ່ງໄດ້ຮັບ ການສະໜັບສະໜູນຈາກ ບໍລິສັດ ລາວເດີນ

A departing expatriate, owner of the import-export company Transpack Lao, who was in a hurry to leave, handed his business over to Claude; lock, stock and barrel. Combining entrepreneurship with communism he took care of all the logistics for the large remaining western diplomatic corps (contrary to Vietnam where everybody had left with the fall of Saigon) and any international agency that came to town. He was the person to talk to if you were a foreigner in need of getting something done. He prospered. Laos and Thailand, after two years of intermittent, low-key war (it had been more than skirmishes) finally made peace in 1988. The future beckoned, and the Lao government appointed Claude Vincent, at the age of 49, to become the first director of the newly founded National Tourism Office; a very high ranking position, bestowed upon a foreigner who enjoyed the trust of the country’s leaders. He resigned in 1990 when the government granted him permission to open the very first private company under communist rule. His had to be a travel agency, of course, which he, fully aware of the enormous task ahead, appropriately called SODETOURS (Societe de Development Touristique), not just a travel agency assisting tourists but very much an agency that saw its larger social responsibility in helping to develop and facilitate tourism to and in the country. SODETOURS pioneered tour programs, and provided guides (training) and related services. Laos had been entirely closed to the rest of the world for the previous 15 years, and there was at the time zero “tourism infrastructure”, as we know it, in place. Hotels, restaurants, roads, transport, personnel, communications, promotion and such did not exist – for example when we wanted to visit Luang Prabang in 1991 we needed, as tourists, an official permit to leave Viangchan. The year 1990 had obviously been a busy year. Arranging tours, etc. was not enough when tourists had no place to stay at their point of destination. With remarkable drive Claude Vincent proceeded to design, build, or renovate, and opened in northern Laos the Hotel Phouphadeng in Xieng Khoung, Hotel Phou Vao in Luang Prabang and in southern Laos Tad Lo Lodge in Salavan, Sala Vat Phou in Champanakone, Sala Done Kong and Sala Done Kone on the Four Thousand Islands. Also, in 1990 the government decided to privatize the international routes of the renamed Lao Aviation. Claude Vincent bought the business and leased two Tupolev 154 jets from Bulgarian Airlines (I was in one of them in 1991 they had fog coming out of the vents instead of air-condition. This Bulgarian connection now explains the bottle of excellent Bulgarian wine my older brother and I enjoyed to our great surprise and delight, of all places in the middle of nowhere, at Claude Vincent’s Hotel Phou Vao in Luang Prabang on the same trip). He was flying high, indeed: a fledgling airline, a tourism development company and seven intimate hotels and lodges!

ອາກາດໃນຕອນນັ້ນໃຫ້ໃຊ້ຫ້ອງການເຊິ່ງໃນປະຈຸບັນຖືກໃຊ້ເປັນ ຫ້ອງການບໍລິສັດ ດິດແທມທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ຂ້າງນໍາພຸ. ກັບປະເທດທີ່ກໍາລັງ ປະເຊີນໜ້າກັບສົງຄາມ, LIT ໄດ້ຈັດລາຍການທ່ອງທ່ຽວອ້ອມແອ້ມ ວຽງຈັນ ແລະ ລ່ອງເຮືອຕາມລໍາແມ່ນໍ້າຂອງໄປຫລວງພະບາງ (ເຊິ່ງ ບາງຄັ້ງກໍ່ໄດ້ຖືກຝ່າຍປະເທດລາວກັກໄວ້ ແລະ ກໍ່ປ່ອຍໃຫ້ໄປ ເພື່ອປະໂຫຍດຂອງການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ), ແລະ ຈໍາປາສັກ. ໃນປີ 1972 ລາວໄດ້ແຕ່ງງານກັບ ນາງ ໄຊມານິລາ ຈາກຄອບຄົວທີ່ ມາຈາກຊຽງຂວາງ. ເຖິງຢ່າງໃດກໍ່ຕາມເມື່ອຝ່າຍຄອມມຸຍນີສໄດ້ຮັບ ໄຊສະນະ ແລະ ຂຶ້ນເປັນລັດຖະບານຢ່າງສະຫງົບໃນປີ 1975 ໝາຍເຖິງການຊິ້ນສຸດຂອງການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ແລະ ການເຮັດທຸລະ ກິດຂອງລາວໄດ້ຈົບລົງ. ສັງຄົມນິຍົມທີ່ເປັນແກ່ນຫົວໃຈ ແລະ ໝູ່ ເພື່ອນຕັ້ງແຕ່ໄວເດັກຂອງລາວ ນັບແຕ່ເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ລະດັບກາງຈົນ ເຖິງຂັ້ນສູງຂອງລັດຖະບານໃໝ່, ຊື່ງມີຄົນຕ່າງປະເທດໜ້ອຍຄົນທີ່ ຍັງສຶບຕໍ່ຢູ່ລາວ ນື່ງນັ້ນກໍ່ແມ່ນລາວ ໜຶ່ງໃນຊາວຕ່າງປະເທດທີ່ເດີນທາງອອກນອກປະເທດ ກໍ່ຄືເຈົ້າ ຂອງບໍລິສັດນໍາເຂົ້າ-ສົ່ງອອກ ທຣານສແປກລາວ (Transpack Lao) ແລະ ຍ້ອນຄວາມຟ້າວເດີນທາງອອກນອກປະເທດ ໄດ້ມອບບໍລິສັດຂອງລາວໃຫ້ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງວ ກຸນແຈ, ສາງ ແລະ ຖັງ. ຈາກປະສົບປະການການເຮັດທຸລະກິດ ແລະ ລັດທິຄອມມຸຍນີສ ລາວໄດ້ເບິ່ງແຍງການຈັດສົ່ງຄະນະທູຕານຸທູດທີ່ຍັງຕົກຄ້າງໃນປະ ເທດ (ກົງກັນຂ້າມກັບປະເທດຫວຽດນາມທີ່ທຸກຄົນໄດ້ເດີນທາງ ອອກນອກປະເທດໝົ ດ ພາຍຫລັ ງ ການຫລົ້ ມ ສະຫລາຍຂອງໄຊ ງອນ) ແລະອົງການຈັດຕັ້ງສາກົນຕ່າງໆ. ລາວໄດ້ກາຍເປັນຄົນທີ່ ໃຫ້ຄຳແນະນຳກັບຄົນຝຣັ່ງດ້ວຍກັນໃນການຍາກເຮັດຫຍັງສໍາເລັດ. ເໜືອນດັ່ງທີ່ລາວໄດ້ປະສົບຜົນສໍາເລັດເປັນຢ່າງສູງ. ປະເທດລາວ ແລະ ໄທ, ຫລັງຈາກສອງປີແຫ່ງຄວາມຄັດແຍ່ງແລະ ສົງຄາມແບບງຽບໆ (ເປັນຫລາຍກວ່າສົງຄາມແບບກອງຫລອນ) ໃ ນ ທີ່ ສຸ ດ ກໍ່ ສ້ າ ງ ສັ ນ ຕິ ພ າ ບ ຮ່ ວ ມ ກັ ນ ຂຶ້ ນ ໃ ນ ປີ 1 9 8 8 . ອະນາຄົດໄດ້ສ່ອງແສງຂຶ້ນມາອີກຄັ້ງ, ລັດຖະບານລາວໄດ້ແຕ່ງຕັ້ງ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ເຊິ່ງໃນຕອນນັ້ນອາຍຸ 49 ປີ, ຂຶ້ນເປັນຫົວໜ້າຫ້ອງ ການທ່ ອ ງທ່ ຽ ວແຫ່ ງ ຊາດທີ່ ຫ າກໍ່ ໄ ດ້ ຮັ ບ ການສ້ າ ງຕັ້ ງ ຂຶ້ ນ ໃໝ່ ເຊິ່ງເປັນຕໍາແໜ່ງໃນລະດັບສູງ, ເປັນສິ່ງຢັ້ງຢືນເຖິງຄວາມໄວ້ເນື້ອ ເຊື່ອໃຈທີ່ຊາວຕ່າງປະເທດຄົນໜຶ່ງໄດ້ຮັບຈາກບັນດາຜູ້ນໍາປະເທດ. ລາວໄດ້ລາອອກຈາກຕໍາແໜ່ງດັ່ງກ່າວໃນປີ 1990 ເມື່ອລັດຖະ ບານອະນຸຍາດໃຫ້ລາວເປີດບໍລິສັດເອກະຊົນເຊິ່ງເປັນບໍລິສັດທໍາ ອິດພາຍໃຕ້ລະບອບຄອມມຸຍນີສ. ແນ່ນອນຕ້ອງເປັນບໍລິສັດທ່ອງ ທ່ຽວເຊິ່ງລາວກໍ່ຮູ້ດີເຖິງວຽກງານອັນຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ໃນອະນາຄົດຂ້າງໜ້າ, ບໍລິສັດຂອງລາວມີຊື່ວ່າ ໂຊເດຕົວສ໌ ຫລື SODETOURS (Societe de Development Touristique), ບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ເປັນບໍລິສັດນໍາ ທ່ຽວທີ່ຊ່ວຍເຫລືອນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວເທົ່ານັ້ນແຕ່ຍັງເປັນຍັງບໍລິສັດທີ່ມີ ຄວາມຮັບຜິດຊອບຕໍ່ສັງຄົມໃນການຊ່ວຍພັດທະນາ ແລະ ອໍານວຍ ຄວາມສະດວກໃຫ້ການທ່ອງທ່ຽວທັງເຂົ້າມາ ແລະ ຢູ່ໃນກະໂຕປະ ເທດເອງ. ໂຊເດຕົວສ໌ ເປັນບໍລິສັດທີ່ບຸກເບິກລາຍການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ, ໃຫ້ບໍລິການຄົນນໍາທ່ຽວ ແລະ ບໍລິການອື່ນໆທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງ. ປະເທດ ລາວໄດ້ປິດປະຕູສູ່ໂລກພາຍນອກຕະຫລອດໄລຍະເວລາ 15 ປີ, ແລະໃນໄລຍະນັ້ນເທົ່າທີ່ພວກເຮົາຮູ້ ຍັງບໍ່ທັນມີ “ໂຄງລ່າງພື້ນຖານ ການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ.” ບໍ່ມີໂຮງແຮມ, ຮ້ານອາຫານ, ຖະໜົນຫົນທາງ, ການຂົນສົ່ງ, ບຸກຄະລາກອນ, ການຕິດຕໍ່ສື່ສານ, ການສົ່ງເສີມ ແລະ ອື່ນໆ - ເມື່ອພວກເຮົາຕ້ອງການເດີນທາງໄປຫລວງພະບາງ ໃນປີ 1991 ນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວຈໍາເປັນຕ້ອງໄດ້ຮັບອະນຸຍາດຈາກທາງ ການເພື່ອອອກຈາກວຽງຈັນ. 29

Claude Vincent was met with a tragic accident in 1996 (I read about it in Thailand’s Bangkok Post). He is survived by his wife and three sons. Soulivan and Souliya looks after the Hotel Phouphadeng and Tad Lo Lodge, respectively, while brother Sanya is starting their jointly owned travel agency, Tad Lo Ecotourism, in Viangchan. Claude Vincent was a visionary about the development of tourism. He achieved fabulous success under extraordinary circumstances, opening the eyes and minds of those around him while doing so. Many of his future projects died with him, still on the drawing board. With all his enthusiasm and drive to develop tourism he was very protective of Laos, fully aware of the negative influences, if the tourism was not managed well could have on Lao society. His fears have become our reality today. The name Claude Vincent is still frequently mentioned in tourism circles (newcomers included), always with greatest respect and admiration for his pioneering spirit and very real advancement of the local tourism industry. He is uniformly acknowledged as the man in whose footsteps we walk today to continue his work in a responsible way. RIP.

ໃນປີ 1990 ເປັນຊ່ວງທີ່ຫຍຸ້ງຍາກຢ່າງເຫັນໄດ້ຊັດເຈນ. ການຈັດ ລາຍການທ່ອງທ່ຽວຢ່າງດຽວບໍ່ພຽງພໍ ໃນເພື່ອນັກທ່ອທ່ຽວບໍ່ມີທີ່ ພັກຢູ່ສະຖານທີ່ໆຕ້ອງການໄປທ່ຽວ. ຍ້ອນແຮງພັກດັນດັ່ງກ່າວ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ໄດ້ດໍາເນີນການອອກແບບ, ກໍ່ສ້າງ ຫລືບູລະ ນະ, ແລະ ເປີດໂຮງແຮມພູຜາແດງຢູ່ແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງທາງພາກ ເໜືອຂອງລາວ, ໂຮງແຮມພູວ່າວຢູ່ຫລວງພະບາງ, ບ້ານພັກຕາດ ເລາະແຂວງສາລະວັນ, ສາລາວັດພູຢູ່ຈໍາປານະຄອນ, ສາລາດອນ ໂຂງ ແລະ ສາລາດອນຄອນຢູ່ສີພັນດອນ. ໃນປີ 1990 ລັດຖະບານໄດ້ຕັດສິນໃຈແປຮູບເສັ້ນທາງບິນລະ ຫ່ວາງປະເທດຂອງສາຍການບິນລາວ. ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ໄດ້ຊື້ກິດ ຈະການ ແລະໄດ້ເຊົ່າຍົນຕູໂປເລຟ 154 (Tupolev 154) ຈໍານວນໜຶ່ງຈາກສາຍການບິນບາລເເກລຽນ (ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ເຄີຍ ໃຊ້ບໍລິການຍົນລໍາໜຶ່ງໃນຈໍານວນດັ່ງກ່າວໃນປີ 1991, ມັນມີອາຍ ໝອກອອກມາຈາກຊ່ອງລະບາຍອາກາດແທນການໃຊ້ເ ຄື່ອງປັບ ອາກາດ. ສາຍສໍາພັນດັ່ງກ່າວກັບບາລເເກເລຍໃນປະຈຸບັນອະທິ ບາຍເຖິງແກ້ວວາຍຊັ້ນດີທີ່ອ້າຍຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ແລະຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ ເຄີຍຊີມຢ່າງແປກໃຈ ແລະ ໝ່ວນຊື່ນທ່າມກາງບັນຍາກາດຢູ່ໂຮງ ແຮມພູວ່າວຫລວງພະບາງ). ລາວປະສົບຄວາມສໍາເລັດເປັນຢ່າງ ສູງ: ສາຍການບິນທີ່ຍັງໜຸ່ມນ້ອຍ, ບໍລິສັດພັດທະນາການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ, ໂຮງແຮມ ແລະ ບ້ານພັກ 7 ແຫ່ງ. ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ໄດ້ປະສົບກັບອຸບັດຕິເຫດທີ່ເສົ້າສະລົດໃຈໃນປີ 1996 (ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ອ່ານກ່ຽວກັບອຸບັດຕິເຫດໃນໜັງສືພິມບາງ ກອກໂພສ). ພັນລະຍາ ແລະ ລູກຊາຍທັງສາມຄົນຂອງລາວລອດ ຊີວິດ. ສຸລິວັນ ແລະ ສຸລິຍາເບິ່ງແຍງໂຮງແຮມພູຜາແດງ ແລະ ບ້ານ ພັກຕາດເລາະ ຕາມລໍາດັບ, ສ່ວນນອ້ງຊາຍ ສັນຍາ ກໍາລັງເຮັດບໍລສ ິ ດ ັ ນໍາທ່ຽວທີ່ພວກເຂົາເປັນເຈົ້າຂອງຮ່ວມກັນ, ຕາດເລາະທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ແບບອະນຸລັກຢູ່ວຽງຈັນ. ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ເປັນຜູ້ໜຶ່ງທີ່ມີວິໃສທັດກ່ຽວກັບການພັດທະນາ ການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ. ລາວປະສົບຄວາມສໍາເລັດເປັນຢ່າງສູງພາຍໄຕ້ ສະຖານະການທີ່ພິເສດ, ເປີດຕາ ແລະໃຈກັບທຸກສິ່ງອ້ອມໂຕທີ່ກໍາ ລັງເຮັດຢູ່. ຫລາຍໂຄງການທີ່ລາວໄດ້ຄິດ ແລະ ວາງແຜນໄວ້ໄດ້ຕາຍ ໄປກັບລາວຢູ່ເທິງກະດານແຕ້ມຮູບ. ຍ້ອນຄວາມກະຕືລືລົ້ນ ແລະ ແຮງພັກດັນທັງໝົດຂອງລາວ ເຮັດໃຫ້ລາວເປັນຄົນທີ່ຕອ້ງການປົກ ປັກຮັກສາປະເທດລາວ, ຮັບຮູ້ຢ່າງເລິກເຊິ່ງເຖິງຜົນກະທົບທາງລົບ ຂອງການເປີດປະເທດໂດຍປາດສະຈາກການຄຸ້ມຄອງ ທີ່ອາດມີ ຕໍ່ສັງຄົມລາວ. ຄວາມເປັນຫ່ວງເປັນໄຍຂອງລາວ ທຸກມື້ນໄີ້ ດ້ກາຍເປັນຄວາມຈິງແລ້ວ. ຊື່ ໂກລດ ແວງຊັງ ຍັງຖືກກ່າວເຖິງເປັນປະຈໍາໃນວົງການທ່ອງ ທ່ຽວ (ລວມທັງຜູ້ທີ່ເຂົ້າມາໃນວົງການໃໝ່), ດ້ວຍຄວາມນັບຖື ແລະ ຄວາມຊົມເຊີຍຕໍ່ນໍ້າໃຈບຸກເບີກຂອງລາວ ແລະ ຄວາມກ້າວໜ້າທີ່ ແທ້ຈິງຂອງອຸດສະຫະກໍາທ້ອງຖິ່ນ. ລາວໄດ້ຖືກຮັບຮູ້ຢ່າງເປັນເອກະ ພາບກັນວ່າບາດກ້າວທີ່ໃນທຸກມື້ນີ້ພວກເຮົາກ້າວເດີນຢູແ ່ ມ່ນເພື່ອສືບ ຕໍ່ວຽກຂອງລາວໃນວິຖທ ີ າງທີ່ມຄ ີ ວາມຮັບຜິດຊອບຕໍ່ສງັ ຄົມ.

Journey into the Heartland Essay on the Archeology, History, and Revival of of Laos Written and photographed by Xaixana Champanakone

Beginning in 1964 an epic battle for the independence of Laos raged across the Plain of Jars in upper central Laos, Xieng Khouang province, and Samneua and Viengxay, birthplace of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Houaphan province, near the Vietnamese border in the northeast. The ‘Pathet Lao’, which would eventually establish the Lao PDR, fought from their headquarters in the Caves of Viengxay until their final victory in 1973. This region is bisected by Route 7 and Route 6 along which we travelled to record (in five chapters) the changes in the intervening 38 years. I made the same journey 10 years ago in the company of SEA-Write Award winning author Mr. Chanty Deuansavanh who chronicled the Making of Modern Laos while living, and starting his family, in the Caves of Viengxay. Over a period of nine years the cave dwelling population of some 23,000 people was subjected to daily, at times non-stop, aerial bombardment which saw the highest tonnage of bombs per square kilometer dropped on Laos in world history. Peace has returned; but scars still run deep today - wherever we go.

ການເດີນທາງສູ່ຫົວໃຈຂອງປະເທດ

ບົດຄວາມກ່ຽວກັບໂບຮານນະຄະດີ, ປະວັດສາດ ແລະ ການຟື້ນຟູປະເທດຂອງ ສປປ ລາວ

ຂຽນ ແລະ ຖ່າຍຮູບໂດຍ ໄຊຊະນະ ຈໍາປານະຄອນ

ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນໃນປີ 196 ການຕໍ່ສູ່ທີ່ດົນນານເພື່ອເອກະລາດຂອງ ປະເທດລາວ ໄດ້ສຽງດັງຂຶ້ນຢູ່ທົ່ວທົ່ງໄຫຫີນພາກເໜືອຂອງ ລາວ (ແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງ), ຊໍາເໜືອ ແລະ ວຽງໄຊ, ສະຖານ ທີ່ກໍາເນີດຂອງ ສປປ ລາວ, (ແຂວງຫົວພັນ) ໃກ້ກັບຊາຍ ແດນຫວຽດນາມໃນພາກເໜືອ. ຝ່າຍປະເທດ ລາວໄດ້ຕໍ່ສູ້ຈາກຖານທີ່ໝັ້ນໃນຖໍ້າເມືອງວຽງ ໄຊ ຈົນໄດ້ຮັບໄຊຊະນະຂັ້ນ ສຸດທ້າຍໃນປີ 1973. ເຂດນີ້ຖືກຕັດຜ່ານໂດຍເສັ້ນທາງເລກທີ 7 ແລະ ເລກທີ 6 ຕາມເສັ້ນທາງທີ່ພວກຂ້າ ພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ເດີນທາງໄປເພື່ອບັນທຶກ (ໃນ 5 ບົດ) ການປ່ຽນແປງຕະຫຼອດໄລຍະເວລາ 38 ປີ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ເດີນທາງໄປຕາມ ເສັ້ນທາງດຽວກັນ 10ປີ ກ່ອນກັບນັກຂຽນ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນ ຊີໄຣທ໌ (SEA-Write Award winning author) ທ່ານ ຈັນທີ ເດືອນສະຫວັນ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ບັນທຶກກ່ຽວກັບການສ້າງສາພັດທະ ນາປະ ເທດລາວໃຫ້ມີຄວາມຈະເລີນກ້າວໜ້າ ໃນຂະນະ ທີ່ໃຊ້ຊີວິດຢູ່ ແລະ ສ້າງຄອບຄົວ ໃນຖໍ້າເມືອງວຽງໄຊ. ຜ່ານ ຕະຫລອດໄລຍະເວລາກວ່າ 9 ປີ ປະຊາຊົນທີ່ອາໃສໃນຖໍ້າ 23000 ຄົນ ຖືກໂຈມຕີດ້ວຍການຖີ້ມລະເບີດແບບບໍ່ຢຸດ ຢ່ອນ ເຊິ່ງໄດ້ກາຍເປັນເຂດທີ່ມີການຖີ້ມລະເບີດສູງສຸດໃນ ລາວຕໍ່ກິໂລແມັດກາເລ ໃນປະຫວັດສາດໂລກ. ສັນຕິພາບ ໄດ້ກັບຄືນມາ; ຮອຍບາດແຜຍັງຝັງເລິກໃນທຸກມື້ນີ້ - ທຸກບ່ອນ ທີ່ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເດີນທາງໄປ.

Route 6 Phonsavanh

Route 7 Phou Khoun

On this return journey I am accompanied by my close friends Inpome, Mr. Chanty’s second oldest son, and Toh, a Green Discovery staffer sent on this history study tour (for both this will become an eye-opening journey back into recent history), and our very personable driver Chai with a car kindly put at our disposal by Europcar to get us safely there and back. Chai proved to be a most competent driver and guide.

Muang Khoune

ຕອນເດີນທາງຂາກັບ ມີໝູ່ສະນິດຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ອິນພົມ, ລູກ ຊາຍຄົນທີສອງຂອງຈັນທີ, ແລະໂຕ້ເຊິ່ງເປັນພະນັກງານກຣີນດີສ ໂຄເວີຣີ (Green Discovery) ທີ່ຖືກສົ່ງມາທັດສະນະກ່ຽວກັບປະ ຫວັດສາດ (ນີ້ເປັນການເດີນທາງເປີດຫູເປີດຕາກັບໄປສູ່ປະຫວັດ ສາດ), ແລະພະນັກງານຂັບລົດສ່ວນຕົວຊື່ວ່າ ໃຈ ມານໍາກັນ ແລະ ກໍ່ມີພາຫະນະເດີນທາງຈາກ Europcar ທີ່ພາພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເດີນ ທາງໄປ ຫັ້ນມານີ້ຢ່າງປອດໄພ. ໃຈ ເປັນຄົນຄັບລົດ ແລະ ຄົນນໍາ ທ່ຽວທີ່ມີຄວາມສາມາດທີ່ສຸດຄົນໜຶ່ງ.

Chapter One : Phou Khoun to Phonesavanh

ບົດທີ 1: ພູຄູນເຖິງໂພນສະຫວັນ

We begin by leaving national highway 13, which runs from Boten on the Chinese border in the north to Veunkham on the Cambodian border in the south, at Phou Khoune (1400m above sea level) located between Viangchan and Luang Prabang. Route 7 heading east lies ahead of us crossing Xieng Khouang province with the Plain of Jars and the provincial capital of Phonesavanh, and on to Muang Kham and the Vietnamese border.

ພວກຂ້ າ ພະເຈົ້ າ ເລີ່ ມ ເດີ ນ ທາງອອກຈາກເສັ້ ນ ທາງຫລວງເລກທີ 13 ຈາກບໍເຕັນຊາຍແດນຕິດ ກັ ບ ປະເທດຈີ ນ ຢູ່ ພ າກເໜື ອ ຈົ ນ ເຖິ ງ ຊາຍແດນ ປະເທດກໍາປູເຈຍພາກໃຕ້ ຢູ່ພູຄູນ (ສູງ1400 ແມັດຈາກນໍ້າທະເລ) ຕັ້ງຢູ່ລະຫ່ວາງວຽງຈັນ ແລະ ຫລວງພະບາງ. ເສັ້ນທາງເລກທີ 7 ມຸ່ງ ໜ້ າ ສູ່ພາກຕາເວັ ນອອກຜ່າ ນແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງ ທົ່ງໄຫຫີນ, ຕົວເມືອງໂພນສະຫວັນ, ເມືອງຄໍາ ແລະ ຊາຍແດນຫວຽດນາມ.

Like most of northern Laos this is steep, rugged mountain terrain and we don’t count kilometers but hours spent navigating endless bends along the way. Like everywhere in the north during this month of June, at the beginning of the rainy season, the road offers extremely scenic panorama views of ultra lush green. At long intervals Hmong hill -tribe villages border both sides of the road. As far as the eye can see the mountains are nearly denuded, with only a few scarred trees left standing having experienced the effects of ‘slash and burn’ agriculture. The steep slopes are planted in May with corn and pineapple, which are harvested three months later – leaving the soil and its nutrients without a protective cover only to be washed away as a result. The area is then kept untended for seven years to recover its health - swidden agriculture, causing nowadays devastation that overwhelms the countryside. It was more acceptable in the past when less land was needed

ຄື ກັ ບ ເຂດພາກເໜື ອ ຂອງປະເທດລາວສ່ ວ ນ ຫລາຍ ເສັ້ນທາງສູງຊັນ, ລຽບເລາະໄປຕາມ ເນີນພູ ແລະ ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ໄດ້ນັບກິໂລ ແມັດ ແຕ່ນັບຊົ່ວໂມງທີ່ໃຊ້ໄປກັບທາງໂຄ້ງທີ່ບໍ່ ສິ້ນສຸດ. ຄືກັບທຸກໆແຫ່ງຢູ່ພາກເໜືອຂອງລາວ ໃນລະຫວ່ າ ງເດື ອ ນມີ ຖຸ ນ າເປັ ນ ຊ່ ວ ງເລີ່ ມ ຕົ້ ນ ຂອງລະດູຝົນ, ວິວທີວທັດຂ້າງທາງເຕັມໄປ ດ້ ວ ຍສີ ສັ ນ ຂຽວອຸ່ ມ ສຸ່ ມ ສວຍສົ ດ ງົ ດ ງາມເປັ ນ ພິ ເສດ. ເລາະໄປຕາມຫວ່າງພູມີບ້ານເຜົ່າມົ້ງຕັ້ງຢູ່ ຕິດຕາມສອງຂ້າງທາງ. ເທົ່າທີ່ຕາສາມາດແນມເຫັນໄດ້ ເຫັນໜ່ວຍ ພູຫົວໂລ້ນເກືອບທັງໝົດ, ມີແຕ່ຕົ້ນໄມ້ສອງ ສາມຕົ້ ນ ເລັ ດ ລອດມາຈາກຜົ ນ ກະທົ ບ ຂອງ ການຖາງປ່ າ ເຮັ ດ ໄຮ່ ເ ພື່ ອ ເຮັ ດ ການປູ ກ ຝັ ງ . ລາດຊັນຕາມຮ່ອມພູ ປະຊາຊົນໄດ້ປູກຕົ້ນສາລີ ແລະ ໝາກນັດໃສ່ໃນເດືອນພຶດສະພາ ເຊິ່ງຈະ ຖືກເກັບກ່ຽວຫລັງຈາກນັ້ນສາມເດືອນ - ປະດິນ ແລະ ສານອາຫານບໍ່ມີຫຍັງປົກຫຸ້ມໜ້າດິນເຮັດ ໃຫ້ຖືກສະລ້າງອອກໄປໄດ້ງ່າຍ. ພື້ນທີ່ລັກສະ ນະແນວນີ້ຕ້ອງບໍ່ຖືກນໍາໃຊ້ເປັນເວລາ 7 ປີ ຈຶ່ງສາມາດກັບຄືນສູ່ສະພາບເກົ່າໄດ້ - ການ ຖ າ ງ ປ່ າ ເ ຮັ ດ ໄ ຮ່ ສ້ າ ງ ຄ ວ າ ມ ເ ສ ຍ ຫ າ ຍ ຢ່ າ ງ ກ້ວາງຂວາງໃນເຂດຊົນນະບົດ. ເປັນທີ່ຍອມຮັບ

in this seven year cycle to feed an ethnic village. With their populations growing, this traditional agricultural practice has turned into an environmental disaster! The government has been trying for years to persuade the hilltribes (by providing new crops and technical advice), to abandon their destructive ways of producing food and move out of the mountains to settle along the roads in focal villages. Here schools (we saw many new ones), healthcare, and access to markets for their new produce are available, which allows them to abandon their traditional practice of ‘slash and burn’. Where persuasion and subsidies have not worked in the past, the law is now enforced; STOP! The well-meaning souls among our readers who do not agree with the wisdom of this government policy only need to travel the north of Laos during the month of April. What was once lush green becomes a smoldering black death-scape, a horrifying nightmare; the wanton annihilation of anything living, animals and plants alike, everywhere you look. If you are lucky you drive straight through a burning inferno engulfing you from either side of the road. Soil erosion? On our way back in seven days’ time, we have to negotiate, following a torrential rainy season downpour, one landslide after the other blocking the road.

ກັ ນ ຫລາຍກວ່ າ ໃນອາດີ ດ ເມື່ ອ ຄວາມຕ້ ອ ງ ການນໍາໃຊ້ທີ່ດິນໃນຮອບວຽນ 7 ປີມີໜ້ອຍ ກວ່າ ເພື່ອໃຊ້ໃນການປູກຝັງລ້ຽງຄົນໃນຄອບ ຄົວ. ຍ້ອນການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວຂອງພົນລະ ເມືອງ, ວິທີການປູກຝັງແບບປະຖົມປະຖານ ໄດ້ ກໍ່ ໃຫ້ເ ກີດຄວາມເສຍຫາຍຕໍ່ສະພາບແວດ ລ້ອມ! ລັດຖະບານໄດ້ໃຊ້ຄວາມພະຍາຍາມ ມາຫລາຍປີເພື່ອສັກຊວນໃຫ້ຊົນເຜົ່າທີ່ອາໄສຢູ່ ຕາມພູ (ໂດຍການມອບແນວພັນພືດ ແລະຄໍາ ປຶກສາທາງດ້ານເຕັກນິກວິຊາການ) ປະຖີ້ມວິທີການເຮັດໄຮ່ເຮັດນາທີ່ສ້າງຜົນ ກະທົບອັນບໍ່ດີ ໃຫ້ຫັນມາເຮັດການຜະລິດອາຫານ ແລະ ຍ້າຍອອກຈາກພູມາຢູ່ ຕາມຂ້າງທາງຕາມເຂດບ້ານທີ່ໄດ້ຈັດສັນໄວ້. ມີໂຮງຮຽນ (ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເຫັນ ໂຮງຮຽນປຸກໃໝ່ຫລາຍຫລັງ), ສຸກສາລາ ແລະການເຂົ້າເຖິງຕະຫລາດເພື່ອ ຂາຍສິນຄ້າທີ່ຜະລິດໄດ້ ເຊິ່ງຊ່ວຍໃຫ້ພວກເຂົາເຈົ້າປະຖີ້ມວິທີການຖາງປ່າເຮັດ ໄຮ່. ການຊັກຊວນ ແລະການອຸດໜູນໃຊ້ບໍ່ໄດ້ໃນອາດີດ, ໃນປະຈຸບັນໄດ້ມີການ ບັງຄັບໃຊ້ກົດໝາຍ; ຢຸດ!

ຈິດວິນຍານຄວາມນຶກຄິດຂອງຜູ້ອ່ານ

ທີ່ບໍ່ເຫັນດີກັບນະໂຍບາຍຂອງລັດຖະ

ບານ ພຽງແຕ່ອາດຕ້ອງໄດ້ເດີນທາງຂຶ້ນໄປພາກເໜືອເພື່ອເບິ່ງດ້ວຍຕົວເອງໃນ ລະຫ່ວາງເດືອນເມສາ.

ເບິ່ງໄປບ່ອນໃດກໍ່ເຫັນສິ່ງທີ່ເຄີຍຂຽວງາມກາຍເປັນສີ

ດໍາມືດ, ເປັນຝັນຮ້າຍທີ່ໜ້າຢ້ານກວ່າ; ທໍາລາຍທຸກໆຊີວິດສັດປ່າ ລວມທັງຕົ້ນ

ໄມ້. ຖ້າທ່ານໂຊກດີ ທ່ານຂັບລົດຜ່ານແປວໄຟທີ່ກໍາລັງລຸກໄໝ້ຢູ່ສອງຂ້າງທາງ. ການເຊາະເຈື່ອນຂອງໜ້າດິນ? ຕອນເດີນທາງກັບເຊິ່ງໃຊ້ເວລາ 7 ວັນ, ພວກ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຕ້ອງໄດ້ເຄື່ອນຍ້າຍໄປຕາມສາຍຝົນທີ່ຕົກລົງມາໜັກໜ່ວງ, ເຈື່ອນຈາກບ່ອນໜຶ່ງໄປຫາບ່ອນໜຶ່ງຕັນຫົນທາງ.

ດິນ

ສອງຊົ່ວໂມງຜ່ານໄປ ແລະ 60 ຫລັກກ່ອນຈະຮອດເມືອງໂພນສະຫວັນ ເຫັນ

ພູພຽງພົ້ນເດັ່ນອອກມາ ແລະ ຖະໜົນບໍ່ໂຄ້ງຫລາຍ, ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມາຮອດ ພູທີ່ປົກຫຸ້ມໄປດ້ວຍຕົ້ນແປກຢູ່ໃຈກາງຂອງຊຽງຂວາງ.

ຂັບລົດອອກຈາກຫົນ

ທາງໃຫຍ່, ລົດກະບະຄັນສັ້ນໆແລະກໍ່ເປິເປື້ອນ ພາພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄປຖໍ້າພະ. ກໍ່ຄືກັນກັບຖໍ້າຕ່າງໆທີ່ຄົ້ນພົບຢູ່ລະຫ່ວາງເຂດນີ້ຈົນເຖິງເຂດຊາຍແດນຫວຽດ

ນາມ ເຄີຍເປັນບ່ອນຢູ່ລີ້ໄພຂອງປະຊາຊົນທ້ອງຖີ່ນຈາກການຖີ້ມໝາກລະເບີດ. ບໍ່ຄືກັບຖໍ້າອື່ນໆທີ່ພວກເຮົາຄວນໄປທ່ຽວຊົມ, ຖໍ້າແຫ່ງນີ້ເຄີຍຕົກເປັນເປົ້າໝາຍ ການຍິງໂຈມຕີ ແລະ ປະຊາຊົນຖືກເສຍຊີວິດດ້ວຍລູກຈະຫລວດ.

ພາຍໃນ

ຖໍ້ າ ແຫ່ ງ ນີ້ ມີ ພ ະພຸ ດ ທະຮູ ບ ຂະໜາດໃຫຍ່ ຖື ກ ນໍ າ ມາຕັ້ ງ ໄວ້ ເ ພື່ ອ ໃຫ້ ປ ະຊາຊົ ນ ໄດ້ສັກກາລະບູຊາ.

Two hours later and sixty kilometers before Phonesavanh the terrain evens out and the road becomes less winding, we have reached the pine tree covered highland of central Xieng Khouang. Leaving the main road, a short dirt track takes us to Tham Phra, the Buddha Cave. Like all the numerous caves found between here and the Vietnamese border it was used to shelter the local population against the never ending bombing raids. Unlike another cave we shall be visiting, this one escaped being targeted, and its inhabitants wiped out, by missiles. The cave is graced by a large Buddha statue. 35

ການເດີນທາງຍືດແຂ່ງຍືດຂາເທື່ອສຸດທ້າຍ ໄດ້ນໍາພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຜ່ານ ເຂດບ້ານນອກທີ່ສວຍງານເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍທົ່ງຫຍ້າແຊມກັບຕົ້ນແປກ ແລະ ທົ່ງນາ ທີ່ຖືກນໍ້າປົກຫຸ້ມເຊິ່ງຫາກໍ່ດໍານາແລ້ວວ່າງບໍ່ດົນມານີ້. ອາກາດໃນໄລ ຍະນີ້ຂອງປີເຢັນສະບາຍເປັນທີ່ໜ້າເພິ່ງພໍໃຈຫລາຍອີຫລີ. ເມືອງໂພນສະຫວັນ ເປັນເມືອງຫລວງສ້າງໃໝ່ຂອງຊຽງຂວາງຫລັງຈາກປີ 1973 ເພາະວ່າເມືອງທີ່ເຄີຍຮຸ່ງເຮືອງໃນສະໄໜກ່ອນ ເມືອງພວນ, ໄປທາງ ໃຕ້ 35 ກິໂລແມັດ, ໄດ້ຖືກທໍາລາຍຢ່າງຮາບຄາມຈາກການຖີ້ມລະເບີດ. ປະຈຸບັນຖືກຮຽກວ່າເມືອງຄູນ. The last stretch of road takes us through a delightful countryside of rolling meadows studded with pine trees and paddy fields deep in water having recently been planted with rice. Coming from the lowlands the cool climate at this time of year is very pleasant, very welcome, indeed. Phonesavanh, the new provincial capital of Xieng Khouang has been built from scratch after 1973, a new beginning because the once prosperous royal and ancient town of Muang Phouan, some 35 km to the south, had been totally flattened by bombs. Its reincarnation today is called Muang Khoune. Phonesavanh was originally meant to become the new national capital, moving the seat of government from Viangchan to this location in the heart of northern Laos. The town is laid out with capital size in mind; broad highways make up the road grid. Well, Viangchan has remained the capital (since 1560, the oldest in Asia), with traffic jams worsening from day to day, while Phonesavanh won’t have to suffer from anything like it for a long time to come. In 2000 there was no permanent electricity available, generators kicked in at 6:00 pm for three very short hours. The benefits of daytime electricity are immediately obvious; the town is on the move, trade with Vietnam has made it prosper, and people have become active. Three hotels have opened up offering a choice from the rather desolate guesthouses of the past but Hotel Phoupadeng, built in 1990 overlooking the town, remains in a category of its own, unrivalled nationwide to this day (see adjoining story). Like in so many other towns around the country today, the new, bright red building of the Banque pour le Commerce Exterieure Lao (BCEL) with its smart red ATM booths is a reassuring sight. The old airfield, built for the war and ever since happily abandoned, finds itself smack in the middle of this new town, prime real estate. It’s being put to peaceful use. A vast shopping area is under construction to surround the future fresh market (the current site of which will then be redeveloped) while an impressive new golf driving range takes advantage of the runway of this former impromptu military base.

ແຕ່ກ່ອນ ເມືອງໂພນສະຫວັນ ໄດ້ເຄີຍມີຄວາມຄິດຈະສ້າງໃຫ້ເປັນເມືອງ ຫລວງຂອງປະເທດ, ຍ້າຍບ່ອນເຮັດວຽກຂອງລັດຖະບານຢູ່ວຽງຈັນຂຶ້ນ ມາຢູ່ໃຈກາງພາກເໜືອຂອງລາວ. ເມືອງທີ່ຖືກອອກແບບມາດ້ວຍຂະໜາດ ຂອງເງິນທຶນ, ເສັ້ນທາງທີ່ກວ້າງຂວາງສ້າງເຄືອຂ່າຍຖະໜົນຫົນທາງ ເຮັດ ໃຫ້ວຽງຈັນຍັງເປັນເມືອງຫລວງຂອງປະເທດ (ຕັ້ງແຕ່ປີ 1560 ເຊິ່ງເກົ່າ ແກ່ທີ່ສຸດໃນອາຊີ), ເຊິ່ງການຈໍລະຈອນຕິດຂັດກໍາລັງເພີ່ມຂຶ້ນທຸກມື້, ໃນຄະ ນະທີ່ເມືອງໂພນສະຫວັນຈະບໍ່ປະສົບກັບບັນຫາຄືແນວນີ້ໃນອີກຫລາຍປີ ຂ້າງໜ້າ.

ໃນປີ 2000 ບໍ່ມີໄຟຟ້າຖາວອນໃຊ້, ເຄື່ອງປັ່ນໄຟເລີ່ມເຮັດວຽກຕອນ 6 ໂມງແລງ ແລະ ໃຊ້ແຕ່ສາມຊົ່ວໂມງເທົ່ານັ້ນ. ຜົນປະໂຫຍດຂອງໄຟຟ້າໃນ ຕອນກາງເວັນແມ່ນເຫັນໄດ້ຢ່າງຊັດເຈນ, ຕົວເມືອງກໍາລັງມີການພັດທະ ນາ, ການຄ້າຂາຍກັບປະເທດຫວຽດນາມ ເຮັດໃຫ້ເມືອງຈະເລີນຂຶ້ນ ແລະ ປະຊາຊົນມີຄວາມຫ້າວຫັນກວ່າເກົ່າ. ມີສາມໂຮງແຮມໄດ້ເປີດໃຫ້ບໍລິການ ເພື່ອເປັນທາງເລືອກໃໝ່ນອກຈາກບ້ານພັກເກົ່າໆທີ່ມີໃນອາດີດ. ກໍ່ຄືກັບ ຫລາຍໆຕົວເມືອງຢູ່ທົ່ວປະເທດໃນທຸກມື້ນີ້, ອາຄານຫລັງໃໝ່ມີສີແດງສົດ ໃສຂອງທະນາຄານການຄ້າລາວ ໄດ້ເປີດໃຫ້ບໍລິການພ້ອມດ້ວຍບັດ ເອທີເອັມ. ສະນາມບິນເກົ່າເຊິ່ງໄດ້ຖືກສ້າງຂຶ້ນຕອນສົງຄາມ, ໃນປະຈຸບັນໄດ້ຖືກປະ ຮ້າງທ່າມກາງຕົວເມືອງໃໝ່ ແລະ ຕຶກອາຄານທີ່ສໍາຄັນ. ມັນກໍາລັງຖືກນໍາ ໃຊ້ຢ່າງສະຫງົບງຽບ, ກໍາລັງມີການສ້າງຮ້ານຄ້າຂະໜາດໃຫຍ່ ອ້ອມຕະ ຫລາດຂາຍເຄື່ອງສົດໃນອະນາຄົດ (ສະຖານທີ່ໃນປະຈຸບັນຈະຖືກບູລະນະ ຄືນໃໝ່) ໃນຄະນະທີ່ສະໜາມຕີກອຟແຫ່ງໃໝ່ຈະສວຍໃຊ້ເນື້ອທີ່ເຂດທາງ ເດີ່ນຍົນໃນສະໄໝກ່ອນ.

We visit the large old market and find trestle tables laden with fresh produce: fruit, vegetables, herbs, fish and meat of great choice and quality are available in abundance.

ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ໄປທ່ຽວເບິ່ງຕະຫລາດເກົ່າແກ່ທີ່ມີຂະໜາດໃຫຍ່ ແລະ ເຫັນເຄື່ອງສົດຫລາກຫລາຍສະນິດວາງຂາຍມີ ໝາກໄມ້, ຜັກນາໆສະນິດ, ຫອມຕ່າໆ, ປາ ແລະຊີ້ນສົດຕາມຕ້ອງການ ແລະຖ້າຕ້ອງການຊື້ຫລາຍກໍ່ສາ ມາດສະໜອງໃຫ້ໄດ້.

Just outside of town there is “Mulberries – silk – tea – fruit”, the silk farming and training center covering many hectares that was established in 1996 by Mrs. Kommaly Chantavong, who in recognition of her efforts was nominated for the “1,000 Peace Women” for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. To quote from their leaflet “Mulberries is the brand name of the Lao Sericulture Company, a certified fair-trade enterprise, which seeks to improve the lives of villagers through organic silk production” (see www.mulberries.org). An insightful guided tour takes us from the growing of mulberry bushes to the raising and feeding of silk worms to turning the cocoons into silk thread to spinning and coloring with natural dye and weaving it into the final product, fabulous silk fabrics bedazzling with their strong colors.

ອອກຈາກຕົວເມືອງບໍ່ດົນກໍ່ມີ “ໃບມອນ - ຜ້າໃໝ - ຊາ - ໝາກໄມ້”, ສູນ ຕໍ່າຜ້າໄໝ ແລະ ຝຶກອົບຮົມ ກວມເນື້ອທີ່ຫລາຍເຮັກຕາ ເຊິ່ງໄດ້ຖືກສ້າງຂຶ້ນ ໃນປີ 1996 ໂດຍທ່ານນາງ ກົມມະລີ ຈັນທະວົງ, ຜູ້ທີ່ຈາກຄວາມພະຍາຍາມ ຂອງລາວໄດ້ຖືກສະເໜີສືຮັບລາງວັນ “1000 ແມ່ຍິງແຫ່ງສັນຕິພາບ”, ລາງວັນໂນເບລສາຂາສັນຕິພາບໃນປີ 2005. ໃບປິວໂຄສະນາຂອງພວກ ເຂົາເຈົ້າຂຽນວ່າ “ໃບມອນ ຫລື ມາລເບີຣີ (Mulberries) ແມ່ນຊື່ຂອງ ບໍລິສັດຜະລິດຜ້າໄໝລາວ ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບໃບຢັ້ງຢືນການຄ້າທີ່ບໍ່ມີການເອົາລັດ ເອົາປຽບ, ຊ່ວຍປັບປຸງຊີວິດການເປັນຢູ່ຂອງຊາວບ້ານໂດຍຜ່ານການຜະ ລິດຜ້າໄໝປອດສານພິດ.” (www.mulberries.org) ພະນັກງານນໍາທ່ຽວ ໄດ້ພາພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄປເບິ່ງການຈະເລີນເຕີບໂຕຂອງຕົ້ນມອນ ແລະ ການລ້ຽງໂຕມ້ອນ ຈົນເຖິງຂັ້ນຕອນການປ່ຽນມາເປັນເສັ້ນໄໝ ແລະ ການ ຢ້ອມສີທໍາມະຊາດ ແລະການຕໍ່າເປັນຜະລິດຕະພັນສຸດທ້າຍ, ຜ້າໄໝທີ່ມີ ສີສັນສົດໃສສວຍງາມ.

The newly opened museum in town displays quite

an attractive exterior. We enter to a graphic display of the ‘other side’ of the Secret War. Old photographs and posters take you back to a time of political evolution and gruesome fighting. One would rather forget but cannot. Here on the Plain of Jars the war is still with you, constantly, wherever you look, wherever you walk, whatever you talk about with whomever you meet, the War is still very much part of everybody’s life, always lurking with the unexpected UXO ready to blow up, taking your limbs, or your life, away with it. For those who wish to retrace the steps of our memorable eight day journey into archeology and history to witness the revival of a country, rent a car from Europcar and ask for Chai to drive and guide you, which he will do with great care. The five chapters are published in two months’ intervals. You will be able to read them upon publication at www.champaholiday.com or in one edition at www.tropicaldesignfz.net/essay Views expressed in this essay are those of the author and not necessarily those of other persons involved in its publication. All rights reserved by the author

ຫໍພິພິດຕະພັນເປີດໃໝ່ຢູ່ໃນຕົວເມືອງ ວາງສະແດງສິ່ງຂອງທີ່ໜ້າສົນໃຈ. ມີຮູບ ວາງສະແດງເຖິງພາບອີກດ້ານໜຶ່ງຂອງສົງຄາມປິດລັບ. ມີຮູບ ແລະ ໂປສເຕີເກົ່າ ເຮັດໃຫ້ເຮົາຍ້ອນເວລາກັບໄປຫາສະໄໝການຕໍ່ສູ້ທາງດ້ານ ການເມືອງ ແລະ ສົງຄາມທີ່ໂຫດຮ້າຍ ເຊິ່ງຍາກຈະລືມແຕ່ກໍ່ເຮັດບໍ່ໄດ້. ຢູ່ທີ່ທົ່ງ ໄຫຫີນສົງຄາມຍັງຄົງຢູ່ກັບພວກເຂົາຕະຫລອດເວລາ ບໍ່ວ່າຈະຫລຽວເບິ່ງໄປ ທາງໃດ ແລະ ຍ່າງໄປທາງໃດ, ບໍ່ວ່າຈະພົບພໍ້ລົມກັບໃຜກໍ່ຕາມ, ສົງຄາມຍັງ ຄົງເປັນສ່ວນໜຶ່ງຂອງຊີວິດໝົດທຸກຄົນ, ມີແຕ່ລໍຖ້າໃຫ້ລູກລະເບີດແຕກໂດຍບໍ່ ໄດ້ຄາດຝັນ, ເອົາແຂນເອົາຂາ ຫລື ຊີວິດອິນຊີຂອງພວກເຂົາໄປກັບມັນ. ສໍາລັບທ່ານໃດທີ່ຢາກຍ້ອນຮອຍການເດີນທາງ 8 ວັນທີ່ຍາກທີ່ຈະລືມຂອງ ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ໄປສູ່ໂບຮານນະຄະດີ ແລະ ປະຫວັດສາດເພື່ອເບິ່ງການຟື້ນ ຟູຂອງປະເທດ, ສາມາດເຊົ່າລົດເດີນທາງຈາກ Europcar ແລະ ຖາມຫາ ໃຈ ເພື່ອຂັບລົດແລະນໍາທາງທ່ານໄປຮອດທີ່ໝາຍປາຍທາງດ້ວຍຄວາມເອົາໃຈໃສ່. ບົດຄວາມ 5 ບົດຖືກຕີພີມພາຍໃນໄລຍະເວລາສອງເດືອນ. ທ່ານສາມາດ ເຂົ້າອ່ານວາລະສານໄດ້ທີ່ເວັບໄຊທ໌ www.champaholiday.com ຫລື ອີກຮູບແບບນຶ່ງຈາກເວັບໄຊທ໌ www.tropicaldesignfz.net/essay ຄໍາຄິດເຫັນທີ່ໄດ້ສະແດງໃນບົດຄວາມນີ້ເປັນຄວາມຮັບຜິດຊອບຂອງ ນັກຂຽນ ແລະ ບໍ່ຈໍາເປັນວ່າ ສິ່ງເຫລົ່ານັ້ນ ຈະສະທ້ອນເຖິງທັດສະນະ ຂອງຜູ້ທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງໃນການຈັດພິມວາລະສານສະບັບນີ້. ສະຫງວນລິຂະສິດໂດຍຜູ້ຂຽນ

Life’s Life’s best best winning winning moments moments should should be be celebrated celebrated with with Tiger Tiger Beer. Beer. After After all, all, we’ve we’ve won won over over 40 40 international international gold gold medals medals for for taste taste and and quality. quality. Not Not to to mention mention the the recent recent ‘Gold’ ‘Gold’ in in the the World World Beer Beer Cup 2010. 2010. So So whatever whatever you’re you’re celebrating celebrating in in life, life, go go with with the the beer beer that’s that’s winning winning the the world world over. over. Cup

ໄທເກີເບຍເສິກຄົນພັນຣ໋ອກ

ໃນທີ່ສຸດປີ 2011 ຄົນລາວພັນ ຣ໋ອກ ທົ່ວປະເທດກໍ່ມີໂອກາດໄດ້ສະແດງຄວາມເປັນ ຣ໋ອກ ຂອງພວກເຂົາກັບໂຄງການ The Battle rock of the Bands ເລີ່ມຕັ້ງແຕ່ເດືອນມີຖຸນາເປັນຕົ້ນມາ ໂດຍບໍລິສັດໃຫ່ຍໃຈດີ ”ລາວ-ເອເຊຍ ປາຊີຟີກ ບີເວີຣີ ຈຳກັດ” (ໄທເກີເບຍ) ເລີ່ມຕັ້ງ ແຕ່ເດືອນມີຖຸນາເປັນຕົ້ນມາ.ຈາກທົ່ວປະເທດໄດ້ 4 ແຂວງ: ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ, ຫລວງພະບາງ, ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ ແລະ ຈຳປາສັກ. ຈາກ 4 ແຂວງຫາ 100 ກວ່າວົງ ຣ໋ອກ ໄດ້ເຂົ້າປະຊັນສີມືແບບ ຣ໋ອກ ຢ່າງດຸໆເດືອດໆ. ຈາກ 100 ກວ່າວົງມີພຽງ 10 ວົງເທົ່ານັ້ນທີ່ໄດ້ຜ່ານເຂົ້າຮອບສຸດທ້າຍ. ໃນ 10 ວົງ ນັ້ນມີພຽງ 6 ວົງ ໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນຕໍ່ໄປນີ້:

Deep Heart

ແບ້ງ ຈອມມະນີ ສີດາວັນ ລີຊ້າ ເປ່ເລ້ ໂອລິສາ ວັນໄຊ ໂດ່ນ້າ ສົມກຽດ ໄຊປະເສີດ ນ່ານ ບີ່ ທະນົງໄຊ ໄຊປະເສີດ ອາລັນຍາ ບຸດຊາດ ພູວະນາດ ວົງພັກດີ

ເຈັກແດງ ເພັດຊົມພູ ຫານວິຈິດ ກຸ້ງ ສັນຕິໄຊ ປີຍະວົງ

ຈິນ ຈິນດາລາ

ນິ່ງນ່ອງ ວັນວິສາ ສູນດາລາ

Baby Rock ວົງທີ່ຊະນະເລີດ ປະເພດ ມືສະໝັກຫລີ້ນ ວົງ Baby Rock ໄດ້ເງິນລາງວັນມູນຄ່າ 50,000,000 ກີບ

ວົງທີ່ຊະນະເລີດ ປະເພດ ມືອາຊີບ ວົງ Deep Heart ໄດ້ເງິນລາງວັນມູນຄ່າ 100,000,000 ກີບ

- ສຳລັບລາງວັນຊົມເຊີຍວົງມືສະໝັກຫລີ້ນ ມີວົງ: A Little bit ແລະ ວົງ Coffin Black ໄດ້ເງິນລາງວັນມູນຄ່າ 15.000.000k - ສຳລັບລາງວັນຊົມເຊີຍວົງມືອາຊີບ ວົງ Clasher ແລະ ວົງ Domonoes ໄດ້ເງິນລາງວັນມູນຄ່າ 15.000.000k ແຕ່ວ່າ 10 ວົງ ທີ່ໄດ້ເຂົ້າຮອບສຸດທ້າຍຈະຍັງໄດ້ເຊັນສັນຍາກັບບໍລິສັດ ລາວ-ເອເຊຍປາຊີຟິກ ບີເຣີຈຳກັດ (Tiger Beer) ແລະ ຄ້າຍເພງ Modern Music ຮອດປີ 2013 ເພື່ອອອກອະລະບ້ຳຂອງໂຕເອງອີກດ້ວຍ.

ທຳມະດາແລ້ວໄທເຮົາເຈົ້າຂ້ອຍຈະເຄີຍໄດ້ຍິນຄວາມໝາຍປຽບທຽບຄຳວ່າ 1 ໃນ 100 ທີ່ໝາຍຄວມວ່າຍາກຢູ່ແລ້ວ ເທື່ອນີ້ເຮົາລອງມາ ເບິ່ງຄວາມຍາກຂອງ 1 ໃນ 100 ກວ່າວົງເບິ່ງດຸວ່າເປັນແນວໃດ ຈາກຜົນສຳເລັດຂອງ Deep heart ແລະ Baby Rock

ເຈັກແດງ ເພັດຊົມພູ ຫານວິຈິດ

ຈິນ ຈິນດາລາ ສໍພາບມີໄຊ ແບ້ງ ຈອມມະນີ ສີດາວັນ

ກຸ້ງ ສັນຕິໄຊ ປີຍະວົງ

ພວກເຂົາແມ່ນໃຜ?

ນິ່ງນ່ອງ ວັນວິສາ ສູນດາລາ

ວົງ Deep Heart ໄດ້ຮບ ັ ລາງວັນຊະນະເລີດ ປະເພດ ວົງມືອາຊີບ, ວົງນີ້ມສ ີ ະ ມາຊິກເຂົ້າແຂ່ງຂັນຢູ່ 5 ຄົນ: ເຈັກແດງ (ມືກຕ ິ າ້ ), ແບ້ງ (ມືເບດ), ກຸງ້ (ມືກອ ່ ງ), ນິ່ງນ່ອງ ແລະ ຈິນ (ນັກຮ້ອງນຳ). ທຸກຄົນແມ່ນມີຄວາມມັກ, ຮັກ ໃນງານດົນຕີຫຼາຍ (ຊື່ງຄຳນີ້ອາດບໍ່ພຽງ ພໍທຈ ີ່ ະບັນຍາຍ) ແຕ່ການ ໄດ້ມແ ີ ຮງບັນດານໃຈຈາກສິ່ງທີ່ຢອ ູ່ ອ ້ ມ ຂ້າງນັ້ນກໍຄຈ ື າກຄອບຄົວ ແລະ ນັກດົນຕີທພ ີ່ ວກເຂົາມັກກໍ່ເປັນສິ່ງໜຶ່ງ ທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ເຂົາກ້າວມາ ຮອດຈຸດນີ້. ໃນປີ 2007 ນີ່ງນ່ອງ ແລະ ຈິນ ກໍ່ໄດ້ທົດລອງ ເຂົ້າປະກວດໃນງານ ດົນຕີວຽງຈັນເປັນການເສັງເພງ ຄັ້ງທຳອິດທີ່ ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ເຂົ້າປະກວດ ຊື່ງລົງປະກວດໃນນາມ ວົງ ຊິກເຊັ້ນ ແລະ ກໍ່ໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນອັນດັບ 2 ສິ່ງນັ້ນກໍ່ເປັນຈຸດເລີ່ມຕົ້ນ ທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ພວກເຂົາມີກຳລັງໃຈຢາກສຶບຕໍ່ການຮ້ອງເພັງ, ສ່ວນເຈັກ ແດງກໍເປັນສະມາຊິກເກົ່າຂອງວົງຢູນິຄອນມາກ່ອນ, ກຸ້ງ ແລະ ແບ້ງ ກໍສຳເລັດໂຮງຮຽນດົນຕີ. ກ່ອນການປະກວດພວກເຂົາກໍ່ເປັນນັກ ຮ້ອງທຳມະດາ ທີ່ເລີ່ມຈາກຮ້ອງເພັງທີ່ພັບວິນເວັດສ໌ເພື່ອໃຫ້ຕົວ ເອງມີການຝຶກຊ້ອມ ແລະ ຢາກພັດທະນາຝີມື.ຈົນມາຮອດມີການ ປະກວດໄທເກີເບຍເສິກຄົນພັນຣ໋ອກພວກເຂົາກໍ່ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມສະໝັກ ໃນການແຂ່ງຂັນ ໃນລະຫວ່າງການແຂ່ງຂັນກໍ່ມີຄວາມມັນດຸເດືອດ ຂອງການຄິດແກ້ໂຈດ ທີ່ກຳມະການມອບໃຫ້ໃນແຕ່ລະຮອບ ແຕ່ ພວກເຂົາກໍ່ພະຍາຍາມເຮັດໃຫ້ດີທີ່ສຸດ ແລະ ນັ້ນໄດ້ເຮັດໃຫ້ ພວກ ເຂົາ ໄດ້ສ້າ ງສັ ນງານດົ ນ ຕີ ແ ບບໃຫ່ ມ ໆຂຶ້ ນ ແຕ່ ລ ະວົ ງ ກໍໄ ດ້ ເ ອົ າ ບົ ດ ເພງທັງເກົ່າ ແລະ ໃຫ່ມ ນຳມາເຮັດຄືນ, ມິກຄືນ ແລະ ກໍ່ມີການ ແຕ່ງເພງເພື່ອເຂົ້າປະກວດ, ໃຜທີ່ໄດ້ຕິດຕາມກໍ່ຈະພໍ ຮູ້ວ່າການຄັດ ເລືອກແຕ່ລະຮອບແມ່ນມີຄວາມດຸເດືອດແທ້ໆ ແລະ ແລ້ວ ຄວາມ ພະຍາຍາມຂອງພວກເຂົາກໍ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ປະສົບຜົນລຳເລັດ ວົງ Deep Heart ກໍ່ໄດ້ຄວ້າລາງວັນທີ່ 1 ໃນສາຂາ ມືອາຊີບ ໄປ ຄອບຄອງ ຈົນທີ່ເປັນໜ້າພູມໃຈ. ໃນສຸດທ້າຍແຕ່ບໍແມ່ນທ້າຍສຸດ ວົງ Deep Heart ກໍ່ຂໍຝາກເຖິງທຸກ ຄົນທີ່ກຳລັງມີຝັນ ແຕ່ຍັງບໍ່ທັນເປັນຈິງ ວ່າ “ຖາມຕົວເຮົາ ເອງວ່າ ເຮົາເຮັດດີແລ້ວບໍ? ໄດ້ຊ້ອມແລ້ວໜັກແລ້ວບໍ? ການຝຶກ ຊ້ອມຈະ ຊ່ວຍໃຫ້ຝັນນັ້ນກາຍເປັນຈິງໄດ້ດັ່ງເຊັ່ນພວກເຮົາJ” ແລະ ກໍ່ຂໍ ຝາກຜົນງານພວກເຂົານຳ. ທຸກຄົນສາມາດຮັບຟັງພວກເຂົາຫຼີ້ນດົນຕີ ສົດໆໆ ໄດ້ເປັນປະຈຳທີ່: ຮ້ານWinWest ເວລາ: 9PM-10.30PM ແລະ ຮ້ານອາຫານຂອບໃຈເດີ 10.30PM-12AM

ອາຍຸເປັນພຽງຕົວເລກ

ແມ່ນແລ້ວ ຄຳເວົ້ານີ້ບໍ່ສາມາດໃຊ້ໄດ້ກັບວົງນີ້.. Baby Rock ໄດ້ ລາງວັນຊະນະເລີດ ປະເພດ ມືສະໝັກຫລິ້ນ ວົງ Baby Rock ແມ່ນມີສະມາຊິກທັງຫມົດ 5 ຄົນ: ລີຊ້າ(ມືກີ່ຕ້າ), ບີ່ (ມືເບດ), ເປເລ້ (ມືກີ່ຕ້າ), ໂດນ້າ (ມືກ່ອງ) ແລະ ນ່ານ (ນັກຮ້ອງນຳ). ດ້ວຍຫນ້າຕາແລ້ວ ວົງນີ້ສົມຊື່ທີ່ສຸດ ພວກເຂົາແຕ່ລະຄົນມີອາ ຍຸນ້ອຍຕາມຊື່ວົງ, ນານ ແລະ ລີຊ້າ ໄວພຽງ 18 ປີ, ບີ່ 19 ປີ, ເປເລ້16ປີ ແລະ ໂດນ້າ ພຽງ 13 ປີ :-O. ດ້ວຍ ເປເລ້ ແລະ ໂດນ້າ ເປັນອ້າຍນ້ອງຄີງ ແລະ ພີ່ນ້ອງກັບລີຊ້າ, ພວກເຂົາທັງສາມ ໄດ້ໄປຝືກຊ້ອມການຫຼີ້ນດົນຕີ ທີ່ຫ້ອງຊ້ອມ ອາຈານແສງທອງ ແລະ ຈຶ່ງໄດ້ພົບກັບ ນ່ານ ແລະ ບີ່ ຢູ່ທີ່ນັ້ນ (ຊຶ່ງນ່ານແມ່ນລູກສາວຄິງໆຂອງ ອາຈານແສງທອງນັ້ນເອງ). ໃນໄວທີ່ກຳລັງຮຽນນີ້ພວກເຂົາສາມາດ ແບ່ງປັນເວລາພາກັນມາຊ້ອມດົນຕີດ້ວຍໃຈທີ່ມັກແຕ່ຍັງນ້ອຍ ແລະ ຫຼົງໄຫຼໃນສຽງດົນຕີ. ພວກເຂົາບາງຄົນຮຽນ ຫຼາຍກວ່າໜຶ່ງບ່ອນ.. ໂອ! ນັ້ນບໍ່ແມ່ນຂອງງ່າຍເລີຍ ເຊັ່ນ: ບີ່ ຕອນນີ້ກຳລັງສຶກສາທີ່ ໂຮງຮຽນລາວອາເມລິກາ ປີ3 ແລະ ດົງໂດກ (ຄະນະເຈັນເນຕິກ) ປີ3 ແລະ ລີ່ຊ້າ ຫົວຫນ້າວົງ ກຳລັງສຶກສາທີ່ ໂຮງຮຽນລາວອາເມລິກາ ປີ4 ແລະ ຄວສ (ຄະນະວິສະມາກຳສາດ) ປີ2… ນີ້ບໍແມ່ນ ເລື່ອງງ່າຍເລີຍເນາະ… ພວກເຮົາຄວນເອົາເປັນແບບຢ່າງJ. ກ່ ອ ນການມາປະກວດຄັ້ ງ ນີ້ ຜ່ າ ນມາພວກເຂົ າ ກໍ່ ໄ ດ້ ເ ຄີ ຍ ເຂົ້ າ ປະກວດ ໃນງານ V-Town ຊຶ່ງໄດ້ຈັດຂຶ້ນທີ່ມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລ ດົງໂດກ ໃນທ້າຍປີ 2010 ເປັນການປະກວດກຸ່ມວົງດົນຕີ ແລະ ພວກເຂົາກໍ່ເອົາຊະນະໃຈກຳມະການ ໄດ້ຄວ້າລາງວັນທີ່ 1 ມາ ໄດ້ ແລະ ໃນຕົ້ນປີ 2011 ກໍໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນທີ່ຊະນະເລີດອີກ ລາງວັນໜຶ່ງ ໃນການເຂົ້າປະກວດການແຂ່ງຂັນທີ່ ຮ້ານອາຫານ Water Side (ນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ). ເມື່ອມີການປະກວດ ໄທເກີ ເບຍເສິກຄົນພັນຣ໋ອກ ພວກເຂົາກໍ່ຢາກທົດສອບຄວາມສາມາດ ຕົນເອງອີກຄັ້ງໜຶ່ງເລີຍເຂົ້າຮ່ວມການແຂ່ງຂັນເຖິງຈະ ເປັນວົງອາຍຸ ທີ່ນ້ອຍ ແຕ່ກໍ່ມີຄວາມສາມາດທີ່ບໍ່ນ້ອຍຫນ້າ ພວກເຂົາຕ້ອງສຸ່ມ ແນວຄິດ ປືກສາຫາລື ເພື່ອສ້າງສັນດົນຕີແບບໃຫ່ມໆ, ການປະ ກວດຄັ້ງນີ້ພວກເຂົາຮູ້ດີວ່າຕ້ອງມີແຕ່ວົງເກັ່ງໆ ແລະ ມີປະສົບການ ຫລິ້ນດົນ ຕີມາຫລາຍຄືກັນແຕ່ສິ່ງທີ່ທ້າທາຍ ແລະ ລະທຶກໃຈທີ່ສຸດ ກໍ່ແມ່ນການທີ່ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ເຂົ້າຊິງເຖິງຮອບສຸດທ້າຍປະຊາຊົນຜູ້ທີ່ ຕິດຕາມຊ່ວຍໂຫວດຈາກທົ່ວປະເທດ, ຈົນໄດ້ເຮັດໃຫ້ຊະນະໃຈກຳ ມະການໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນຊະນະເລີດສຳລັບມືສະໝັກຫລິ້ນໄປຄອງ ກວ່າຈະໄດ້ລາງວັນນີ້ມາ ພວກເຂົາໃຊ້ເວລາຊ້ອມ ມື້ໜຶ່ງເກືອບ 4 ຊົວໂມງ ບາງມື້ເຮັດໃຫ້ພວກເຂົາທັງເມື້ອຍ ແລະ ຫມົດແຮງ ສຽງແຫບ ແຕ່ເພື່ອແລກກັບ ລາງວັນນີ້ ແລະ ປະສົບການທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບ ຄວາມຮູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບມາ ມັນກໍ່ຄຸ້ມທີ່ສຸດແລ້ວໃນຄວາມພະຍາຍາມລົງ ໄປ. :-)

ນອກຈາກລາງວັນຕ່າງໆທີ່ກາ່ ວມາຂ້າງເທິງນັ້ນທັງສອງວົງຍັງຈະໄດ້ເປັນທູດສຳພັນທະໄມຕີທາງດົນຕີແລກປ່ຽນກັບຕ່າງປະເທດ. ນີ້ເປັນພຽງ ໜຶ່ງເລື່ອງຂອງໄວໜຸ່ມລາວປະຈຸບັນເທົ່ານັ້ນ ຕິດຕາມຊົມກັນຕໍ່ສະບັບໜ້າພວກເຮົາຍັງມີອີກຫລາຍເລື່ອງປະຈຸບັນຂອງຄົນລາວຍຸກໃໝ່. 43

Nalina Model Boutique Shop

alina Model is a small boutique shop specializing in tailored fashion made of silk, mostly for women’s wear. The shop owner is Nalina. Nalina’s designs were featured in the 2011 calendars of the two biggest telecommunications companies in Laos, ETL and LTC. The calendar prodoucers wanted to showcase something traditional, but hip, with a modern look and youthfulness. Nalina’s other fashion portfolio includes Revlon, dressing the famous Lao singer Aluna, and expatriates working and living in Vientiane. She also supplies clothes for her sister’s photo shop – The Love Studio. Nalina employs 14 people, to cut, sew, and trim her clothes but she is the sole designer. She has had natural artistic talents from a young age. Her business sense grew out of her family’s entrepreneurship, first in a petroleum station then cooking gas, where she served as the driver of a six wheel delivery truck that carried up to 120 tanks of propane gas. By her late twenties, she knew she wanted to become a fashion designer focusing on modern Lao designs while keeping with traditions. After graduating from Thailand in fashion design she did not have a lot of capital to invest in her own business but she was full of ideas, creativity and used these ideas as a down payment which was enough. Since Nalina opened her shop ten years ago, many silk shops have opened, which means people are wearing tailored made clothing and its popularity has increased. She says “I enjoy the ekalat or freedom of having my own shop. My tools are simple: paper, pen, and pencil plus idea. I browse the fashion magazines; when ideas come up, I sketch them right away.”

ນ

າລີນາເປັນຮ້ານເສື້ອຜ້າບູຕິກຂະໜາດນ້ອຍຊ່ຽວຊານໃນ ການຕັດຍິບເສື້ອຜ້າແຟຊັນທີ່ທັນສະໄໝ ສ່ວນໃຫຍ່ແມ່ນ ເສື້ອຜ້າສໍາລັບແມ່ຍິງ. ນາລີນາຊື່ເຈົ້າຂອງຮ້ານໝາຍເຖິງ ດອກບົວ ແລະ ນາລີ ໃນພາສາບາລີກໍ່ໝາຍເຖິງດອກບົວໃນພາສາ ລາວ. ຜົນງານການອອກແບບຂອງນາລີນາ ໄດ້ຖືກສະແດງໃນປະ ຕິທີນປະຈໍາປີ 2011 ຂອງສອງບໍລິສັດຍັກໃຫຍ່ລາວໂທລະຄົມ ແລະ ອີທີແອວ. ແນວຄວາມຄິດຂອງປະຕິທີນຕ້ອງການນໍາສະເໜີ ບາງຢ່າງທີ່ມີລັກສະນະແບບຮີດຄອງປະເພນີ, ແຕ່ມີຄວາມທັນສະ ໄໝ ແລະເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍຄວາມສົດໃສຂອງຄົນໄວໜຸ່ມ. ຜົນງານການ ອອກແບບເສື້ອຜ້າແຟຊັນອື່ນໆຂອງນາລີນາ ລວມມີ ເຣບລອນ (Revlon), ທີ່ໃສ່ໂດຍນັກຮ້ອງລາວທີ່ມີຊື່ສຽງ ອາລຸນນາ ແລະ ຊາວ ຕ່າງປະເທດທີ່ກໍາລັງເຮັດວຽກ ແລະ ອາໃສຢູ່ວຽງຈັນ. ລາວຍັງສົ່ງ ເສື້ອຜ້າໃຫ້ຮ້ານຖ່າຍຮູບຂອງນ້ອງສາວຂອງລາວ-ເລີບສະຕູດິໂອ. ນາລີນາ ຈ້າງພະນັກງານ 14 ຄົນ ເພື່ອຕັດ, ຍິບ ແລະ ຕົກແຕ່ງເສືອຜ້າທີ່ລາວອອກແບບ ແຕ່ກໍ່ມີແຕ່ລາວຄົນດຽວເທົ່າ ນັ້ນທີ່ເປັນຜູ້ອອກແບບ. ລາວໄດ້ບອກທີມງານຂອງພວກເຮົາວ່າ ຕອນຍັງນ້ອຍລາວມີລາຍມີທີ່ງົດງາມ ດ້ວຍເຫດນີ້ລາວຈຶ່ງໄດ້ຖືກ ມອບໝາຍໃຫ້ ເ ປັ ນ ຜູ້ ຂ ຽນຂໍ້ ມູ ນ ຂ່ າ ວສານໃສ່ ກ ະດານໂຮງຮຽນ. ນອກຈາກນີ້ລາວຍັງມັກໃນການແຕ້ມຮູບ ແລະ ຂີດຂຽນ. ຄວາມຮູ້ ທາງດ້ານການເຮັດທຸລະກິດຂອງລາວເຕີບໃຫຍ່ຂະຫຍາຍຕົວອອກ ມາຈາກຄວາມເປັ ນ ຜູ້ ປ ະກອບການທຸ ລ ະກິ ດ ຂອງຄອບຄົ ວ ລາວ, ເຊິ່ງທໍາອິດເລີ່ມຈາກປໍ້ານໍ້າມັນ ແລ້ວມາເປັນນໍ້າມັນພືດປຸງແຕ່ງອາ ຫານ ເຊິ່ງລາວເຮັດໜ້າທີ່ເປັນຄົນຂັບລົດສິບລໍ້ສົ່ງສິນຄ້າທີ່ບັນທຸກ ອາຍແກສໂປຣເປນ (progane gas) ເຖິງ 120 ຖັງ. ເມື່ອລາວ ມີອາຍຸຮອດຊາວປີ ລາວກໍ່ຮູ້ຕົວເອງແລ້ວວ່າຢາກເປັນນັກອອກ ແບບເສື້ອຜາແຟຊັນທີ່ເນັ້ນໜັກການອອກແບບເສື້ອຜ້າລາວທີ່ທັນ ສະໄໝໃນຂະນະທີ່ຍັງຮັກສາຄວາມປະເພນີຂອງລາວໄວ້. ຫລັງ ຈາກຈົບການສຶກສາຈາກປະເທດໄທ ສາຂາການອອກແບບເສື້ອຜ້າ 45

When asked how Nalina would describe her sense of style, she said “I prefer the classic, simple and neat (lieap) look that is fitted and feel good on your body as opposed to a loose fit. I often advise my clients to buy clothes that make them comfortable and still accentuate their body. Most of my clients ultimately go with my suggestions. Making people look good by helping them choose the right color and fit is important.” She also added that she prefers to use Lao fabric from Phone Houng District (about 60 km north of Vientiane) because it is handmade, easy to manage and take care of. She explains that there are three grades of Lao silk: chemical treated, natural dyes, and chemical treated with key stripes (lye gachay). Lao fabrics are handmade, using a lot of details during the weaving stage. To maintain its color and shape, one should use gentle soaps or shampoo to wash. China has different grades of fabrics but it is usually thick, hot, and machine made. Vietnam’s fabric is cheaper but thin. Using detergent makes the fabric hard and tends to lose its color. Also, machine made fabrics from China are not breathable so it is hot when worn. Nalina’s local clientele prefer sin (silk sarong) rather than skirt because it can be worn to all occasions and is the national dress for both professional and traditional settings. She says, the concept is to make it wearable in a work environment and also matches their personality. Her clients tend to be at the higher end market, willing to pay 100,000 baht for a wedding sin. Nalina also has a large Japanese clientele who love to wear sin and they like to refer people to her. Her regular clients are mostly expatriates. She also has an increasing number of male clientele as well. To help the men look contemporary and youthful, she uses thinner fabrics for silk shirts that can be worn to work and to social events. Today, Nalina says her challenge is that sometimes she is so swamped with orders, preventing her from meeting deadlines. She has only eight seamstresses and she takes all orders, not just from regular customers, some have been with her for 10 years! About intellectual property rights issues, she says “I don’t have a problem with people copying my designs. I know some shops copy 100% from me. Infringement of trademark and copyright are minor concerns because it is hard to enforce. A few of my designs have been copied especially at the Chinese markets. I know that this is my product and more importantly the clients knows the difference when they put on my clothes.” 46

ແຟຊັນ ລາວບໍ່ມີເງິນທຶນຫລາຍເພື່ອລົງທຶນໃສ່ກິດຈະການຂອງ ຕົນເອງ ແຕ່ສິ່ງທີ່ລາວມີຢ່າງລົ້ນເຫລືອແມ່ນຄວາມຄິດສ້າງສັນ ແລະ ລາວໄດ້ໃຊ້ຄວາມຄິດເລົ່ານີ້ເປັນເງິນມັດຈໍາເຊິ່ງກໍ່ພຽງພໍ ແລ້ວ. ຕັ້ງແຕ່ນາລີນາໄດ້ເປີດຮ້ານຂອງລາວ ເມື່ອສິບປີກ່ອນ, ຮ້ານຜ້າໄໝຫລາຍແຫ່ງກໍ່ໄດ້ເປີດຂຶ້ນມາ, ເຊິ່ງໝາຍຄວາມວ່າ ຜູ້ຄົນກໍາລັງນຸງເສື້ອຜ້າທີ່ຕັດຈາກຮ້ານ ແລະ ຄວາມນິຍົມຂອງ ມັນໄດ້ເພີ່ມສູງຂຶ້ນ. ລາວໄດ້ກ່າວວ່າ “ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມ່ວນຊື່ນກັບ ຄວາມເປັນອິດສະລະ ຂອງການມີຮ້ານເປັນຂອງຕົວເອງ. ເຄື່ອງ ມືຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າແມ່ນງ່າຍດາຍ: ເຈັ້ຍ, ບິກ, ແລະ ສໍບວກ ກັບຄວາມຄິດ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເບິ່ງໜັງສືແຟຊັນຫລາຍເຫລັ້ມ, ເມື່ອຄິດອອກ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກໍ່ຂ້ຽວແຕ້ມມັນເລີຍ.” ເມື່ ອ ຖາມວ່ າ ນາລີ ນ າຈະອະທິ ບ າຍເຖິ ງ ຄວາມຮູ້ ສຶ ກ ຂອງລາວ ກ່ຽວກັບເອກະລັກສະເພາະຕົວແນວໃດ, ລາວຕອບວ່າ “ຂ້າ ພະເຈົ້າມັກຮູບແບບຄລາສສິກ, ງ່າຍດາຍ ແລະ ຮຽບຮ້ອຍທີ່ມີ ລັກສະນະເໝາະສົມ ແລະ ໃສ່ສະບາຍຖ້າທຽບກັບການນຸ່ງ ແບບຫລົມໆ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າແນະນໍາໃຫ້ລູກຄ້າຕະຫລອດ ໃຫ້ຊື້ເສື້ອ ຜ້າທີ່ນຸ່ງແລ້ວເຮັດໃຫ້ຮູ້ສຶກສະບາຍ ແລະ ຍັງເຮັດໃຫ້ເຮືອນຮ່າງ ມີຄວາມໂດດເດັ່ນ. ລູກຄ້າສ່ວນຫລາຍເຮັດຕາມຄໍາ ແນະນໍາຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ. ເຮັດໃຫ້ຄົນເບິ່ງແລ້ວງາມ ໂ ດ ຍ ກ າ ນ ຊ່ ວ ຍ ໃ ຫ້ ເ ຂົ າ ເ ຈົ້ າ ເ ລື ອ ກ ສີ ທີ່ ຖື ກ ຕ້ອງ ແລະ ເໝາະສົມເປັນສິ່ງສໍາຄັນ.” ລາວຍັງ ໄດ້ກ່າວຕື່ມອີກວ່າ ລາວມັກຜ້າແພລາວ ມາຈາກເມືອງໂພນໂຮງ (ປະມານ60ຫຼັກ ໄປທາງເໜືອວຽງຈັນ) ເພາະວ່າຜະລິດດ້ວຍ ມື, ງ່າຍດາຍໃນການຈັດເກັບ ແລະ ເບິ່ງແຍງ ຮັກສາ. ລາວອະທິບາຍວ່າ ຜ້າໄໝລາວແບ່ງອອກ ເປັນ 3 ປະເພດ: ຍ້ອມສີເຄມີ,ຍ້ອມສີທໍາມະຊາດ, ແລະ ຍ້ອມສີເຄມີເຮັດເປັນລາຍ. ຜ້າລາວເຮັດ ດ້ວຍມື, ໃຊ້ລາຍລະອຽດຫລາຍຢ່າງໃນຂັ້ນ ຕອນການຕໍ່າ. ເພື່ອຮັກສາສີສັນ ແລະ ຮູບຊົງ ຄວນໃຊ້ສະບູ ຫລື ແຊມພູອ່ອນໆ ເພື່ອຊັກ. ປະເທດຈີ ນ ມີ ຜ້ າ ຫລາຍສະນິ ດ ທີ່ ແ ຕກຕ່ າ ງກັ ນ ແຕ່ໂດຍທົ່ວໄປມັກຈະໜາ, ຮ້ອນ ແລະ ຜະ ລິດດ້ວຍເຄື່ຶງຈັກ. ຜ້າຈາກປະເທດຫວຽດ ນາມແມ່ນຖືກກວ່າ ແຕ່ບາງ.ການໃຊ້ແຟັບເຮັດ ໃຫ້ຜ້າແຂງ ແລະ ເຮັດໃຫ້ສີຈືດ. ນອກຈາກ ນີ້, ຜ້າທີ່ຜະລິດດ້ວຍເຄື່ອງຈັກຈາກປະເທດ ຈີນ ບໍ່ລະບາຍອາກາດດັ່ງນັ້ນຈຶ່ງເຮັດໃຫ້ຮູ້ ສຶກຮ້ອນເມື່ອນຸ່ງ. ລູກຄ້າທ້ອງຖີ່ນຂອງນາລີນາມັກສິ້ນຫລາຍກວ່າ ກະໂປ່ງ ເພາະສາມາດໃສ່ໄດ້ທຸກໂອກາດ ແລະ ກໍ່ ເປັນເຄື່ອງນຸ່ງປະຈໍາຊາດທັງສໍາລັບເຮັດວຽກ ແລະ ງານປະເພນີຕ່າງໆ. ລາວກ່າວວ່າ, ແນວຄວາມຄິດກໍ່ຄືເຮັດໃຫ້ ເສື້ອຜ້າ ເໝາະສົມກັບສະພາບແວດລ້ອມ ແລະ ເຂົ້າກັບບຸກຄະ ລິກທ່າທາງຂອງຜູ້ນຸ່ງຖື. ລູກຄ້າຂອງລາວສ່ວນຫລາຍແມ່ນລູກຄ້າ ຊັ້ນສູງ ທີ່ຍິນດີຈະຈ່າຍເງິນຈໍານວນ 100,000 ບາດ ເພື່ອໃສ່ສໍາ ລັບງານແຕ່ງງານ. ນາລີນາຍັງມີກຸ່ມລູກຄ້າຊາວຍິປຸ່ນທີ່ມັກໃສ່ສີ້ ນ ແລະ ກໍ່ມັກແນະນໍາລູກຄ້າໃຫ້ລາວ. ລູກຄ້າປະຈໍາຂອງລາວ ສ່ວນຫຼາຍແມ່ນຄົນຕ່າງປະເທດ. ລາວຍັງມີຈໍານວນເພີ່ມຫລາຍ ຂຶ້ນຂອງກຸ່ມລູກຄ້າຜູ້ຊາຍ. ເພື່ອເຮັດໃຫ້ຜູ້ຊາຍເບິ່ງທັນສະໄໝ ແລະ ໜຸ່ມ ລາວໃຊ້ຜ້າບາງສໍາລັບເສື້ອໄໝທີ່ສາມາດໃສ່ເຮັດວຽກ ແລະ ອອກງານສັງຄົມຕ່າງໆ.

What’s in the future for Nalina?

Nalina says, “I want to use regular fabrics that people use for daily wear. However, I would like to keep this culture of wearing sin. I find it very appealing and the guys find it sexy, too. I am happy and able to work further on when my clients are happy and feel confident when they put on my final product. The idea of “Kin Dee, Nong Ngam” or “Eat Well, Dress Beautifully” has become the motto for our progressive Lao culture today. I work hard to contribute to this expectation from my clientele thru my designs. I love this profession.”

ປະຈຸບັນ ນາລີນາບອກວ່າສິ່ງທ້າທາຍຂອງລາວກໍ່ຄື ບາງຄັ້ງມີວຽກ ລົ້ນມືເຮັດໃຫ້ລາວບໍ່ສາມາດສົ່ງເຄື່ອງໄດ້ຕາມກໍານົດເວລາ. ລາວ ມີຊ່າງຍິບເຄື່ອງພຽງແຕ່ 8 ຄົນເທົ່ານັ້ນ ແລະ ລາວຮັບທຸກລາຍ ການສັ່ງຕັດ ນອກຈາກລູກຄ້າປະຈໍາ, ລູກຄ້າບາງຄົນຢູ່ກັບລາວ ເປັນເວລາ 10 ປີແລ້ວ! ກ່ຽວກັບບັນຫາສິດທິຊັບສິນທາງປັນຍາ, ລາວໄດ້ກ່າວວ່າ “ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ມີບັນຫາທີ່ຄົນອື່ນຮຽນແບບເສື້ອ ຜ້າທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າອອກແບບ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຮູ້ວ່າມີບາງຮ້ານຮຽນແບບ ຈາກຂະພະເຈົ້າ 100%. ລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ກັງວົນຫຍັງຫລາຍຕໍ່ກັບການ ລະເມີດສິດທິໃນເຄື່ອງໝາຍການຄ້າ ແລະ ລິຂິສິດ ເພາະວ່າມັນ ເປັນເລື່ອງຍາກທີ່ຈະບັງຄັບໃຊ້. ເສື້ອຜ້າທີ່ຂ້າ ພະເຈົ້ າ ອອກແບບບາງຢ່ າ ງຖື ກ ຮຽນແບບ ໂດຍສະເພາະຢູ່ຕະຫລາດຈີນ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ຮູ້ວ່າມັນແມ່ນສິນຄ້າຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ແລະ ສໍາຄັນໄປກວ່ານັ້ນກໍ່ຄື ລູກຄ້າຮູ້ເຖິງຄວາມ ແຕກຕ່າງເມື່ອໃສ່ເສື້ອຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ.”

ອະນາຄົດສໍາລັບນາລີນາຈະເປັນແນວໃດ?

Visit Nalina’s Model

Near True Coffee behind the Cultural Hall (85621) - 265 337 (85620) - 56 888 100

ນາລີນາຕອບວ່າ, “ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຕ້ອງການຜ້າ ແພທໍ າ ມະດາທີ່ ຜູ້ ຄົ ນ ໃຊ້ ສໍ າ ລັ ບ ນຸ່ ງ ຖື ໃ ນຊີ ວິ ດ ປະຈໍາວັນ. ເຖິງຢ່າງໃດກໍ່ຕາມ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ຕ້ ອ ງການຮັ ກ ສາວັ ດ ທະນະທໍ າ ການນຸ່ ງ ສິ້ ນ ນີ້ ໄວ້. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເບິ່ງແລ້ວເຫັນວ່າການໃສ່ສິ້ນ ເປັນສິ່ງທີ່ໜ້າດຶງດູດຫລາຍ ແລະ ຜູ້ຊາຍກໍ່ ເຫັນວ່າເບິ່ງແລ້ວເຊັກຊີຄືກັນ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມີຄວາມສຸກ ແລະ ສາມາດເຮັດ ວຽກໄປຕໍ່ ໄ ດ້ ເ ມື່ ອ ລູ ກ ຄ້ າ ຂອງຂ້ າ ພະເຈົ້ າ ມີ ຄວາມສຸກ ແລະ ຮູ້ສຶກໝັ້ນໃຈເມື່ອໄດ້ໃສ່ຜະ ລິດຕະພັນສຸດທ້າຍຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ. ຄໍາເວົ້າທີ່ວ່າ “ກິນດີ, ນຸ່ງງາມ” ໄດ້ ກ າຍເປັ ນ ຄະຕິ ປ ະຈໍ າ ຕົ ວ ສໍ າ ລັ ບ ຂອງວັ ດ ທະນະທໍ າ ອັ ນ ກ້ າ ວ ໜ້າຂອງຄົນລາວໃນທຸກມື້ນີ້. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເຮັດວຽກໜັກເພື່ອປະກອບ ສ່ວນໃສ່ຄວາມຄາດຫວັງດັ່ງກ່າວຂອງລູກຄ້າຜ່ານການອອກແບບ ຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຮັກອາຊີບນີ້.”

ເປີດນຳໃຊ້ ບັດພາຍໃນໃຊ້ໄດ້ທວ ົ່ ໂລກ

ອີກໜຶ່ງຄວາມລໍ້າໜ້າທາງດ້ານການບໍລິການ ຂອງທະນາຄານການຄ້າຕ່າງ ປະເທດລາວມະຫາຊົນ (BCEL)ທີ່ໄດ້ມີການພັດທະນາຜະລິດບັດເອທີເອມ (ATM) ພາຍໃນ ໃຫ້ສາມາດໃຊ້ໄດ້ທົ່ວໂລກ ຫລາຍກວ່າ 145 ປະເທດ, ໃນລະບົບເຄື່ອຄ່າຍຂອງ UnionPay ທີ່ມີຄວາມປອດໄພ, ທັນສະໄໝ ແລະ ໄດ້ຮັບຄວາມນິຍົມຈາກຫລາຍລ້ານຄົນທົ່ວໂລກ. ບັດ BCEL-UnionPay ກັບ ສະໂລແກນທີວາ ່ “ບັດພາຍໃນໃຊ້ໄດ້ທວ ົ່ ໂລກ”, ເຊີ່ງໄດ້ເປິດຕົວຢ່າງເປັນ ທາງການໃນວັນທີ່ 25/05/2011 ແລະ ໄດ້ເປີດໃຫ້ບໍລິການແກ່ມວນຊົນທົ່ວ ໄປໃນວັນທີ່ 01/07/2011, ຊື່ງມອບສິດປະໂຫຍດຫຼາຍຢ່າງໃຫ້ ທ່ານ ເປັນຕົ້ນ ແມ່ນເພີ່ມພາບພົດຄວາມໜ້າເຊື່ອຖື, ວົງເງີນໃນການຖອນ ແລະ ໂອນ, ຄວາມສະດວກສະບາຍບໍ່ຕ້ອງພົກພາເງິນສົດໃນການເດີນທາງບໍ່ວ່າຈະຢູ່ ພາຍໃນຫຼືຕ່າງປະເທດ, ການຊື້ສິນຄ້າ, ຊຳລະຄ່າບໍລິການຕ່າງໆ. ພຽງບັດ ດຽວ ກັບ BCEL-UnionPay ທ່ານກໍໜັ້ນໃຈໄດ້ ເໝືອນກັບທະນາຄານເປັນ ເພື່ອນຮ່ວມທາງ. ໂດຍທຸກຄັ້ງໃນການນຳໃຊ້ບດ ັ ຕ້ອງສັງເກດເບີ່ງເຄື່ອງໝາຍ ຫຼື ໂລໂກ້ UnionPay ຈື່ງສາມາດທຳທຸລະກຳຂອງທ່ານ ຈາກສະຖານທີ່ບໍລິ ການຕ່າງໆດ້ວຍເຄື່ອງຮູດ EDC ແລະ ຕູ້ATM ທີ່ຮັບບັດສາກົນທົ່ວໂລກ.

ພິເສດ: ສຳລັບລູກຄ້າຜູ້ທີ່ມີບັດ ATM ທຄຕລ ລຸ້ນເກົ່າ ທ່ານສາມາດເຂົ້າມາ

ສະເໜີຂໍປຽ່ນ ເປັນບັດ BCEL-UnionPay ໄດ້ໂດຍບໍເສຍຄ່າບໍລິການ.

ຄຸນປະໂຫຍດ •

• •

BCEL-UnionPay ບັດພາຍໃນໃຊ້ໄດ້ທວ ົ່ ໂລກ

ບໍ່ມີກໍານົດເວລາໃນການຊົມໃຊ້, ຄຸນປະໂຫຍດແມ່ນບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ໃຊ້ ໄດ້ຢູ່ພາຍໃນປະເທດ ແຕ່ສາມາດໃຊ້ໄດ້ຢູ່ຕ່າງ ປະເທດທົ່ວໂລກ ໃນການຊໍາລະສິນຄ້າ ແລະ ການບໍລິການ ຕ່າງຯເຊັ່ນ: ໂຮງແຮມ, ຮ້ານອາຫານ, ຮ້ານບັນ ເທີງ, ຮ້ານຄ້າ, ການຊໍາລະຄ່າປີ້ຍົນ ແລະ ອື່ນຯ ທີ່ມີສັນຍາລັກ UnionPay. ສາມາດໃຊ້ໄດ້ຕະຫຼອດ 24 ຊົ່ວໂມງ ທຸກໆວັນ ສາມາດໃຊ້ບໍລິການຕ່າງໆໄດ້ຢູ່ຕູ້ ATM ຂອງ ທຄຕລ ທົ່ວປະເທດເພື່ອ: ຖອນເງິນສົດ. ໂອນເງິນລະຫວ່າງບັນຊີໃນເຄື່ອຄ່າຍຂອງ BCEL. ກວດເບິ່ງຂໍ້ມູນກ່ຽວກັບອັດຕາແລກປ່ຽນ. ອັດຕາດອກເບ້ຍ. ໃບແຈ້ງຍອດເງິນໃນບັນຊີ. ເບິ່ງການເຮັດທຸລະກຳຂອງທ່ານ ໃນ 5 ຄັ້ງຜ່ານມາ. ບໍລິການອື່ນຯ. ພິເສດ, ສະເພາະບັດລະດັບກາງ ແລະ ສູງ ວົງເງິນໃນ ການເບີກຖອນແມ່ນເພີ່ມຂື້ນ ເປັນ 10 ລ້ານ ແລະ 15 ລ້ານກີບ/ມື້.

ປະເພດ: ປະເພດຂອງບັດ BCEL-UnionPay ແມ່ນມີ 03 ປະເພດ ຫຼັກຄື: 1. ບັດທົ່ວໄປ 2. ບັດລະດັບກາງ 3. ບັດລະດັບສູງ

BCEL – UnionPay (Domestic ATM card

that can be used around the world)

One of the advanced services offered by Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao (BCEL) is a domestic ATM card that can be used in more than 145 countries around the world. This ATM card is developed under the secured and modern UnionPay network, winning the hearts of millions of users worldwide. BCEL – UnionPay’s slogan “domestic card that can be used around the world,” was officially launched on 25/05/2011 and has been providing services to the public since 01/07/2011. The card offers privileges to users such as increased credibility, amount of withdrawals and transfers, convenience without carrying a large amount of cash when travelling locally or internationally, shopping and service payments. Only BCEL – UnionPay can give you confidence as the bank accompanies you on your trips. Use your ATM card at any location where there is a UnionPay logo. Your payment is then processed at a service location through EDC and ATM machines that accepts international cards worldwide.

BCEL customers who currently hold BCEL ATM cards can come to replace the card with BCEL – UnionPay cards, free-of-charge.

Benefits:

• Unlimited time use, benefits includes purchases, made

domestically and internationally, of goods and services such as hotel accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, stores, airfares and others that have UnionPay logo. • Service is available 24 hours every a day. • BCEL ATM nationwide provide services for: Cash withdrawal Money transfer between BCEL accounts Exchange rates Interest rates Bank statement Mini Statement Other services Carbon and Gold cardholders have special privileges to withdraw more cash per day up to the maximum amount of 10 and 15 million kip per day.

Type of cards available: BCEL-UnionPay has three main types of cards: 1. Standard card 2. Carbon card 3. Gold card

Phon Keng

Wo rld Ba nk

Vientiane

Vietnam Phonxay

Tu m

Capital Of Lao PDR Patuxay

Hotel/Guesthouse

Aroon Residence

Chaleanxay

ICB ANZV

Haysok

Vientiane

a Setth

en Kitch

Tokyo

Ong Teu

P ng

ara Fujiw

In Peng

Taipan

ndom

Le Ve

Sithan Neua asak

p Pak

Pen

STB

Xiengngeun N

Bor

Nya

Vat Chan

ong

Mek

Sisaket

Kao Yod

Settha Thirat

Mahasot

Presidential Palace

Ho Prakeo

Chantasom

Phiavat

Fa Ngum

Anouvong Monument

Don Chan Palace

iver

Ngu

W 0

Xiang Vae

Int'l Clinic

Mekong

Hua Maung

Sisavangvong Monument

Si Maung France

BCEL

azim

Inter

BCEL

Lane Xang

use

rab

ADB

Phasouk

aideu

ch Khop

Mi Xay ntral Le Ce Douang LDB Deuane Mixay Music Ho

Thira

Déjà

am Pang Kh

Lao oun

h Pi K

L’Ope

Vaykorn

NOS ish Swed g Bakin

Asai Pavillion

Swensen

Thai

hao

ill

Krung Kua La o

Mahosot

Gr Xayoh

STB

Phetmanyxay

Lane Xang

Sam

Phonsavanh

Anou

Khou Vieng

mercial

ill

ane Khounm Chanta

Vanna Sinh

Siam Com

Sams

i sentha

u Vie

USA

Gr enthai

Lovang

Deagon

Kho

Khua Din Market

Ekalath Lao Plazza

Thawee Chinese

Nam n Soukvima

Dongpalan

100

Phay

Day Inn

u ulo

Shoping mor

Bangkok

That Dam

Bank

Bus Station

JDB

Restaurant

lan

Tha

Settha Palace

Tourist Office

Soradith

Dong Pa

Ayuthaya Sacom Public

Monument

Parkview

Sailo

Coca

Vientiane Plaza

Lao-Viet

Tourist info

Novotel

Ban Fai

BFL

Market

Fa Ngum Monument

Thepnimit

Temple/Chedi

Bo n

Lane Xang

Royal Dokmaidaeng

Hospital

Petrol Station

200

300

400

Restaurants, Accommodations Advisor Restaurants VIENTIANE Khop Chai Deu The place where the world meets.

54 Setthathirat Rd, Namphou Fountain, Tel/Fax: (856) 21-251564 khopchaideu.com

Nos sushi bar Sophisticated Fusion Sushi & Japanese food

Hang Boun, Ban Haisok Tel: 021 265 000

xayoh grill house Home of serious steaks.

Samsenthai Rd Tel/Fax: (856) 21-261 777 xayohgroup.com

Kongkhao Cuisines: Asian

Rue Phagna Sy Tel/Fax: (856) 21-261 777 kongkhao.blogspot.com

Phatoke Laoderm Lao folkdance and music entertainment served with Lao authentic food

Ban Haisok, Chao Anou street, Time: 7pm-9:30pm phatokelaoderm.com

Makphet Modern Lao food.

Behind Wat Ong Teu Open: Mon-Sat 11am-2pm | 6pm-9pm

LUANGP RABANG Tamarind Ban Wat Nong, Old Town Tel: (856) 20-7777 0484 tamarindlaos.com

Accommodations VIENTIANE

Luang Prabang

Nam Lik Eco Village Senxoum Tel: (856)-20-5550 87 19 malicafe@hotmail.com namlik.com

Nong Kiau River Side Resort & Restaurant Ban Sop Houn, Muang Ngoy Tel: (856) 71-810 004 nongkiau.com

Ban Pako On the Banks of Nam Ngum Reiver Side Tel: (856) 30 - 5525 79 37 banpako.com

Mahout lodge Elephant camp Ban Nonsavath (Phou Xuang Area) Tel: (856) 030 5140525 mahoutlodge.com

Parkview Executive Suites Souphanouvong Rd Tel: (856)-21-250 888 parkviewexecutive.com

AV Hotel Samsenthai Rd Tel: (856) 21-265 085-6 Fax: (856) 21-265 084 avhotel.info

Luang Say Residience Hotel and Restaurant 4-5 Ban Phonepheng Tel: (856) 71-260 891 luangsayresidence.com

Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel , Cafe, Spa Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Bakham Tel: (856) 71 -212264 ancientluangprabang.com

Xieng khouang Majestic View Ban Sithan Neua Tel: (856) 21-219 362 sengtawan.com

Green Park 248 Khouvieng Rd Tel: (856) 21-264 097 greeparkvientiane.com

Ansara Ban Vat Chan Tha Tel: (856)-21-213 514 ansarahotel.com

Oudomxay Blue Lagoon Ban Choumkong | beside the former Royal Palace Tel: (856)-71 25 36 98 blue-lagoon-restaurant.com

Accommodations

Charming Lao Hotel Vanghai Village, Xay District Tel: (856) 81-212 881

charminglaohotel.com

phouphadeng Ban Phonesavang, Muang Pek Tel/Fax: (856) 20-55999192 auberge_plainjars@yahoo.fr

Khammouane Inthira Hotel Hotel & Restaurant VangVieng | Thakhek | Champasak www.inthira.com

Champasak Kingfisher Ecolodge Ban Khiet Ngong (Phou Asa) Tel: (856) 20 -5726315 kingfisherecolodge.com

La Folie Lodge Pathoumphone Don Daeng Tel: (856) 30 -5347603 lafolie-laos.com

What’s New New International Route Lao Airlines has the pleasure of announcing to its customers that in the near future, Lao Airlines will expand its new direct international routes from Vientiane (VTE) to Singapore (SIN) and from Vientiane to Guangzhou (CAN) China. The new routes, especially the route between VTE and SIN will offer a new choice for passengers traveling from/to Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, Europe and America to connect their flight to or from Lao PDR. These new and convenient routes are made possible through Lao Airlines on its brand new Airbus A320 aircraft. The flights between Vientiane and Singapore will be available three times per week, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The Vientiane to Guangzhou route will also be operated three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

GUANGZHOU LA

VIENTIANE

SINGAPORE

For more information, please visit www.laoairlines.com.

ລັດວິສາກະກິດການບິນລາວ

ເປີດຝືກອົບຮົມ ພະນັກງານບັນຈຸຫ້ອງໂດຍສານ ລຸ້ນທີ 10

ວັນທີ 05 ກໍລະກົດ ເຖິງ 21 ກັນຍາ 2011

INTERNATIONAL ROUTE Valid from 27 MAR 2011 to 30 OCT 2011

FLT No

STP

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ບາງກອກ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV414 Daily VTE BKK QV415 Daily VTE BKK QV4571 Daily VTE BKK QV4575 Daily VTE BKK QV424 Daily BKK VTE QV425 Daily BKK VTE QV4570 Daily BKK VTE QV4574 Daily BKK VTE

Day

Routing

Dep

Vientiane - Bangkok - Vientiane 07:20 08:40 ` 16:30 17:50 13:50 14:55 21:45 22:50 09:40 11:00 18:50 20:10 11:45 12:55 19:50 21:00

Arr

AT7 AT7 737 737 AT7 AT7 737 737

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ຮາ່ ໂນຍ ້ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV312 Daily VTE HAN QV840 Daily VTE HAN QV322 Daily HAN VTE QV841 Daily HAN VTE

Vientiane - Hanoi - Vientiane 14:30 15:50 18:10 19:10 16:30 17:55 08:30 09:35

AT7 320 AT7 320

0 0 0 0

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ພະນ ົມເປັນ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV841 Daily VTE PNH QV840 Daily PNH VTE

Vientiane - Phnompenh - Vientiane 10:20 11:50 15:50 17:20

320 320

0 0

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ສຽມຣຽບ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV512 123.5.7 VTE REP QV522 123.5.7 REP VTE

Vientiane - Siemreap - Vientiane 06:30 09:25 10:05 13:00

AT7 AT7

PKZ PKZ

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ຄຸນມິງ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV817 Daily VTE KMG QV827 Daily KMG VTE

Vientiane - Kunming - Vientiane 06:40 08:50 10:50 12:00

AT7 AT7

0 0

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ໂຮຈ ິ ນ ິ - ວຽງຈ ັນ ່ ມ QV515 .2.4.6. VTE SGN QV525 .2.4.6. SGN VTE

Vientiane - Hochiminh - Vientiane 07:45 11:05 12:05 15:20

MA6 MA6

PKZ PKZ

ຫລວງພະບາງ - ຊຽງໃໝ່ - ຫລວງພະບາງ QV635 .23.567 LPQ CNX QV645 .23.567 CNX LPQ

Luang Prabang - Chieng Mai - Luang Prabang 13:10 14:10 15:00 16:00

AT7 AT7

0 0

ຫລວງພະບາງ - ບາງກອກ - ຫລວງພະບາງ QV633 Daily LPQ BKK QV643 Daily BKK LPQ

Luang Prabang - Bangkok - Luang Prabang 07:30 09:10 10:20 12:00

AT7 AT7

0 0

ຫລວງພະບາງ - ສຽມຣຽບ - ຫລວງພະບາງ QV513 1..4.6. LPQ REP QV869 123.56. LPQ REP QV523 1..4.6. REP LPQ QV868 123.56. REP LPQ

Luang Prabang - Siemreap - Luang Prabang 10:50 14:20 10:30 12:10 15:00 18:30 12:50 14:30

MA6 F70 MA6 F70

PKZ 0 PKZ 0

ຫລວງພະບາງ - ຮາ່ ໂນຍ ້ - ຫລວງພະບາງ QV313 .2.4567 LPQ HAN QV868 123.56. LPQ HAN QV323 .2.4567 HAN LPQ QV869 123.56. HAN LPQ

Luang Prabang - Hanoi - Luang Prabang 16:40 17:40 15:10 16:00 18:25 19:25 08:55 09:50

AT7 F70 AT7 F70

0 0 0 0

ປາກເຊ - ສຽມຣຽບ - ປາກເຊ QV512 123.5.7 PKZ REP QV513 1..4.6. PKZ REP QV522 123.5.7 REP PKZ QV523 1..4.6. REP PKZ

Pakse - Siemreap - Pakse 08:25 09:25 13:20 14:20 10:05 11:05 15:00 16:00

AT7 AT7 AT7 AT7

0 0 0 0

ປາກເຊ - ບາງກອກ - ປາກເຊ QV213 ..3.5.7 QV223 ..3.5.7

PKZ BKK BKK PKZ

Pakse - Bangkok - Pakse 09:25 12:10 13:10 15:45

MA6 MA6

ZVK ZVK

ປາກເຊ - ໂຮຈິມນ ິ - ປາກເຊ QV515 .2.4.6. QV525 .2.4.6.

PKZ SGN SGN PKZ

Pakse - Hochiminh - Pakse 09:30 11:05 12:05 13:35

MA6 MA6

0 0

ສະຫວ ັນນະເຂດ - ບາງກອກ - ສະຫວ ັນນະເຂດ QV213 ..3.5.7 ZVK BKK QV223 ..3.5.7 BKK ZVK

Savannakhet - Bangkok - Savannakhet 10:50 12:10 13:10 14:30

MA6 MA6

0 0

DOMESTIC ROUTE

Valid from 27 MAR 2011 to 30 OCT 2011 FLT No

Days

Routing

Dep

Arr

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ຫລວງພະບາງ

QV101 QV103 QV109

1234567 1234567 1234567

VTE LPQ VTE LPQ VTE LPQ

Vientiane - Luang Prabang 11:50 12:30 AT7 16:30 17:10 AT7 09:30 10:10 MA6

ຫລວງພະບາງ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV102 QV104 QV110 QV110

1234567 1234567 1..4.6. .23.5.7

LPQ VTE LPQ VTE LPQ VTE LPQ VTE

Luang Prabang - Vientiane 13:10 13:50 17:50 18:30 19:10 19:50 10:40 11:20

ຫລວງພະບາງ - ປາກເຊ - ຫລວງພະບາງ QV513 QV523

1..4.6. 1..4.6.

AT7 AT7 MA6 MA6

..3.5.7 ..3.5.7

VTE ZVK ZVK VTE

..3.5.7 ..3.5.7

PKZ ZVK ZVK PKZ

Vientiane - Savannakhet - Vientiane 07:30 10:00 MA6 15:10 17:40 MA6

PKZ PKZ

Pakse -Savannakhet - Pakse

09:25 15:10

10:00 15:45

MA6 MA6

0 0

Vientiane - Pakse - Vientiane 06:30 07:45 AT7 07:30 08:25 MA6 07:45 09:00 MA6 11:45 13:00 AT7 16:25 17:40 MA6 14:05 15:20 MA6

0 0 0 0 0 0

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ປາກເຊ - ວຽງຈ ັນ

QV512 QV201 QV515 QV522 QV202 QV525

123.5.7 ..3.5.7 .2.4.6. 123.5.7 ..3.5.7 .2.4.6.

VTE PKZ VTE PKZ VTE PKZ PKZ VTE PKZ VTE PKZ VTE

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ອຸດ ົມໄຊ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV501 QV502

.2.4.6. .2.4.6.

VTE ODY ODY VTE

Vientiane - Oudomxay - Vientiane 13:20 14:10 AT7 14:50 15:40 AT7

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ຫວ ້ ຍຊາຍ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV901 QV902

.2.4.6. .2.4.6.

VTE HOE HOE VTE

Vientiane - Houeysay - Vientiane 13:10 14:05 MA6 14:45 15:40 MA6

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ຫລວງນຳ້ ທາ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV601 QV602

1.3.5.. 1.3.5..

VTE LXG LXG VTE

Vientiane - Luang Namtha - Vientiane 12:30 13:30 MA6 14:10 15:10 MA6

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ຊຽງຂວາງ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV401 QV402

1.3.5.7 1.3.5.7

Remark: All times are local time 1: Monday 2: Tuesday 3: Wednesday 4: Thursday 5: Friday 6: Saturday 7: Sunday

VTE XKH XKH VTE

0 0 0 0 0 0

ປາກເຊ - ສະຫວ ັນນະເຂດ - ປາກເຊ

QV213 QV223

0 0 0

Luang Prabang - Pakse - Luang Prabang 10:50 12:40 MA6 16:40 18:30 MA6

LPQ PKZ PKZ LPQ

ວຽງຈ ັນ - ສະຫວ ັນນະເຂດ - ວຽງຈ ັນ QV201 QV202

STP

Vientiane - Xiengkhouang - Vientiane 13:20 13:50 AT7 14:30 15:00 AT7

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2 Pangkham Rd., P.O. Box: 6441 Vientiane Lao P.D.R Tel: 856-21 212057, 856-21 212051-54 Fax: 856-21 2065, 856-21 2056 www.laoairlines.com

LAO AIRLINES OFFICES

VIENTIANE HEAD OFFICE

02 PANGKHAM STREET, P.O BOX 6441 Tel: ( 856- 21 ) 212057 Fax : ( 856 21 ) 212065 www.laoairlines.com TICKET & RESERVATION

Tel: ( 856 – 21 ) 212051-54 Fax : ( 856 – 21 ) 212056 Email: reservation@laoairlines.com, ticketing@laoairlines.com AIRPORT OFFICE

Tel: ( 856-21 ) 512028 ( International Airport ) Tel: ( 856-21 ) 512 000, 512 004 ( Domestic Airport )

AREA LAOS

THAILAND

VIETNAM

LUANGPRABANG ( LPQ ) Tel : ( 856-71 ) 212172 Fax : ( 856-71 ) 212406 Email : addy@laoairlines.com Tel : ( 856-71) 212173 ( Airport ) Fax : ( 856- 71 ) 252264 Email : lpq@laoairlines.com

BANGKOK Town office 491/17 ground Fl, Silom plaza Silom road ,Bangkok 10500 Tel: ( 66-2 ) 236 9822, 2369823, 237 8044 Fax: ( 66-2 ) 236 9821 Email: bkkrrqv@ksc.th.com

HANOI No 40 QUANGTRUNG STR. HANOI VIETNAM Tel: 84-4 942 5362 FAX: 84-4 942 5363 Sita: HANTOQV Email: laoairlines.han@fpt.vn

LUANGNAMTHA ( LXG ) Tel : ( 856-86 ) 212072 FaX : ( 856-86 ) 212073 Email : lxg@laoairlines.com Tel : ( 856-86 ) 312180, 312053 ( Airport ) OUDOMXAY ( ODY ) Tel : ( 856- 81 ) 312047, 312146 Fax : ( 856 -81 ) 212229 Email : ody@laoairlines.com

Airport office 2nd Floor of AOB building Room No. Z010 Tel: (662) 134 2006 to 2008 Fax.: (662) 134 2009 Check in counter No. 7/10 (Opposite of Check-in row “R” Tel: (662) 134 2010 Fax: (662) 134 2011

XIENGKHUANG ( XKH ) Tel : ( 856 – 61) 312027 Fax : ( 856 – 61 ) 312487 Email : xiengkhouang@laoairlines.com Tel : ( 856-61) 312177 ( Airport )

CHIANGMAI 2/107 Rajchapuak,Huaykew Road Amper muang Chiangmai 50300 Tel: ( 66-53 ) 223 401 Fax: ( 66-53 ) 223 400 Sita: CNXRRQV Email: qvcnx@loxinfo.co.th

HOUEISAY ( HOE ) Tel : ( 856 – 84 ) 211026 Fax : ( 856 – 84 ) 211471 Email : hoe@laoairlines.com Tel : ( 856 – 84 ) 211494 ( Airport )

UDON THANI Udon Thani Airport Tel /Fax: 66- 42 931 559 Email : qvuth@laoairlines.com

PAKSE ( PKZ ) Tel : ( 856 – 31) 212252 Fax ( 856 – 31) 212751 Email : pkztoqv@laotel.com Tel: ( 856 – 31 ) 251460 ( Airport ) SAVANNAKHET ( ZVK ) Tel: ( 856-41 ) 212140, Fax: ( 856-41 ) 251060 Email : zvk@laoairlines.com

CAMBODIA PHNOMPENH 58 B Sihanouk Avenue Phnompenh Tel: (855-23 ) 222956 Fax: ( 855-23 ) 216 563 Sita: PNHRRQV laoairline.qvpnh@online.com.kh SIEM REAP 114 Sala Khanseng Village, road no 6 Svay Dongkhom Commune, Siem Reap District, Siem Reap Province Tel: ( 855-63 ) 963 283, 963169 Fax: ( 855-63 ) 963283 Email: qvrep@camitel.com CHINA

KUNMING No 96 East Dong Feng Road, Camellia Hotel, Kunming, Yunnan, China 650041 Tel : +86 871 3163000 ext 5166 P.T. Air Cargo Co.,Ltd. ( For Cargo ) Tel/Fax: +86 871 3125748 Building 301, Room 427-428, Mobile: +86 13987182913 Customs Free Zone Suvarnabhumi E-mail : KUNMING@laoairlines.com, Airport, 999 Moo 7, Rachathewa, Bangphli, Samutprakan 10540 Tel : 66-02-1346721 (Auto) Fax : 66-02-1346453-4 E-mail : adulp@ptcargo.com

APG Global Associates in Europe Offices UNITED KINGDOM (UK) Lao Airlines Axis House 242 Bath Road Heathrow Middlesex UB3 5AY United Kingdom Tel : +44 (0) 844 482 2318 Fax : +44 (0) 844 482 1668 E-mail : laoairlines@apg-ga.co.uk

GERMANY Lao Airlines Leonhardstraße 22 61169 Friedberg Tel : + 49 6031 737630 Fax : + 49 6031 725081 E-mail : laoairlines@gpgermany.com

FRANCE Lao Airlines c/o APG - 66 avenue des Champs Elysées - 75008 Paris Tel : + 33 1 53 77 13 13 Fax : + 33 1 53 77 13 05 E-mail : laoairlines@apg.fr

SPAIN Gran Via Corts Catalanes 617 08009 BARCELONA Tel : + 34 933188443 Fax : + 34 934813833 E-mail : laoairlines@bcnair.com

SWEDEN Lao Airlines Europe Box 22308 Kungsholmsgatan 10 104 22 Stockholm, Sweden Tel : + 46 8 545 91 668 Fax : + 46 8 612 05 92 E-mail : sales.europe@lao-airlines.com

MALAYSIA MAPLE AVIATION PTE, LTD CP57 SUITE 1705 17th floor CENTRAL PLAZA JALAN SULTAN ISMAIL 50250 KUALA LUMPUR TEL : ( 60 ) 321443101 / 3077 FAX : ( 60 ) 321429392 Email : maple_kl@tm.net.my

ISRAEL Euromart, 29 Ben Yehuda St. Tel Aviv Israel P.O.Box - 3254 Tel Aviv Israel, Tel +972 3 7952127 Mobil tel nbr is +972 52 5442354 Fax : +972 3 6005919 Email : euromart@netvision.net.il JAPAN ATB., Ltd 6F WANAMI BLDG, 1-4-5 NIHOMBASHI KAYABA-CHO, CHUO-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN 103-0025 TEL : ( 81-3 ) 5623 3858 FAX: ( 81-3 ) 5623 3859 E-mail : qv@lao-airlines.jp , res@lao-airlines.jp KOREA GLOBAL AIR SYSTEM Rm 902, Kwang Hwa Mun Bldg, 211, Sejongno Chongno-Ku, seoul , Korea Tel : ( 822 ) 3708 8524 Fax : ( 822 ) 3708 8520 Email : kashar@globalair21.com MYANMAR ASIA Tourex Travel Service Ltd. 3 (B), Myaynigone Plaza, Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) Tel: (951) 538 596, 501 112, 534 773 Fax: (951) 513 432 Email: khakha@mtourex.com.mm

SINGAPORE MAPLE AVIATION PTE,LTD 133 NEW BRIDGE ROAD # 14-05 CHINA TOWN POINT SINGAPORE 059413 TEL: ( 65 ) 65383787, 65385515 FAX: ( 65 ) 65383183 maplessin@singnet.com.sg SITA : SINGSCO TAIWAN Taiwan Orchid Express Inc. 11F, No25, Chang An E Rd., Sec1, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: 886-2-25682121, Fax: 886-2-25213991 E-mail: info@toe.com.tw U S A ( PSA ) GOOD LUCK TOUR AND TRAVEL 2021 THE ALANMEDA SUIT 199 SAN JOSE CA 95126 TEL: 408-243 7628 Fax: 408-243 8168 Email: goodlucktour@gmail.com UNIVERSAL TRAVEL 4400 47th AVENUE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95824 Tel: ( 916 ) 429- 2711 Fax: ( 916 ) 429-1910 Email : univerasltvl@aol.com

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AVIATION GSA CO. 1065 Budapest Nagymezo utca47 Tel:(361)3022484, 3541849 Fax:(361)354 1848 mobile:(36)306977353 rsardi@t-online.hu

Vientiane Capital of Lao PDR Vientiane is Southeast Asia’s most laid-back capital. This city boasts outstanding French colonial architecture and low level buildings spread throughout the city, exuding its rich cultural heritage and relaxed atmosphere. Life in this pleasant capital is slow-paced and there is always only a light flow of traffic, even during rush hour! We explore this small, peaceful capital at a leisurely pace, visiting some of the finest and most important historical sites in Laos.

Vientiane

How to get to Vientiane on Lao Airlines? From Bangkok, there are two daily flights. There are daily flights from Hanoi / Kunming / Siem Reap. From Ho Chi Minh, three flights a week (Tue, Thu & Sat).

Vientiane Free & Easy Stay-3 days Vientiane Stop-Over-3 days Code: CPH71

Code:CPH72

Enjoy the Free & Easy Stay package to Vientiane Capital, which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation at a hotel of your choice with breakfast, round trip airport transfer and a half day tour.

Vientiane Stop-Over tour includes a round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, transportation in private car, hotel accommodation in a twin shared room with breakfats, English speaking guide, admission fee to indicated sights, Government tax and service charge and tour program are below:

Program Day 1: Arrival in Vientiane (B) Opon arrival in Vientiane, you will be met and transferred to a centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. After a short rest, we begin visiting the major sights of the capital, including Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image.

Enroute to Lao’s national icon, the precious and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. We’ll end the day by the Mekong riverside for a relaxing stroll and admire the sunset. Overnight in Vientiane (B)

Day 2: Vientiane – Nam Ngum Lake After breakfast, we head out of the city to make our way to Nam Ngum, a huge reservoir created by the damming the Nam Ngum River. On the way to Nam Ngum Lake, we’ll stop at Ban Keun, which is famous for its salt extraction plant and a village that distills the local Lao whiskey. On arrival at Nam Ngum Lake, we embark on a long tail boat to visit fishing villages in the various islets. We take a short walk to explore the lifestyle of the local fishermen. After that we’ll have lunch. On return drive to Vientiane, [if time permits], perhaps you might want to experience gambling at the Lao casino located in the valley where you can also enjoy a beautiful view of the lake. We return to Vientiane by late evening. Overnight in Vientiane (B)

For more information please contact Champa holidays tour or Lao Airlines offices Tel: ( 856-21 ) 219932, Fax: ( 856-21 ) 212058, Mobile: 22413161, 22224884 Email: info@laoairlines.com, sales@champaholidays.com, www.champaholidays.com

Pakse city ( Champasak ) Day 3: Vientiane-Departure After breakfast, we visit the Morning Market which has a range of Lao made products, from silk, handicrafts, silver jewelry, clothing, etc. (if time permits). The tour ends after you’re transfer to the airport for departure. (B) Pakse City, Champasak Province Pakse Stop-Over-3 Days Code: Champa 3.2

Progam Day1: Arrival-Pakse to Don Khone On arrival at Pakse, drive out towards Khong Island. On the way we make a short detour to visit Pha Suam waterfall and to explore the Lao Teung ethnic minority villages. We continue our journey by motorboat to Don Khong, the largest island in the southern part of the Mekong river region known as the 4,000 islands, one of the most scenic areas in Laos. Overnight in Don Khong. (L/D)

Pakse Free & Easy Stay-3 Days

Pakse Splendid

Code : Champa 3.1

We explore the beautiful region of Pakse, located in the southern part of Laos, also home to the famous Ancient Khmer ruins of Wat Phou from the 5th century and the awe-inspiring Khone Phapheng waterfall, the biggest in Southeast Asia! The surrounding forests teem with flourishing vegetation and you will be greeted by the friendly locals as we visit a few villages. You will take a trip to the Bolaven Plateau, which will provide you with a refreshing break from the heat and allow you to observe the cultivation of rich coffee, tea and crops.

Enjoy the Free & Easy Stay package in Pakse, the southern city of Laos. Day 2: Khong Island to Done Khone You can make a connection on Lao Airlines flight from Bangkok, Ho Chi to Pakse Following breakfast, we enjoy a visit to Minh, Luang Prabang and Vientiane. the surrounding countryside, and embark on a longtail boat tour of the Don Khone area, which takes you to visit the remains of the French colonial period and Liphi waterfall or “the Corridor of the Devil”. We return to the mainland at the fishing village of Ban Nakasang and drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng. Khone Phapheng is considered the largest waterfall by volume in South east Asia; this is an impressive attraction near the LaoCambodian border, set within an area which is teeming with wildlife, making it one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos. Afterwards we drive back to Pakse. Overnight in Pakse. (B/L/D)

Day 3: Pakse

Program: Day 1: Meet at Pakse airport and transfer to hotel for check-in and relaxation.

Day 2: Enjoy breakfast at hotel and free time or you may contact hotel counter for city tour yourself.

You can get to Pakse on Lao Airlines

Day 3: After breakfast, free time and flights from Vientiane, Luang Prabang, transfer to airport for check in and fly back to your next destination.

Package includes: - Roundtrip Lao Airlines air ticket - Two nights accommodation at hotel Daily breakfast - Round trip airport transfer

Siem Reap, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh. Direct flights are available from Ho Chi Minh to Pakse as follows: Tue, Thu, Sat – Depart at 11:45 and arrive at 13:45. Pakse to Ho Chi Minh: Tue, Thu, Sat – Depart at 09:15 and arrive at 10:45.

- Departure after breakfast, at your leisure or shopping, then transfer to airport. (B)

Package includes: - Roundtrip on Lao Airlines air ticket - Two nights accommodation in hotel in a twin sharing room; daily breakfast - Transportation in private car - English speaking guide - Admission fee to indicated sights

Luang Prabang World Heritage City Luang Prabang has a beautiful and tranquil dream-like setting with a fusion of foreign influences and splendid landscape and scenery, making this an idyllic, unspoiled and charming destination for visitors. It is no wonder this amazing city has been declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO. The ancient city was the former capital of Laos, with a reign of more than 63 kings over 600 years. Luang Prabang is known as the ‘Thousand Pagoda City’ and there are countless intriguing architectural highlights in this sleepy and once royal capital.

How to get to Luang Prabang? Lao Airlines has direct flights from Bangkok, Chiangmai and Luang Prabang Stop-Over-3 Days Hanoi daily; three times a week from Siem Reap; three flights daily Code: CPH12 from Vientiane.

Luang Prabang Free & Easy Stay-3 Days Code: CPH11 Enjoy the Free & Easy Stay package in the World Heritage City of Laos which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodations in a hotel room of your choice with daily breakfast, round trip airport transfer and half day city tour.

Luang Prabang Stop-Over tour includes a round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, transportation in private car, accommodation in a twin shared room with breakfast, English speaking guide, admission fee to indicated sights, and government taxes and service charges. The tour program is as follows:

Program Day 1: Arrival-Luang Prabang Arrival at Luang Prabang airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. After a short rest, we will visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. We then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by hilltribe groups and local people from the surrounding of Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 2: Luang Prabang-Pak Ou Cave On this today, we enjoy a short-guided tour to see the city’s oldest temples of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing classical Laotian architecture. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as time to explore the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is produced. On return, we’ll take a short drive to another small village, Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (B)

Day3: Luang Prabang-Departure Visit the National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the former Royal Palace. It displays a collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. There will also be time for us to look around the Central Market. After visiting these sights in the morning, there may be free time (depending on your flight) to venture into town and stroll around the shopping area. The tour ends after your transfer to the airport for departure. (B)

For more information please contact Champa Holidays Tour or Lao Airlines offices Tel: ( 856-21 ) 219932, Fax: ( 856-21 ) 212058, Mobile: 22413161, 22224884 Email: info@laoairlines.com, sales@champaholidays.com, www.champaholidays.com

Luang Prabang World Heritage City

Luang Prabang Wonder-4 Days

Day 2: Luang Prabang-Pak Ou Cave

Code: CPH13 Enjoy Luang Prabang Wonder – 4 days and 3 nights which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, transportation in private car and accommodation in a twin shared room with daily breakfast, English speaking guide, admission fees to indicated sights, government taxes and service charges. The tour program is as follows:

Program Day 1: Arrival-Luang Prabang Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Luang Prabang has been claimed by UNESCO to be ‘the best preserved city in Southeast Asia’. During your time here, we’ll visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. We then climb up to the top of mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by local and hilltribe people from the surrounding areas of Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (B)

Enjoy a short-guided tour to see the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing classical Laotian architecture. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as time to explore the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a small village known for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (B)

Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and this day you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou, Lao Oum Village and Ban Thapene, which are Khmu villages. This then takes us to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails.

Day 3: Luang Prabang-Khouangsi Waterfall

Visit the National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the former Royal Palace. It displays a collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. There will also be time for us to look around the Central Market. After visiting these sights in the morning, there may be free time (depending on your flight) to venture into town and stroll around the shopping area. The tour ends after your transfer to the airport for departure. (B)

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual. From there, you will visit the morning Phousi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hilltribe weavings.

On the return trip to Luang Prabang by late afternoon, we continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for its silk weavings and for its Saa (jute) Papermaking. We return to the city by late evening to admire the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (B)

Day 4: Luang Prabang-Departure

Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam Formerly known as Saigon How to get to Ho Chi Minh City ? You may take Lao Airlines flight from Vientiane or Pakse to Hochiminh on Tue, Thu & Sat.

Ho Chi Minh Free & Easy Stay-3 days Code: CPH61 Enjoy the Free & Easy Stay package in the historical Ho Chi Minh city which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, two nights accommodation in a three star hotel with daily breakfast, round trip airport transfer and a half-day tour in Ho Chi Minh city.

Ho Chi Minh-Mekong Delta-3 Days Code: CPH62 The Ho Chi Minh Mekong Delta 3 days and 2 nights package includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a twin sharing room, daily breakfast and one lunch at the hotel, transportation in private car, entrance fees to tourist sites and a one-day tour of the Mekong Delta including tour guide as follows:

Day 1: Meet on arrival at Tan San Airport and transfer to hotel for check-in and then free time or shopping.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta – Ho

Ho Chi Minh Vung Tau -3 Days Code: CPH63 Ho Chi Minh Vung Tau 3 days and 2 nights includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a twin sharing room, full meals, transportation in private car, entrance fees to tourist sites, tour guide and tour program as follows:

Chi Minh (Meals: B/L) After breakfast, depart at 8:00 am, driving to the Mekong Delta, nicknamed the large rice basket of Vietnam. This day includes visiting Vinh Trang pagoda, cruising on the Mekong river to an island for sightseeing and observing the daily activities of local people, taking a paddle boat along the small canal, visiting a bee farm, orchards, enjoying tea, honey, seasonal fruits, sweets, amateur traditional music performances, touring a coconut candy mill and then lunch on the island. On the way back, stop for shopping.

Day 3: Depart Ho Chi Minh (B) After breakfast at hotel , free time or shopping and transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.

Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh – CITY TOUR (L,D) Arrive Ho Chi Minh by QV515 at 10:45. Welcome by friendly guide then transfer to hotel. Buffet lunch provided by hotel. PM: City tour – visit local neighborhoods and landmarks such as China Town, Thien Hau Pagoda, Remnant War Museum, Reunification Hall (Formerly Presidential Palace), Opera House, City Hall, stop at the Main Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral for pictures. On the way back to the hotel, stop at a lacquer ware factory for shopping. Back to hotel and enjoy a set dinner at Sapphire Hotel.

Day 2: HCMC – VUNG TAU – HCMC (L, D) Depart in the morning for Vung Tau, a famous tourist spot. Free for swimming and sea bathing at Mariana Club. Set lunch at the local seafood restaurant. Visit memorial statue of Saint George (30 m high) on Small Mountain - the highest Saint statue in VietNam, visit Niet Ban Tinh Xa, the most beautiful pagoda in Vung Tau on a hillside facing the sea. On the way back to HCMC, stop at Long Thanh to buy fruits of the season. Arrival HCMC, enjoy a set dinner on a Saigon floating restaurant. Transfer back to hotel for leisure time.

Day 3: HO CHI MINH – VIENTIANE Free time until transfer to airport for a flight at 11:45 am. End of service.

Amazing Angkor, Siem Reap - Cambodia How to get to Angkor Wat? You may take Lao Airlines flight from Vientiane or Pakse with daily service or depart from Luang Prabang on Mon, Thu & Sat.

Angkor Wat Free & Easy Stay-3 Days, 2 Nights CPH41 Enjoy the Free & Easy Stay package in Siem Reap city which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a three/four star hotel with daily breakfast and round trip airport transfer.

Amazing Angkor Wat Full Package-3 Days, 2 nights CPH42 Visit the Amazing Angkor city on a 3 days and 2 nights package with Champa Holidays which includes roundtrip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a twin sharing hotel room, meals, transportation (car, van or bus), entrance fees to tourist sites, English/Thai speaking guide and tour program as follows:

Day 1: Arrive – Siem Reap (L/D) Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport and transfer to hotel for check-in and visit the National Museum then have lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Wat Thmei Artisan Angkor, Old Market, then have dinner at Koulen II Restaurant with Apsara Dance show. After dinner, visit the Night Market, then back to hotel.

Day 2: Angkor Thom (B/L/D ) After breakfast at hotel, visit South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon temples, Bapuon, Phimenakas, Terrace of Elephant and Leper King. In the afternoon, visit Ta Prum temple, Takeo, Angkor Wat temple and watch the sunset over Bakheng Hill, dinner and back to hotel. Day 3: Siem Reap – Pakse/Vientiane (B) Breakfast at hotel, visit old market and transfer to Siem Reap International Airport to fly back.

Angkor Wat - Phnom Penh Sihanoukville Full Package – 6 Days, 5 Nights CPH42

Day 1: Arrive Siem Reap (L/D) Arrive at Siem Reap International airport and transfer to hotel for check-in. Lunch at Sophea Angkor Pich Restaurant then visit South Gate of AngkorThom , Terrace of Elephant, Angkor Wat and watch the sunset over Bakheng Hill, dinner at Kolen II Restaurant.

Day 2: Tonle Sap Lake – Phnom Penh (B/L/D) At 7:30 am guide and van pick up to visit the Tonle Sap Lake, and have an early lunch at Kolen II restaurant. At 12:00 noon depart by van to Phnom Penh and checkin to a three star hotel and have dinner at the Tonle Basac restaurant.

Day 3: City tour Phnom Penh – Sihanoukville (B/L/D) At 8:00 am guide and van pick up to visit the Royal Palace, museum, the killing fields, and have lunch at Tonle Basac restaurant and at 1:00 pm depart by van to Sihanoukville and check-in to Hotel Golden Sand, then have dinner at the Beach Restaurant.

Day 4: Sihanoukville At 8:00 am guide and van will pick up to Ream Beach. Lunch at Beach Restaurant and in the afternoon visit the Ochheuteal beach, then have dinner at a beach restaurant.

Day 5: Sihanoukville – Siem Reap (B/L/D) At 8:00 am visit Sihanoukville Market and lunch at Tonle Basac Restaurant, and drive back to Siem Reap, check-in to hotel and have dinner at Sophea Angkor Pich Restaurant.

Day 6: Siem Reap – Pakse/ VTE (B) Breakfast at hotel, visit old market and transfer to Siem Reap International Airport to your next destination.

Jinghong-China Visit Jinghong , Xishuang Banna Located in the south of Yunnan Province, Jinghong is the political, economic and cultural center of Xishuang Banna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, which is a supernatural oasis in southwest China, while Jinghong is a bright pearl in the oasis. Attractions in Xishuang Banna Known for its tropical flowers, plants, and garden, attractions in Xishuang Banna include the Meng Tropical Botanical Garden, tropical rain forest valley, Mengle great Buddhist monastery, Mengle cultural park, Manting park, Dai ethnic garden, wild elephant ravine, south medicinal plants garden, the virgin forest park and Mengjinglai village and more. How to get to Jinghong? Travel with Lao Airlines direct flight from Luang Prabang on Friday and Sunday or on a connecting flight from Vientiane.

Jinghong Free & Easy Stay – 3 days, 2 Nights Code: CPH51 Enjoy and relax with the Free & Easy Stay package in Jinghong Xishuang Banna which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a four star hotel with daily breakfast and airport transfer.

Day 1: Take Lao Airlines flight QV818 to Jinghong , guide will meet you at the airport, go straight to visit Bage Temple (Head Temple in Xishuangbanna), then transfer to hotel check-in and dinner. Overnight at Jinghong.

Jinghong Stop-Over – 3 Days, 2 Day 2: After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Virgin Forest Park, lunch, then to GanNights Code: CPH52 Spend your holidays with the Jinghong Stop-Over – 3 days, 2 nights which includes roundtrip air ticket of Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a three star hotel with a twin sharing room, full meals (Chinese food), transportation (car, van or bus), entrance fees to tourist sites, Lao/ English speaking guide and tour program as follows:

lanba and sightseeing in the local bazaar and the villages of Dai people and visit the Dai Garden, take part in the water splashing, and have dinner during a singing and dancing show. Overnight at Jinghong.

Day 3: Breakfast & check-out from hotel, tour the Flower Garden. After lunch, transfer to the airport to fly back to Luang Prabang or Vientiane.

Kunming, China Attractions Stone Forest The Stone Forest is a national 4A scenic spot, 86 kilometers from Kunming. A karst landform 200 million years old, known in Yunnan as the “First Wonder under the Sun”. The Stone Forest and Imperial Palace in Beijing, the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an and the mountains and rivers in Guilin have been generally recognized as four main scenic spots in China.

Yuantong Temple It is situated at the foot of Yuantong Hill. It is the largest Buddhist temple in downtown Kunming, with a history of around 1,200 years. It combines both the Buddhist and Daoism architectural styles because it was once rebuilt as a Daoism temple.

Western Hills (Xishan) & Dragon Gate This is a scenic spot which boasts a dense forest and ancient temples such as Sanqingge, Taihua and Huating built in the Yuan Dynasty, as well as Dragon Gate carved into the cliff over 72 years ago.

Dianchi Lake Renowned as the “pearl on the plateau,” with many natural historic and cultural attractions around the lake, it is the largest lake in Yunnan.

Yunnan Ethnic Villages A national 4A scenic spot and a window on the ethnic culture of Yunnan, where you may see traditional buildings of different ethnic groups in Yunnan and enjoy various ethnic customs and culture.

Jiu Xiang Karst Cave This area is 100 km away from Kunming, and 30 km from Stone Forest. The total area of Jiu Xiang landscape area is 278 square km. There are vivid natural landscapes imposing underground, and archaic cultural and special folk custom. It is a unique international site and geological park.

Bamboo Temple This temple was initially built in the early Yuan Dynasty and has been the largest Buddhist temple in Yunnan since the introduction of Dhyana to Yunnan from the Central Plains. It is famous for the five hundred Buddhist saint caricatures, a masterpiece of Chinese folk statuary.

Golden Temple The Golden Temple was constructed by Wu Sangui in 1671 A.D. The temple is made of copper and reflects the excellent metallurgical and casting technology from more than 300 years ago in Yunnan. The temple weighs 250 tons and is 6.7 meters high. It is the largest and heaviest as well as the best preserved copper temple in China.

Kunming Free & Easy Stay – 3 Days, 2 Nights Code CPH21 Enjoy the Free & Easy Stay 3 days, 2 nights which include round trip air ticket, 2 nights accommodation in a hotel room with daily breakfast and round trip airport transfer.

Kunming Stop-Over – 3 Days, 2 Nights Code CPH22 Spend your holidays with the Kunming Stop-Over package, 3 days and 2 nights which includes round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 2 nights accommodation in a hotel with twin sharing room, full meals , private transportation, entrance fees to tourist sites, tour guide and tour program as follows:

Day 1: VTE/KMG (Western Hills & Jiu Xiang Caves) (L/D) Take flight QV817 (06:30-09:40) to Kunming Airport, meet and transfer to the Forest Park of the Western Hills, 26 km away from downtown and is located on the edge of Dianchi Lake. We will visit the Dragon Gate consisting of of the Sanqing Temple Complex and the Dragon Gate Grotto Complex. In the afternoon, transfer to Jiu Xiang and tour the Jiu Xiang Limestone Caves. Transfer to the Stone Forest, check-in to the hotel. Overnight at the Stone Forest. Day 2: Stone Forest/Kunming (B/L/D) Tour the Stone Forest which is a massive collection of grey limestone pillars formed about 270 million years ago which were split by rain water and eroded to their present fanciful forms. In the Stone Forest, the stone peaks rise abruptly, stalagmites crowd together like sharp swords piercing toward the sky and the group of stones look much like a mighty forest. Day 3: Departure (B) Breakfast at hotel, free time and then transfer to the airport for departure at 10:45.

Kunming, China Kunming Attraction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 Days, 3 Nights Code CPH23 Choose the Kunming Attraction package for a 4 days and 3 nights tour which includes a round trip air ticket on Lao Airlines, 3 nights accommodation in a hotel in a twin sharing room, all meals provided, private transportation, entrance fee to tourist sites, tour guide and tour program as follows:

Day 1: VTE/KMG (Western Hills & Golden Temple) (L/D) Take flight QV817 (06:30-09:40) to Kunming Airport, meet and transfer to the Forest Park of the Western Hills, 26 km away from downtown and is located on the edge of Dianchi Lake. We will visit the Dragon Gate which consists of the Sanqing Temple Complex and the Dragon Gate Grotto Complex. Then we will visit the Golden Temple reputed to be built in 1871 with 250 tons of solid bronze, the largest bronze hall in China. Overnight Kunming. Day 2: Jiuxiang Cave & Stone Forest (B/L/D) Transfer to Jiuxiang in the morning and tour in Jiuxiang Limestone Caves. Then transfer to the Stone Forest in the afternoon, check-in at the hotel and overnight at the Stone Forest.

Day 3: Stone Forest/Kunming (B/L/D) In the morning, tour the Stone Forest, a massive collection of grey limestone pillars formed about 270 million years ago which were split by rain water and eroded to their present fanciful forms. In the Stone Forest, the stone peaks rise abruptly, stalagmites crowd together like sharp swords piercing toward the sky and the group of stones look much like a mighty forest. Return back to Kunming in the afternoon. Overnight in Kunming.

Day 4: Departure (B) Transfer to the airport for departure in the morning (QV827 10:4512:00).