Laos

Laos: History, Culture and Economy

Laos (pronounced /ˈlɑː.oʊs/, /ˈlaʊ/, or /ˈleɪ.ɒs/), officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People’s Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west.

Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang or Land of a Million Elephants, which existed from the 14th to the 18th century.

After a period as a French protectorate, it gained independence in 1949. A long civil war ended officially when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975, but strife between factions continued for several years.

44% of the population lived below the international poverty line of the equivalent of US$1.25 a day according to data from 2006, though the CIA World Factbook currently places this figure at 26%.

The Lao economy is heavily dependent on investment and trade with its neighbors, Thailand, Vietnam, and, especially in the north, China. Pakxe has also experienced growth based on cross-border trade with Thailand and Vietnam.

Subsistence agriculture still accounts for half of the GDP and provides 80 percent of employment. Only 4.01 percent of the country is arable land, and 0.34 percent used as permanent crop land, the lowest percentage in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Rice dominates agriculture, with about 80 percent of the arable land area…

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New RV Friends in the snow below Donner Pass

When the snow turned back to rain, we knew the cold front had passed and our water would not freeze. What a relief. I (Bob) get a tad tense at the prospect of  a night of alternately running the furnace until the batteries are deplete, running the engine to charge them up again, and perhaps running out of propane. We’ve had a few nights like that, and the memory is not pleasant.

We were got a pleasant surprise when a Paul, from a neighboring motorhome, recently arrived from the pass, came by to invite us over for before dinner libations. We figured they had a bout with the snow, and needed a drink; we certainly did. Paul introduced me to his long time friend John, who set out to make our drinks and introduce himself. We found we had in common time spent in Laos and Vietnam. He didn’t  specify which branch of service he was in, but we guessed it was the one that is secretive. After several, appropriately vague, stories about his ventures there, we shared our experiences being lost in Laos on the spider’s web of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and we could tell he…

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Laos and Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet recently named Thailand as a travel bargain. True enough, but the Thais are vacationing in Laos because of the laid back Lao way, nice scenery, great food and even better bargains.

Try the coffee and pastries at one of the many French cafes, or beach front dining in Vientiane, Note that while current construction along the promenade is expected to be finished 2011, enterprising vendors simply move their portable cafes to undisturbed areas.
Luang Prabang is a delightful World Heritage excursion that could consume several days. Hike the hills or take in the local transport along the river.
Northeastern Laos is rapidly gaining exposure for the beautiful mountain scenery as well as the enigmatic Plain of Jars.

Don’t overlook Laos, the country is quickly learning to cater to world travelers without losing its values. More at NewBohemians.net.

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