Introducing ຖາມຫຍັງກໍໄດ້ Ask Anything Series

Laos' First Educational Children's TV Show

Video Credit:  UNICEF Laos

Lao Government Continues to Push Forth With Its Anti-Corruption Body

Video Credit:  LaoNewsTV, December 16, 2016

No More Luxury Cars for Lao Government

Video Credit:  LaoNewsTV, December 22, 2016.

Lao Language: Words Related to Cooking Food

Lao Artist Profile: Mick Saylom

Vangvieng Music Fest 2016

Video Credit:  Vangvieng Music Fest and Indee Records Laos

Boun Lai Heua Fai (Festival of Light Boats) 2016

This festival is celebrated throughout Laos however the city of Luangprabang has taken it to a new level.  Have a look.

Video Credit:  Luangprabang Tourism

Into the dark: exploring Laos’ cave tourism industry

By: Jennifer Meszaros, Focus ASEAN, December 12, 2016
Photography by:  Gabriele Stoia

Photo Credit:  Gabriele Stoia

Home to some of the most complex rock formations in Southeast Asia, Laos looks to cash in on cave tourism.

Lao Christmas Tree

Combining Lao culture and Christmas can result in both hilarious and creative outcomes. Not sure who did this but it's awesome!

Photo Credit:  Unknown

What's in the Market?

Title:  ມີຫຍັງແດ່ຢູ່ໃນຕະຫຼາດ / What's in the Market? A Visitor's Guide to Lao Tastes, Culture, and Daily Life
By:  ສອນສຸລິລັດ ວົງສຸລິນ / Sonesulilat Vongsouline
Publisher / Year: Big Brother Mouse, 2010
Book Sponsor:  Deborah Edwards and Friends

Lots of Free Lao TV Online!

Marvel Laos Illustration

Kayaking in Huge Water Caves

The scenery and the cinematography along with the aerial drone result in an incredible video.

Tham Khoun Xe from Ryan Deboodt on Vimeo.

Lao Words Related to Social Gatherings

Lao-Chinese Diplomatic Relations by Spectrum Asia

In 2016, Laos and China celebrated 55 years of diplomatic relations.  As part of the commemoration, China's CCTV show called Spectrum Asia profiled Laos.  It's a series that profiles all of Asia and in particular China's neighbours.  There were 4 recent episodes entitled Time as Witness that focused on Laos specifically.

Part 1

The early part of this diplomatic relationship is a part of Lao-Chinese history that likely many people may not know about.  It's quite interesting.  In particular about the almost 1000 Lao students and teachers who were sent to Nanning, China to study there in the 1960s.

A Time Traveling Drama

Entitled The River Flow, here's another Lao based movie that recently screened at the Luangprabang Film Festival about a time traveling young girl.  A film from director Makoto Kumazawa.  In Lao with English subtitles.

 Video Credit:  Lao New Wave Cinema

Sticky rice for all

And we thought sticky rice was mostly a Lao thing... ;-)

  Video Credit: BGZTV (via Facebook)

Vientiane in Hi-Def 4K

Beautifully shot video that could easily be mistaken for a tourism ad for Vientiane.  It's an awesome video from Nate.

Video Credit:  Nathan Bartling (My Mate Nate via Youtube)

Visit Laos!

Have you never visited Laos before? Start making plans and add it to your travel bucket list for 2017 today!

Cambodia to Open Ports to Laos Exports

By:  Hang Sokunthea and Aisha Down, Cambodia Daily, November 28, 2016

Cambodia will soon open both its roads and ports for Laos to use in exporting goods abroad, according to an announcement posted on Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Facebook page on Sunday.

The announcement followed a meeting between Mr. Hun Sen and Laotian President Pany Yathotou in Phnom Penh on Saturday, during which the two discussed strengthening ties.

Complete List of Banks in Laos

For a small country, Laos has seen its banking and financial sector grow quickly and steadily as the economy too has grown.  Some might be surprised to see this complete list of banks operating in Laos.  There are probably several you may have never heard of.  Here's the complete list of banks in Laos.

State-Owned Commercial Banks

• Agricultural Promotion Bank
• Banque Pour Le Commerce Exterieur Lao
• Lao Development Bank

Louis Loves Baitong

One of the movies screening at this year's Luangprabang Film Festival is this one called Louis Loves Baitong by director Thavisack Thammavongsa.  It's a Lao romantic comedy coupled with a bit of drama.  (Lao with English subtitles)

Luangprabang Film Festival 2016

Ride Along the Vangvieng Countryside

Ride along with videographer Jason Murray via an aerial drone, as he visits the beautiful countryside of Vangvieng.

Video Credit:  Jason Murray Media

As Laos' First Female Filmmaker, Mattie Do Shows What's 'Behind the Doors'

By:  Audrey Cleo Yap, NBC News (USA), November 18, 2016

Mattie Do never intended on becoming Laos's first female filmmaker.

In 2010, the former cosmetologist and ballet school director moved to the country's capital of Vientiane to care for her widower father. Her screenwriter husband, Christopher Larsen, wanted to get involved in the local film scene and asked Do to mediate cultural and language barriers at a meeting with the heads of Lao Art Media, one of few production companies in the country at the time.

Xayaboury girl wins Miss Laos 2016 pageant competition

Orginal Article Title:  Xayaboury girl takes out Miss Laos 2016
By:  Visith Teppalath, Vientiane Times, October 10, 2016

Ms Boutsaba Saengpan (centre) is flanked by other finalists after winning the contest.

That Luang Festival 2016 At Night

That Luang Festival 2016 - As Seen From the Sky

This year's That Luang Festival marked the 450th anniversary of the That Luang itself.  Here's a video taken from an aerial drone where you can watch the crowds come in, the procession and the markets.

Video Credit:  MTS Lao, November 13, 2016.

WIG Bazaar 2016

Another wonderful and successful WIG Bazaar 2016. The event seems to grow each year. It was held on November 19 2016 at the Faculty of Engineering in Vientiane.

Video Credit: MyVientiane via WIGLaos on Facebook.

Cambodia supports Don Sahong dam in Laos

By: May Titthara, Khmer Times, November 28, 2016

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen meets Lao National Assembly president Pany Yathotou in Phnom Penh on Saturday.  Photo Credit:  Khmer Times.

Cambodia will support the Don Sahong hydroelectric dam planned to be built in southern Laos less than two kilometers from the Cambodian border, while civil society groups continue to appeal to regional authorities to halt construction on environmental grounds.

This company is turning Laos’ unexploded bombs into jewelry

  Video Credit: By: PBS NewsHour, November 25, 2016

Lao Word of the Day: ນັບຖື / To respect, cherish, believe in

Lanterns and Prayers

Lao Institute of Traditional Medicine - a review of all activities to inventory medicinal plants of Laos

Title:  Inventory of medicinal plants of the Lao People's Democratic Republic: A mini review
By:  Kongmany Sydara, Mouachanh Xayvue, Onevilay Souliya, Bethany G. Elkington, and Djaja D. Soejarto
Organizations:  Institute of Traditional Medicine (Laos), University of Illonois (USA), Field Museum (USA)
Publisher/Year:  Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, vol. 8(43), November 17 2014

Green Climbers

Above the Clouds

Check out Wanderlust Laos's video as they sit at the top of a mountain above the incoming clouds in Luangprabang.


Video Credit: Wanderlust Laos

Popular Lao Love Song at the Moment: ແທງ (teng)

A popular Lao love song ເພງ at the moment is Teng ແທງ by Ty Agat ຕ່າຍ ອາກາດ. 

Video Credit:  Indee Records ອິນດີ້ ເລັກຄອດ

Lao Artist Profile: Mr. Sayon Syprasoeuth

Lao tea industry brewing up more markets

By: Vientiane Times, September 10, 2016

The Lao tea industry has the potential to expand production in the country’s mountainous regions especially for quality organic tea, as there was growing overseas demand, according to an industry expert.

A tea entrepreneur from northern Laos, Bounchan, also commented that Laos has wild tea trees aged 400 to more than 1,000 years old, whose leaves fetch high prices on international markets.

Tea drinkers eager to sample Lao Gold Champa brew

By:  Khonesavanh Latsaphao, Vientiane Times, September 20, 2016

Despite being priced at US$180 a box, there are many people willing to buy Gold Champa Red or Gold Champa Black tea as they are keen to sample this latest offering from Laos' tea producers.

A Different Papaya Salad

I'm willing to bet that you've never seen a tum mak hoong (papaya salad) quite like this.  Video is in Lao language.

Video Credit:  Youtube user Home Made By Kaysone

Project Anoulak Annual Report 2015

Title:  Annual Report 2015
By:  Project Anoulak (ConservationLaos.com)
Year / Publisher:  Project Anoulak, 2015

Vientiane Global Shapers To Host the First TEDx Event in Laos

Source:  LaotianTimes.com, October 31, 2016

The Vientiane Global Shapers, a global initiative under the World Economic Forum, has secured the license for TEDxLaneXangAve, which will be held on Saturday, November 26th, 2016 at the French Institute in Vientiane Capital. The theme of this year’s event is Changing Currents. This is the first time that a TEDx event will be organized in Laos.

The TEDx Program is designed to help communities, organizations and individuals to spark conversation and connection through local TED-like experiences.

Lao seafood salad (yum talay)

By: Youtube user House of X Tia

He smuggled 2 young boys out of Laos in 1977, now they've reunited

By: David Bell, CBC News (Canada), November 6, 2016

It was 1977 and the communists had taken over large swaths of southeast Asia. Refugees were crammed into camps and families torn apart.

Amidst this backdrop, two young boys were smuggled across the Mekong River to Thailand from Laos, the threat of trigger-happy soldiers on either bank a constant.

Now, 40 years later in Calgary, those once-small boys have reunited with the B.C. missionaries who helped them slip through borders to safety.

Lao Words of the Day: To be Patient / Patience

Luangprabang Half Marathon 2016

The Luangprabang Half Marathon (LPHM) recently completed on October 23, 2016, to another resounding success.  It's an event that continues to grow each year.  It's made even more wonderful in that proceeds went towards the Lao Friends Hospital for Children.

Attapeu Waterfalls

Ever been to Attapeu?  It's a small province in southern Laos with beautiful waterfalls.  Have a look in this video and follow along with these guys as they have fun exploring Sepabanglai Waterfall.

Video Credit:  Youtube user Soukasy

Laos' Plain of Jars recreated in virtual reality

Source: Phys.org, October 19, 2016

Australian archaeologists announced plans Wednesday to recreate Laos' mysterious Plain of Jars as a three-dimensional virtual reality experience, that could one day see museum visitors walk through remote dig sites.

Winning Numbers 'Fixed' in Laos National Lottery (ຫວຍລາວ), Sources Say

Source:  RFA News, October 24, 2016

Lottery officials in the communist country of Laos are rigging the system, manipulating winning numbers in order to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the Southeast Asian nation say.

Drawings in the national lottery, which take place three times each week, often show numbers that vanish from purchased tickets or that are deemed unlucky and are unlikely to be chosen, sources say.

Packed after a Celebration

Awk Pansa Lanterns in Luangprabang

Lao Halloween Costume

1st Lao Techmart

The 1st Lao Techmart was recently held on October 12-16, 2016 in Vientiane.  Its aim is to be the largest technology event in Laos.  Here's some of the coverage that was provided by LaoStarTV (in Lao language).

Video Credit:  LaoStarTV

Candlelit Wat Phu

Take a Virtual Drive - More Lao Cities on Google Streetview

Vientiane was the first Lao city to get the Google Streetview treatment which was officially made available last year (2015).  For this year 2016, the cities of Luangprabang, Pakse, Savannaket and Vangvieng have also now been surveyed.  Enjoy a virtual drive through the streets of these cities.  Check it out at Google Maps.  (All images belong to Google.)

Pakse:

Monks During Evening Prayers

The famous Haw Pa Kaew Temple Museum in Vientiane completes first phase of renos

Video Credit: LaoNewsTV, October 11, 2016

A Rustic Stairway With an Air of Mystery

Backyard Lanterns

Sitting at the balcony

Lao Religious and Mythological Beings and Deities

The origins of many of these are of course from Buddhism and Hinduism.
Top (left to right): Pa Sratsvady (Sarasweti), Pa In (Indra), Pa Ganed (Ganesha).
Bottom (left to right): Hanuman and Nang Matba (Supanmatcha), Nang Tolanee (Bhumidevi), Pa Prom.

Designed by:  Ky Phungchaleon for the Kingdom of Laos postal stamps, 1970-71.

7th Lao International Dance Festival - Fang Mae Kong

The Lao Population and Housing Census 2015 - Provisional Report

Title:  Lao Population and Housing Census 2015 - Provisional Report
By:  Lao Statistics Bureau (with support from the Chinese Government, United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), World Bank (WB), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF))

Lao Word of the Day: Volunteer Work

An inviting bridge

Fancy a swim?

Bright at Night - Patuxai Lit Up

Colorful Luangprabang Evening Market

Students Rescue School Bus

Usually the school bus (or in this case, a little truck) carries the students to school.  But sometimes the bus needs a hand too...

Photo Credit:  Savanbanna via Facebook

Lao Fashion Week 2016 - The Models

Lao Fashion Week 2016 wrapped on September 16, 2016.  While the eyes are on the creative fashion designs, people often ask about the models.  Well here they are both the girls and the guys...

Pretty in Purple

More Fun Photos of UYD2016

MyVientiane has also posted photos of the recent 4th Urban Youth Dance 2016 (UYD2016) event.  Looks like it was a fun time had by all!

Photo Credits:  MyVientiane