Trudeau becomes the first Canadian prime minister to visit Laos

 

Source:  Global News, October 9, 2024

Canada eyes closer contacts with Southeast Asia as Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau makes his inaugural visit to Vientiane as part of the ASEAN Summit 2024.

The Oma of Laos and their traditional textiles

 Source:  Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC)

Lao Fashion Designer Bandid Lasavong - ASEAN Fashion Designers Showcase

Bandid Lasavong of MenFolder speaks at the ASEAN International Fashion Week 2024 in September about sustainable fashion production practices and the use of Epson's direct printing technology.

Source: ASEAN Fashion Designers Showcase

Lao Fashion designer Bandid Lasavong of MenFolder at Lao fashion Week 2024

Source:  Z Fashion TV (Laos). Event date: October 4, 2024

Shared via Youtube on The Influencer channel

Youtuber goes panning for gold in Laos

Source:  Andrew Fraser, April, 2024

Follow along as Youtuber and world traveler Andrew Fraser visits local villagers near the Nam Suang River in Luangprabang, Laos as they explore and pan for gold.  May be this could be a new tourist activity? :)

Typhoon Yagi and its affects on Laos

Title:  Super Typhoon Yagi - Flood emergency - Lao PDR - Situation Report No. 2
Date:  September 26, 2024
Publisher:  UNICEF

Situation in Numbers

• Up to 200,000 people affected with 92,000 in need of assistance including 37,000 women.
• At least 48,500 children affected and 24,000 in need of urgent support.
• At least 30,000 families from 1,300 villages in need of support.
• 77 schools & 11 health facilities severely damaged, 20,000 affected students.

Lao textiles - a way of life

Source:  Phaeng Mai Gallery

A wonderfully detailed look at sericulture (silk industry), textile and fabric weaving in Laos by Phaeng Mai Gallery.  This handicraft company has been around for a while now in Laos.  They have a store, a gallery, and a school located in Vientiane.  Definitely worth a visit if you're in visiting Vientiane.

The top 5 from the Young Lao Fashion Designers Project - Lao Fashion Week 2024

Source:  Z Fashion TV (Laos). Event date: October 4, 2024

Shared via Youtube on The Influencer channel

Travel blogger eats Hmong hill tribe food in Laos

Source:  Mark Wiens

This video is from 2021 but this marked his second visit to Laos.  We shared one of his videos from 2018 when he first visited.  However, in this visit he explores Hmong food.  Have a look!

Birdsong: The dying whistled language of the Hmong people in northern Laos

Source:  The Guardian

Ministry of Silk's runway show at Lao Fashion Week 2024

Source: Z Fashion TV (Laos), October 2, 2024

Shared on Youtube via The Influencer channel

Khang's runway show at Lao Fashion Week 2024

Source: Z Fashion TV (Laos), October 2, 2024

Shared on Youtube via The Influencer channel

How One Man Rules in Asia’s Golden Triangle

Source:  Bloomberg

Bloomberg takes a close look into China's Zhao Wei and the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ).

Laos - The not so secret war

Source:  CBS, 1970

Video shared on Youtube at Nuclear Vault channel

This is quite the throwback Thursday video - this one from 1970 when CBS News did a special on "The not so secret war" happening in Laos at the time.  Old footage includes interesting short interviews from some key players.

The bombing of Laos - who was truly responsible?

Source:  Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC)

In this TAEC Talk, Dr. Ryan Wolfson-Ford discusses how historical writers often report that the bombing of Laos during the Secret War and Vietnam War was exclusively all because of America's desire to contain the spread of communism during the Vietnam War.  Indeed, that was one reason.  But as Dr. Wolfson-Ford shares, there was more to it.

Recap of the Vientiane Performing Arts Festival 2024

Source:  Vientiane Performing Arts Festival

The performing arts in Laos continues to grow.  And this festival is a strong indication of that.  Here's a recap of this event back from February 16-17, 2024.  The performances ranged from traditional Lao dancing to modern dance, puppetry to magic.  Have a look! 

Lao Traditional Dancing Competition in Vientiane

Source:  Suab Hmong Broadcoasting

Traditional dancing is alive and thriving in Laos.  Watch this competition and the different dance troupes who competed on April 6, 2024 in Vientiane.  The combination of great dancing, music, creativity, and performance reveals is just wonderful!

A journey through Lao textiles

Source:  Women's Business - School of Textile Arts and A Fire Dog Production

Watch this video to get a great overview of textiles in Laos.  This mini-documentary was released back in 2019.   It follows the story of an Australian woman named Trish who, with the help of donors, opens a textile teaching school in Muang Nan, Luang Prabang province.