Destination: Laos
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & annoyances
Queues
The Lao follow the usual Southeast Asian method of queuing for services, which is to say they don't form a line at all but simply push en masse towards the point of distribution, whether it's ticket counters, post-office windows or bus doors. It won't help to get angry and shout 'I was here first!' since first-come, first-served simply isn't the way things are done here. Rather it's 'first-seen, first-served'. Learn to play the game the Lao way, by pushing your money, passport, letters or whatever to the front of the crowd as best you can. Eventually you'll get through.
Road Travel
Hmong insurgency in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang Provinces continues to pose a slight security risk along Rtes 7 and 13, particularly in the vicinity of Muang Phu Khun and Kasi. These have been trouble spots more or less ever since the 1975 communist takeover, which left thousands of armed Hmong - previous allies of the Royal Government of Laos and its US and Thai supporters - in an embittered and embattled position. Despite the fact that both routes are now paved all the way, thus allowing Lao government troops to patrol Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Xieng Khuang Provinces more easily, violence still erupts from time to time.
Between 2001 and 2003 things were relatively quiet, but in February 2004, a Hmong attack on Rte 13 killed eight Lao bus passengers, plus two Swiss tourists who cycled into the situation.
That same month, after careful negotiations between the Lao military and Hmong leaders, around 700 armed Hmong insurgents surrendered in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang Provinces. Although it was widely hoped that this would mean an end to Hmong violence, in April 2004 another 12 died in a road attack in Muang Phu Khoun, at the junction of Rtes 7 and 13.
At the moment things seem quiet again, but it would be best to ask around in Vientiane or Luang Prabang to make sure the situation is still secure before embarking on any road trips along Rte 7 to Phonsavan or Rte 13 between Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
To the south of Rte 7, the Saisombun Special Zone, a relatively new administrative district, is another place to exercise caution. Carved out of eastern Vientiane, southwestern Xieng Khuang and northwestern Bolikhamsai Provinces in 1994, this 7105-sq-km district (larger than the province of Bokeo) is officially considered a 'troubled' area. The Lao government created the new zone with the intent of clearing up the guerrilla/bandit problem and has stationed two military battalions here to accomplish the task. Within the zone lies Long Cheng, formerly a CIA/USAF/Hmong army base during the Indochina War. In June 2004 seven Lao died in a Hmong attack in Saisombun.
The rugged mountains and upland valleys of the former Liberated Zones make as good a hiding place for anti-LPRP (Lao People's Revolutionary Party) organisations and other unruly sorts today as for the PL during the war.
ACCIDENTS
Despite the ongoing presence of an insurgency, the risk of road accidents remains by far the biggest danger plaguing the roadways of Laos. When riding in buses, you may be able to cut your risk of serious crash injuries if you choose an aisle seat towards the middle of the bus. On your person, carry the number of your embassy in Vientiane and the number of Aek Udorn Hospital (+0 4234 2555) in Udon Thani, Thailand, so that you can call for help if necessary.
Speedboats
In some areas of Northern Laos, particularly along the Nam Ou and Mekong River, a light and very fast type of boat called heua wai (literally 'fast boat', usually translated 'speedboat' in English) is a common form of riverine transport. Serious accidents, sometimes including fatalities, involving these speedboats seem to occur on an almost weekly basis. Usually they involve a boat striking a hidden rock or a tree limb, although occasionally contact with a standing wave is sufficient to capsize one of the light craft. Because of the high speed at which these boats travel, a simple capsize may have serious consequences for the passengers.
Although reliable statistics appear to be completely unavailable, our own observation is that the accident risk for this type of boat outweighs the potential savings in time they may represent over slower boat alternatives. In addition to the potential accident factor, these boats are tremendously noisy and disturbing to both animal and human life along the riverbanks. They also tend to be very cramped and uncomfortable. For all of the foregoing reasons, we recommend that you avoid all speedboat travel unless absolutely necessary.
Theft
On the whole, Lao are trustworthy people and theft is not much of a problem. Still, it's best if you keep your hotel room locked when you're out and at night. If you ride a crowded bus, watch your luggage and don't keep money in your trouser pockets. If you ride a bicycle or motorcycle in Vientiane, it's best not to place anything of value in the basket - at night thieving duos on motorbikes have been known to ride by and snatch bags from baskets.
We've also had a few reports of theft on buses between Vientiane and Luang Prabang, so watch your bags carefully and secure your valuables if you do this trip.
UXO
In the eastern portions of the country towards the Vietnamese border are large areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance (UXO) left behind by nearly 100 years of warfare. Despite heavy US bombing late in the Indochina War, the majority of UXO found today was left behind by ground battles and includes French, Chinese, American, Russian and Vietnamese materials, among them mortar shells, munitions, white phosphorus canisters, land mines and cluster bombs. US-made cluster bombs (known as bombi to the Lao) pose by far the greatest potential danger to people living or travelling through these areas and account for most of the estimated 130 casualties per year (in Cambodia, by comparison, the UN estimates 800 people per year are killed by UXO). Most of those injured or killed are Lao citizens, roughly 40% of whom are children. Large bombs up to 500kg dropped by US aircraft also lie undetonated in some areas, but it's very rare that one of these is accidentally detonated.
According to recent surveys undertaken by the Lao National UXO Programme (UXO Lao), financed by the UN under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the provinces of Salavan, Savannakhet and Xieng Khuang fall into a category of most severely affected provinces, followed by Champasak, Hua Phan, Khammuan, Luang Prabang and Sekong.
Statistically speaking, the UXO risk for the average foreign visitor is low, but travellers should exercise caution when considering off-road wilderness travel in the aforementioned provinces. Never touch an object on the ground that may be a UXO, no matter how old and defunct it may appear.
Lonely Planet recommends World Nomads Travel insurance
