Ventiene Today: The New Face of Laos
Feature article for Asean Tripper, on the changing face of Ventiene, Laos – January 2013
..Modern Vientiane is a fascinatingly exotic mix of Lao, Chinese and Thai traditions, with visible influences from French colonial times, past American bases, and a period of Russian occupation. As you’d expect, the people of Vientiane are far more urban and worldly than those from its rural areas, but this is not Bangkok, and life still tends to move at a very laidback pace. Up until recently the city has relied heavily on agriculture and market trade, but today many locals of the capital are working in the growing tourist industry, in shops, restaurants, and taxi services, and with a new sense of pride and ambition..
