Laotian city transformed by investment
The old Laotian royal city of Luang Prabang, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, has long been a quiet tourist destination. But with recent Chinese investments, including a new high-speed railway, it has become easier for tourists to admire the city’s golden temples. While more tourist money is welcome, many residents are unhappy with […]
Laos, Luang Prabang, News, Travel, Video
Royal Lao Airforce Video – Late 1960’s
It shows the Royal Lao Airforce pilots, between 19 and 34 years of age and paid $55 a month and $1.60 per combat mission. They flew 4000 missions a month in T28 planes that were originally built as training planes for the Korean war. They are laden with bombs and napalm. Near the end of […]
Anouluck Xang – Protect our Elephants
Laos has been known as Lan Xang, the Land of a Million Elephants, since it was a remote, reclusive, ancient kingdom. Elephants are part of Lao peoples’ blood, bones and essential beings – as important as roots are to trees. It is with the understanding and respect for this connection that we share with you […]
Magic Laos
‘The Vietnamese plant the rice, the Cambodians tend the rice and the Lao listen to it grow’ – said the French colonialists. Needless to say, they didn’t mean it as a compliment. And maybe they should have. Hundred years later, looking at Laos we might find out that there is much to learn from its […]
Lao New Year 1974
A video showing the celebrations in Luang Prabang, Laos in 1974. Not a lot has changed.
Ordaining a Buddhist Monk
Reposted from the diaries of Laos magazine n Laos, as in other Buddhist countries, men can be ordained as novice monks to live the monastic life for a certain period. It is also popular for children and teenagers to live as monks for a couple of months, during the summer holidays, as a means of […]
Sunday morning roadworks
One of my favourite sights in Luang Prabang … roadworks!!! It is not a sight seen often but a very welcome one. It seems the roads, including main roads and main tourist streets, were only repaired 6 months ago and already large potholes had reappeared causing traffic to grind to a halt. So imagine my […]
Food, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel, Video
History of Luang Prabang by Nat Geo
This video by National Geographic gives you an overview of Luang Prabang and sights around the area.
Stunning Laos – Together we thrive
A beautiful video of Laos showing the stunning scenery and people that fill this magic country. Video by: Cedric Jean-Baptiste They say travelling is one of the best ways to grow and whilst true this only occurs if you reflect on the experience and learn from it. After going through hours of footage, this is what […]
Follow-your-dream, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel, Vang Vieng, Video
Beautiful Laos – Paradise seen from Heaven
Filmed by: Christoph von Toggenburg Laos is covered in wild jungles, mirroring lakes, colourful rice paddies, beautiful temples, ancient ruins, amazing waterfalls and slow rivers. This short film takes you on a journey across Laos, captured from the air, showing this unique country from an entirely unseen perspective. Celebrating our engagement, my finacée Valentine and […]
Making Change in the Mekong
Film for Change Aotearoa New Zealand produced this short film about my volunteer work in Laos establishing computer education programs to raise awareness of opportunities to support sustainable, grass-roots education efforts in Laos to help improve people’s lives a little. I volunteer with Lao teachers to provide free education, scholarships and hardship support for impoverished […]
Community Development, Development, Education, Featured, Follow-your-dream, Laos, Luang Prabang, Monks, Poverty, School, Video, Volunteering
Watch the new covert war doco through the stories of Hmong elders
Not many people know about the secret war in Laos and the way it affects local people’s lives today in 2018. Many centres have a UXO centre which have information, bombs, and interesting videos. If you visit Luang Prabang you can be sure I’ll take you to the small, interesting UXO centre. The recent documentary by […]
Lao people display incredible strength, living with 80 million unexploded bombs
“This Little Land of Mines,” a documentary by American University Student Fellow Erin McGoff, is now accepting donations through the Independent Filmmaker Project. As the production enters its second phase of filming, it is looking for support from viewers who want to see the development of the full-length documentary. “This Little Land of Mines” documents the […]
Development, Laos, UXO, Video, Vietnam
The Giving ການໃຫ້ – a short film by novice monk students
Another short film made by students in the summer 2017 film class @ My Library in Luang Prabang. MyLibrary has been around since 2003 started as an English support centre free for anyone to drop in and learn. As they say, it is an example of “what happens when you give motivated users the materials […]
Boun Lai Heua Fai (Festival of Light Boats) 2017
ພາບບັນຍາກາດບຸນໄຫຼເຮືອໄຟ ທີ່ຫຼວງພະບາງ 2017 Boun Lai Heua Fai (Festival of Light Boats) 2017, the most beautiful time of year in Luang Prabang with the temple all lit up to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent.
See what happens to this little girl
I love this three-minute video that reminds us of the pleasures in life. It always brings a wee tear as I see the impact this mans simple generosity has had on people’s lives – especially the little girl who was finally able to go to school. Too many people live in these harsh situations and […]
Beware the voluntourists intent on doing good
The term voluntourism refers to the growing phenomenon of individuals travelling to developing countries to carry out volunteer work. They go for a week or two for a “project” — a temporary medical clinic, an orphanage visit or a school construction. Many go to teach English during high school, college vacations or during an OE/gap year. […]
Development, Food, Laos, Poverty, School, Video, Volunteering
A glimpse into life in Luang Prabang
In this 3 minute video, I show you a few scenes around Luang Prabang, life at the school where I volunteer and a brief insight to a village up river we got to by ‘long boat’. I will return soon to continue developing computer teaching programmes, running teacher training workshops and assisting Lao teachers in […]
The UXO problem in Laos
This is a great video by the COPE Centre Laos explains the unexploded bomb problem in Laos. The US Airforce in 1963 dropped the 1st bombs on Laos in what would be a 9 year Secret War. The daily reality is that 300 people a year are injured or killed by bombies (the small bombs released […]
Decades on, millions of unexploded American bombs left behind still kill and maim in Laos
Special correspondent Mike Cerre offers a glimpse of life in Laos today and the mission to end the deadly legacy of the Secret War.
A short film: New Day ຈົວຕົ້ນຄົນໃໝ່
This short film made by students in the summer 2016 film class @ My Library in Luang Prabang shows the talent of young film makers as well as a glimpse into temple life as a Novice Monk.
Elephants in Luang Prabang for new year
It is Lao New Year now (Pimai), one of the most important dates in the Lao calendar. Although officially a three-day festival in Luang Prabang, the party always goes on for at least a week. Officially the last day of the year, 13th April is traditionally a day of renewal, the main symbol of which is […]
Without mindfulness film
“Without Mindfulness” a short film made at the summer filmmaking workshop @ My Library won first prize at the Vientianale film festival last night! Congratulations to the filmmakers novice Mai Latanavong Novice Bouasy, former Novice Somjai Soulivongvang and Novice Touly, and the others who helped: Vanhxai Thor Zua Lee Leeoneyang Yang and Youa Lao. Congratulations […]
A computer centre is born in Laos
A project is made of many parts. We send our thanks to the many people that have made it possible. We would like to record our very special thanks to David Allan for his endless work and spirit in giving the project life. Reposted from article written by Peter. The School Centre is a story of […]
Luang Prabang temples
Luang Prabang has 33 Buddhist temples. This short video is of some smaller less glamorous temples than Vat Xieng Thong for example. Sit back, relax and take in the peacefulness of Luang Prabang, Laos.
Trip to Pak Ou cave
Teachers and volunteers from school went to Pak Ou by tuk tuk for lunch together. After lunch we crossed the river to the cave full of Buddhas. Neither the number of Buddhas or steps were counted. This is out day trip where you can see more of the beauty that is Luang Prabang.
Delivering aid to three villages decimated by flash flooding
On Saturday, teachers and volunteers from school in Luang Prabang joined friends from a Laos organisation Education and Sharing to deliver aid to three villages decimated by flash flooding at the end of the monsoon season. The villagers had no warning of the impending disaster as it had not rained for many days. Four people […]
Videos: Interviews | Awards Day | River Crossing – Luang Prabang
Last week I was busy interviewing with 4 other teams. Over 350 people applied for the 200 places available. Mornings were very busy with many interviews and during the afternoon I took this footage showing some of the school and people who work and volunteer here. Awards day
September in Luang Prabang
I have been busy everyday helping at school, setting up computers for the new computer teaching programme and other IT administration tasks. Laos is deeply rooted in Buddhist traditions and it does feel like time has stopped here especially in the centre where there is still a very strong colonial french feel. Last weekend I met […]