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President & CEO's Message
Khamla Phommavanh President & CEO of Lao Airlines
Sabaidee
Dear Passengers,
Welcome aboard, and thank you for choosing Lao Airlines.
On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to extend our best wishes to you for International Women’s Day and Lao New Year, which have come around again. We wish you happiness and success for you and your family.
Lao Airlines is ready to serve you every time, whether near or far. I hope that Lao Airlines will be your choice as a convenient method of transport to your destination, and we hope that we can welcome you aboard a flight with us again soon.
Safe travels.
With the highest respects,
Hello Readers,
Welcome to the March-April issue of Champa Meuanglao, and best wishes for a happy Lao New Year. In this issue:
Meet a young designer working with retro Lao styles and bringing them into the future.
Lao New Year is upon us. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and thrills of the country’s largest holiday.
Vientiane’s riverside is now home to the Traditional Lao Silk Residence. Visit the Art of Contemporary Lao Craft Exhibition & Sale to see and take home works by some of Laos’ best artisans.
Visit the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and experience the historical and literary pleasures of a town called Sa Dec.
Renowned restaurant, Doi Ka Noi, has published a definitive tome on Lao cuisine. Read a sample to whet your appetite!
Happy Reading!
The Champa Meuanglao team
ADVISORY BOARD
Khamla Phommavanh
Managing Director
Saleum Tayarath
Deputy Managing Director of Commercial and Marketing, ICT
Sitthideth Douangsiththy
Deputy Managing Director of Ground Handling and Cargo
Champa Meuanglao is published bi-monthly for Lao Airlines State Enterprise by RDK Group. The views and opinions expressed or implied in Champa Meuanglao do not necessarily reflect those of Lao Airlines State Enterprise or its publishing agents. All information in Champa Meuanglao is correct at time of printing. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.
Luang Prabang's guardian spirits come out during Pi Mai
Photo: Phoonsab Thevongsa
MAISON DALABUA A
Charming Retreat
皮肤护理
天然手工皂
纯天然精油
香薰蜡烛
手工艺术品
天然手工皂
来自老挝纯手工制作的天然有机产品
天然精油大豆香薰蜡烛
THE RISE OF VIENTIANE'S RETRO DESIGNER
Translated by: Nick Pugh
Text by: Vila Phounvongsa
Photos by: Vila Phounvongsa and Phoonsab Thevongsa
Sabaidee!
I am Vila Phounvongsa, hailing from Seno, a peaceful little town, which used to function as a military airport and base. During my education there, I was particularly drawn to geography, history, and English. After school, I would spend hours at the library, since we had no television at home. Those library visits with my friends were wonderful times.
“
The design of the three ladies on the 1000 kip note is my inspiration ”
During Crisis Comes Discovery
After completing upper secondary school in Seno, I moved to Vientiane to study architecture, thinking it would be elegant and enjoyable. This proved to be an unfortunate choice that I had to endure for four years - not that there was anything wrong with architecture as a profession, I simply didn't enjoy studying it. After graduating in 2019, just as I was looking for work, the COVID-19 pandemic struck globally, dramatically altering my career path. Though I had previously jumped between jobs out of boredom, I finally found my calling with SNAÉ DESIGN.
B efore this, I had attempted various ventures: design services, website development, social media management, and even selling postcards featuring provincial dialects. These efforts failed due to my lack of experience and self-awareness. Despite my distaste for my architectural studies, I discovered my true passion for creating posters. Simply put, graphic design captivated me. Combined with my love for history and antiquity, I positioned myself as a "retro designer" specializing in vintage aesthetics. Inspired by old photographs of Laos that everyone described as "snaé" (charming in Lao), I established Snaé Design in 2022.
More info:
See more of Vila’s designs at fb.com/SnaeDesignlao and shop for merchandise at: fb.com/Snaeshoplao.
Visit the shop in Vientiane from 5-10pm behind Wat Ong Teu, near Memory Hotel.
The Power of One Thousand Kip
My breakthrough came with T-shirts featuring the three women from the 1,000 kip note. This design was deeply personal - growing up poor, my mother would give my brother and me a thousand kip each for school lunch. The post-COVID inflation crisis added another layer of meaning. I reasoned that since every Lao person recognized these three women from different ethnic groups, why not put this familiar image on wearable art?
On August 15, 2022, I posted a mock-up of the design on Facebook. Within minutes, purchase inquiries flooded in, including wholesale requests - all before production
had even begun. The response was so overwhelming that I had to turn off my phone for three days and temporarily stop taking orders. The 1,000 kip note, first issued in 1992, found new life 30 years later through my designs. Even young children recognized it as the "banknote of the buffalo," nicknamed for the herds depicted on its reverse side.
Today, I run SNAÉ SHOP. My product line focuses on everyday items: shirts, bags, hats, clothing, postcards, and Lao-style stickers. The most popular item remains the T-shirt featuring the three women wearing glasses. Foreign tourists
make up most of my clientele, and I've developed a simple way to explain the concept - I clip a 1,000 kip note to the products and tell them, "Do you recognize this? It comes from our money." They understand immediately. W hat began as a childhood memory of a thousand kip note has transformed into a thriving business. I'm grateful that my early struggles inspired such creativity. Sometimes poverty can plant the seeds of innovation.
A special collection of the three Lao ladies wearing sunglasses
Snaé Shop pops up at night in Vientiane between Memory Hotel and Salana Hotel near Wat Ong Teu
Photos by: Vila Phounvongsa and Phoonsab Thevongsa
(Photo Credit: Angie Sirisopha)
Concorde, Paris
Jan 19, 2025
Maelys
QUESTIONS WITH ANTHONY ASSASSA FIVE
by: Phoonsab Thevongsa
Photos
Champa Meuanglao recently caught up with Anthony Assassa, an International Finance Expert at Lao Airlines.
1. What brought you to Laos, and what has been your experience living and working here?
I came to work in Lao PDR in January 2016. What brought me here was the need for consulting firms to have experienced managers who would help support fastgrowing business development. During my first years, hydropower companies were the main companies I was servicing as an advisor. Later, I worked in other industries, in particular banks and insurance, as well as all types of manufacturing companies and international organizations.
3. What's your typical day like at Lao Airlines' headquarters in Vientiane?
Finance and accounting are anything but typical. There are so many tasks and responsibilities to handle that it is a challenge to manage them all. At Lao Airlines, it is a lot about handling the accounting work related to clients and suppliers. The whole company supports the daily operations of international and domestic flights. I am in a support and advisory role, I observe how all of the accounting is being performed and managed, and then I also provide guidance on how to align with international standards.
2. How does working in aviation finance in Laos differ from your previous international experiences?
The aviation industry is different from other industries in different ways. The market and the economic cycles are specific and highly dependent on the international demand for air travel services. It is a very competitive transportation service industry that requires heavy investments, high operating costs, and stringent financial management. By nature, it is also a customer-centric industry.
From a country's perspective, it is a crucial and strategic industry that allows the flow of goods and people from one point to another. All of this is reflected in the financials of the airline companies. If you want to understand airline financials, you need to understand the airline business model first.
4. What's your favorite destination on the Lao Airlines network, and why?
I have had the chance to visit Xieng Khouang and Luang Prabang with Lao Airlines, but I want to say that all domestic destinations in Laos could be my favorite. The provinces here are all so beautiful to visit.
5. After your years working here, what aspects of Lao culture have you embraced the most in your daily life?
In my daily life, I reflect Lao culture by being tolerant, easy-going, and amiable. With my friends, I encourage modesty, respect privacy, and I value trust in relationships. I show positivity as much as I can. I keep learning as per the Lao proverb “You know, you teach. You don’t know, you learn” (ເຈົາຮູ້, ເຈົາສອນ. ເຈົາບໍຮູ້, ເຈົາຮຽນຮູ້).
Anthony Assassa works under the Lao Airlines Sustainability Project with the cooperation of the World Bank and Lao Airlines.
Art of Contemporary Lao Craft Exhibition & Sale
Living with Lao Craft and Loving It
Text by: Jason Rolan
Photos by: Phoonsab Thevongsa
The Art of Contemporary Lao Craft exhibition, sponsored by the Lao Handicraft Association, is a constantly evolving, coordinated collection representing the works of close to 20 creators with many combined years of artistic expertise, whose diverse creations have been united under a single roof at The Traditional Lao Silk Residence, in the heart of Vientiane.
This landmark exhibition transforms the historic space into a living gallery where tradition meets innovation. Featuring exquisite silk textiles, fashionable apparel, handcrafted jewelry, and other fashion accessories along with sophisticated home décor, the exhibition showcases the seamless evolution of Lao craftsmanship.
Mission and Vision
The exhibition’s mission is clear: to honor the rich heritage of Lao craftsmanship while celebrating its ongoing transformation. The collection features a wide range of handcrafted pieces reflecting the tradition and evolution of Lao arts and crafts, with every item showcasing the versatility and beauty of Lao craftsmanship.
Exhibition Origins
What began as a search for a venue to house the antique Textile Treasures of Lao Exhibition found its home in the Hor Kham Residence, which was transformed into the Traditional Textile Residence in October 2024 and quickly evolved into something far more expansive.
The Art of Contemporary Lao Craft project was conceived of by Sandra Yuck (Sandrina Caruso), whose three decades dedicated to developing and promoting Lao craft internationally have proven invaluable in curating this exhibition, a comprehensive celebration of Lao artistry, demonstrating how diverse craft traditions can unite to create an extraordinary cultural experience.
Here is a showcase that seamlessly connects Lao craft's heritage with its future.
A Dynamic Collection
Each piece on display represents the creative spirit and dedication of Lao artisans. By combining traditional techniques with contemporary design, the exhibition weaves a cohesive, timeless narrative of modern Lao craft, demonstrating how it integrates beautifully into contemporary life. The collection unfolds like a living story, inviting visitors to become part of its continuing evolution.
The aim is simple: Inspire visitors to "Live with Lao Craft and Love It." Each piece, whether a handwoven silk, artisanal accessory, or unique decorative item, tells its own story of tradition meeting innovation.
The
Venue
B eing housed in the Traditional Lao Silk Residence (formerly Hor Kham Residence), adds another layer of significance to the experience. The eclectic space proved to be the perfect location for pairing Textiles Treasures of Laos with a collection of modern Lao craft and now serves as a dynamic backdrop for this transformative exhibition, where the past, present, and future of Lao craftsmanship come together to create something truly extraordinary.
Economic Impact
By providing artisans a platform to showcase and sell their work, the exhibition helps elevate their international visibility while creating sustainable economic opportunities. This initiative has fostered collaboration among local ministries, businesses, tour operators, and hospitality providers, working together to establish Lao craft in the global marketplace.
Visiting Information
Art enthusiasts, collectors, and cultural explorers will find a unique window into Laos' creative spirit in the Art of Contemporary Lao Craft exhibition. The Traditional Lao Silk Residence offers visitors the opportunity to discover how Lao craft transcends mere objects to become a way of life.
Visitors can also purchase these exceptional pieces of Lao craftsmanship, offering them the rare opportunity to live with these exceptional works of art while supporting the artisans who keep these traditions alive.
T he Traditional Lao Silk Residence entrance is located in Vientiane on the Mekong Riverside, Quai Fa Ngum Road. Exhibition is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
THETASTESOFLAOS
TextandPhotosby:MickShippen
Ponpailin “Noi” Kaewduangdee, the culinary tour de force behind Doi Ka Noi restaurant in Vientiane recently released her first recipe book: A Child of the Rice Fields. The weighty 480-page tome includes sections on food culture, rice, ingredients, cooking methods, and more than 120 recipes, all supported by 400 beautiful images. It stands as the most comprehensive book ever written about Lao food. Shortlisted in two categories for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, it is an important step toward helping the Lao cuisine gain international recognition.
2
Som moo, soured pork with jaew mak kheua, grilled aubergine and chili relish
1: Noi visits the market daily to get the freshest produce
2: Laab gai, a traditional Lao salad of chicken and herbs
The following is an abridged extract from the section, Taste (and other senses).
The key tastes in Lao cuisine are spicy, salty, savory, sour, and bitter. There’s also an element of earthiness and woodsy flavors in some dishes. Sweetness barely gets a lookin. Often the cook’s job is to harmonize these flavors. But not always. Sometimes one or two are allowed to dominate.
Left:
Spicy
Take a walk through a local market and it quickly becomes apparent that Lao people love chilis. Everywhere, large woven bamboo trays are piled with green, orange, and red fresh chilis, and a variety of dried – whole, smoked, flaked, and powdered. You could mistakenly believe that all Lao food will be spicy. Granted, there is no shortage of fiery dishes. For the most part, however, they are split with a thwack of a pestle and added towards the end of the cooking process to bring a gentle heat to the dish. The contribution that dried chilis make to Lao food is slightly more complex — they bring heat, but also smokiness and often a touch of sweetness.
Salty
Saltiness is achieved in several forms in Lao cooking, most notably with pa daek, a condiment made from freshwater fish that are fermented and aged (sometimes for several years). The murky-looking, unfiltered liquid and pieces of decomposed fish are an essential seasoning in many dishes. However, pa daek brings much more than saltiness to food. Despite its pungent aroma and strong taste, when added to pounded salads, soups, and curries, its assertiveness mellows to create layers of flavor: salty, savory, earthy, and more. For many Lao cooks, pa daek is the foundational flavor of their food – a seasoning without equal.
Chilis, fresh or dried, feature in almost every Lao dish.
A range of seasoning sauces typically used in Lao cooking.
Savory
Savory flavor (aka umami) in Lao food comes from fermented soybeans, a range of soy-based seasonings, mushrooms, and grilled tomatoes. The meat sauce for khao soi noodles, a mix of fermented soybean paste, tomatoes, and pork, is an excellent example of how to build rich savory flavors. It is also known that smoky flavors in combination with some ingredients help trigger natural savoriness, a fact that re-emphasizes the importance of using a charcoal grill when cooking Lao food. Savory is of course easily boosted by using MSG but always at the expense of more delicate and complex flavors.
Sour
Sourness is an important flavor in Lao cooking, and its use ranges from subtle to eye-opening acidity. Common sources of sourness are fresh limes which are used in tam, pounded salads, and laab, chopped salads. Lime juice is also used in dipping sauces. Tamarind contributes a gentle sourness which elevates the flavor in soups. Under-ripe tomatoes and pineapple can also be used in this way. Mak kok or hog plum is also a fabulous ingredient for adding sourness to jaew and tam dishes.
The ‘ragu’ used in khao soi noodle soup uses fermented soybeans to create a rich savory flavor.
Limes and unripe tomatoes are just two ingredients used to give a pleasing sourness to dishes.
Bitter
Most of the Western world seems to have lost its appetite for bitterness. This is not so in Laos. Bitter foods are not only loved, particularly by the older generation, they are considered medicinal. Many foraged plants such as lin mai, the seed pods from the wonderfully named midnight horror tree, and some bamboos, leaves, and flowers are extremely bitter. From the garden, pea aubergine and bitter gourds are used.
Earthy/Woodsy
C ertain dishes, particularly those that feature seasonal foraged fungi, cassia leaves or the stock made using yaa nang leaves, have a distinctive earthy or woodsy taste. It’s one suggestive of the fields and forested landscape of Laos during the rainy season, the time when foraged mushrooms are most abundant, of course.
Sweet
Sweetness is almost totally absent in traditional Lao food. Sugar should only ever be used in very scant amounts, usually to take the edge off sourness. The natural sweetness of grilled garlic and shallots, however, is enjoyed. You will often hear diners comment on the sweetness of blanched green vegetables, which are commonly served as a side dish without any additional seasoning.
The extreme bitterness of pea aubergines mellows when they are grilled for the delicious, jaew mak kheng.
Markets in Laos sell a wide range of foraged ingredients that bring earthy flavors to the food.
Noi harvesting rat-tailed radish in the Doi Ka Noi garden
Astringent
A stringency, that sensation of a slight drying out in the mouth, is also liked. It is particularly pronounced in sliced, raw green banana and banana flower, the skin of hog plum, and a variety of foraged leaves often eaten as an accompaniment to dishes such as laab
Aroma, Texture, and Temperature
Cooking Lao food is a sensory experience –one that extends beyond mere taste and visual appeal. It is very important to pay attention to your olfactory senses. When the ingredients you are cooking release their aroma, they are also at their most flavorful.
T emperature is also an important consideration when serving Lao food. Hot and room temperature dishes are served at the same meal to provide contrast. Likewise, contrasting textures are enjoyed. Khao khoua, ground roasted rice with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaf, is used as a textural element as well as a seasoning, as are crispy fried shallots.
To read more:
A Child of the Rice Fields: Recipes from Noi’s Lao Kitchen is available at Doi Ka Noi restaurant in Vientiane
Green bananas are used in salads. The astringency is often countered by the sourness of limes.
Khao khoua, ground roasted rice powder adds texture and aroma to dishes such as laab.
A rustic style jaew mak len, grilled tomato and chili relish made with a stone mortar and pestle.
Jaew Mak Len
A spicy grilled tomato and chili dip
Serves 4 sharing as part of a multi-dish Lao meal
This classic, vibrant tomato and chili jaew is extremely popular in Laos. It’s great with fried Luang Prabang river weed, sun-dried fish, and fried meats.
Equipment
Charcoal stove
Large ceramic pestle and mortar
Ingredients
400g ripe tomatoes
15g fresh mak phet hai chilis
100g garlic – two heads, left whole
130g red Asian shallots, skins on
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pa daek
1½ tablespoons fish sauce
To garnish
A few fresh coriander leaves
1 spring onion, lightly grilled until wilted and fragrant (optional)
First, light the charcoal stove and allow it to die down to a gentle heat. Thread the tomatoes onto skewers by inserting through the middle and ensuring the eyes of the tomatoes are all facing in the same direction. Lay them on a wire rack, eyes down, and place the rack on the stove about 15cm above the coals. Thread the chilis onto a skewer and add them to the rack along with the whole heads of garlic and shallots. Turn the ingredients occasionally, removing each one as it becomes charred, cooked through, and soft to the touch (about 15 minutes for the shallots and garlic, less for tomatoes, and just a minute or two for the chilis).
When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and shallots. If any of the garlic has become very black, rub or cut it off. Likewise, any bits of very black tomato skins can be discarded.
Put garlic, shallots, chilis, and salt into the mortar and lightly pound with a pestle for a minute until you have a chunky paste, and the chilis are broken up. If any mixture builds up on the pestle, scrape it off with a spoon. Add the tomatoes and muddle them gently with the pestle. It is not advisable to pound them as you will get sprayed with seeds and juice. This way you will also be able to create a chunky-textured jaew. Season with all the pa daek and one tablespoon of the fish sauce. Mix well and taste, adding a quarter tablespoon or so of fish sauce if necessary. Finally, add a few roughly chopped coriander leaves and a small amount of grilled and sliced spring onion (if liked), mix lightly, and serve.
Jaew mak len is often eaten with khai phaen, fried Mekong riverweed.
MARGUERITE’S SA DEC
Born in Saigon in 1914 the clever, feisty, and precocious Marguerite Duras was the youngest child of teachers from rural France. Her story was immortalized in the Goncourt prizewinning autobiography L’Amant (The Lover) and later made into a movie. In the book, a young lady’s family turns a blind eye to her relationship with an older wealthy Chinese man simply because they are interested in his money. Marguerite's life was not an easy one and she grew up in a dysfunctional family dealing with her widowed mother’s depression, an older brother addicted to opium, and a younger autistic brother.
Text by: Anita Preston
Photos by: Anita Preston / Evensong Film
The town most closely connected with Marguerite is Sa Dec in the Mekong Delta. In The Lover, Marguerite famously meets her rich lover on a ferry when she travels from Sa Dec to Saigon to return to boarding school. Her mother taught at the local school, now the Trung Vuong Primary School. Shades of its colonial past are still visible in the shutters and red-tiled roofs. The house where they lived is now gone.
Sa Dec is the flower capital of Vietnam. Its old market area goes on for blocks and is filled with buckets and beautiful fresh flowers of every shade and hue. Food sellers peddle bánh mì sandwiches made with crusty white baguettes, a legacy of the French. The aroma of thinly sliced pork chops grilling on charcoal braziers fills the air, marinated with lemongrass and fish sauce, and served with broken rice (cơm tấm). Massive fruits and a myriad of colorful vegetables line the stalls as the soil from the Mekong Delta is supercharged with nutrients.
1: Colonial shop house
2: Fresh flowers at the market
The house of the real-life lover, Huynh Thuy Le, with the “blue tiles” is next to the market. Delicate and colorful orchids and elegant bonsai fill the garden and in the house, the walls are lined with photos of him, not quite as suave and handsome as his movie counterpart, Tony Leung. The movie was filmed in Vietnam in 1992. Its scenes of the Mekong, the last remnants of colonial Saigon, and the languid backwaters of the Mekong Delta offer a glimpse back to when Vietnam had just opened up to the world and many of its colonial relics were still standing.
The film could not use Huynh Thuy Le’s house because it was then a police station, as his family had relocated to France in the 1970s. The house is a mixture of Indochinese brick, Chinese teak, and gilding and has a sunken tiled floor built following the principles of Feng Shui. The rear of the house has a small gift shop selling all kinds of trinkets and of course the ubiquitous fedoras should you choose to replicate Marguerite's look.
Boats with good luck markings on the bow and massive barges driven by friendly captains who shout and wave “hello” still frequently chug up the river, their hulls piled high with rice husks to fuel the terracotta chimneys of nearby brick kilns. Sa Dec is still a thriving market town and the river is busy with commercial traffic. A picturesque iron bridge just north of the market area spans the river. The banks are lined with old colonial
buildings in pastel hues of blue and yellow now converted into trendy coffee shops serving cà phê sữa, the delicious Vietnamese drip coffee with condensed milk. Facing the market are two small islands and on the other side of the islands the Mekong makes its mark, it is massive and wide here. Water hyacinths frequently bob and float on by in huge bunches on their way to the ocean 100 kilometers away. Huge bridges now cross the old ferry routes and Marguerite’s Sa Dec to Vinh Long ferry no longer exists.
On the islands, you can easily spot houses used in the movie. When the Chinese protagonist goes to beg his father to marry Marguerite he crosses over in a boat from the current market to a tall blue house on the other bank. Nothing has changed except the color of the house, now yellow and also open for visitors. Exploring the two islands is interesting. Small narrow lanes crisscross the islands and there are many architectural gems to be found. The old hospital near the bus station in faded yellow is an old French colonial beauty.
2:
3:
4:
Getting there:
Lao Airlines flies regularly from Vientiane to Ho Chi Minh City for travel onward overland to Sa Dec
1: Gallery of Thuynh Thuy Le, the real lover
Gallery of Marguerite
Door to The Lover's house
The Lover's house
5: The Tien River in the center of Sa Dec
(Trung Vuong).
2:
Tony Leung ທີ່ມາຮັບບົດ
PI MAI THE LAO NEW YEAR
Text by: Jason Rolan
Photos by: Phoonsab Thevongsa and Anita Preston / Evensong Film
Pi Mai is a wet and wild celebration
Dawn breaks over another sweltering April morning in Luang Prabang, but today's sticky sweat will soon be washed away by a city-wide catharsis called Pi Mai. You notice it first in the faces: the usually reserved Lao smiles crack wider, mischievous glints flash in elderly eyes, and soon enough, total strangers are drenching each other in ritualized chaos. In local parlance, it's all about "hoht nam," or the pouring of water – but that polite phrase hardly captures the magnificent mayhem that transforms the capital's sleepy streets into a three-day water war.
1: Pou Yeu, one of the guardian spirits who blesses the town during new year
2: A khaen player participates in the festivities
3: The Prabang statue comes out during this period to be washed and revered
B eneath the surface-level soaking lie complex layers of tradition that define Lao New Year. Monks still file silently through dawn mists collecting alms, while families gather for baci ceremonies where cotton strings bind wrists and blessings. In living rooms that smell of grilled fish and fresh herbs, grandmothers bark orders as daughters pound chilies and lime into laap, minced meat salads. The temples hum with prayer and
purpose, Buddha images bathed in jasmine-scented water by worshippers shufflling past in silk finery. It's a festival where sacred and profane collide – one moment, you're receiving a solemn blessing from elders, and the next, you're ambushed by gleeful kids armed with water pistols and buckets of ice water. And somehow, in the hot heart of Laos, it all makes perfect sense.
1: Miss New Year in the Pi Mai procession
2: Locals and foreigners enjoy playing with water on the streets
3: Women in the Pi Mai procession protect themselves from the heat 1:
Ritual washing of Buddha statues at That Ing Hang in Savannakhet
Locals sculpt sand stupas to build merit
Worshippers pray to the Prabang Buddha
A woman makes an offering of incense, flowers, and candles
In Luang Prabang, the streets are full of people splashing water
1: Ritual washing of a Buddha statue
2: A lady washes the head of Thao Kabinlaphom, a legendary figure in the Pi Mai legend
