Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There are
no official figures
for the number of people who were interned in the camps,
but estimates based on reports by former inmates and their families suggest that at the
height of the camps, in 1978-79, the number of internees may have been as high as fifty
thousand. Whatever willingness supporters of the Royalist regime had to work with the
new government quickly evaporated when it became clear that those interned in the camps
weren't coming home anytime soon. Confronted with the prospect of being sent off for re-
education, more than three hundred thousand people, nearly a tenth of Laos's population,
fled the country.
The first group of prisoners, low-ranking members of the former regime, was
released
in 1980, and despite finally being deemed fit to live in socialist Laos, many took the first
chance they got to cross the Mekong. As the 1980s wore on, more and more prisoners were
gradually released under pressure from Western nations and Amnesty International, which
reported that in 1985 seven thousand people remained in the camps, a number which had
dwindled to 33 by March 1991. The camps may now be empty, but as of 2013, the Lao gov-
ernment still had at least three prisoners of conscience and two political prisoners locked
up. Previously, Amnesty International described Laos as “a country which has a zero-tol-
erance policy towards dissent in any form”.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: VIENG XAI
Bysawngthaew
Sawngthaews bound for Vieng Xai leave Sam Neua's Nathong bus station at
7am and 9am each morning, or when full (20,000K per person; 50min) and arrive in front of
Vieng Xai's market. Returning to Sam Neua on the same day is tricky, as the last sawngthaew
can be as early as 1pm, and occasionally it won't run at all if there are not enough passengers.
By tuk-tuk or minivan
If you want to visit Vieng Xai for the day, the most practical option
is to ask staff at the tourist office to arrange transport for you. A return tuk-tuk transfer from
Sam Neua to Vieng Xai, including waiting time, should cost no more than 250,000K. For
300,000K you can make the same journey in a minivan. With either option, the driver will
happily shuttle you between the caves you visit during the tour, which means you'll avoid a
long walk or having to rent a bike.
CavesVisitorCentre
To get to the visitor centre in Vieng Xai ( 064 314321,
visit-vien-
for about five minutes until you reach a monument, where the road splits in two. Bear left -
the office is on the right a few minutes later.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Aside from the bowls of
fõe
rustled up during the daytime by the
noodle stalls
at the small
market, satisfying meals can be hard to come by in Vieng Xai. If you're planning to stay for
more than one night you may want to bring supplies from Sam Neua's market.
