Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GLOSSARY
Akha
highland ethnic group
ARVN
Army of Republic of Vietnam, the defunct South Vietnamese Army
baht
Thai currency, also a unit for measuring gold
ban
house or village
basi
animist Lao ceremony
bia sot
draught beer
bombi
type of anti-personnel bomb which explodes when touched
Brahma
Hindu god
bun (or boun)
festival
dawk jampa
plumeria (frangipani) blossom, the national flower of Laos
devaraja god-king
a Khmer concept of divine kingship
devata
female divinity
don (or dawn)
island
dvarapala
guardian divinities at doors and gateways of Khmer ruins
falang
white person, person of European descent
fõe
Vietnamese noodle dish (“pho” in Vietnamese) found throughout Laos
hân kin deum
casual eating and drinking spot
HCMT
Ho Chi Minh Trail, series of trails used by the NVA to infiltrate South Vietnam
heua sa
slow boat
heua wai
speedboat
Hmong
highland ethnic group
Indra
Hindu god
jataka
mythological tales of the Buddha's previous lives
jumbo
three-wheeled motorized taxi
kataw
a game similar to volleyball, but played without the use of the arms; also played in Thailand and Malaysia,
where it's called
takraw
kha
slave; formerly used as a pejorative for hill tribes
khào
rice
khào ji
French bread
khào niaw
sticky rice
khiw lot
bus stand
Khmer
Cambodian
Khmu
an upland ethnic group
khwaeng
province
kip
Lao currency
lak
kilometre, often used in place names
