Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Banditry
With far more serious consequences than petty theft,
banditry
is still a possible (but very
small) threat in some parts of Laos. In the past, buses, motorcyclists and private vehicles on
certain highways have been held up, their passengers robbed and, in some instances, killed.
Because information in Laos is tightly controlled, no one knows exactly if rumoured ban-
dit attacks have actually occurred or if other incidents have happened and gone unreported.
Therefore it's always good to check Western government websites such as that of the UK's
FCO (
fco.gov.uk
)
for any
travel advice
before heading out into remote regions.
Unexploded ordnance
The
SecondIndochinaWar
left Laos with the dubious distinction of being the most heavily
bombed country per capita in the history of warfare. The areas of the country most affec-
ted by aerial bombing are along the border of Vietnam - especially in southern Laos where
the border runs parallel to the former Ho Chi Minh Trail; also heavily targeted was Xieng
Khuang province in the northeast. Other provinces, far from the border with Vietnam, were
the site of land battles in which both sides lobbed artillery and mortar shells at each other. A
fair quantity of this ordnance did not explode.
These dangerous relics of the war, known as
UXO
(unexploded ordnance), have been the
focus of disposal teams since the 1980s. According to the Lao Government, most areas that
tourists are likely to visit have been swept clean of UXO. That said, it always pays to be cau-
tious when in rural areas or when trekking. UXO unearthed during road construction can be
pushed onto the shoulder, where it becomes overgrown with weeds and forgotten. Disposal
experts say that fast-growing bamboo has been known to unearth UXO, lifting it aloft as the
stalk grows and then letting it fall onto a trail that was previously clean. Consequently, it's
best to stay on trails and beware any odd-looking metallic objects that you may come across.
Picking something up for closer inspection (or giving it a kick to turn it over) can be suicidal.
When taking a toilet break during long-distance bus journeys, it's not a good idea to penetrate
too deeply into the bush looking for privacy.
In many towns across Laos, locals use old bombs, bomb cases, mortar shells etc for a variety
of functions, from demarcating plots of land to decorating their gardens. These will normally
(but not always) have been checked by UXO disposal experts, and should pose no threat.
Still, it pays to have a healthy respect for all UXO. After all, these are weapons that were
designed to kill or maim.
