Beautiful photos of Luang Nam Tha province in northern Laos. I hope to be able to spend a few days at the Boat Landing Guest House and Restaurant someday. If you have never been that far up north in Laos, make it a priority before the area is too crowded with tourists, like it is now with Luang Prabang.
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Laos plant plans to open early (Bangkok Post - Thailand’s English news) Julu - Baw Yark Pen Nongsao KOK CHI URGES SPORTS BODIES TO LOOK AT LAOS’S DECISION IN POSITIVE LIGHT (Bernama via Yahoo! Malaysia News) OCM Secretary Kok Chi Urges Sports Bodies to Look at Laos’s Decision in Positive Light (Bernama) (AFX UK Focus) 2008-10-06 08:22 ICB Financial gets licence approval to open new bank in Laos (Interactive Investor) Dak Lak Develops Industrial Crops in Southern Laos (Yahoo! Asia News) Sabaidee Luang Prabang, the First Feature Lao Film, Premieres at the Smithsonian Institute Laos Approves New Policy For Overseas Laotians Lao Official: The American Financial Crisis Has No Direct Impact on Laos’ Economy Laos Calls for UNDP and Foreign Assistances for Flood Victims
You are aware aren’t you that Pawn the owner of the Boat Landing was abducted by people in uniform a year ago and is unheard of since?
Some people guess that his problems might have arisen due to the obvious conflicts between eco tourism of which he and the boat landing are the biggest advocates in Laos, and the rubber industry. Of late Luang Namtha province has become the poster child for how a monoculture forest planting can usurp the rights of upland villagers to even live on their own land. In many cases villagers now work the plantations of hillsides that used to be theirs.
Asia Times had a good overview December 19, 07 http://atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/IL19Cb01.html
I passed through and stayed in Luang Namtha perhaps six or seven times last winter / spring in my to-ing and fro-ing in northern Laos. Tourism already dominates the landscape on the main street. Cafes, Guest Houses, trekking. For me, it’s already too crowded with tourists, but then if I point fingers I have to direct my gaze back at myself. I fear that you and I are part of the problem
I do urge anyone contemplating a trip to Luang Namtha to patronize The Boat Landing Guest House. Pawn’s family operates it in his absence and by staying or eating some of the delicious Lao food they serve, you are not only showing your support for eco tourim but in a very fundamental way supporting the wife and two small children Pawn left behind.