Lao Voices

This year, the Pha Vet festival is bigger and better with a larger parade and more people participating. Since I sent a camera to my cousin Mo last year, he has been taking photos around the temple a few times. His photo taking activities didn’t go un-notice under the eyes of the senior Monks.
On the [...]

Boun Pha Vet at Ban Phonsikhay in Muang Pakse is celebrated once a year. The festival takes two day and involves the entire community as well as neighboring villages. The event starts at Wat Phonsikhay with a parade (Hare Pha Vet Sandone) and a Baci ceremony later.
The highlight of Boun Pha Vet is the recital [...]

The last set of photos of Dannavieng Lao book box library in Muang Phone Thong, Champassak province. Thank you once again to all the supporters of the Book Box Fund. You have given these children the power of knowledge.

More photos of Lao book box library from Dannavieng Elementary School in Muang Phone Thong, Champassak province.

Here are additional photos of the book box library at Dannavieng Elementary school in Muang Phone Thong, Champassak provinces. These first grade students are not shy when it comes to checking out their favorite books to read. Thanks to a book box library, they have a good start for a better future.

On March 19, 2007, Dannavieng Elementary School received a book box library from us (in the name Laoplanet.net back then). It has been a little over a year now since the students have been enjoying their books. Thanks to the supporters of the school building project, they now have a new library (reading room) to [...]

Southeastern Asian flavors on Far North Side
By Steve Dolinsky
Only one restaurant in town focuses on the food from Laos, and ABC7’s Hungry Hound has tried everything on the menu.
If you like Thai food, chances are you’re going to really like the food from Laos. There are plenty of similarities– mainly coconut milk, fish sauce, young [...]

I paid a visit to my Hmong neighbor’s rice paddy again during my morning break, I was hoping that the rice plants would produce some rice grains by now, but I guess I’m a bit impatience. I asked one of my American co-workers to join me this time, she said, “I don’t know why you [...]

Now and then it is useful to look back in history to see where the future will take us. A pivotal time in Lao history is the time between 1950 and 1975. During that time, the political regime in Laos was completely turned around. This was no coincidence. Laos was heavily [...]

Mien exhibit video by ACTA

Updated on 7/6/2008, post of concert: Wat Lao Buddhavong July 4th, 2008 Concert Part I Jonny Olsen and Anna-Anhly Vorarath
It appears that it is going to be a morlam summer festival during the week of July 4th at Wat Lao Buddhavong of Catlett, VA; this will be a treat for those who love Morlam.

[LARGE IMAGE]
Plus [...]

Lao documentary show from Lao Star Channel.

The new Dannavieng Elementary school is not quite 100% completed. At the moment, the school is missing the doors, the windows, and of course the concrete floor. The ceilings and the walls are still needed to work on. But even at this state of the condition, the students, parents, and the entire community are happy [...]

Students Dannavieng Elementary finished their first year year at the newly built school earlier this month. The incomplete school was being used to its full extent. Even with dirt floor, the students were happy to be inside holding classes. They spent many months under the shade while the construction was going on last year. The [...]

Here are some short video clips of the naming ceremony at Ban Phonsikhay as Lao cultural village of Pakse, Champassak Province.