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 Champasak was once, 1400 years ago,
the centre of power in the lower Mekong basin, later
a revered outpost of the Khmer Angkor empire and, later
still, one of the three kingdoms to rule over the remains
of Lane Xang. A fine heritage that, according to the
last prince of Champasak, was brought to hard times
by a former queen's indiscretion.
The beautiful Nang Pao ruled over Champasak in the mid-17th
century. But it's lonely at the top and the queen found
comfort in the arms of a prince from a neighbouring
kingdom. Alas, for the lady's pennyroyal was ineffective,
and Nang Pao fell pregnant. A great scandal ensued and,
though the queen remained in power and was succeeded
by her illegitimate daughter, Nang Peng, the unhappy
Nang Pao decreed that all unmarried mothers in the kingdom
must sacrifice a buffalo for their sins. The practice
survived in some local communities until the 1980s,
the unfortunate women being known as 'Nang Pao's Daughters.'
 Though the Kingdom of Champasak prospered
for a while after the final dissolution of Lane Xang,
at the beginning the 18th century, its fortunes faltered
quickly and it was reduced to a vassal state of Siam
before the century had passed. For its part in Chao
Anou's abortive attempt to win freedom from the Siamese
for the Lao kingdoms, Champasak lost all of its territory
east of the Mekong. Under French rule the once mighty
kingdom became a mere administrative block; its royalty
stripped of many of its privileges.
 "With an unmarried mother as queen,"
Prince Boun Oum na Champasak, the last of the kingdom's
royal line, once said. "Everything started so badly
that the game was lost before it began."
Boun Oum, who died in French exile in 1980, may have
griped about his family's downfall (though he was not
a direct descendent of Nang Pao), but it did not stop
him from using his remaining royal privileges to loot
the nearby Wat Phu. The magnificent Angkorian temple
complex was recently made a UNESCO heritage site and
is considered one of the finest Angkor-inspired edifices
outside of Cambodia.
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Basic
Information: |
Area:
236,800 sq.km.
Capital: Vientiane
Population: 5.41 million
Language: Lao (official), French and English
Religion: Buddhism |
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Climate: |
| Tropical Monsoon, Rainy
Season May-November. Dry Season December-April |
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Local
Time: |
| GMT
+7 |
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Currency: |
| Laotian kip = 100 cents.
Notes of kip 5,000, 2,000, 1000, 500, 100 and 50.
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Exchange: |
| Banks, licensed offices,
and hotels. Credit cards/traveller's cheques not
widely accepted. Cash US dollars and Thai baht universally
accepted. Small denominations very useful. |
|
Business
hours: |
| Office hours: 0800-1200
and 1300-1600, Monday to Friday. |
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Electricity
supply: |
| 220V,
50 Hz |
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Tipping: |
| Tipping is not customary
in Laos. However, small gratuities may be given
in appreciation for efficient, friendly service.
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Nightlife: |
| Apart
from cultural shows presented at some hotels, there
is no established nightlife catering to tourists.
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Photography: |
| Basic
supplies are available. Observe normal courtesy
when photographing people, especially monks. Avoid
taking photographs at airports and military locations.
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Tourist
Information: |
|
National
Touirsm Authority of Lao PDR, PO Box 3556,
Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane, Tel (856-21) 212248,
212251, Fax (856-21) 212769
The most reliable information can also be
usually be obtained from large travel agency offices.
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Public
Holidays in Laos for Year 2001: |
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New Year 1-Jan-2001
Army National Day 20-Jan-2001
Makhabusa Day 8-Feb-2001
Women International Day 8-Mar-2001
Lao Popular Revolutionary Party Day 22-Mar-2001
Lao Buddhist New Year 13-16-Apr-2001
Labor International Day 1-May-2001
Visakhabusa Day 7-May-2001
Child International Day 1-Jun-2001
Khao Phansa Day 5-Jul-2001
Constitution Day 15-Aug-2001
Khao Padab Din Day 18-Aug-2001
Power Seizing Day 23-Aug-2001
Khao Salak Day 2-Sep-2001
Oak Phansa Day 2-Oct-2001
Boat Racing Festival Day 3-Oct-2001
Teacher National Day 7-Oct-2001
That Luang Festival Day 31-Oct-2001
National Day 2-Dec-2001
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| Asia
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| USA
& Canada: |
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| Europe |
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| Tel : (852) 2722-0270 | Fax: (852) 2366-1031 |
Copyright © 2003 Cross-Pacific.com
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