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Laos is a captivating country, teeming with dense rainforests, colossal 4-meter-long (14 ft) king cobras, awe-inspiring natural beauty, and ancient civilization relics. While these aspects are intriguing, we're here to dive into the more unusual side. Welcome to Laos—enjoy your visit, and remember to show some gratitude to the local officers.
10. The Offspring of CIA-Trained Operatives Continue to Resist the Government
Consider the experience of the descendants of the Hmong fighters who participated in the Vietnam War. Your grandparents were trained by the CIA to combat communism, so your entire family has spent decades evading capture, hiding in the jungle, and waging guerrilla warfare. For 45 years.
It would be great to no longer be part of the war your grandfather was drafted into, but leaving the jungle brings its own set of dangers. “Just a few months ago, we reported incidents where two small groups of women and children emerged from hiding, and the women and girls were gang-raped by soldiers, with children as young as nine years old subjected to rape until death,” said Chue Chou Tchang, president of the Hmong American Mutual Assistance Association.
It must be a surreal experience to know the US promised refuge to those who supported them during the war, yet here you are—starving in the jungle, hunted by the military, with no way out.
After the Vietnam War, 300,000 ethnic Hmong sought refuge in Thailand, with 145,000 ultimately resettling in the United States. Ironically, after arming the Hmong to fight against communism, it was US Intelligence that undermined a Hmong-led coup in Laos in 2007.
Federal court filings reveal that nine ethnic Hmong and one retired lieutenant colonel from the California National Guard plotted to establish a militia, arm them with $9.8 million worth of weapons, smuggle them into Laos through Thailand, attack critical government sites, and install themselves as the new ruling regime.
9. The Most Bombarded Country in the World
During the Vietnam War, the US dropped a staggering 270 million bombs on Laos. Thirty percent of these bombs failed to detonate. In terms of tonnage, more explosives were dropped on Laos than in all of Europe during World War II. To this day, hundreds of Laotians lose their lives or are injured by unexploded bombs, with one-third of these victims either losing limbs or sight. In a nation where manual labor is vital, the impact is catastrophic.
With 35 percent of the country contaminated by unexploded ordnance and a population reliant on agricultural work, it is no surprise that Laos remains impoverished. Though the secret war ended many years ago, the remnants of cluster bombs, grenades, and mortars continue to make the Ho Chi Minh trail a perilous place to live.
8. One of the Last Communist Nations Dependent on Capitalist Aid
Since 1986, the economy of Laos has been growing at a steady rate of 6–7 percent annually, following the communist government’s decision to relax its central control over the economy and permit private businesses. Despite this, the country remains heavily reliant on foreign aid.
In the mid-1990s, President Nouhak Phoumsavan, a seasoned follower of Ho Chi Minh and a dedicated Marxist-Leninist, remained focused on steering the nation towards authentic communism. At the time, critics within the party remarked:
We were somewhat rigid in the past and made an incorrect analysis . . . Laos is not ready for either communism or capitalism. We first need to reach a stage where we can choose between the two. We must adopt a more realistic view. The subsistence economy is the main barrier.
Although conditions have improved, this stance is still difficult to dispute. According to the 2016 United Nations Human Development Index, Laos ranked 138 out of 188 countries. Life expectancy at birth has risen to just over 66 years, up from 50 years in the mid-1990s.
Out of every 1,000 children born in 2012, 71 were expected to die before reaching the age of five. This marked a 56 percent reduction from the 1990 figure of 163 per 1,000 births. However, Laos still faces higher under-five mortality rates than its neighboring countries. Malnutrition plays a significant role in this alarmingly high rate of child deaths.
7. Deforestation: A Growing Threat to the Future
Back in 2005, 70 percent of Laos was covered in rainforest. Today, only 40 percent remains. Despite this loss, Laos still hosts some of the planet's last truly untouched wilderness.
The nation’s small population and relative isolation, largely shielded from the destructive forces of mass capitalism due to its controlled economy, have helped preserve many of its remote regions. However, the government’s decentralization of forest management has significantly contributed to the rapid depletion of its woodlands.
Approximately 50 percent of Laos’ rainforest consists of primary forests—areas dominated by native tree species with minimal human interference. As we enter an era where resource conflicts between nations are likely, there is hope that Laos can avoid the worst consequences of this environmental crisis.
6. In Laos, The Opium of the Masses is Simply Opium
In Laos, smoking opium can lead to a prison sentence of 3–10 years. Possessing less than a kilogram could result in a 2–7 year term. Yet, despite these strict laws, they are frequently ignored. In Vang Vieng, a well-known backpacker hotspot—the town described by the New Zealand Herald as “where teenagers ruled the world”—opium tea, joints, and magic mushroom pizzas were openly advertised until recently.
However, if you happen to get caught by the police in downtown Vientiane, you’ll need a good lawyer and a lot of luck. The lawyer will need to fight the fabricated charges, and the luck is for actually seeing the lawyer before you're met with worse consequences.
In 2009, this scenario played out for a pregnant British woman, Samantha Orobator, who was accused of heroin trafficking. It took nine months before she could meet with a lawyer, and she somehow became pregnant four months after her arrest. This twist of fate saved her from being executed by firing squad.
Even so, serving time in a Laotian prison for drug trafficking is never worth the risk.
5. Rat Jerky, Deep-Fried Grasshopper, or Chicken Feet—A Step Above Wendy’s
The cultural divide between the West and the East is often best illustrated by what's served on the dinner table. According to cultural equivalence, there are no wrong choices when it comes to satisfying taste buds. So, if you enjoy a slice of pecan pie, that's perfectly fine.
On the other hand, you could broaden your horizons by trying jerky-style rodent skin, paired with a dipping sauce made from its own blood. Don’t shy away from new experiences. After all, it’s just as much of a culinary adventure as lasagna.
4. A Lawless Party Town: A True Test of Survival
Earlier, we mentioned Vang Vieng, a tourist-centric town known for its drug-related atmosphere. While some recent measures have been taken to lower the number of tourist fatalities, the death toll remains high. In 2011, 27 backpackers perished at a location that attracts around 150,000 visitors annually.
The tragic deaths were a result of a deadly mix: inexpensive whiskey, psychedelics, opiates, youthful recklessness, and a blatant disregard for warnings. For years, travelers have been retrieved from the river with broken necks and waterlogged lungs.
Every fatality is a loss. However, with life jackets now required for those floating on truck inner tubes down the river, the death rate is expected to decline. But, if you can’t read a simple sign saying, “Do not jump; you will die,” it’s questionable whether you should reproduce.
3. Corruption Is Simply A Given
In September of 2014, the Prime Minister of Laos, Thongsing Thammavong, enacted Decree No. 327, which outlawed any online criticism of the government or the ruling communist party, and introduced penalties for citizens who defy the government’s controls.
As a consequence, exposing the corruption that permeates everyday life in Laos is now a criminal act. So, if corrupt police officers unlawfully detain your brother, you are forbidden from taking any action.
In Laos, spreading content that promotes terrorism, social unrest, or that might “disrupt the unity among ethnic groups and between nations” is considered illegal. Simply put, the government is aware of the corruption, but it doesn’t want you to speak out about it.
2. The Plain of Jars
Some believe the stone jars in Laos’ renowned Plain of Jars were used to brew strong rice wine to commemorate the mythical triumph of giants over their enemies. Others argue that the jars were filled with whiskey for a giant who lived in the mountains above Phonsavan. Another theory suggests they could be burial sites for the ashes of cremated royalty. The true answer remains a mystery.
What is known is that 2500 years ago, the civilization in this region had a clear passion for massive jars. They crafted hundreds, some as tall as 3 meters (10 ft) and as wide as 1 meter (3 ft), placing them across vast fields.
The sites stretch across a large area, with many of them overlapping with former bomb zones, making them off-limits to visitors. We are left with little more than faint remnants of these ancient people's lives and can only guess about the jars' original purpose.
1. A Story of Sapphires, Corruption, and Murder—Oh My!
Everyone enjoys a captivating shaggy dog story, and the one we're about to share is especially fascinating—and true—revolving around sapphire deals and a tragic murder.
In the 1990s, an Australian SAS veteran, an American storyteller, and a shady lawyer formed an unlikely alliance to launder $20 million by buying Laotian sapphires.
After a brutal run across two countries, the lawyer turned up dead under mysterious circumstances in a Phnom Penh hotel. His belongings were untouched, save for his laptop, which contained the vital access codes to millions of dollars in clean money. Who claimed the fortune is anyone’s guess.
In the infamous “Golden Triangle,” known for heroin production, some of the finest silver jewelry artisans work their craft. A relatively untouched source of sapphires also lies in wait—only for those fortunate enough to survive long enough to smuggle them out of the country.
