Lao Advice for Falangs #2
Hey, we know you backpackers love to trek around Southeast Asia (especially Laos), on an adventure! And even more when you stumble upon the sleepy (well, used to be-) town of Vang Vieng, once a place famous for its scenery and limestone caves and ecotourism - Transformed into a party town nearly overnight.
I hope you are aware the party town reputation is literally making Laos a place for drug trafficking, tourists drunken deaths, and the destruction of the lively hood of locals. It was even so bad once, around 2012-2013 the government shut down Vang Vieng bars to prevent these disasters and deaths from occurring. There is so much more issues that is at play here, but let the pictures tell the story.
And no, you’re not helping our country’s economy with your grateful gift of tourism. You’re destroying the town’s and overall, country’s livelihood. Of course, we don’t mind visitors at all. We are happy to welcome people. Just don’t act disrespectful and ignorant.