POST REPORT Vientiane, Laos 19 6 6 POST REPORT
U.S. MISSION r·o LAOS :·
1966 CHIN A
NORTH VIETNAM BURMA
GULP' O' TONkiN
T H A L A N 0
SOUTH VIETNAM
I ··,, \ CAMBODIA \ \ .' i ' EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Vientiane 1 Laos
May 28 1 1966
A WORD FROM THE AMBASSADOR
Laos is a nation of gracious and attractive people who have long suffered from the ambitions and aggressions of other nations. Despite the turmoil and the privations which have been inflicted upon them for these many years, the Laotians retain their gentle manners, their hopes for peace, and their devotion to the Buddhist way of life.
The United States i s a signatory to the fourteen-nation Geneva agreements of 19 62 which endorse the stated desire of the Royal Government of Laos "to build a peaceful, neutral, independent, democratic, unified and prosperous" nation. The work of American officials assigned to Laos is directed towards the accomplishment of these several objectives.
Americans working in Laos can feel a real sense of satisfaction in working with our Laotian friends towards these aims . At the same time 1 because of the difficulties inherent in t heir accomplishment , all these objectives pose formidable challenges both to the Laotians 1 and to t he Americans and other friends of Laos who assist them in their task .
Therefore, I can assure a ny American official assigned here to Laos an interesting, rewarding and challenging tour of duty among a pleasant people and in a worthy country. This post report is designed to present some impressions of the sort of life which Americans in Laos can expect to live.
William H. Sullivan Ambassador Table of Content s
Page
A Word from the Ambassador • 3 Orientation:
General Description of Post 9 Characteristics of Area and Post: Geography 9 Climate 9 Population 9 Language 10 Religion 10 Government Organization 10 Historical Review -. ll The United States Mission 18 Points of Interest • 18 Travel in Thailand • 19 Life at Post:
Housing: Embassy/USIS/Attache: r~vernment Quarters 21 "Silver City" 21 Leased Housi.11g • 21 Bachelor Quarters 22 USAID Housing: Family Quarters 23 Bachelor Quarters 25 Temporary Quarters Accomodations • 26 Furnishings: Embassy 27 USAID 27 Other Household Equipment 29 Utilities and Equipment 31 Food, Clothing and Services: Food 33 Clothing • 34 Post Orientation Program • 37 Basic Community Services • 37 Domestic Help 37 Churches • 38 Education 39 Transportation and Communications: Communications • 40 Transportation • 41 Page
Health and Medicine: Hedical Facilities • 43 Community Health •••• 44 Recreation and Social Activities: He creation 47 Social Activities 51 Official Functions • 52
Country Regulations and Post Administration:
Customs Duties and Passage • • • • • 55 Taxes, EXcises, Exch&~ge and Finance • 55 Po st Administrati on • • • • • • • • • 56
Special Guidance:
Travel and Transportation Requirements Enroute Post • 57 Special Inforw4tion 58
Field Offices:
Preface 61 Luang Prabang 61 Savarmakhet • • • • i • • 62 Pakse 64 Sam Thong 65
Vietnam to the southeast, 277 with C~ bodia to the south, and 1090 (including f::~nti:~~~~ .Description of Post over 500 along the Mekong River) with Thailand to the west. Its total area Laos has two capitals: the royal covers .approximately 91,000 square capital of Luang Prabang and the admin miles, or slightly more than Id.aho or istrative capital of Vientiane. Luang Great Britain. A large part of the ter Prabang, located approximately 110 rain of Laos, particularly in the north, miles north of Vientiane on the Mskong is covered with dense jungle and rugged River, is the residence of the King and mountains, the latter sometimes rising is a small, picturesque provincial cen over 9,000 feet. ter, which is considered the most at tractive city in Laos. ;,(Jimnle . · · _.. . -. Vientiane, the political, adminis The climate of Laos is monsoonal, t rative and commercial center of Laos, with three seasons. There are five is the largest city in the country,with months of heavy rainfall from May a population of about 100, 000. It is through September. When the rains a large provincial town in appearance start t apering off in October, a cool and atmosphere. Vientiane is situated season begins that lasts t hrough Jan on the north bank of the Mekong, on one uary. February through April is hot side of a large plain which extends and humid. In April, the warmest month, some 40 miles north of the city and the temperature in Vientiane normally south over most of northern Thailand. ranges between 72 and 93 degrees Fah Personnel stationed here find living renheit, and in January, the coolest condit ions simple, but agreeably com month, between 57 and 83 degrees Fah fortable despite some inconveniences. renheit. However, temperatures of 103 Many have f ound that the close-knit at have been recorded in April, and 39 in mosphere of the American and interna January. tional communit ies enhances their tours.
Besides Luang Prabang, there are four other outlying posts and eleven The population, composed of many field stations, all of which are des ethnic groups; is estimated at 2,300,000, cribed in this report. but no accurate census has ever been taken. This sparse population is un evenly spread, with the greatest con centration in the Mekong valley. Per haps half of them are ethnic Lao, a people of Tai stock who are bel ieved to Geo,:raphy have migrated originally from southwest The landlocked Kingdom of Laos, ern China principally during the 13th the keystone nation of the Southeast century in the wake of Kublai Khan's Asian Peninsula, shares common borders oncoming forces. Mountain tribes, also with six other countries, two of them of Tai stock, are found in nor th Laos, Communist . The border runs 146 miles while a number of other mountain tribes with Burma to the northwest, 263 with of Indonesian or proto-Malay background China to the north, 818 with North Viet inhabit central and south Laos. The nam to the northeast, 301 with South lack of connnon origins, customs, tradi-
9 Lao spelling system is infinitely more representati ve of the spoken word than Thai, which tends to include unpronounced letters that display a word ' s Sanskrit origin. Since textbooks have been developed only through sixth grade in Lao , French remains the principal language of sec ondary education. French thus serves as the second official language, and is commonly used in government and commerce. Probably not over 15 percent of the pop ulation is literateo Furthermor e, the numerous ethnic groups possess their own languages or dialects, and in the case of the Vietnamese and Chinese, their own school systemso Religion . The predominant and,, indeed, state religi on of the Kingdom is Theravada Village girls on their way to market Buddhism, conunon also to Cambodia, Thai land, Burma, and Ceylon . It is not un tions, and beliefs among the various usual, however, to see spirit shrines minorities poses serious difficulties in conjunction with Buddhist temples. for the political unification of the While the mountain tribes are princi Kingdom. There are also influential pally animists, some of them have adopted minorities of Vietnamese and Chinese, Buddhism while retaining many of their and smaller groups of Cambodians, Indians, old beliefs. and Pakistani. In addition, t here are over a thousand Frenchmen and other G.(!vernment .Organization Europeans in the country, of whom few are permanent residents. Laos is a constitutional parliamen Language tary monarchy. Under the December 1955 revision of the Constitution, originally Lao is a tonal language like others promulgated by the King in Hay 1947, the of the Sino-Thai family. The Vientiane hitherto exclusively male franchise was dialect has six tones, only three of extended to women. In normal times, which transfer directly to Bangkok Thai. general elections were held every five Vienti ane Lao and Bangkok Thai have areas years. But Constitutional amendments of mutual comprehension only to educated passed in 1965 gave the King three op speakers. As with English and French, tions during times of crisis. He chose abstract words tend to be cognate more appointment after limited popular con frequently than everyday vocabulary. sultations, and a provisional two-year Assembly was selected. Written Lao and Thai both use scri pts of Indian origin, but Lao let The bicameral legislature is com ter s are rounded rather than angular, posed of a National Assembly of 59 mem and Lao uses fewer consonants. The bers, which wields the real legislative
10 ...... • ...... ••• t ••••
That Luong Temple in V ientiane power of the country, and a less active The Constitution provides that the King's Council of twelve elder states judicial power shall be separate and men, all of whom are appointed directly independent of the executive and legis by the King, six upon the recommendation lative powers. In practice, the judi of the Assembly. An absolute majority ciary is the least vigorous of the of deputies present is required to up branches of government. hold bills returned by the King's Coun cil for Assembly reconsideration. This Council privilege has been rarely, if Historical Review ever, exercised. In the early 19th century, the The Prime Minister is designated Thai of Siam obtained ascendancy over by the King in consultation with poli much of what is now Laos and retained tical leaders. The Prime Minister sub their hold for the most part until mits his proposed cabinet to the Nation France made Laos a protectorate in 1893o al Assembly for approval, a favorable The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined two-thirds majority of deputies present the boundaries of Laos as they exist being required for investitureo Depu today. Under the French, the three ties who are candidates for ministerial kingdoms of Laos - Luang Prabang, Vien posts may not participate in the vote of tiane, and Champassac - were unified in confidence for a new government. :Members 1946 under the dynasty of Luang Prabang. of the Cabinet need not be Assemblymen. The country gained theoret ical indepen The pro-communist Pathet Lao have recog dence within the French union in 1949. nized neither the previous legislature nor the present one which was designated During World War II, Japan did not in 1965. fully take over control of Laos until
11 March of 1945, and just prior to their airlifting supplies from the Soviet Union defeat the Japanese persuaded the King via Hanoi. They used this airlift to of Luang Prabang to declare his kingdom bring in arms and anmnmi tion not only for independent. In September 1945 the the Kong Le forces, but also for the Com Prime Minister of the 11 independent11 gov munist armed forces, known then as Pathet ernment proclaimed the creation of t he Lao (PL). Profiting by general political Kingdom of Laos, including the areas of and military instability, the PL returned Vientiane and Champassac, under the King to full insurgency. In early January of Luang Prabang. In October, a provi 1961 PL and Kong Le forces, supplied by sional government formed by the 11 Lao the Soviets and encadred by the North Issara" or "Free La.o 11 leaders, 11 dethroned11 Vietnamese, seized the strategic Plain the King because of his alleged loyalty of Jars, where they established head to the French. In May 1946 French troops quarters. By the spring of 1961, the occupied Laos and recognized the sover Pathet Lao insurgents, strongly rein eignty of the King of Luang Prabang over forced by North Vietnamese units and the entire country. cadres, had scored important military France gradua.l.l.y accorded Laos its victories, and appeared to be in a po independence and, in October 1953, rec sition to take over the entire country. ognized the Kingdom as a tully sovereign state, although Laos reaffirmed its ad The United States was faced with herence to the French Union. This re three alternatives: The total loss of lationship was dissolved upon the con Laos to the Connnunists; military inter clusion of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 vention, involving u.s. troops and other which terminated the Indo-china War. ' outside forces; or settlement of the cri Laos became a member of the United Na sis through peaceful international and tions in 1955. internal negotiations to achieve a neu trality that would permit the Kingdom From 1954 to 196o pr~estern or to survive as a nation.. Bipartisan Con conservative governments held power gressional leadership was consulted on except for the brief interval in 1957-.58 the decision to transfer the struggle of a coalition government which included from the military to the political do Communist ministers. main. It was thus that the United States In August 1960 a young paratroop accepted participation in the 14-nation commander in Vientiane, Captain Kong Le, conference convened at Geneva in May 1961. seized the capital in a coup. In an at After long and difficult negotiations, the new Geneva agreements were signed tempt to avert civil war among the non communist elements, Prince Souvanna July 23, 1962, providing certain inter Phouma, a former Prime l>1i.nister, was national guarantees for the independence again called upon to form a government. and neutrality of Laos. Internally, the three Lao factions - conservative, neu Gen~ral Phoumi Nosavan, a leader of the conservative, anti- communist faction, tralist, and pro-Communist Pathet Lao - at first agreed to serve in the govern reached agreement in June 1962 on the ment, but soon reversed his decision and formation of a Government of National established a military headquarters in Union under the premiership of Prince southern Laos from which he mounted a Souvanna Phouma. campaign to retake Vientiane. He recap tured Vientiane in December 1960, and Of immediate impor tance under t he Kong Le retreated with his troops to the 1962 Geneva Agreements was the require northeast. ment that all foreign military t roops and advisors, except a small French Souvanna had meanwhile accepted a training force, leave the country with Soviet aid offer and the Russians started in 75 days of the signing. Under the
12 super~s~on of the International Control western part of the Plain of Jars. Commission (ICC) all 666 u.s. military These aggressive PL tactics not only advisory personnel (no U.S. combat troops failed to destroy the neutralist forces, were in the country) departed Laos before but resulted in much closer political the October 7, 1962 deadline. Only 40 as well as military cooperation between Vietnamese troops were withdrawn through the neutralists and the conservatives. ICC checkpoints, however. In his letter The two PL ministers withdrew from Vien of June 20, 1963, to the Co-Cha.irmen of tiane, leaving PL representation in the the Geneva Conference, Prime Minister cabinet in the hands of the two PL se Souvanna charged that substantial num cretaries of state. bers of North Vietnamese cadres and com bat troops remained ~ Laos, and the Following the· failure of the tri Prime Minister has repeated this charge partite negotiations of April 17 and on several occasions since. 18, 1964, Prime Minister Souvanna an nounced in great discouragement that Within a few months of the signing he was resigning. On April 19, troops of the 1962 Geneva agreements the Pathet of General Siho Lamphouthacoul, the Lao, supported by the North Vietnamese, Director C~neral of the Department of began maneuvering to subvert or elimi National Coordination (DNC), a para nate Kong Le's neutralist military military organization which superseded forces, which constituted Souvanna 1s the Police and some of its functions in principal military strength. l1inor 1960, arrested the Prime Minister and skirmishing broke into open hostilities some high Neutralist civilian and mili in April 1963, when the PL attacked tary leaders. Elements of the conserv Kong Le's troops in positions they had ative Army's Fifth Military Region under held jointly with the PL in Xieng Khouang General Kouprasith Abhay soon joined Province. With assistance from the the DNC forces. Due to the sentiments troops under General Phoumi, however, of the Lao people, as well as the spir Kong Le was able to extricate most of ited intervention of foreign ambassadors, his units from these areas as well as Souvanna was quickly returned to power; from other locati~ns in central Laos, in fact, his military and financial and to maintain his position in the power was increased at the expense of
13 fore the fall of General Kong Le's head quarterso These developments prompted Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma to call for military supplies and the United States responded within the framework of the Geneva accords. On May 26 the British, also at the behest of the-Prime Minister, invited the signatories of the Geneva Accords to begin consultations in Vientiane on means of restoring peace. The United States and several other sig natories accepted the invitation which the Communist states spurned. At the close of consultations in June, the representatives concluded that the Pa thet Lao, with Vietm:inh support, had initiated the attacks against the Neu tralists, and that the deteriorating military situation in Laos presented a grave threat to the peace of southeast Asia. They recommended that, confo~ ing to the Prime Minister 1 s views, all Monument oux Morts, V ientiane parties should cease fire and withdraw General Phoumi. Souvanna reorganized under ICC control and verification, to his government, discharging two of his positions held before the moat recent left-leaning Neutralist cabinet members fighting. who had already sought a relatively Periodically in 1964, the Govern noisy refuge in Pathet Lao-controlled ment presented evidence of North Viet territory where they still claim to be namese military involvement in Laos in members of the Lao cabinet. In addi violation of the Geneva Accords. In tion Souvanna replaced several minis addition to documents and personal let ters and secretaries of state who were ters obtained from North Vietnamese considered either corrupt or ineffective. soldiers killed in engagements with government forces, Vietminh soldiers In the meantime, the Neutralist were captured in September 1964, and forces in the Plain of Jars, confused were brought to Vientiane for ICC in by the kaleidoscopic events in Vientiane, terrogation and exposure to the world began to engage in open disputes among press. various factions. Taking advantage of the dissidence in Neutralist ranks (and With world awareness of the serious militarily using the strategic heights threat to the peace posed by continued which they had captured from Kong Le's Communist aggression, there have been units in February), the Pathet Lao forces, various proposals for a new meeting of supported by North Vietnamese troops, the 14 nations which took part in the attacked the Neutralists in May and at 1962 Geneva conference. The United tempted to represent their aggression States had indieated its willingness to as an open clash among Neutralist units. join some form of discussion to restore The attacks culminated in the Neutralist peace, provided Souvanna's pre-condi withdrawal from the Plain of Jars. tions of a ceasefire and PL withdrawal to pre-May 16, 1964, positions were met. The Indian and Canadian ICC teams The United States had also pointed out were evacuated from the Plain just be- that there already have been two high- level conferences on Southeast Asia and was for the purpose of drawing attention two formal agreements in 1954 and 1962 to the need for reforms in the General - neither of which the Communist s have St aff. In the explosive environment in carried out. Up to now, f ailure to Vientiane various actions of Phoumi and achieve peace has not been due to lack Siho resulted in an armed clash on Feb of conferences, but the f ailure on the rllar,1 J between forces loyal to the part of the Communist states to honor Prime !..finister (to which Bounleut rath agreements already made. S~e Peking er belatedly added his forces) and those and Hanoi refuse to end their aggres loyal to General Phoumi. The forces of sion in Laos and Vietnam, the United Generals Phoumi and Siho were compl etely States remains committed to help Laos routed, and the two leaders with t heir and other Southeast Asian nations in entourages sought refuge in Thajland. t heir fight to maint ain their indepen dence. The February 3 battle settled many Efforts on t he part of the three military and political problems, but Lao fact ions to resol ve their difficul Constitut ional problems remainedo The ties in meetings in Paris during AU National Assembly el ected in 1960 was 1 coming to the end of its five-year man gust and September 1964, likewise pro duced no basic concessions except a date, and the government concluded, somewhat reluctantly, that new elections general agreement t o continue talking. could not be held. Accordingly, a Na Talks go on to this day. Since April tional Congress was held to amend the 1965, low-level representatives have Constitution to permit some means of met in principle every Tuesday morning maintaining a legislature other than in Vientiane to discuss a place for elect ions. The procedure discussed in eventual meeting of the leaders of the Section C was adopted, and the Assembly three factions - Souvanna for the Neu entered into session August 18. - tralists, Boun Oum for the conservatives, and Souphanouvong for t he Pathet Lao . The next important task facing t he Prime Minister was the reorganization In Vientiane t he power of General of his governmento He decided that Phoumi declined, and he began t o pl ot there was no const i tutional pr ovision with elements of the Lao military to r equiring the government's r esi gnati on, attempt t o r egain some of his lost ~d decided merely on a minimum number power. General Siho, the Direct or Gen of cabinet changes. He therefore ac eral of the Police, also found himself cepted the resi gnation of one minister increasingly opposed - especially in scheduled to become Presi dent of the some of his corrupt activities - by the Kingls Council and of another because Prime Minist er and the General Staff, he had been defeated in the popular and in particular by General Kouprasith consult at i onso In order to have the Abhay, who in addition to his position cabinet's complexion follow the results in the General Staff commanded the of the r ecent consultations, Souvanna troops in the Vi entiane area. General also called for the resi gnation of a Siho was increasingly attract ed to Neutralist secretary of st at e, leaving General Phoumi as he found little sup vacant three secretary of state posi port f r om any other quarter. tions (t wo conservative and one Neu tralist) of the original government of Following several attempts by Phou 1962. The Prime Minister pr esented his mi t o muster a.riiJY" support for himself r eshuffled cabinet, which st ill included against the government, Col onel Bounleut the ori ginal but absent Pathet Lao min Saycoci e on ~anuary Jl , 1965 launched a i st er and secretaries of state, to the military "demonst r ation" which he claimed National Assembly September 6o The As-
15 sembly, with few abstentions but no op Training School at Dong Hene, some )0 posing votes, approved it September 8. kilometers east of Savannakhet city. About sixty studen~s and some officers The Pathet Lao were invited to par successfully withstood the Vietminh in ticipate the elections but they pre battalion's assault, and together with dictably refused, calling them a farce. They have also continued to claim that the Lao Air Force, accounted for a lo cally unprecedented 200 enemy dead. In they, along with the dissident Neutral addition, the government forces captured ist minister and secretar.y of state, nine North Vietnamese Army prisoners. have been excluded from the government. From their so-called "liberated" areas A serious North Vietnamese-led they continue to affirm that they re threat to the provincial capital of Tha main the true representatives of the khek in early November 1965 led to a original coalition government, and con royal proclamation declaring a state. of tinue to denounce the "Authorities of emergency in the two southern provinces Vientiane" as American reactionaries. of Khamroouane and Savannakhet on Decem In the international sphere, they gen ber 7, 1965. Several Vietnamese were erally continue unqualified support of captured in a cave a few kilometers the Peking and Hanoi line except for from Thakhek. The emergency was not some of the former's more blatant at lifted until April 29, 1966. The ICC tacks on the Russians. which had been greatly hindered in it~ operations by Pathet Lao refusal to per On the military- scene the North mit entry to its territory, was asked Vietnamese, with some aid from the Pa to investigate the several North Viet thet Lao, made strong attacks against namese captured throughout Laos. The government positions in Sam Neua prov Indian and Canadian delegates undertook ince in late 1964 and early 1965. The investigations but the Poles refused to greatly outnumbered government troops participate. The reports have not yet were forced to retreat at that time, been released. but a counter-operation launched soon afterwards resulted in the retaking of The National Assembly convened in some of the more important government extraordinary session on January 11, positions lost in the previous fighting. 1966. After remanding the charges In Savannakhet province in March 1965, against General Phoumi to the High the Vietnamese launched their most daring Court, the Assembly proceeded to an attack against the Reserve Officers' occasionally acrimonious interpellation of the government. The debates were characterized by unusual frankness and / freedom of expression, and ended Feb ruary 3 in a vote of confidence in the government. Before adjourning February 26, the Assembly passed a resolution condemning North Vietnam for violating La.o neutrality. The Assembly entered into ordinar,y session May 11. The internal political situation in Laos is more stable than it has been for ma.ny years. Although Vietnamese led Communist insurgency in Laos shows no sign of abating, government forces are beginning to prove themselves capa ble of resisting it. Successful reso lution of the problem of South Vietnam would be of major benefit to Laos.
16 4J U. S. Embassy Compound, Rue Bartholomie USAID Compound, No Hai ·Diao D The United States Mission Points of Interest · The u.s. Mission is composed of l.fa.jor cities in the region are -the Embassy, the USAID, the u.s. Infor Saigon, Vietnam, with its twin city, mation Service, the Arrrr:f and Air Attaches, Cholon, and Bangkok, Thailand, each of and the Marine Guards. The Chancery is which has a population of approximately located near the center of town on Rue one million, and Plmom Penh, Cambodia Bartholoruie. The telephone numbers are (450,000). There is round trip air ser 2126/29. vice six days a week between Vientiane and Bangkok (two hours each way). Bang The USAID/Laos Mission is located kok is a major air stop for flights to in the Na Hai Diao Compound, half a Rangoon, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, mile from the Embassy Compound. The and ManjJa. municipal telephone numbers are 2071/2. Down the Malay peninsula, Penang The offices of the u.s. Information may be reached by train or plane from Service are on Avenue Lane Xang, near Bangkok for fine beaches and interest the National Assembly and next to the ing shops; one may continue on to the lzy'cee. They may be reached through the Cameron Highlands (for golf, cool weath American Embassy switchboard. er and rest), to Kuala Lumpur, the capi tal, and finally to Singapore. The A.rmy and Air Attaches are lo cated in the Na Hai Diao Compound and Within the cotmtry of Laos, places may be reached by using the American of interest include the royal capital Embassy or the USAID telephone numbers. of Luang Prabang, with its many ornate Buddhist temples, and Pakse, a food and The Marine Guards are stationed at tin center in southern Laos. Both of the Embassy and USAID headquarters. these cities are accessible by air from Vientiane. All of the sub-areas and re Washington agencies, or the post gional areas of Laos described in this from which personnel depart, notify the report are worth a visit. Mission in Laos of new a.rrivals and on this basis all newcomers are met at the Occasional flights to Hong Kong airport. Should there be a change in are available to Mission personnel on your schedule, however, contact an Emb USAID-chartered aircraft enroute to Tai assy or u.s. Consulate enroute and ask pei for maintenance. Priorities for that the post be notified of your cor these flights are assigned on the basis rect arrival date. Should you arrive of arrival date at post. It is usually without the post's having been notified possibl e t o obt ain one flight to Hong in advance, request transportation in Kong during a tour of duty on the main the airline station wagon to the down tenance trips. These usually allow only town area and phone the Embassy or the three days in Hong Kong, and personnel USAID from the airline office. There who use this mode of transportation is e.lmost always a u.s. Government em ~ return to Vientiane on the same ployee or family member at the airport plane. The planes are cargo aircraft from whom you may request assistance, equipped only with bucket seats, and and you should not have too much dif the passengers must share the space ficulty in finding your way to the with all manner of equipment, from air headquarters of your agency. plane engines to runway stripping.
18 In Thailand there is overnight train service (berths and food) between Bangkok and Nongkhai, which is across the Mekong, near Vientiane. The river may be crossed by antiquated ferry or launch, and a short drive brings one into Vientiane. Bangkok may likewise be reached by a new paved highway from Vientiane (using the ferry to cross the Mekong). There are also domestic flights twice a week between Nongkhai and Bang kok.
At the present time, travel around Vientiane by u.s. Government personnel is restricted to a narrow radius of the city consisting of approximately 13 kilometers. Travel to other areas in Laos may be performed after approval of the Embassy Administrative Officer or the USAID Executive Officer has been received. However, within the above limitations there are the usual Lao The somlor: common mode of conveyance villages and a number of tribal settle ments. These are colorful and interest Further down the Malaya Peninsula, just ing, and will appeal to "shutter bugs11 • north of the Thai-Malaysian border, is The villages are typically Asian, and Songkhla, where a new hotel and pool the inhabitants are friendly and hospi are located on the beach. table. It is interesting to watch the women while they weave cotton or silk It is also possible to travel by by hand. Textiles are considered one train or plane from Bangkok to Chieng of the country 1 s finest products and mai. The streets of this small city worth collecting, but households which are lined with flame trees, and pictur have an excess available for sale are esque temples are reflected in the r are. klongs (canals) which lace it. Located in a valley at 1,023 feet elevation, surrounded by mountains, Chiengmai of 'fmt·t•l in Tlwihmd . fers a change of climate in the cool months, and is a tourists' delight. Attractions range from visits to obscure There are several good beach areas hill tribes and watching elephants work two to three hours 1 drive south of Bang the teak forests, to trips to a silk kok on both coasts. Bang Saen and Pat and cotton weaving factory where Chieng taya are the favorite vacation spots on mai silk and cotton may be bought at the east coast, and Hua Hin on the west very reasonable prices. Other gift ern shore. At each location accommoda items to be found in this area include tions can be obtained at hotels or in Thai lacquer, Thai dolls, silver, celadon private cottages. JUSMAG/Thailand has ware, and basketry. Of special interest several cottages at Pattaya, and Hua Hin to some is the McKean Leprosy Colony 1 may be reached by train or car from one of the largest in the Far Easto Bangkok. Boats for fishing and water Temple- touring in Chiengmai and its vi sports may be obtained at all resorts. cinity is possible, and interesting.
19 Policewoman (above) directs traffic in front of Vientiane Morning Market ~--·. ,·. << . . . T;c: . LIFE AT POST ., ~ - ...... : '~' • ' o _,, • • .,..._ • • I -.• Housing .
limb~I s~y/ US/Sf A ttache · ·
a. Government guarters - The Ambassador's Residence, a u. s. Govern ment-owned property, is a two-story French colonial house on the bank of the 1-fekong. It has a long living- 21 leased houses, for the most part, can best be described as 11 upper class11 ma sonry types, and are not the most modern by American standards. Nevertheless, they are spacious and airy, usually with large, high-ceilinged rooms, at least one veranda, and small to medium-sized gardens. d. Bachelor Quarters - Singl e personnel may be required to share quar ters during a part of their assignment in Vientiane, but efforts are being made to assign them to individual dwell ings as soon as feasibleo Most occupants Si lver City cottage D Lawn between rows of houses Q Cottage interior D of usuver City11 are s ~e employees of the Embassy and US:S , ~though married couples, some wit3 one child, have oc cupied these houses fro= tiiTa to time. Bachelors with the Zbassy, USIS , and Army and Air At t aches are also housed in government-: eased houses. Single and :m!> cco:::pani.ed Attache officer person::1el are housed in a BCQ compound locatet thu ~es from the cen ter of the ci ty on the road t o Chinaimo. Single At~a c=e en:is~ed =en are housed in a nurl>er o~ : eased houses loca-ted in various parts o~ ~~e ci~y. which are constructed of cement block USAJD Housing · masonry, concrete, and composition ma terials. All of them consist of living Housing for USAID employees is dining room with overhead fans, at least provided in Government-owned or leased two small bedrooms with built-in closets, quarters. Basic furniture listed on a kitchen and a bathroom. All have a pages 2? and 28 is supplied by the screened porch. One servant's room with Agency. lavatory and shower is provided. There are louvered windows and open areas to a. Family Quarters admit as much air as possible. At least one bedroom is air conditioned. An ade "Kilometer Six11 , the main quate supply of water is provided, and USAID housing area, is located six kilo six generators, installed by USAID, are meters northeast of Vientiane. The first the source of electric current. Each fourteen houses are frame dwellings, were house is equipped with a modern refrig built on jungle- cleared land, and were erator, hot water heater, stove, water arranged in a manner intended to preserve filters and kitchen cabinets. much of the natural charm. Construction of the compound is now completed and in There are also 24 BOQ apartments cludes streets, a school, and a child for single people or couples in the ren's play area. There are 24 two- bed Kilometer 6 compound. Since they are room houses, 35 three- bedroom houses, the result of having combined two very and 16 four- bedroom houses. Each is small apartments to make one larger one, surrounded by an area of ground which each unit contains a divided living will permit some gardening, and fences room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a kit have been built around individual proP chen store- room, two bathrooms and small erties. The houses are compact, Ameri screened porches. can bungalow-type dwellings, most of Right: Typical Km. 6 house with toll forest trees left standing Below: Grounds and gardens ot Km . 6 23 USAID Compound Houses - There are 11 two-bedroom houses, 2 one-bedroom houses, and one each of three- and four bedroom houses for families in the USAID Compound, within easy walking distance of the offices, the motor pool and the Community Center. These houses are of frame construction, have enclosed porches and high ceilings, and are appropriately -- - · open to permit adequate ventilation. A Pullman-type kitchen is installed for convenience if the American family wishes to do its own cooking. In a building back of each house there is another kit chen, servants 1 quarters and bath, and laundry facilities. Water is supplied from wells on the compound. Each house has a modern refrigerator, electric range, hot water heater, and overhead fans in living and dining areas. Bed rooms are air conditioned. There is a new power plant on the compound. Each house in this group is surrounded by an area of fenced-in ground where gardening Leeville houses is possible. The Leeville housing compound is another USAID housing area located about Local Residences - There are thir four kilometers east of the USAID Com teen additional homes throughout the pound. There are 25 two-bedroom houses city of Vientiane. Three of these homes and 15 three-bedroom ones. Rooms in are new. The other ten are Lao-type these frame dwellings are similar to houses, but have been rehabilitated and Kilometer Six and are also furnished brought close to u.s. standards. These with the same conveniences such as re homes have from two to five bedrooms frigerators, hot water heaters, stoves, each. water filters, and kitchen cabinets. L- Typical leeville interior Occupants converted portion of their lot into a patio 24 Typical interior, Km·. 6 house Bachelor Quarters USAID has provided comfortable quarters for its single employees by. rehabilitating and combining B~ units. Two of the apartment units resemble mo tels 1 and one group is in a. downtown building. There are no garages or car Fifteen Apartments, and interior (below) ports. The 1115 Apartments" are with in walking dist~ce of the compound where the USAID offices are located. Each of these apartments consists of a large living-dining room, a bedroom, a small kitchen, a bath equipped with shower, and an additional room ~hich may be used as a store room or an extra bedroom. The kitchens are equipped with electric stoves and electric refrigera tors. There are washing machines which may be shared by several apartments. The bedroom is air conditioned and the living room has ceiling fans. Cross ventilation is made possible by adjust able frosted-glass panels and by open work which is screened and attracively arranged over all windows in the main rooms. 25 11 The 10 Apartments" are also Tt~ mporar.r (!twrlf' rs within walking distance of ·the USAID A ct·ommodatiou.-. offices. Each consist of a :lG~ room which serves as a combined livi.rig..:ain;ing area, and another room of equal size It is essential that the Mis which is air conditioned, and is usual sion be advised in advance of the arri ly separated by a partition to provide val of personnel in order to ensure ade a bedroom and a small den. The kitchen quate quarters. New arrivals go imme contains an adequate refriger ator, a diately to the residence which they are Butagas stove and a sink. The bathroom to occupy, or one of the two USAID Guest has a shower. Each of these apartments Houses. Limited facilities for the is equipped with a washing machine. housing of transients are presently available. There are two reasonably The 11 Six Apartments" are near good hotels in Vientiane, including a the downtown area and are about six min new hotel. Occasionally, it is diffi utes by car from the offices. Official cult to obtain accommodations at either transportatio~ is provided to and from place. work. All of the rooms are large and include a llving room, a dining room, two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen and .two enclosed porches. One bedroom is air conditioned. Sunset and Rainbow Villages are roughly across from each other at Km. 5 on the road to Kilometer Sixo Both have duplex type brick and masonry houses. Rainbow Village has five single- bedroom and seventeen double-bedroom houses. Sunset Village has twenty- four single bedroom houses. Ra inbow Village 10 Apartments Sunset Village 26 Furnishings nishings in all Government-owned and leased houses. This includes the items Embassv listed below, quantities varying depend ing upon the size of the quarters and The Embassy, USIS and At the representational responsibilities taches provide basic furniture and fur- of the personnel housed. Living Room Sofas End tables Arm chairs Floor lamps Footstools Coffee tables Bookcase Grass· rugs, as needed Desk Table lamps Dining Room Bining table China Closet Dining chairs Lamp Buffet Bedroom Beds Dressers Mattresses Wardrobes Night stands Lamps Air conditioner Kitchen Ref'rigerator Exhaust fan Water filter Water heater Stove l!SAID House Apartment Living Room 2ea 1 ea Sofa or sectional divan 4 II 2 II Chairs, easy, rattan 4 " 4 II Tables, end 2 II 1 " Table, coffee 4 II 4 " Lamps, table 2 " 1 II Lamp, floor 2 II 1 " Foot stools 1 II 1 " Bookcase 1 II 1 II Desk 4 II 2 t1 Chairs, clamshell Rush matting for floor covering The house standard is based on the living rooms in KM-6 houses. 27 Dining Room 1 ea 1 ea Table, dining 8 II 8 II Chairs, dining 1 II 1 II China closet 1 II 1 II Buffet Each Occupied Bedroom 1 ea 1 ea Bed, single, complete w/mattress per person (or double for couple) 1 II 1 II Chest of drawers per person 1 II 1 II Night stand per person 1 II 1 II Wastebasket per bedroom 1 II 1 II Lamp per night stand 1 II 1 II Pillow per bed Rush matting for floor covering Kitchen 1 ea 1 ea Refrigerator 1 II 1 II Stove 2 II 1 II Filter, water 2 II 1 II Stand, water filter Bathroom 1 ea 1 ea Clothes hamper 1 II 1 II Waste basket Miscellaneous 1 ea 1 ea Air conditioner (additional A/C being installed in most houses) 1 II Some Apartments Washing machine 1 II 1 ea Ironing board 1 II Fan (for each room incl. uding enclosed porch where air con ditioner or ceiling fan is not installed) 2 II Fire extinguishers Servants Quarters 1 ea Servants bed w/mattress* 1 II Chest of drawers 1 II Chair, straight back* 1 II Table *Per adult servant 28 NOTES: 1. Some chaise lounges, serving carts and dressing tables (vanity) were obtained by transfer from another agency. They are not standard stock items and are available for issue infrequently. 2. Single employees may be required to share a washing machine with other single employees. 3. If a family chooses to convert a bedroom to another purpose (e.g., study or dining room), the Mission will make adjustments in furnishings on an exchange basis if possible. Other Household Equipment Except on a temporary, stand-by basis, the Mission does not furnish Rainbow Village, interior dishes, glassware, crystal, kitchen uten sils, or linenso What is provided on a stand-by basis is inadequate even for temporary needs, and personnel coming to this post are urged to bring in ac companying baggage and in air freight a limited supply of those items without which they cannot get along for the three months it will probably take for house hold goods to arrive. If it is not de sired to ship dishes by air freight they can generally be purchased in Bangkok or Hong Kong enroute. (1) Bring in accompa.nying luggage: Place setting flatware for each member of family (minimum: knife, fork, spoon) One or two sharp knives for cutting; can opener; bottle opener Two or three serving spoons One or more spatulas and other es Sunset Village, interior sential kitchen utensils Two or three dishtowels and dish and trousers cloths Iron One bath towel, face towel, wash Calling cards (husband's official cloth for each member of the cards and 11 Mr. and Mrs." cards) family Six photographs of yourself and of A small supply of hangers-coat your wife, passport size 29 (2) Bring in Air Freight: {May arrive envelopes (white) and informals in few days, but sometimes takes Candles, candle holders as long as three to five ~eeks Two sets of sheets and pillow cases from the United States.) for each bed At least one blanket per person More of the above items, depending Baby beds, strollers, play pens, on how much entertaining you will toys and special formula, if re be doing during your first few quired months at post. Sweaters Electric irons, 110 Volt Limited ~upply of table linens, Small supply of dishes (plastic) mats or cloths, napkins and glassware Cleaning cloths A few pbts and pans for cooking, Playing cards and score pads if including a good frying pan you use them (usually available Pie and cake pans, cookie sheet in the commissary) Coffee pot A few books and games Ash tray (optional, may be purchased Limited supply of electrical ap here) pliances if weight allowance Coasters (all glasses require them permits because of the humidity} A small record player, radio or Flashlight tape recorder (these can be pur Sewing notions such as needles, chased in Hong Kong by personnel thread, pins (straight, safety} coming through there) hooks, eyes, snaps Supply of stationery Supply of fold-over notepaper and Bath mats - rm iifi Fountain Square, Vientiane. At right is Lao American Association school. 30 Electricity for residences is adequate electrical current there. provided by u.s. Government generators located at the Ambassador's residence, Within the u.s. Government network Silver City, the Embassy, the Nor1g Douang there are several inter-connected tele area, Na Hai Diao Compound, Kilometer 6 phone exchanges which are, in turn, con and the That Luang area. Leased resi nected with the municipal telephone sys dences which cannot be connected to these tem. All offices have telephones and generators (because of distanc.e or lack all of the Embassy, USIS and Attache of gen..erating capacity) are provided with residences are serviced through these municipal electric power. Some USAID exchanges. All American residences in houses supplement municipal electricity the USAID and American Embassy compounds with standby generator units, which are and the Kilometer 6 area are serviced provided when available and are suffi by telephones, and the majority of the cient for ltmlted use on occasions when USAID residences around the city are city power breaks down. Electric cur also equipped with telephones. rent supplied by u.s. Government genera tors to residences is llO volts, 50 cy Commercial telegraph service is cle; municipal current is 220 volts, 50 available, but is expensive and not sat cycle. It is recommended that all in isfactory because there are long delays coming personnel bring llO volts, 50 cy in delivery of messages. cle appliances, in anticipation of being supplied u.s. Government-generated pow USAID families, and some Attache er, and then, if necessary, obtain trans families, are provided with washing ma formers from Thailand or Hong Kong after chines. USAID bachelor apartments have quarters have been assigned and settled either individual washing machines, or in. Personnel already owning transform have access to a machine shared by sev ers should ship them to the post. eral units. Embassy and USIS do not provide machines, but families with in Electric current fluctuates, and fant children may find a wringer-type all electrical equipment is subject to washing machine desirable. Automatic damage to a certain extent. Voltage washers and dryers should not be brought. regulators may be required for some ap There is no need to ship air conditioners pliances. There are few electrical re or stoves to the post. The agencies pro pair shops in Vientiane and delicate or vide air conditioners for occupied bed complicated repair work must usually be rooms and a refrigerator and stove to done in Bangkok or Hong Kong. each housing unit. On the USAID compound generators Families or personnel with exten maintain the current at a reasonably sive representational responsibilities steady rate. Standby generators are may wish to ship an additional refrige provided as necessary in many houses rator or freezer. Personnel who enjoy and apartments in the city. When the music should bring a record player or city's current is changed to 220 volts, tape recorder, or plan to have one shipped USAID will provide adequate step-down from Hong Kong, where they are reasonably transformers for American 100 - ll7 volt priced. The humidity often warps records, appliances. Recent additional generat but in the absence of television, good ing capacity, supplied under AID pro radio programs and professional enter grams, has improved the city's electri tainment in general, records and tapes cal power~ and it is hoped that in the are considered a necessity rather than near future it will be more dependable. a luxury. If you already have small A new generating plant has been installed electric heaters or electric_fans, bring in USAID 1 s Kilometer 6 area to insure them, since both are useful. 32 Food, Clothing and Services Food The American Coll!!\lissary A commissar.y is available to gov~ent employees and dependents. The coDIIIissary is open six days a week. A wide variety o! food items is avail able1 including canned goods 1 canned and frozen juices, staples, eggs, cheese, meats and poultry1 bread, milk (canned or powdered), toilet ries, cigarettes, cleaning materials, liquors and soft drinks. A _good stock o! baby foods and cereals is usually on hand, and there are vitamins f or both children and adults. Frozen .fruits and vegetables are usua.lly' available. Not all items are in stock at all times, but it is possible to do The Comm issary major shopping at the ccmnisaary for those who do not wish to use the local mangos, Chinese snow peas, peas, beans, markets. carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, cabbage, Fresh fruits and vegetables are oc spring and dry onions, eggplant, bean casionally available. The purchase or sprouts, potatoes, caulirlower, tomatoes, quantities or soap, tooth paste and radishes, pineapple, oranges, bananas, shampoo prior to coming to Vientiane is pomelo, papaya and several other varie not necessary unless one requires un ties of fruit. Owing to poor livestock usual brands. control, meat (beef and pork) is not of a particularly high quality compared to It is suggested that ir a particu American standards. Because of the lack lar brand o! cosmetics is preferred, o! sanitary handling of meat, it is nec you bring a few months' supply with you. essary to cook the meat until it is 11 well~one. 11 Many housewives do purchase Occasionally a limited amount o! meat locally and then treat it by adding kitchen and household utensils are tenderizer and freezing it !or a period avallable. o! time. It is not possible to purchase u.s. cuts o! meat on the local market. Commissary members may also place Chickens on the local market are small, special orders to be filled in Hong Kong and usually are not as tender as that or Bangkok. A reasonable charge is made obtained from the United States. Good !or this service. fish is available 1 as are fresh shrimp, lobster and other seafoods shipped in Local Food by air from Bangkok or Saigon. No local dai.ry products may be used. Eggs are Fresh fruits and vegetables of ex usually available at local markets, but cellent quality may be obtained on the are e.xpensive and are considerably small local market. In season one may~ er than u.s. eggs. 33 Baker;y Goods in the way of ready-made clothing, underwear, hose, There are two bakeries where good or shoes in Vientiane. pastries and French and sliced bread may be bought. Loaves of sliced bread d. Tailoring is not a local are also available at the commissary. art, but is becoming one. Beverages Better work is done in Bangkok or Hong Kong. Various sorts of beverages are obtainable in Vientiane as well as a With the increase in tailors and wide variety of wines, beer and whisky. dressmakers in Vientiane, and the ac cessibility of Bangkok and Hong Kong, Uotltin;: it is not considered essential to plan and purchase a wardrobe to last the full In planning a wardrobe for Laos, two-year tour. Clothing needs can be the following facts should be kept in further supplemented by ordering from mind: the United States. The 11 catalogu houses are well patronized by personnel assigned a. It is very hot, except for to Laos. a brief period of time, so that cottons are the most practical garments. Shoes deteriorate quickly at this post, and it is recolllllended that a good b. Dry cleaning is done by supply of all types be bought. If you hand, and is marginal. have a difficult foot to fit, all shoes However, a few Americans should be purchased in the United States. have had satisfactory re Shoes may be made to order lll Bangkok sults. and Hong Kong, and they are less expen sive than good ready-made shoes in the c. There is little available United States. They also provide varie ty at this post where all footwear is subjected to dust, bad streets, rain and the abrasion caused by loose gravel. New arrivals who are stopping at Bang kok or Hong Kong may wish to establish a source of supply. White shoes may be worn a good part of the year, but are impractical at times because of the rain and mud. A pair of lightweight, comfortable, easily-cleaned walking shoes are invaluable. Men's shoes should be light weighto Light weight raincoats or topcoats and umbrellas ar-e useful for all members of the family, as the morning and even ing can vary from chilly to cold during the cool months, and there is a long rainy season. These items will also be required if you visit Hong Kong during the winter. Dow~town shopping district 34 Suggestions for Men ties for shoe repair are limited. They should be a little wider than the size Washable suits of cotton,. shark normally worn because feet are likely skin, linen, or dacron are worn on of to swell in the heat. A good supply ficial occasions and for work in the of socks is important because they must office buildings, which are air condi be changed frequently. Cotton socks tioned. They are worn with lightweight are preferred by most men because they cotton shirts and ties. In many USAID are cool and wash readily. For the offices the usual attire for men is same reason cotton underwear and paja lightweight slacks and sport shirt, or mas are also preferred. Elastic dis short-sleeved shirt, without tie. For integrates rapidly in the tropics and leisure activities men wear short-sleeved wherever possible should be avoided. shirts and shorts or slacks. All items should be washable and, since a change Suggestions for Women is often necessary at least twice a day, Casual Wear and Sports Clothing - a good supply of clothing is required. 1rlomen usually find that dresses are more comfortable for casual wear than White suits for warm weather and skirts and blouses. Daytime cottons dark suits for cool weather are usually are most suitable to this climate, but worn for dress occasions, and for formal any cool fabric which can be washed wear a white non-wool dinner jacket and easily will be proper. Sunbacks are black trousers will suffice the ·year good for casual wear. Shorts and slacks around. However, officers who are ex are useful at home, but should not be pected to attend official functions must worn by women on the streets in the have a white suit. Personnel now at-uie' downtown areas. During the cooler post find that the wash-and-wear, drip months (October through February) women dry type are the' most appropriate. Men will need heavier cottons, linens, and are advised to bring khaki shirts and occasionally lightweight woolen suits trousers for use in the field. A hat and jackets. Jacket-type cotton, nylon is required only for protection against or Dacron dresses, or dresses with match the sun. The Philippine 11Barong" or ing sweaters, are ideal for the cooler dress shirt is frequently worn for in season. At least two bathing suits, formal evening occasions. caps and other swim accessories should be brought if you plan to use the swim 35 closed type because of the dust and rain. dressy cottons for parties, which are a frequent and important activity in A good supply of cotton or nylon the lives of children here. lingerie should be brought to the post. It is not obtainable locally, and is Both boys and girls should bring difficult to find in either Bangkok or at least two swim suits each, and other Hong Kong. Half slips are practical. swim accessories. An extra supply of bra-back repair and elastic may be included, but may be ob A normal supply of shoes should be tained locally. brought for all children because shoes wear out quickly. Some people prefer After-Five and Eyening Wear - At to make arrangements with a shoe store least several short cocktail dresses in the United States for ordering by ·should be added to t he wardrobe. Women APO. Shoes can also be obtained from whose representational responsibilities mail order houses. Sandals may be pur require their attendance at high-level chased locally, either off the shelf or official functions may want to bring at made-to-measure. Very good shoes can be least one or two long evening.dresses. made to order in Bangkok and Hong Kong. If you do not have one, a lightweight evening skirt and blouse will be equa.l.ly If you have an infant, bring what appropriate. ever clothing is required and an ade quate supply of rubber panties. Diapers, Hose are worn only in cool weather. including the disposable type, are usual ly a va.ilable at the cODDi.ssary. Feeding Suggestions for Children bottles are also generally available at the commissary. It is advisable to bring Clothing needs for children must a crib, & play pen and a stroller. be met in t he United States, with the exception of a limited amount of tailor Suggestions for Sewing ing which can be done in Vientiane, Bang kok or Hong Kong. A normal supply of un If you make your own clothes, bring derwear, socks, shoes and blue j eans patterns and your own sewing machine. should be brought, but it is not reco~ Notions are now obtainable in Vientiane, mended that a two-year supply be brought but they are not alw~s available in the for growing children. The Sears Roebuck color and size required. Needles, thread and MOntgomery Ward catalogs will be a and accessories for ordinar.f sewing may reliable means of shopping through the be obtained at various stalls in the lo APO, but orders should be placed from cal market. this post at least six weeks in advance of anticipated needs. Items can be Sundries shipped by air parcel post but this is much more expensive than ordinary mail. Cosmetics are generally available Boys usually wear jeans or slacks, with in the commissary, but the choice of short-sleeved shirts, to school. For brand is limited &nd shipments are er dress in cool weather they wear a suit, ratic. It is suggested that you bring and during the remainder of the year a two months • supply of your favorite they wear slacks and shirts. For play types to allow time for ordering by mail they wear shorts or jeans. in event those_ at the -co.umissary do not meet your requirements. Fend nine -per Girls wear cotton dresses or skirts sonal accessories are almost alw.ays and blouses to schoo~, -and shorts or available at the commissary, but a li j eans for play. They require several mited supply should be brought. A few 36 simple drugs, such as aspirin, may be sidered by some people to be comparable bought at the commissar,y. Prescription to that in the United States. It would drugs for which there is a constant need be advisable to ask another American to should be brought or mailed from the recommend a dry cleaner in either Bang United States. Initial supply of medi kok or Hong Kong before leaving a valu cine prescribed by the doctors at the able article of clothing for cleaning. post will be furnished by the post dis Bangkok and Hong Kong offer adequate pensary. shoe repairs and can supply the much needed steel taps for new shoes. Local l'o.-.1 Orit•lllation Program dressmaking and tailoring are not up to the standards found in Hong Kong or Bang A post-wide orientation program kok, and prices in Laos are high consid is held several times a year. Newly ar ering the quality of workmanship. rived employees of all elements of the Mission and their adult dependents at There are several beauty shops in tend. The purpose of the program is to t he city which offer adequate haircuts, provide an over-all view of the organiza shampoos, permanents, manicures, pedi tional structure and functions of the cures and facials. Rinses and permanent Mission and its component parts, as well tints may be brought from the United as general information about Laos. States for application by the beauty operator here, and there will be a r ea Speakers include the Ambassador and sonable charge for this service. The the heads of component agencies of the standard of sanitation is considerably ¥~ssion and Officers responsible for va lower than that in the United States in rious mission-wide services; the presi most local shops. dent or a representative of the American There is a barber shop in the USAID Women 1 s Club describes charity and wel Community Center, and several local bar fare activities; and one portion of the bers are also patronized by Americans. program is devoted to a discussion of local history, culture and customs, and a film showing. Competent radio, electrical and other repair services are not available The program presently is scheduled in Vientiane. As the residences occu for one full day for all participants; pied by American personnel are govern an additional two-hour session on the ment-owned or leased, all but the sim day following is provided for USAID em plest repair work is done by Mission ployees and their dependents to acquaint maintenance crews. them with local services available through the agency 1s facilities. Servants are not as well trained lla.-.ic. Community Sen:ices or as competent in Vientiane as in other Laundry is done in the home. parts of the Orient. However, by the Dry cleaning and shoe repair services trial and error method, it is usually are limited, and are not as good as they possible to locate and train servants are in the United States. Ladies• steel who will perform satisfactorily. Few spike heels can now be repaired at the Lao undertake such work. The best serv post. ants have been Vietnamese, Thai or Chi nese. Gardeners, as such, are difficult Women generally return their most to find. It is possible to hire coolies expensive dresses to the United States to do heavy yard work, but they require for dry cleaning, or take them to Bang training and constant supervision. Con kok or Hong Kong, where service is con- stant supervision of the kitchen is nee- 37 essary to insure proper handling of drink but it is more usual to pay one or two ing water and preparation of fresh fruits weeks 1 salary. Some families provide and vegetables. Servants should have a Chinese servants a food allowance in ad physical examination, which includes dition to salary but this is determined chest X-ray, serological test and stool on an individual basis at the time of examination. These are the responsibili employment. ty of the employer. There is no host government social A survey of salaries for servants security system, and non-Lao servants is made periodically, and a schedule are required to have a residence permit, for guiding newcomers is established to the cost of which has recently been in which all American personnel are asked creased to 15,(X)() kip per year (about to adhere. This schedule is on file in $.30). It is paid by the servant in the Personnel office of each agency. most cases1 but in some cases by the Servants 1 salaries are relatively high employer. Your Personnel Office can for the Orient, and average about $50 advise you about this. for a maid, or $50 to $60 per month for a cook or number one houseboy, or about $130 per month for a couple o Although Buddhism is the state Many families have only one servant religion of Laos 1 there are several who does laundry and house-cleaning when Christian churches in Vientiane: the American wife prefers to do her own cooking. Some families attempt to man The International Protestant Church age without help, but in the heat of (interdenominational) baa an American this climate such an undertaking is not pastor. There are regular Sl.Ulday morn recoiililleilded. The ideal arrange.ent is ing services and Sunday School with to have a couple live in and take res classes for every age, held at the new ponsibility, under supervision, for the International Protestant Church (near entire management of the house. Single That Luang); informal evening services personnel find that one servant is ade are held at the home of the pa stor. quate, but sometimes employ an extra cook or waiter to help occasionally when The Church of the Holy Spirit th~ entertain large groups. (Anglican- Episcopal) holds lay services in English in the New International It is customary, in addition to Protestant Church every other Sunda.y salary, to give a New Year 1 s bonus to 1 in the evening. A vicar from Bangkok servants at the time they celebrate visits Vientiane every few .months and their own particular New Year. (The holds communion services as announced. date of this holiday varies according to nationality.) The maximum bonus Two Catholic Churches, St. Mary's amounts to one month1s salary for serv (near the Monument on Old That Luang ants who have been employed for a year Road) and Sacred Heart (near the prison), offer masses in French, Lao, Meo, Viet namese and English, with daily as well as Sunday services. The American priest usually offers mass in English at St. Mary's on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. There are no facilities for formal Jewish worship. 38 • The American School of Vientiane Education Beginning with the 1966-67 Tuition for tenth, eleventh and school year, the American School of twelfth grade students is $700, includ Vientiane will hold classes for grades ing an approximately $200 charge for one through ten, and a supervised study University of Nebraska materials, which program for students in grades eleven the school sends for. The post educa and twelve who take University of Ne tion allowance for these grades is cur braska correspondence courses. Some rently $700. 260 students, of whom 34 are Lao citi zens, were enrolled in the American The supervised study program is School as of November 1965. The School not an adequate substitute for an Amer has undertaken a local scholarship pro ican high school. Parents will attain gram, now in its second year, that will a better education for their children eventually assure at least six Lao stu by enrolling them in accredited high dents per grade. schools away from post. Allowances for government employees will cover the For the first ten grades, teachers, lion's share of such study. instructional materials, and curriculum are similar to those found in public The school library schools in the United Stateso Addition ally, the school offers afternoon in struction in French and Lao organized on the basis of a student's proficiency rather than by grade. For grades one through nine, the school furnishes all essential texts and materials as part of the $600 tuition. For government employees, the post education allowance is currently $600. 39 but postal insurance and registry serv Transportation and ices are not yet available. (It i s ex Cotnmunications pected that they will be provided by late 1966.) Com mullicatiolls The correct address for APO mail i s: Telecommunications - There is no overseas telephone service .from (Your name) Laos. Personnel who wish to conmnm.i American :&nbassy (or USAID or cate by telephone with the United States USIS) must do so from Bangkok or .from Hong APO San Francisco 963 52 Kong. Direct official or emergency com munication by radio and telephone with Do not use "Vientiane, Laos 11 with Bangkok and field offices in Laos is the APO address. possible during office hours through facilities at USAID. Personal mail which requires safe handling may be sent through the diplo Interested Party Messages (IPM 1s) matic pouch; i.e., medicines, eye glasses, may be transmitted through Embassy com orthopedic supplies, personal papers, munications channels to the United checks. Regular international postage States within the framework of FAMC 289 must be affixed to all such mail in ac of March 161 1965. Generally, because cordance with regulations. The correct of inadequate commercial telecommunica address is: tions services, mission personnel may send messages of urgent nature involv (Your name) ing health or welfare of employees 1 (Your organization} famjlies at the flat rate of $5. 00 for Vientiane each IPM. Administrative Support Team Department of State Memorandum 66-009 of September 24, 1965 Washington, D. c. 20521 gives details of procedures to be fol lowed. Airmail between the United States and Laos by international facilities The u.s. Mission in Vientiane main takes an average of seven to ten days. tains three telephone systems which link There is occasional censorship. all of the offices and most of the resi dences. The local PTT telephone system Broadcasting - There is one local is not used in American homes. radio broadcasting station. The nearest television broadcasting is done from Postal and Pouch Services - Air !.fail Bangkok, but no Americans in Laos have - The most common method of receiving television sets because reception is and sending personal mail is through the very poor. Many Americans have short APO. Air letter mail from the United wave radio and listen to "Voice of Amer States through APO channels takes from ica" and foreign news broadcasts. How 4 to 7 dqs to reach Vientiane; air mail ever, if a short-wave receiver is brought, packages slightly longer, and surface it should be of high quality. mail from six weeks to three months. The standard regulations regarding size Newspapers, Mffizines arxt Technical of packages sent to Vientiane are appli J ournS:ls - Two Eng sh Iang\iage newspa cable, i.e., they are limited to 100 per s, which are publ ished in Bangkok, inches in length and girth combined and are availabl e for d.istribution to Ameri 70 pounds maximum weight. Packages may can homes in Vientiane, and general.ly be mailed from Vientiane through the APO, arrive one or two days after publicati on. AO Subscriptions are arranged at the com purposes on a mileage basis for after missary. No English-language newspapers duty and weekend travel within the city are published in Laos. limits. The number of vehicles avail able is limitedo The charge is 12 cents American magazines and paper-back per mile, and there is a minimum fee of books are also sold at the commissary, 50 cents. Bills are paid at the first and there is a fairly wide selection. of each month. Airmail editions of 11 Ti.me 11 and 11 News week11 are available by subscript ion at Automobiles - Personnel of all cate slightly less than newsstand cost per gories are urged to bring their own auto copy and arrive in Vientiane several mobiles. Small, compact, American auto days after t hey are put on the newsst and mobiles are best for the roads in Vien in the commissary. Subscriptions from tiane. Under existing regulations (6FAM a local dealer are also available and 165.8) personnel stationed in Laos are home del i very can be arranged. authorized to ship foreign vehicles at Government expense only in certain cir The Pacific edition of the Ameri cumstances. All vehicles should be can Armed Forces 11 Stars and Stripes11 is equipped with heavy-duty springs and available by mail. Upon arrival at the shock absorbers. For the most part, post, an employee may subscribe by writ the roads within t he city and the sur ing directly to: rounding areas are full of chuck boles. For this reason, some people prefer the Pacific STARS AND STRIPES standard shift. The seasons of rain Capitol Hill and dust cause vehicles to deteriorate APO 96346 rapidly. Repairs and tightening must be done on a regular basis. Converti The monthly cost is $2.50, payable bles with canvas tops should not be in advance in dollar instruments. It shipped to Laos. is advisable to subscribe for at least three months in advance. Mechanics in Laos are not highly skilled, although there are numerous Transportation local shops to choose from. Facilities are available for either automatic or Local Transportation - There manual transmission repairs. is no locally-provided public transport ati on system in Vientiane. A number of Radios in cars are practically use taxis cruise about the city, but the less except to those who enjoy Lao lan drivers speak little or no English, and guage programs and oriental music 1 and pick up as many passengers as the vehi personnel should make no special effort cle can possibly hold. There are no to inst all short wave sets for the re meters and no fixed rates, the fare de ception of the very brief English-lan pending entirely upon the passenger's guage newscasts. bargaining ability. Samlors (tricycle rickshaws), which cost less, also cruise The Embass.y arranges for the regis around the town and are easy to find for tration and licensing of private vehi travel within the city limits. The price cles. There is no charge for registra for this type of transportation is usual tion, but non-diplomatic personnel are ly settled by bargaining. required to purchase a tax sticker. The cost of the sticker varies with the Employees who do not have personal size and make of the automobile. Prior vehicles at the post may use American to registration, the owner must show Government vehicles for non-official that he has $5,000 personal injury and 41 $5, Railroad Transportation - There is no railway in Laos. Bangkok can be reached by train from Nongkhai, which is acrose the Mekong River from Vien tiane, on the Thailand side. The river is crossed by ferry. The train trip to Nongkhai is made on narrow- gauge tracks, takes approximately 12 hours each way, and is a worthwhile experience. Co~ fortable berths .are available, and serv ice is good. Thai food is served on board. Round trip fare, with berth, amounts to approx:imately $30 per person. A paved road from Nongkhai to Bangkok has been completed and the trip takes approximately eight houx·s by car. 42 Health and iHetlicine · .llt•tlit·al Fm·ilitit>... The Embas~ operates a dis pensary staffed by one American State Department physician and one contract physician, one American State Department nurse, two Thai nurses and two Thai med ical technicians. The staff handles routine sick calls, emergencies, inocu lations, and everyday illnesses. The Dispensary is equipped with four beds and one crib for emergency short-term hospitalization, o.xygen tent, X-Ray, EKG The Embassy dispensary and a laboratory. Pre- 43 ing of hands. Fungus conditions occur most frequently during the rainy season, and can be curtailed to some extent by frequent bathing and careful drying of the body after washing. Preparations which have been found to be helpful against fungus should be brought by per sonnel coming to the post. Respiratory infections are no more common here than elsewhere, although the duration of a cold may be longer here than it is normally. The regular use of vitamins is recommended. Some vitamins are available at the commissary. They are not provided through the Health Unit. All employees and families at the post are provided, through the Health Unit, with routine medication for the prevention of malaria. Anti mal aria med ications should be taken regularly, once a week, during the entire stay at the post and for several weeks after leaving the post. Personnel assigned to field posts and those making frequent field Community liNtlth trips should take the antimalaria tablets twice a week. Prevalent Diseases - Because of inadequate Lao medical, nursing, hos pital and public health facilities, Laos has all the diseases endemic to this area, including tuberculosis, malaria and dysentery. However, Americans are not exposed to them to a:rry ala.rming de gree because of the precautions they take in their homes, and inoculations protect them from the most serious ill nesses. Although prickly heat and virus fevers of short duration are common, babies and children generally thrive in Vientiane. The most common complaints among Americans are: the dysenteries, parasit ical infestations (worms), fungus, mild upper respiratory infections, malaria and ear infections. Protection against the dysenteries and parasitical infesta tions is obtained by care in the handling and preparation of food and careful wash- Dispensary physician and patient ~ - Tap water is not potable, effort is made to maintain sanitation and must be boiled and filtered before and health controls at an Ameri can level. use for personal needs, for cooking, or for washing of dishes. It is recommended Heat - Vi entiane has extremes of that it be boiled for at least ten minutes, both humid and dry heat, and both diet at a hard boil, and then be put through and clothing should be regulated accord a filter before it is used. Filters are ingly. provided by the Mission. ~ - Vientiane is an extremely ~- No locally grown fruits or dusty city, and personnel suffering from vegetables should be eaten raw unless sinus or other upper respiratory ailments they have first been peeled. This is may expect to have them aggravated during the safest way to guard against food their entire stay. Although some main contamination, but there are methods of streets are hard-surfaced, they are disinfecting raw foods which are consid clouded with dust during the dry season ered to be relatively safe. Instructions because of the l ack of sidewalks, curbs on their use are available in the Medi and seeded parkways which cause the sand cal Information Sheet supplied new per and fine soil to drift toward the center sonnel on their arrival here·. Clorox of the road. From time to time the mu can be used as a disinfectant, and is nicipal government dispatches a water usually available at the commissary. sprinkler truck to settle the dust, but Other types of disinfectants are not without much success because of the in found in Vientiane and should be brought tensity of the sun. by staff who plan to use them. Insects - Among insects the source of greatest annoyance in Laos is the mosquito. Houses are screened and mos quito repellants and ointments are used. These preparations are available on the local market and at the commissary. In general, mosquito nets are not needed. A spray service is available for homes, and spray materials may be purchased at the commissary. Sanitation and Health Controls - Sanitation in Vientiane is comparable to that at other tropical Asian posts. Vientiane has the advantage of being a smaller city, and the overpowering odors which often characterize larger places in the Far East are not as prevalent here. There is no sewage system in the city. However, a r easonably good effort is made to keep the streets free of lit ter. All homes occupied by Americans are equipped with septic systems, and a regular garbage pick- up has been found to be effective and dependable. The principal American housing areas are out side the main part of the city, and every A family of Yao, one of several minority tr ibes of laos 45 DinXing room Theatre Cocktail lounge week, and there ±s a tree show, for m~ bers oncy, every Thursday. The theater is also available for general meetings. b. The Dining Room serves 3 meals daily and is open until 10:00 Pomo Facilities for recreation for either snack or meals. Catering in Vientiane are increasing but still service for private parties may be ar depend to a large extent upon the indi ranged through the Club Manager. vidual initiative and ingenuity of Amer icans here. The American Community As c. The Bar is open every day. sociation, an inter-agency organization, Each Friday between the hours of 5:30 p.m. sponsors plays, dances, movies, duplicate and '7 :00 there is a 11 Ha.ppy Hour 11 o At bridge and activities for small children various times during the week, a small and teenagers. All u.s. Government per band performs. sonnel are eligible to become members of the Association. Nominal dues are as d. The Recreation Room may be sessed. reserved for special parties, square dancing and special activities, such as Little Theatre Group - The Vientiane the New Year's Ball. The American Wo Variety Theatre is sponsored by the Ameri men 1 s Club usually has its luncheons in can Community Association. Its plays this room. draw sell-out audiences. All interested Thespians are encouraged to respond to e. The Swimming Pool may be try-out notices. Personnel who possess reached from a side entrance and is copies of plays which have been success usually open from 9:00 a.m. until ap fully produced by amateur groups are proximately 8:00 p.m., except when it is urged to bring them to the post. reserved for private parties. Food and drinks are served at the pool. La Societe Internationale du Mekong sponsors both a play reading group and Lao and Vietnamese Entertainment a choral group. Membership in this so Lao or Vietnamese traditional plays are ciety is open to Americans as well as presented during the dry season at out people of other nationalities. door gatherings in connection with reli gious holidays or fairs. These are col Community Center - The American orful and interesting even though Amer Community Association has established icans cannot understand the dialogue. a Community Center located on the Na Hai Diao Compound. Any American employee During the past two years several of the Mission may become a member for cultural groups have presented programs a nominal fee. The Association sells in Vientiane under the sponsorship of chit books for food, theater tickets and the American Artists Overseas and the other facilities. The Community Center French Cultural Mission. consists of the following: Local fairs known as bouns take a. The Theatre has a curtained place throughout the year under the l stage, and is used for plays which are auspices of the Buddhist Wats. These produced by the Vientiane Variety Thea offer a 11midway 11 atmosphere, and feature ter and for concerts arranged by the Me gambling, dancing (Lao style), boxing kong Society. Once a month the Mekong (Thai), outdoor movies and folk plays. Society shows a classical film. other These occasions are nois.y, but interest movies are shown three to four times a ing and colorful. In November there is 47 a four-day festival, the That Lu.ang private homes. Use of the courts at the Fair, in which the International commu National Stadium are for members only or nity participates. upon invitation, but Americans may join for a nominal fee. Tennis equipnent The Lao are becoming more sports may be obtained at the post, but it is conscious. There are occasional soccer advised that personnel who have definite and track meets and tennis tournaments feelings on type and make of equipnent at the stadium, and it is possible to to be used bring their own. Tennis shoes watch Lao-Thai boxing matches from time should be brought since sizes required to time. by Americans are rarely available. Libraries and Reading Matter - A small library is maintained by USIS, de The ACA sponsors at least one tour signed for use by Lao, but books may be nament a year and a Diplomatic tourna borrowed by American personnel. Maga ment is also held each year. zines and paper-backs in English can be purchased locally and at the commissary, Volleyball - A volleyball league but it is recommended that a supply of is operated by the ACA each year to run good reading material be brought to the about four or five months. Play is at post. Leather-bound books should not be Kilometer 6 Tennis Courts or on the Sil brought because of their susceptibility ver City Tennis Courts two or three to mildew. A Technical Reference Libra nights a week. ry is operated by USAID. Books and ref erence material covering a wide range Softball - Softball games are held of technical fields may be borrowed from on Sunday afternoon at Kilometer 6 dur the Library. ing a good part of the year. Both USAID and the American Embassy Badminton - There is a badminton have a 11 swap-a-book" shelf and all are court at Silver City. Personnel must encouraged to donate the paper-books bring their own net for use on this they have read for others to enjoy. court. Equipment can be obtained lo cally. MOtion Picture Entertainment - Amer ican movies are shown at the Recreation Hall on the USAID Compound four or five nights a week. There are five local movie theaters (one air conditioned) where French, Chinese, Thai, Indian and sometimes even American movies are shown. These are patronized increasingly by Americans. Sports and Outdoor Life Tennis - There are a number of ce ment tennis courts in the city, includ ing two courts at Kilometer 6 Housing area, one court at Silver City and one court at the Attache BOQ compound. All are fenced. The ones at KM-6 and Silver City are lighted f~r night play. There are also courts at the National Stadium Club, at the French Military Mission, at the Australian Embassy and at some Tennis court at Silver City .. Swimming -A swimmi.ng pool, equipped Boating - There are several small with a filter system, is centrally lo boats and launches which may be rented cated at the Na Hai Diao Compound, and or borrowed for excursions on the Mekong. is available to all u.s. Government per However, due to the political/military sonnel who are members of the Recreation situation, travel beyond Vientiane is Association. There is also a pool at limited. This is, nevertheless, a pleas the Continental Air Motel near the air ant way to spend a day, and there are port, but it is intended for use by the several boating parties during each dry residents and their guests only. season. During the sumner, t he American Horseback Riding - A Community Rid Community Association has swimming ing Club has been established at the classes for the children at the Na Hai KM-6 Compound. The American Comnnmity Diao Compound pool. Association has assisted the club in building a central stable and club house. Ponies and horses can be obtained local The Post Medical Officer strongly ly, and cost from $40 to $ioo. Saddles, recommends against use of the Mekong harness, bridles, boots, etc., may be River for swimming. The Mekong is a obtained in Vientiane or across the Me dirty river and has an extremely strong kong River (in Thailand) at reasonable current. prices. Owners are charged on a pro Golf - There are presently no golf rated basis for the feeding of the horses courses-Tn Vientiane. However, current and for general stable maintenance. ly under organization is a Vientiane Group instruction in riding is given by Sports Club, an international organiza experienced riders of the community. tion, with plans to build a golf course Si.ghtseeing - Vientiane, while within the next year. small, does have a few points of inter est to visit, such as the national mu Water Skiing - A number of Lao na seum, several picturesque Buddhist tem tionals and members of the international ples and monuments, a silk weaving fac community water ski on the Mekong. The tory and the "morning" and 11 evening" Embassy, however, discourages this form markets. of sport, and it has been declared a def inite health hazard by the Post Medical Gardening - This is an activity Officer. which many Americans here enjoy. Be- Community Riding Club cause of poor soil and the climatic con chase Authorization from the Lao National ditions, the variety of flowers and veg Police. Items so imported will be cleared etables which will grow is limited, but by customs officials upon presentation the challenge to produce something at of the Police Purchase Authorization. tractive from the ground is great and Ammunition purchasable at the American much satisfaction is ga.ined from success Commissary is not presently subject to ful effort. If you plan to make your this type of control. own garden bring tools and seeds for the type of plants which will tolerate Firearms and ammunition must be de extreme heat and sun. The flowers which clared in customs processing upon arri seem to grow best are zinnias, marigolds, val in Laos. As soon as possible after Sweet William, morning glory, phlox, arrival a permit for all firearms pos cosmos and petunias. Some have had suc sessed in Laos must be obtained from the cess with gladioli. A vegetable which Lao National Police. does reasonably well here is corn, and gardeners have had good results from The American Embassy requires that planting green beans, lettuce, onions, all firearms in the possession of Ameri parsley, egg plant and tomatoes. can personnel in Laos be registered with the Post Security Officer promptly fol Several people have enjoyed raising lowing arrival at the post. orchids at the post as there are numerous varieties found in this area. A garden Lost, stolen, destroyed or resold club has been organized to exchange in firearms must be promptly reported to formation with regards to flowers and the local police and the Post Security gardening in general. Officer. Similarly, lost permits must also be reported to the Police. Photography - The country is pic turesque and many Americans make a hob The discharging or firing of fire by of photography. The commissary usual arms for other than hunting and ~lf ly stocks film for 3 5 mm cameras, for defense requires the prior approval of black and white pictures, Kodachrome, the local police. (The Post Security and Ektachrome, and film for 8mn. 16mm Officer will cover this subject in the movie cameras, both roll and magazine. Orientation Programs held quarterly for It would be well to bring movie film in tropical packs to avoid spoilage from new arrivals.) Police permission to do target practice firing will var,y ac humidity. Developing and printing of cording to the prevailing local situa black and white film can be done in tion. Vientiane or in Bangkok. Color film · may be sent by APO to the United States, Hawaii, Manila, or by international mail Gun collectors are advised not to to Singapore or France, for developing. import collections. Firearms and Ammunition The post has recently formed a Rod and Gun Club, comprised of· u.s. Mission The Government of Laos imposes no employees, Lao and Third Country Nation restrictions or cus..toms duties on the als. The club is arranging for the im accompanied importation of hunting guns portation and sale of firearms and am and small arms and ammunition by official munition for its members. The club has Americans. However, fir~s, major fire indicated that it will assist and advise arm sub-assemblies or parts and ammuni all newly arrived personnel in complying tion ordered and imported unaccompanied with local regulations regarding fire from outside Laos, require a prior Pur- arms and/or ammunition. 50 Hunting ."im·ial Al'livities - Hunting in Laos is possible in some areas, but is extremely limited Social entertainment revolves by travel restrictions and a general primarily around home activities. Bar paucity of game. Hunting requires a becues and picnics have become most pop license, for which a nominal charge is ular. At the present time, hone enter 11 11 made. tainment is usually- tenue de ·ville (business suits and simple cocktail-type The period of Buddhist Lent is the dresses) or informal (sport shirt). Of only closed season, during which hunting ficers have frequent social contacts with of all kinds is prohibited. This period the Lao and French. This is facilitated, varies every year, according-to the Lu needless to say, by language competence. nar Calendar. The majority of Lao ladies are shy about meeting foreigners and home entertain The only yearly bag limits are two ment on their part is not as frequent bull elephants, four gaur, four wild as in European and American capitals. water buffalo and four wild ox. - Junior officers and staff personnel lead an active social life within the Ameri There are a few a.n.i.mal.s and birds which are protected by hunting laws. can and international communities. The However, since most of these are prac American women have started an English tically extinct in Laos, hunters need conversational coffee which has now be c.ome international. Ladies entertain not be overly concerned with these, ex each other in their homes two mornings cept for the prohibition on hunting pea a month for coffee and ~onversation. cocks, and the 11 Coq de Pagode 11 • Snipe and duck are the most abun The American Women's Club of Vien dant small game. tiane was re-formed in 1962 after the families returned from Bangkok where The Vientiane Rod and Gun Club is they had been evacuated during the coup in a position to advise newly--arrived of 1960. The Club has channeled the ef personnel regarding local hunting reg forts ot; the American women in the com ulaticns, location of game, etc. The munity to promote the welfare and morale club is active in arranging weekend of the community. · shooting and hunting trips and plans are being made to provide skeet shooting Its many projects, aside from fund and a target range. raising activities, include welcoming new arrivals to Vientiane, aid to the Though there are no regulations city hospitals and ~rphanages, aid to requiring one to do so, it is a tradi leper colonies, scholarships to the. tional Lao courtesy to advise the local American School; and many other projects police and government administrative undertaken as the need arises. The main head before hunting in their area. fund-raising activity is the Thrift Shop, which is run by Woman's Club members. Fishing Sponsored by the American Women's Fishing opportunities are very li Club, but operated by a group of mothers, mited for the same reasons as hunting. is the Vientiane Pre-School and Kinder However, there are areas where one may garten. The Pre-School has very satis "wet a line11 • -Non-co1II!ll8rcial fishing factory facilities for 70 children at does not require a license, and fishing KM-6. ';rhe Club also sponsors scouting is permitted throughout the year. groups. 51 Election of officers is held every May and general membership meetings take Official Functions place on the third Thursday of every month, September through May. Member When the Ambassador or Directors ship is open to all American women and of agencies entertain officials, members wives of American men in Laos and current of the staff who are invited are expected dues are $4 a year. to arrive fifteen minutes before the ap pointed time in order that they may as sist as co-hosts and co-hotesses. They Rotary Club - There is a Rotary Club should remain at the party until foreign in Vientiane which meets on Mondays at guests or guests of honor have departed 6:00 p.m. at the Hotel Lane Xang. or until they have been informed that their obligation has been fulfilled. Vient iane Jgycees - Activities of Normally it is the practice to remain the Vientiane Jaycees were resumed in at an official party until the Ambassa early 1965 after several years of inac dor and his wife have departed. tivity. Membership to the Vientiane Chapter is open to any interested young The secretary to the Ambassador man. Recent activities have included a and secretaries to Directors of agencies city-wide clean- up campaign, distribu maintain a registry of social functions. tion of garbage collection drums, erec Before planning an official party or a tion of city street signs, and other party of some size, personnel should civic projects. clear the date with the appropriate secretary to avoid conflict of activi ties. The secretary will also supply Lao-American Association - The Lao members of the staff and their wives American Association is a bi-national with correct protocol procedure for the center for language and cultural exc.hange. seating of guests. Many Americans, including wives, parti cipate in the program by teaching Eng The dress for each function is pres lish classes. cribed in the invitation, and most offi cial functions are "street dress11 occa Classes in the Lao language are sions. A few top-level dinner parties available to American personnel by re require black or white tie. However, gistrationo official functions for men often require the wearing of a white suit. Agency The Garden Club was organized in chiefs accompany their principal assist March 1964 and meets the fourth MOnday ants for calls on the Ambassador. of each month. Membership is open to anyone interested. No dues are paid. Wives of all employees and all fe Informal discussions are held on garden male employees are expected to call on ing problems and plants of this area. the wives of the Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission as well as the wife of The American Teen Club of Vientiane their Agency Director. Calls are made was organized in April 1963o The club as soon after arrival as possible so has financed and planned numerous social calling cards should be brought in ac and recreational activities, and has con companying baggage. tributed to several worthwhile civic pro jects. Teenagers will find this an in All posts have their own special teresting and rewarding outlet for imag calling _requirements. Vientiane, being inative and enthusiastic ideaso no exception to this rule, issues to 52 all newcomers a special pamphlet on matching envelopes since the latter are calling procedures at t his post. useful in sending and acknowledging in vitations. A limited supply of calling At the time of departure from the cards should be brought in hand luggage, post, officers should extend formal and since they are needed immediately upon official farewell to all officers upon arrival. whom they are expected to call at the time of arrival.. This can be done by Copies of the booklet "Social Usage sending cards marked 11p.p.c. 11 in pencil. Abroad11 are available at the post, but For personal and unofficial farewell, it is advisable to request a copy from a more informal method of saying good the Foreign Service Institute while in bye is used. Washington. Cards should be left at the time While the dress for official func of official calls. tions is generally prescribed to be busi ness suit and afternoon dress, the dress Vientiane has limited facilities for strictly American functions is gen for the printing of cards, but person erally sports attire, i.e., short-sleeved, nel are advised to bring with them an open-necked sport shirts. On such occa adequate supply of cards in addition to sions some women prefer sun-backed, dres a supply of foldover informals with sy cotton or cotton afternoon dresses. The 'baci', a traditional Lao ceremony to wish on honoree long life, wealth and happiness. 53 COUNTRY REGULATIONS AND POST ADMINISTRATION istered. The law also requires the Customs Duties and Passage quarantine of a pet for a period of from ten to fifteen days. These laws are not Free Entry Pri vileges - Personnel of enforced, however, and to date no pet all u.s. Government agencies are given has been held in quarantine. However, free entry privileges during their en anti- rabies vaccination is necessary be tire tour of duty. fore bringing a pet to Vientiane, and should be repeated every six months Customs Duties - All personal and during the stay here. Rabies is preva household effects are admitted into the lent among dogs in this country o country duty-free. If such items are subsequently sold to persons not having The Medical Unit advises that me~ free- entry privileges, duties must be bers of the American community should paid either by the seller or the buyer. not try to raise pets in this area, be cause of the heat and the poor health Restrictions and Requirements Upon conditions of most animals in Laos. If Entry - A valid Lao visa, smallpox vac pets are brought here, measures must be cination and cholera inoculation certi taken to isolate them from contact with ficate are required by the Lao Government local animals, and a good supply of flea to enter the country. The most direct powder and any medicines commonly used routing to Vientiane is via Bangkoko in their care should be brought. Personnel who may think it more conven The commissary usually carries dog ient to arrive from Bangkok via train and cat food. should remember that the train to Nong khai stops some miles from the city and Tuxe.~tt, Excise~., it is difficult to transport luggage from the station to the customs office Exchange and Financt~ located on the river, and then to have The official Lao currency is the kip. it placed on the ferry for passage to The official rate of exchange is 240 kip Vientiane. This mode of entry is dis to one U.So dollar, but all Mission per couraged. sonnel are authorized to purchase kip at the prevailing free rate, which is about Customs authorities may or may not 500 kip to the dollar. The kip is the inspect baggage of holders of Official medium of exchange for local purchasing, passportso Should they decide to in and for payment of services and servants. spect such baggage, it is a cursory examination at most. Personal checks of American employees can be cashed on presentation at the Emb It is recommended that each person assy cashier cage for ,amounts ranging bring 10 passport- size photographs for from $25 to $200, and at the commissary visa applications, licenses, identity for kip at the free rate of exchangeo cards, etc. Cashing checks for amount in excess of $200 must be approved by the Embassy Importation of Pets - According to Administrative Officer. It is advisable the law of Laos, a pet which is imported for employees to maintain checking ac into the country must be accompanied by count s in the United Stateso Commissary a certificate of health and evidence that bills are payable by check on a monthly anti- rabi es vaccination has been admin- basis. 55 U. s. personnel receive their en tire salary, including allowances, by U. s. dollar check, or through allotments. American personnel do not pay Lao income tax, but non-diplomatic members of all agencies who have cars here must pay automobiles tax and certain Govern ment fees for driver 1 s licenses. Post Adnlinistration The Embas~ Administrative staff provides administrative support to Emb assy, USIS, and Attache personnel, and USAID employees receive the same services from the USAID Executive Office. Medi cal support is provided for all agencies by the Embassy Dispensary. Rice fields of Laos 56 SPECIAL GUIDANCE or delicate objects of art should not be Travel and Transportation brought to the post. Requirements enroute Post Stopover in Bangkok Enroute Vien tiane - The most frequently traveled Shipping and Packing - All author route to Vientiane is via Bangkok. Per ized surface shipments from t he United sonnel usually stop there at least one States should be arranged through the night. u.s. Despatch Agents at various American ports, and should be addressed as fol Upon arrival in Bangkok USAID per lows: sonnel should contact the USAID Execu tive Office representative. He will American Embassy make final arrangements for onward t ravel (Individual's initials) to Laos and may be reached at: Vientiane, Laos (via Bangkok) Office - 66 Sukumvit Soi 1 Shipments arriving in Bangkok for Tel. 55777 Laos are considered in-transit cargo and are trans-shipped by rail to Nong Home - 133 Sukumvit Soi 53 khai, Thailand, by ferry across the Me Tel. 913505 kong and then by truck to Vientiane. Under no condition should surface ship If the Mission lmows when you will ments be routed through Saigon or Hong arrive in Bangkok you will be met at the Kong as there is NO adequate surface airport, assisted through customs, and transport between either of these cities taken to your hotel. It is, therefore, and Vientiane. quite important to cable your ETA to USAID/Laos with a copy to USOM Bangkok All effects should be well packed, for USAID/Laos EO Representative, if preferably in metal or wooden containers there is any change in your plans after lined with waterproof paper to protect leaving Am/W, or if you are traveling against rough handling and the inclement with an open ticket to Bangkok. weather enroute. Automobiles should be boxed. Marine insurance for surface Official vehicles of USOM are not shipments and fire and theft coverage available for personal use in Bangkok, for all effects is strongly recommended. but there is ample taxi service. The floater-type policy is adequate. Personal checks may be cashed by Air shipments arrive in approxi the Embassy cashier or at the Navy Ex mately three weeks, and receive reason change. The Embassy cashier will cash ably careful handling. Such shipments up to $200, payable $100 in UoS. currency should be addressed as follows: and $100 in Thai baht, at any one time. The Navy Exchange limits personal checks (Your name) for u.s. currenay to $50. Checks writ American Embassy ten to pay for purchases in the Exchange Vientiane, Laos or Commissary are not limited in this way. There are no storage facilities in Vientiane. Both USAID and Embassy have· Mission addresses and telephone contracts for packing. Valuable antiques numbers in Bangkok are: 57 American Embassy, Bangkok: Marine Guards wear uniforms only on 95 Vithayu Road (Wireless Road) duty. Off-duty uniform is civilian cloth Tel. 59800 ing. Marine Guard persormel assigned to this post should consult the Marine USOM/Thailand: Security Guard Post Report. All Marine 642 Phetburi Road Guard personnel are urged to open bank Tel. 70040 accounts prior to coming to this posto USIS, Bangkok: 125 Sathorn Tai (South) Road Tel. 31060 The remarks relative to the impor tation and disposal of personal property, including automobiles and the acquisi Special Information tion and conveTsion of local currency, apply to all milltary personnel assigned Personnel Other t han Foreign Service to Vientiane. Recommended Reading YEAR OF No OF ENGLISH TITLE !:ill! PAGES ryf Donunen, Arthur J . Conflict in La.os: 1964 303 The Politics-or-Neutralization Halpern, Joel M. Government, and Social Structure in 1964 184 La.os Halpern, Joel M. Economy and Society of Laos 1964 178 (France-Asie) Kingdom of La.os 1959 486 Lebar, Frank M. La.os 295 Na Champassak, Sisouk Storm over La.os (Human Research Area Ethnic Groups of Mainland SEA 1964 350 Files) Gard, Richard A. Buddhism 1961 243 FRENCH Ajalbert, Jean ---Sao Van Di Moeurs du Laos 265 La.rteguy, Jean Les Tambours de Bronze 1965 Pavie, Auguste A. la Conguete des Couers: le Pays des 1947 380 Millions d'Elephants et du Parasol Blanc (Reprint) Sasorith, Katay D. Elle est Formidable, la Belle Mere 1958 118 Chaffard, Georges Indo chine: Dix .Ans d' Independance 1964 294 Taboulet, Georges La Geste Francaise en Indochine 1955-6 926 (2 vola) (France-Asia) Presence du Boud.dhisme 1959 958 time to farming. The climate is a few degrees cooler than Vientiane due to the mountainous terrain of the area. Many The Mission has established a num people from Vientiane visit this city ber of "area offices" throughout the and enjoy the many wats and the Royal Kingdom of Laos. The number of American Palace grounds, the gardens and beauti personnel assigned to these areas varies ful flowers. according to the size and program re quirements o! the area. Some areas have Housing - Personnel assigned to as few as two employees and others as Luang Prabang are given pe.rmanent hous many as twenty. Employees assigned to ing as soon after arrival as -possible. major field stations will find services The houses are government- leased, and ample and accommodations comfortable· are of masonr.y construction in the French however, they may lack some of the f~ Provincial style. The interiors are fin cilities available to employees stationed ished in western style and are comforta in Vientiane. Major area offices are ble. ·The furniture is provided by the described below. Mission, generally of the ratt an type, and is fully adequate. Outside Area headquarters, American personnel are also assigned in field Utilities and Equipment - Electri stations such as the Xieng Ngeun Cluster city is supplied by a central power plant and the Muong Kassy forward area in in the city. However, the service is li Luang Prabang Province; Muong Fhieng, mited to certain hours of the day. This Hong Sa, Xieng Lom and~ in Saya is augment ed by individual generat ors boury Province; and Ban Houei Sai in for residential and office areas. Buta Houa Khong Province. Field offices in gas cooking stoves, kerosene refrigera the Vientiane Area outside Vientiane tors, freezers and hot water heaters are city are as follows: Ban Keun, Phone being used until an adequate amount of Hong, and Vang Vieng in Vientiane Prov electric power becomes available. An ince, and Borikhane and Pak Cadinh in air conditioner is provided for each oc Borikhane Province. They are admi nis cupied bedroom. During the one month of tered through the Vientiane Area office. cool weather a kerosene heater is pro vided by the Mission. Each house has water delivered (to elevated tanks), but Luang Prabang the water must not be used without boil- General Description - This is one ing. of the two capital cities of the King dom of Laos; Vientiane being the admin Food 1 Clothing and Services - St aple istrative capital and Luang Prabang the foods are ordered from the American Com royal capital. It is situated approxi missary in Vientiane, and are flown in mately 110 miles north of Vientiane, and weekly. Orders can also be placed with by plane the trip takes about one hour. export concerns in Hong Kong, Copenhagen, It is the residence of the King and is Bangkok, etc. Many items of fresh vegeta one of the most picturesque communities bles, fruits, chicken, pork, rice, tur in the entire Kingdom. The city is nes key, eggs, et c. can be purchased on the tled in a valley surrounded by mountains. local market, and are of good quality. It has a population of approximately The clothing requirements are the 10,000 people who devote most of their same as those in Vientiane. 61 Services, such as barber shops, horse shoe pitching, etc. , to bring a beauty parlors, shoe repair, etc., are long the necessary equipment. available in Luang Prabang. Although there are no commercial Education - There is no American entertainment facilities available, there School in Luang Prabang. The Calvert is a great deal of inter-home entertain System is the only method of instruction ing, which includes teas, cocktail par used up to the 9th grade. Special pro ties, buffet dinners and card parties. visions can be made for tutoring, if necessary. There are a number of restaurants in town and a few movie houses which Transportation and Communications - show films in the French language. There The Mission utilizes airplanes for all are also showings of USIS educational transportation in and out of Luang Pra fi.lms, and arrangements can be made for bang. These flights generally operate on commercial films to be shown. an almost daily schedule Monday through Friday from Vientiane. Travel within the city is provided by the Mission. Be Savannakhet cause of the very limited area in which to drive a vehicle in this town, it is General Description - The city of recommended that personal vehicles not Savannakhet is situated to the south of be shipped. Mission cars, on a limited Vientiane approximat ely 152 miles. By basis, and when not required for offi plane the trip requires one hour and ten cial use, may be rented for private use minutes. It is the second largest city at 12 cents per mile. This includes in Laos with an estimated population of gasoline, oil and driver. Short-wave 40,000 people. One gets the feeling radio communication facilities are avail when arriving in Savannakhet that it is able between Luang Prabang and Vientiane a small replica of Vientiane. The tree for official use and for emergencies. lined streets are pa"red, there are small All APO personal mail is sent to Vien shops, theaters, restaurants, an athle tiane for onward forwarding. No cable tic stadium, and morning and afternoon or telephone services are available in markets where fruits and vegetables can Luang Prabang. be bought in abundance. The airport is used as the headquarters of the Royal Lao Air Force. The surrounding country Health and Medicine - There is a side is cultivated with vegetable gardens Colombo Plan doctor stationed in Luang and rice paddies. The Mekong River flows Prabang who can be consulted for minor south at the edge of the town, and it is illnesses. Employees are airlifted to only a five-minute boat ride across to Vientiane for treatment of more serious Thai 1and. Several USAID l ocal employees illnesses. Personnel should bring with reside in Thailand am. coliiiiUte daily on them an ample supply of any special med a ferryo icines prescribed by their doctors as medicines are not always in supp]Jr. The places outside of the Area of fice where American personnel also work Recreation and Social Activities - are: Kengkok Cluster and Dong Hene in There are no commercial sports activi Savannakhet Province; and Nong Bok in ties available in this town, nor is there Khammoua.ne 1Tovince. a playground for children. Playthings, toys, and books should be brought for Housing - Upon arrival, employees very young children. It would be wise, are assigned government-leased houses. if you enjoy sports such as badminton, The houses are substantially built and 62 can compare in terms of construction to ing, drug stores, etc., are plentiful, many 11 stateside 11 dwellings. All furni and prices are lower t han those in Vien ture is supplied by the Mission, and the tiane. majority is of rattan which is most suit able in this part of the world. There Transportation and Communications - is one satisfactory hotel in the town Because of the poor road system in Laos, which can also be used in the event the Mission utilizes air transportation housing is not readily available and al between Savannakhet and Vientiane. Trav so for overnight guests. el within the city is provided by Mis sion-owned vehicleso The road system in and out of town appears adequate for ap All houses are supplied with Butagas proximately 20 miles. A personal car stoves, kerosene freezers, refrigerators, can be useful for side trips to various and hot water heaters. Bedrooms -are sup points of inter~ at~ Mission cars, on a plied with air conditioners. In the cold limited basis, if not required for of months the Mission supplies kerosene ficial use, may be rented for private heaters. use at the rate of 12 cents per mile. There are short wave radio commu Electricity - The city power plant ni cation facilities between Savannakhet supplies all electric power to residen and Vientiane for official use and for tial quarters and office buildings. How emergencies. All APO personal mail is ever, the power plant is relatively new sent to Vientiane for om1ard forwardingo and the supply is not quite sufficient No telephone service is available in for our needs. This condition is being Savannakhet. corrected rapidly and sufficient power is assured in the not too distant future. Health and Medicine - There is a In the meantime, the Mission uses reserve city hospital in town staffed with well generators when city power is not ade qualified Lao doctors, and a number of quate. pri vate local physicians who can be con sulted in emergencies. In event of se Water - Several houses have their rious illnesses, employees are airlifted own deep water wells. For the others, to Vientiane for treatment at the Embas water is trucked daily and pumped into sy Health Unit. Employees assigned to a water tower. The water should not be this area should bring with them an am used for drinking without boiling. ple supply of special medicines pres cribed by their doctor. Although medi Food, Clothing and Services - Stapl e cines can be procured here, they are foods are usually or dered azxi shipped by not always in supply. air from the American Commissary in Vien tiane. However, many staple items are Recreation and Social Activi t i es - available on the local market, and many There are limited sports facilities avail employees prefer to shop there instead able. One may find tennis courts near of ordering from the commissary. The the National Stadium, or a basketball market has recently been completed, and court, but the Mission does not provide compares favorably with the large market such facilities. Badminton, vol ley ball in Vient iane. All sort s of fruits, vege and ping pong equipment normally should tables, meats and fowl are available be brought by families with children. and usually at pri ces lower than those Books should be brought for very young in Vientiane. children. Services such as barber shops, Although no commercial entertain beauty parlor s, shoe r epair, dressmak- ment facilities, ot her than movies , are 63 available, there is a great deal of Furniture is supp:Ued by the Mis house to house entertaining which in sion in ample quantity. All houses are cludes teas, cocktail parties, buffet provided with Butagas cooking stoves, dinners and bridge sessions. kerosene freezers, refrigerators, and hot water heaters. Bedrooms are fur There are a number of restaurants nished with air conditioners, and during in town which serve French and Chinese the winter months the Mission supplies dishes. Commercial American movies are kerosene heaters. now being shown weekly to all employees and dependents. Showings of USIS educa Electricity - The city power system tional films are also scheduled. is presently suffering from growing pains and electric power is not too reliable. It is augmented by additional USAID equip ment and will be able to supply needed power in the near future. In the mean time, all houses have a spare generator General Description - The city of for their immediate needs. Pakse is situated in the southern-most part of Laos, and is approximately two Water - All houses have shallow or hundred and fifty air miles from Vien deep water wells. The water should not tiane. On the regular air "Milk Run" be used for drinking without boiling. it takes about two and a half hours to reach Pakse. Pakse has a population of Food, Clothing and Services - Sta some 20,000 people. The province in ple food items are normally shipped by which the city is located is considered air on a twice-weekly basis from the the food belt of Laos. Because of some American Commissary in Vientiane. Many climatic conditions which prevail in staple items are readily available on this area, fruits and vegetables grow the local market. Fratts and vegetables in abundance, and at certain periods of are always in plentiful supply in the the year large surpluses appear. The local market at lower prices than in pineapples grown are some of the finest, Vientiane. Some employees place orders and the prices are reasonable. The air with export houses in Hong Kong and Den port is used by some international air mark to supplement their stocks. These lines for flights to Vietnam and Cambo orders generally arrive within three dia. months. Houei Kong, Wapikhamthong, Kong Se Services such as barber shops, beau dona, Saravane, Attopeu, and .Khong Island ty shops, shoe repair, tailors, dressmak are the places where Americans work out ing, drug stores, etc., are available, side of the Area office in the Pakse re and prices are comparable to those in gion. Vientiane. Housing - A Guest House is main Trans ortation and Communications - tained for transients and for new~ ar Pakse is on the air route "Milk Run 11 rived personnel. Personnel assigned to from Vientiane for planes under contract Pakse are usually given permanent hous to USAID which are used for both passen ing as rapidly as possible. All houses gers and cargo. The road from Vientiane are government-leased. The exteriors to Pakse is impassable in a number of are made of cinder-block and brick; the places, and therefore only air travel is interiors are well planned and comforta utilized. During certain periods of the ble, and compare very favorab~ with year when the Mekong is at a high level, "State-side" houses. boats are used to ship freight. 64 . The road system in and around Pakse There are no night clubs or other is reasonably adequate. Paksong, situated entertainment facilities in town. How on a mountain plateau approximately 55 ever, there is a great deal of house to kilometers from Pakse, is considered the house entertaining which includes teas, most fertile area in Laos. Here, there coffees, cocktail parties, outside barbe are many plantations which produce pine cues, buffet dinners, and bridge sessions. apples and other fruits and vegetables in large quantity. A personal vehicle can be most useful for many side trips Sanl Thong to other places of interest. Mission cars, on a limited basis, if not required General Description - Sam Thong, for official use, may be rented for pri the present capital of Xieng Khouang vate use at the rate of 12 cents per mile. Province, lies northeast of Vientiane, about forty-five minutes' flight away. The Mission maintains a short wave It is the nerve center of USAID's refugee communications network between Pakse and relief effort in the North, and several Vientiane for official use and emergen thousand refUgees belonging to the Meo cies. No cable or telephone service is tribe have already settled on the hills available in town. Cable messages are surrounding the principal airstrip. forwarded to Vientiane for transmission. Personal mail is received initialJ.Jr in Housing - There is no guest house Vientiane and forwarded to Pakse by air. in Sam Thong. Temporary board and lodg Health and Medicine - There is a ing may be available for visitors at the hospital run by Operation Brotherhood, Air America compound near the Area office. a USAID contractor, at Paksong. This Newly-arrived personnel are billeted in hospital has a staff of qualified nurses the combination office-warehouse-quarters and doctors. Normally, cases which in pending completion of separate BOQ. volve more serious illnesses are handled by the Embassy Health Unit in Vientiane. Electricity - A USAID generator fur Employees assigned to this post should nishes the electrical needs of the area arrange to bring along any special medi office, supplemented by the Air America cines prescribed by their doctor. Al generator. though medicines can be purchased local ly, they are not always in supply. Water - Water is pumped from a well, but drinking water is always boiled. Recreation and Social Activities - The Mission does not provide recreational Food. Clothing, Services - Staples in facilities or playground equipment . ~ food items are norma.l.ly shipped by things, books, outdoor swings and appara air. There is very little to be bought tus should be brought along for young by way of foodstuffs in the local market. children. There are no barber shops, beauty parlors, tailors, dressmakers, etc., to speak of. There are a number of local movie Warm clothing is required practically theaters in town, and an American movie the year round as Sam Thong has a cool is shown weekly for all employees and climate due to its elevation. dependents. Showings of USIS educational films are also scheduled. Transportation and Communication - Several light and cargo planes shuttle A number of restaurants frequented between Vientiane and Sam Thong daily. by Mission personnel serve French and Chinese dishes and have been found to The Mission maintains a short wave be acceptable. communications network between Sam Thong 65 and Vientiane for official or emergency are handled by the Embassy Health Unit use. Cable messages are relayed to Vien in Vientiane. tiane for transmission. Personal mail is forwarded through Vientiane. Recreation and Social Activities - Health and medicine - There is a There are practically no recreational new hospital in Sam Thong staffed by facilities and social activities in Sam Lao nurses and medics under the supervi Thong, except for occasional Lao cele sion of the Mission's Public Health per brations or holidays to which Americans sonnel. The more serious cases, however, are usually invited. Sundown at Sam Thong: End of a long hike for this mother and daughter. .· ;· 66 ·