In July 1997, Laos became a member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, in which it is regarded as a land-locked least developed country. ASEAN aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors to promote a prosperous and peaceful community of South-East Asian nations. It also seeks to promote regional peace and stability through the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. ASEAN was established in 1967. Its founding members were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The Association now comprises ten countries - Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
ASEAN has ten Dialogue Partners - Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States of America. The United Nations Development Program also has dialogue status. ASEAN holds an annual ministerial meeting for its foreign ministers, which is followed by the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC), which is attended by the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN's dialogue partners. Annual summits at ASEAN Head of Government level are also held. Additionally, ASEAN leaders meet with leaders of the “plus three” countries (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) as a group as well as individually. Since 2002, ASEAN leaders have also held an annual summit with India.
Dialogue Partners Australia and New Zealand participated in a leaders’ summit for the first time in November 2004 to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia and ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relationships in 2004 and 2005 respectively in Laos. Insofar as other visitors are concerned and on a separate note, an online ASEAN Tourism Forum has been established and dedicated to the further development of tourism in ASEAN Countries by providing a platform to discuss news and views. All tourism stakeholders in ASEAN countries are invited to participate for better understanding and transparency among members. Laos is one of the least visited countries on our planet, but isolation so far has meant that Lao PDR retains a remarkable serenity and timeless charm.
With a population of only six million, the country is relatively sparse. The upper regions claim eighty per cent of the inhabitants. The small capital city of Vientiane sits on the banks of the Mekong River, home to one hundred and forty thousand people. Vientiane is usually considered to be charming & picturesque, boasting an ever-increasing number of cafes, restaurants and souvenir stores catering for the continuous flow of adventure seekers, quite often on a budget. The following list of foreign embassies indicates the nationalities present; Australia, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the USA and Vietnam.
The British Embassy was closed in 1985, and responsibility for UK representation to Laos passed to the British Ambassador in Bangkok. This has not deterred a steady stream of Brits from bringing their strong, hard currency pounds sterling into adjoining Laos. Although the official language is Lao, English is widely spoken, especially as a medium for business. Being previously a protectorate (outpost) of France, it is not unusual to see official tourism literature and other advertising produced in English, French and Lao. The most popular destinations tend to be in northern Laos. Much of the serene former capital, Luang Prabang, and its Buddhist temples are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are about thirty two historic pagodas within easy walk of each other.
In the southern section of the country towards Cambodia is the province of Champassak. The capital, Pakse (Pakxe), is situated at the confluence of the Se River and the Mekong River. Pakse means “mouth of the Se” and is a busy trading town. The province also houses much of the Bolaven Plateau, an area that is home to a number of ethnic minorities. Further south is Si Pan Don (“Four Thousand Islands”), where the Mekong reaches up to fourteen kilometers wide during the rainy season and the Khone Phapeng Falls. May to October is the wet season. It does not rain constantly, but a raincoat or umbrella could prove to be a useful fashion item. November to May is the dry season, so take a hat & sun cream. From December to February, temperatures can drop considerably.
http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vientiane/blog-194456.html
Luang Prabang 25km
Northern Waterfall
Buddha Park, Vientiane
