Vientiane
Vientiane (, ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Laos. Situated on the banks of the Mekong, Mekong River at the Thailand, Thai border, it comprises the five urban districts of Vientiane Prefecture and had a population of 840,000 as of the 2023 Census. Established as the capital of the Kingdom of Lan Xang in 1563, Vientiane served as the administrative center during French rule and retains colonial-era architecture alongside Buddhist landmarks such as Pha That Luang, a national symbol of Buddhism in Laos, Buddhism, and Haw Phra Kaew, which once housed the Emerald Buddha until its 18th-century relocation to Thailand. Vientiane emerged as a significant settlement in the 16th century as part of the Lan Xang Kingdom. Over time, Vientiane developed into an important regional center, serving as the kingdom’s administrative and cultural hub. However, the city experienced periods of turmoil, including invasions by the Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932), Siamese (Thai) k ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Vientiane Prefecture
Vientiane Prefecture (, ''Nakhônlouang ViangChan'', , ) is a prefecture of Laos, in northwest Laos. The national capital, Vientiane, is in the prefecture. The prefecture was created in 1989, when it was split off from Vientiane province. On a curve of the Mekong River, and bordering Thailand, the prefecture covers an area of . Vientiane city was built in the 16th century in the reign of King Saysethathirath. The older part of the city has temples, museums, monuments and parks. Protected areas in the prefecture include Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area, Phou Phanang National Protected Area, and Houay Ngang Forest Reserve. Geography The province and the capital city are on a bend of the Mekong bordering Thailand. Settlements include Vientiane, Ban Ang, Ban Simano, Ban Hat Kai, Ban Pako, Ban Donnoun, Ban Na, Ban Don, Ban Tha Bok, Ban Non and Tha Ngon. Nam Houm Reservoir and Nam Souang Reservoir lie off Route 13, north of Vientiane. Nongtha Lake lies in the northe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lan Xang Kingdom
Lan Xang () or Lancang was a Lao kingdom that held the area of present-day Laos from 1353 to 1707. For three and a half centuries, Lan Xang was one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. The kingdom is the basis for Laos's national historic and cultural identity. Name ''Lān Xāng Hôm Khāo'' is one romanization of the Lao name (), meaning "the Million Elephants and the White Parasol". The kingdom's name alludes to the power of the king, his ties to Laotian Buddhism, and his army's countless war elephants. Other romanizations include ''Lan Sang'', ''Lane Sang'', and ''Lane Xang''. The name ''Láncāng'' is the pinyin romanization of the kingdom's Chinese name , still used for the upper stretches of the Mekong in Tibet and Yunnan. Other names for the kingdom include the Chinese ''Nánzhǎng'' (); the Sanskrit ''Srī Śatanāganayuta'' and the Pali ''Siri Satanāganahuta''; the Thai ''Lan Chang'' () and ''Lan Chang Rom Khao'' (); the Lanna ''Lan Chang'' () and '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Laos
Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest. The country has a population of approximately eight million. Its Capital city, capital and most populous city is Vientiane. The country is characterized by mountainous terrain, Buddhist temples, including the UNESCO's World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang, and French colonial architecture. The country traces its historic and cultural identity to Lan Xang, a kingdom which existed from the 13th to 18th centuries. Through its location, the kingdom was a hub for overland trade. In 1707, Lan Xang split into three kingdoms: Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Luang Prabang, Kingdom of Vientiane, Vientiane, and Kingdom of Champasak, Champasak. In 1893, these kingdoms were unified under French protection as part of French Indochina. Laos was und ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Boten–Vientiane Railway
The Boten–Vientiane railway is the Laos, Lao section of the Laos–China Railway (LCR), running between the capital Vientiane and the northern town of Boten on the border with Yunnan, China. The line was officially opened on 3 December 2021. A collaborative project between Laos and China, the line's northern end is directly connected to the Rail transport in China, Chinese rail system at Mohan railway station, Mohan in Yunnan, through the Yuxi–Mohan railway, and has provisions in the south to link up with the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway in Thailand and possibly all the way to Singapore via HSR. The railway ends at Vientiane South cargo station. The Boten–Vientiane railway is an integral section of the central line on the Kunming–Singapore railway, and was constructed as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). History The railway is part of the Laos–China Railway which is in turn part of the broader Laos–China Economic Corridor. Planning Laos is th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Patuxai
Patuxai (Lao Language, Lao: ປະຕູໄຊ, ; Literal translation, literally ''Victory Gate'' or ''Gate of Triumph'', formerly the ''Anousavary'' or ''Anosavari Monument'', known by the French as Monument Aux Morts) is a war monument in Downtown Vientiane, Laos, built between 1957 and 1968. The Patuxai was dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. In romanizing the name from the Laotian language, it is variously transliterated as Patuxai, Patuxay, Patousai and Patusai. It is also called Patuxai Arch or the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane as it resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. However, it is typically Lao people, Laotian in design, decorated with mythological creatures such as the kinnari (half-female, half-bird). History Patuxai is a compound word, 'Patuu' or 'patu' meaning a "door" or "gateway" and 'Xai', derivative of the sanskrit language, Sanskrit 'Jaya', which means "victory". Thus it means “Victory Gate”. The Patuxai was buil ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Haw Phra Kaew
Haw Phra Kaew (, ; , ), also written as Ho Prakeo, Hor Pha Keo, Ho Phra Kaew, Ho Phra Kaeo and other similar spellings, is a former temple in Vientiane, Laos. It is situated on Setthathirath Road, to the southeast of Wat Si Saket. It was first built in 1565 to house the Emerald Buddha, but has been rebuilt several times. The interior now houses a museum of religious art and a small shop. History Haw Phra Kaew was built in 1565–1566 on the orders of King Setthathirath after he moved the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. The temple was built on the grounds of the royal palace to house the Emerald Buddha figurine, which Setthathirath had brought from Chiang Mai, then the capital of Lanna, to Luang Prabang. The temple was used as Setthathirath's personal place of worship, and because of this, there were no resident monks in this temple unlike other temples in Laos. The Emerald Buddha stayed in the temple for over 200 years, but in 1779, Vientiane was seized by the Sia ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932)
The Rattanakosin Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Siam after 1855, refers to the Siamese kingdom between 1782 and 1932. It was founded in 1782 with the History of Bangkok#Rattanakosin, establishment of Rattanakosin (Bangkok), which replaced the city of Thonburi Kingdom, Thonburi as the capital of Siam. This article covers the period until the Siamese revolution of 1932. The kingdom governed based on the Mandala (political model), mandala system. This allows for high-autonomy locally with the kingdom influencing and effectively rule its area of suzerainty. At its zenith in 1805-1812, the Kingdom was composed of Administrative divisions of Thailand#Muang Prathetsarat, 25 polities, ranging from duchies and principalities to federations and kingdoms. With the furthest extent reaching Shan States, the Shan States, southern Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, Laos, Cambodia, northern Si Rat Malai, Malaysia, Sip Song Chau Tai, northwestern Vietnam, and Kawthaung, K ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Wat Si Saket
Wat Si Saket (, ) is a Buddhist wat in Vientiane, Laos. It is situated on Lan Xang Road, on the corner with Setthathirat Road, to the northwest of Haw Phra Kaew, which formerly held the Emerald Buddha. Overview Wat Si Saket was built in 1818 on the order of King Anouvong (Sethathirath V.) ''Si'' is derived from the Sanskrit title of veneration Sri, prefixed to the name of Wat Saket in Bangkok, which was renamed by Anouvong's contemporary, King Rama I. Wat Si Saket was built in a contemporary style of Buddhist architecture at the time, with a surrounding terrace and an ornate five-tiered roof, which may have kept it safe, since the armies of Siam that sacked Vientiane following Anouvong's rebellion in 1827 used the compound as their headquarters and lodging place. It may be the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. The French colonial government restored Wat Si Saket in 1924 and again in 1930. Wat Si Saket features a cloister wall with more than 2,000 ceramic and silv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mekong River
The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth-longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third-longest in Asia with an estimated length of and a drainage area of , discharging of water annually. From its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau, the river runs through Southwest China (where it is officially called the Lancang River), Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam. The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of Rapids, rapids and waterfalls in the Mekong make navigation difficult, though the river remains a major trade route between Tibet and Southeast Asia. The construction of hydroelectric dams along the Mekong in the 2000s through the 2020s has caused serious problems for the river's ecosystem, including the exacerbation of drought. Names The Mekong was originally called ''Mae Nam Khong'' from a contracted form of Kra-Dai language, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mekong
The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth-longest river and the third-longest in Asia with an estimated length of and a drainage area of , discharging of water annually. From its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau, the river runs through Southwest China (where it is officially called the Lancang River), Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam. The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of rapids and waterfalls in the Mekong make navigation difficult, though the river remains a major trade route between Tibet and Southeast Asia. The construction of hydroelectric dams along the Mekong in the 2000s through the 2020s has caused serious problems for the river's ecosystem, including the exacerbation of drought. Names The Mekong was originally called ''Mae Nam Khong'' from a contracted form of Kra-Dai shortened to ''Mae Khong''. In Thai and Lao, ''Mae Nam'' ("Mother ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Climate Of Laos
Laos is a landlocked country in mainland Southeast Asia. It covers approximately 236,800 square kilometers and is surrounded by Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. About 70% of its geographic area is made up of mountain ranges, highlands, plateaux, and rivers cut through.. Topography Most of the western border of Laos is demarcated by the Mekong river, which is an artery for transportation. The Dong Falls at the southern end of the country prevent access to the sea, and cargo boats travel along the entire length of the Mekong in Laos during most of the year. Smaller power boats and pirogues provide an important means of transportation on many of the tributaries of the Mekong. Prior to the twentieth century, kingdoms and principalities encompassed areas on both sides of the Mekong, and Thai control in the nineteenth century extended to the left bank. While the Mekong was established as a border by French colonial forces, travel from 1 side to the other has been more ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |