Xam Neua (, , sometimes transcribed as ''Sam Nuea'' or ''Samneua'', literally 'northern swamp'; ), is the capital of
Houaphanh Province
Houaphanh province (, , Romanization of Lao: ''Houaphan'' also ''Huaphan'') is a province in eastern Laos. Its capital is Xam Neua. Houaphanh province covers an area of . It is bordered by Vietnam to the north, east, and southeast, Xiangkhoua ...
,
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 ...
.
History
After fleeing from
Phrae
Phrae (; ; ) is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') and capital of Phrae Province and Mueang Phrae district. It is located in Northern Thailand on the east bank of the Yom river, 555 km north of Bangkok by road.
The town occupies ''tambon'' Nai ...
, deposed king
Phiriya Thepphawong escaped from
Northern Thailand
Northern Thailand, or more specifically Lanna, is a region of Thailand. It is geographically characterized by several mountain ranges, which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar to Laos, and the river valleys that cut through them. ...
to
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang (Lao language, Lao: wikt:ຫຼວງພະບາງ, ຫຼວງພະບາງ, pronounced ), historically known as Xieng Thong (ຊຽງທອງ) and alternatively spelled Luang Phabang or Louangphabang, is the capital of Lu ...
, residing in Xam Neua from 1903-1909.
Climate
Daily life
It is said that there is a communist re-education camp in Xam Neua and that it was the
Pathet Lao
The Pathet Lao (), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and political organization, organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group ultimately gained control over the entire country of ...
capital during the
Laotian Civil War
The Laotian Civil War was waged between the Communist Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao Government from 23 May 1959 to 2 December 1975. The Kingdom of Laos was a covert Theatre (warfare), theater during the Vietnam War with both sides receiving heavy ...
Battle of Lima Site 85 (LS-85), 11 March 1968. It is near the Pathet Lao refuges in the
Viengxay caves, which the Lao government hopes to promote as a tourism destination similar to the
Củ Chi tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and the
Killing Fields Memorial
A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as home ...
near Phnom Penh in Cambodia. It is near
Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (pronounced "naam et poo loo-ee").
References
External links
*
{{Districts of North Laos
Populated places in Houaphanh Province