Chiang Mai – Attapeu Via Siphandon (Mekong 4000 Islands) Return
- Thread starter DavidFL
- Start date
Pakxe - Savannakhet
Ex Pakxe: 11.55AM = we weren't in a rush.
Arrival Savannakhet: 3.10PM
Average Speed: 75 kph
The Savannakhet river front boulevard
The French took control of the Savannakhet area in 1893 & upgraded it to a province in 1907.
There are many old dilapidated colonial buildings left, some of them quite beautiful; & worthy of restoring.
An old building, renovated & turned into a nice coffee shop / restaurant by Thai people.
The sign posting in Savannakhet was excellent.
Ex Pakxe: 11.55AM = we weren't in a rush.
Arrival Savannakhet: 3.10PM
Average Speed: 75 kph
The Savannakhet river front boulevard
The French took control of the Savannakhet area in 1893 & upgraded it to a province in 1907.
There are many old dilapidated colonial buildings left, some of them quite beautiful; & worthy of restoring.
An old building, renovated & turned into a nice coffee shop / restaurant by Thai people.
The sign posting in Savannakhet was excellent.
Laha Sin Weaving Centre
Savannakhet
N16 33.410 E104 45.436
Thanks again Jerome for showing me around.
Savannakhet
N16 33.410 E104 45.436
Thanks again Jerome for showing me around.
An excellent thread showing how much development has occurred in past few years.Davidfl;267119 wrote: PAKXE
8th February 2011
You've found some real gems, that deserve further exploration - the zip-line experience looks cracking fun.
I see you have employed the old National Geographic trick of placing a subject wearing red into the pic for dramatic effect!
:mrgreen:
Savannaket continued (I've been severely distracted)...
Next stop in Savan with Jerome was the traditional Lao coffee factory
roasting coffee
& it was as hot as hell in this premises.
Next stop in Savan with Jerome was the traditional Lao coffee factory
roasting coffee
& it was as hot as hell in this premises.
The 4000 Island get a bridge, linking Don Khong with the main land.
Officially opened on 23.11.32014.
Enjoy...hit the road for the 4000 Islands Soon.
Officially opened on 23.11.32014.
It's all starting to get a lot easier & the sooner you head to the pristine 4000 Islands the better.
Enjoy...hit the road for the 4000 Islands Soon.
The Laha Story
Seven shades of indigo
In spiritual terms, indigo is the colour of intuition and perception. In fashion terms, it’s synonymous with denim – deep of hue and naturally dyed.
It’s also one of the seven colours of the rainbow and has up to seven of its own distinct shades. But did you know that indigo also has mosquito repelling properties, and helps reduce perspiration. It’s for these reasons, and more, that indigo, derived from the plant of the same name, has been intricately linked to the livelihoods of Lao people for generations. In Laos, indigo is often dubbed “the living colour”, because of the procedures involved in its cultivation, a complex process that involves extracting the liquid from the plant leaves and fermenting it, until a chemical process turns it from a murky yellow to the deep indigo hue. During this process, great care is taken to ensure the colour does not “die” at each step, and it is then prized for its various practical, rather than simply aesthetic, qualities.
This is especially true for rice farmers, who often wear cotton dyed with natural Indigo. But today, all over the world, fashionable young things are toting bags and wearing jeans and shirts made from “natural-dyed indigo” and hailing from the popular Japanese chain store Muji, which has more than 470 branches worldwide. Most people are unaware of the brand’s long-established link with a workshop in southern Laos, home of the Thonglahasinh Company, which today exports several textile products to Japan.
According to the company’s founder, Bounthong Yodmankhong, the road to this point has been long and winding, beginning when he set up the company with his wife, Songbandith, almost 30 years ago.
Back in 1990, Thongsavanhxay Company, as it was then known, began life as a garment factory in Savannakhet, exporting products to Europe. But when the European Union cancelled a special tax exemption, many foreign investors in Laos had to move their operations to China and Vietnam. Thongsavanhxay was among many local operations that were forced to close. But Bounthong says the move also forced him and his wife to change their business focus, and concentrate more on locally made products that reflected Lao culture.
Songbandith hails from Ban Laha, a small village in Savannakhet Province that has long been associated with indigo and cotton farming. Due to a family heritage of work in the area, she had hundreds of rolls of vintage fabrics scattered throughout the family home. It was these that caught the eye of Maki, a visiting conservationist and textiles expert from Japan, who was introduced to the family by an expert from JICA.
Mr Maki was interested in Lao weaving culture and saw the beautiful fabrics we’d collected,” Bounthong says.
“He wanted to understand more about the traditional weaving methods of the villagers of Laha from the village elders, and especially about the traditional indigo dyeing methods.”
The idea was to revive the traditional heritage of indigo and Lao cotton weaving, and combine it with modern designs, in a joint Lao-Japanese enterprise. After several years of studying and refining the local craft, the project, led by Bounthong and Maki, was able to export products to Yukenled, a leading import company in Japan, in 1997.
From this, the local Thonglahasing, or ‘Laha’ brand was born, an enterprise that was now large enough to export its products and gain international recognition. From then on, Bounthong regularly attended international textile exhibitions and trade shows, and it was while attending an exhibition in Japan in 2012 that he met a representative of Muji.
“He was interested in collaborating with the business, and said Muji had been monitoring Laha’s progress for the past 12 years,” Bounthong says.
This partnership led Bounthong, along with the general manager of Muji, on a study tour to India to research traditional Indian methods of indigo dyeing.
“When working with the Japanese, every step must be very detailed and meticulous in order to satisfy their quality standards,” Bounthong says.
“But this didn’t put us off at Laha – we’ve worked hard over the years to prove ourselves to Muji and maintain the relationship.”
Nowadays, the Thonglahasinh Company fills orders worth US$2 million a year for Muji, with the most popular item a simple denim tote bag in varying shades of indigo. The company sends off more than 1 million of these each year, alongside limited edition scarves, pillowcases and cushion covers.
“These products are limited because of the precision required in weaving and dyeing according to Japanese standards, which takes time,” Bounthong says.
“But we’re told they’re highly prized by Japanese customers.”
Today, Bounthong is wearing one of his own indigo shirts – faded and softly worn with age – and muses that the business of textiles is both beautiful and multi-faceted. An avid photographer in his spare time, he says the patience and attention to detail required to capture the perfect image is similar to producing beautiful cotton and indigo fabrics. And both require an appreciation for beauty that millions of people, the world over, can now share.
Source: Champa Meuanglao
Images: Phoonsab Thevongsa
In spiritual terms, indigo is the colour of intuition and perception. In fashion terms, it’s synonymous with denim – deep of hue and naturally dyed.
It’s also one of the seven colours of the rainbow and has up to seven of its own distinct shades. But did you know that indigo also has mosquito repelling properties, and helps reduce perspiration. It’s for these reasons, and more, that indigo, derived from the plant of the same name, has been intricately linked to the livelihoods of Lao people for generations. In Laos, indigo is often dubbed “the living colour”, because of the procedures involved in its cultivation, a complex process that involves extracting the liquid from the plant leaves and fermenting it, until a chemical process turns it from a murky yellow to the deep indigo hue. During this process, great care is taken to ensure the colour does not “die” at each step, and it is then prized for its various practical, rather than simply aesthetic, qualities.
This is especially true for rice farmers, who often wear cotton dyed with natural Indigo. But today, all over the world, fashionable young things are toting bags and wearing jeans and shirts made from “natural-dyed indigo” and hailing from the popular Japanese chain store Muji, which has more than 470 branches worldwide. Most people are unaware of the brand’s long-established link with a workshop in southern Laos, home of the Thonglahasinh Company, which today exports several textile products to Japan.
According to the company’s founder, Bounthong Yodmankhong, the road to this point has been long and winding, beginning when he set up the company with his wife, Songbandith, almost 30 years ago.
Back in 1990, Thongsavanhxay Company, as it was then known, began life as a garment factory in Savannakhet, exporting products to Europe. But when the European Union cancelled a special tax exemption, many foreign investors in Laos had to move their operations to China and Vietnam. Thongsavanhxay was among many local operations that were forced to close. But Bounthong says the move also forced him and his wife to change their business focus, and concentrate more on locally made products that reflected Lao culture.
Songbandith hails from Ban Laha, a small village in Savannakhet Province that has long been associated with indigo and cotton farming. Due to a family heritage of work in the area, she had hundreds of rolls of vintage fabrics scattered throughout the family home. It was these that caught the eye of Maki, a visiting conservationist and textiles expert from Japan, who was introduced to the family by an expert from JICA.
Mr Maki was interested in Lao weaving culture and saw the beautiful fabrics we’d collected,” Bounthong says.
“He wanted to understand more about the traditional weaving methods of the villagers of Laha from the village elders, and especially about the traditional indigo dyeing methods.”
The idea was to revive the traditional heritage of indigo and Lao cotton weaving, and combine it with modern designs, in a joint Lao-Japanese enterprise. After several years of studying and refining the local craft, the project, led by Bounthong and Maki, was able to export products to Yukenled, a leading import company in Japan, in 1997.
From this, the local Thonglahasing, or ‘Laha’ brand was born, an enterprise that was now large enough to export its products and gain international recognition. From then on, Bounthong regularly attended international textile exhibitions and trade shows, and it was while attending an exhibition in Japan in 2012 that he met a representative of Muji.
“He was interested in collaborating with the business, and said Muji had been monitoring Laha’s progress for the past 12 years,” Bounthong says.
This partnership led Bounthong, along with the general manager of Muji, on a study tour to India to research traditional Indian methods of indigo dyeing.
“When working with the Japanese, every step must be very detailed and meticulous in order to satisfy their quality standards,” Bounthong says.
“But this didn’t put us off at Laha – we’ve worked hard over the years to prove ourselves to Muji and maintain the relationship.”
Nowadays, the Thonglahasinh Company fills orders worth US$2 million a year for Muji, with the most popular item a simple denim tote bag in varying shades of indigo. The company sends off more than 1 million of these each year, alongside limited edition scarves, pillowcases and cushion covers.
“These products are limited because of the precision required in weaving and dyeing according to Japanese standards, which takes time,” Bounthong says.
“But we’re told they’re highly prized by Japanese customers.”
Today, Bounthong is wearing one of his own indigo shirts – faded and softly worn with age – and muses that the business of textiles is both beautiful and multi-faceted. An avid photographer in his spare time, he says the patience and attention to detail required to capture the perfect image is similar to producing beautiful cotton and indigo fabrics. And both require an appreciation for beauty that millions of people, the world over, can now share.
Source: Champa Meuanglao
Images: Phoonsab Thevongsa
Looking for a spot to post the alarming news about the 4000 redevelopment project compliments of a 50 year lease by a Chinese company.
Another disneyland disaster in a pristine environment.
The Sithandone Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern Laos is starting construction of two major development projects after the completion of a land survey carried out by Zone officials and the government.
One of the developments is a grandiose hotel close to the Mekong River and the Khonphapheng Falls, built in the shape of two khaen and believed to be the tallest building in Laos.
The other is a warehouse, which is aimed at improving logistics in the area and fostering regional trade, according to the Zone’s Facebook page “Four Thousand Islands”.
The construction cost of the two projects has not been revealed, but they are part of the first phase of development of the Sithandone SEZ, which began in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in 2025, with an estimated value of about US$600 million.
The 238.98 metre hotel is designed in the shape of two khaen (Laos’ iconic traditional pipe instrument) and will be a ‘valuable musical heritage’ for the Lao people.
An official from the Zone, Mr Xu Liang, said the survey for the hotel was expected to be complete in September and the ground-breaking ceremony for the start of construction will take place after the rainy season.
The hotel, which will contain restaurants and host tourism-related activities, is intended to welcome visitors from Southeast Asian countries and beyond.
The top floor will have a viewing platform that overlooks the spectacular Mekong River and across to the Cambodian border.
The warehouse is located 3km from the Laos-Cambodia border, with the first phase of development to cover an area of 120,000 square metres. The project will comprise a warehouse, customs office, company dormitories, a cold storage area and other facilities.
The warehouse will be a key logistics hub for trade between Laos, China, Thailand and Cambodia.
The Sithandone SEZ is located in Khong district, a large island in the Mekong River in Champassak province and a hub for visitors to the Khonphapheng Falls, the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia.
The falls are just over 100km from the provincial capital of Pakxe and close to the Laos-Cambodia border. Officials say the thundering cascade is a massive tourist draw and was considered an appropriate site for the SEZ as it would bring more business to the area.
The master plan of the Sithandone SEZ features several high rises that will serve as hotels, restaurants, a shopping centre and other tourism-related businesses.
In the first phase of the project (2018-2025), the developer will install the necessary infrastructure including roads, water supply and drainage. The second phase may include an airport because of the intended scale of the project.
This year, the developer plans to build facilities on an area of 66 hectares. The construction of a golf course and fishing lake is already complete.
Source: Vientiane Times 3 August 2022.
See also
Four Thousand Islands New Area: The Sithandone SEZ in Southern Laos
Four Thousand Islands New Area is a new urban development in Khong district, Champasak province, Laos. This nearest city is Pakse, 140km away. The Four Thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) is an archipel…
futuresoutheastasia.com
First Phase of Sithandone SEZ Development Project Underway - Laotian Times
When completed, the first phase of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is expected to be valued at some USD 600 million.
laotiantimes.com
LAOS First Phase of Sithandone SEZ Development Project Underway
By Phayboune Thanabouasy Mon, March 1, 2021 VIENTIANE – When completed, the first phase of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is expected to be valued at some USD 600 million. Accordi…
aseandigest.net
First Phase of Sithandone SEZ Development Project Underway - INDOCHINAKINGS.ORG
According to a report by Socio-Economic News, the first phase of the construction of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone project began in 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Vice President of Sithandone Joint Development Co., Ltd, Mr. Laty Sisouphannavong, says the Sithandone SEZ has...
indochinakings.org
Make sure you hit southern Laos & the 4000 Islands as soon as possible.
I'm not sure I want to live on the same planet as the money-hungry bastards that think up these blights on natural beauty.Looking for a spot to post the alarming news about the 4000 redevelopment project compliments of a 50 year lease by a Chinese company.
Another disneyland disaster in a pristine environment.
View attachment 148407
The Sithandone Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern Laos is starting construction of two major development projects after the completion of a land survey carried out by Zone officials and the government.
One of the developments is a grandiose hotel close to the Mekong River and the Khonphapheng Falls, built in the shape of two khaen and believed to be the tallest building in Laos.
The other is a warehouse, which is aimed at improving logistics in the area and fostering regional trade, according to the Zone’s Facebook page “Four Thousand Islands”.
The construction cost of the two projects has not been revealed, but they are part of the first phase of development of the Sithandone SEZ, which began in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in 2025, with an estimated value of about US$600 million.
The 238.98 metre hotel is designed in the shape of two khaen (Laos’ iconic traditional pipe instrument) and will be a ‘valuable musical heritage’ for the Lao people.
An official from the Zone, Mr Xu Liang, said the survey for the hotel was expected to be complete in September and the ground-breaking ceremony for the start of construction will take place after the rainy season.
The hotel, which will contain restaurants and host tourism-related activities, is intended to welcome visitors from Southeast Asian countries and beyond.
The top floor will have a viewing platform that overlooks the spectacular Mekong River and across to the Cambodian border.
The warehouse is located 3km from the Laos-Cambodia border, with the first phase of development to cover an area of 120,000 square metres. The project will comprise a warehouse, customs office, company dormitories, a cold storage area and other facilities.
The warehouse will be a key logistics hub for trade between Laos, China, Thailand and Cambodia.
The Sithandone SEZ is located in Khong district, a large island in the Mekong River in Champassak province and a hub for visitors to the Khonphapheng Falls, the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia.
The falls are just over 100km from the provincial capital of Pakxe and close to the Laos-Cambodia border. Officials say the thundering cascade is a massive tourist draw and was considered an appropriate site for the SEZ as it would bring more business to the area.
The master plan of the Sithandone SEZ features several high rises that will serve as hotels, restaurants, a shopping centre and other tourism-related businesses.
In the first phase of the project (2018-2025), the developer will install the necessary infrastructure including roads, water supply and drainage. The second phase may include an airport because of the intended scale of the project.
This year, the developer plans to build facilities on an area of 66 hectares. The construction of a golf course and fishing lake is already complete.
Source: Vientiane Times 3 August 2022.
View attachment 148409
View attachment 148408
See also
Four Thousand Islands New Area: The Sithandone SEZ in Southern Laos
Four Thousand Islands New Area is a new urban development in Khong district, Champasak province, Laos. This nearest city is Pakse, 140km away. The Four Thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) is an archipel…
First Phase of Sithandone SEZ Development Project Underway - Laotian Times
When completed, the first phase of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is expected to be valued at some USD 600 million.
LAOS First Phase of Sithandone SEZ Development Project Underway
By Phayboune Thanabouasy Mon, March 1, 2021 VIENTIANE – When completed, the first phase of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is expected to be valued at some USD 600 million. Accordi…
First Phase of Sithandone SEZ Development Project Underway - INDOCHINAKINGS.ORG
According to a report by Socio-Economic News, the first phase of the construction of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone project began in 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Vice President of Sithandone Joint Development Co., Ltd, Mr. Laty Sisouphannavong, says the Sithandone SEZ has...
Make sure you hit southern Laos & the 4000 Islands as soon as possible.