Boat racing festival and loy Krathong Ceremony

Maha Sila VIRAVONG wrote in the book of Hidsipong, the twelve customs. This ceremony was performed for thoundsands of years and it was the original ceremony of Brahmanism to worship the god and floating the Loy Krathong. Some countries organize the ceremony from the full moon of the 14-15 in the twelve month to the 1st dark moon of the first month, the same time as in Thailand, Lanna Xiangmai. In Laos, we do not know the exact time because there is of no evidence, but we know the exact time that the illuminate ceremony was officially organized in the king of Soulignavongsa in 1641 as noted by Van Wustop, trade diplomatic from Holland, who met the king of Soulignavongsa in 1641. (His detailed notes is too long, but there is the part of his note on the illuminated boats as written below).

After meeting the King in That Luang festival, the Holland trade diplomatic envoys had an opportunity to see the ceremony on the illuminated fire boats. Van Wustop said: "The king sits on a seat made of gold. the king saw the illuminated fire boats. We were sitting close to the King camp. The ceremony was organized on the Mekong river. There was one bamboo pole. It was high as the pole at the head of the ship on the sea. Four men climbed up and jumped down to the river to show people. The four men could be injured or hurt.

When it was dark, more than two hundred fire boats were running down along the Mekong. Among these, there were three illuminated fire boats which had fire like the four square stupas. These made the river bright. After the ceremony was over, the king and his followers and I returned back."

The illuminate ceremony in Vientiane as written in the note of Van Wustop was organized in the twelfth month, after That Luang festival was over. In that time, That Luang festival organized in the 1st dark moon of the twelfth month.

Now the illuminated boats and Loy Kathong ceremony is organized in the full moon of the eleventh mounth. The fire boats are made of forest bamboos and banana trucks. Banana truck sheets are placed on the boats to put kikouang, burning powders for fire lighting. Heua fai Kok, the land fire boat is also made in the yard of the pagoda. The purpose is to make the illuminated boats or Loy kathong or Loykamot, as Brahmanism are made to worship the god and to drive away the sin or the bad luck. In Laos, these are made to worship Lord Buddha, the god of the rivers, the god of the dragons to send the rain to us.

Racing Boats Competition: After the end of the Buddhist lent, at the 1st dark moon of the 11th month, Lao people in the villages, districts and provinces organize racing boats festival along the main rivers such the Mekong, its tributaries and streams, particular in Vientiane municipality, Pakxe, Champasak boats racing was also organized in the 1st dark moon of the eleventh month, except in Luang Prabang where people organized in the nine month and at the same time of Boun Hokhaopadabdine(worship the food for the deads), because Luang Prabang uses Namkane river so in the middle of this month Namkane river level is high enough for the racing boats competition.

Raing boats and the end of the Buddhist lent are organized concurrently, but the day for boats racing, old and young gather to see whose boat will be the champion and on this occation there are chanting team in boats, on the roads and pagoda yards and having fun.

Usually, the boat racing purpose was the social sport to gather friends and to worship the Lord of Buddha, the rivers and the god of the dragon. It was not rowed for a prize but small gifts were given as incentives.

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Buddhist Lent End

After performing the Buddhist lent for three months, in the rainy season starting from the 1st dark moon of the eight month to the 1st dark moon of the the eleven month, the closing ceremony is organized. Firstly, the performance of buddhist lent activities is the responsibilities of the monks, not the lay people.
There after, the form of the ceremony change as the villagers decide to prepare the offerings for merit making. So in the morning of the fifteen day of the eleventh month, the villagers take the offerings to the temples and listen to Buddha's teachings while the candles ceremony, light worshipping, and fire boat festivities are performed in the evening.
In the next day, the 1st dark moon of the eleven month, boat racing is organized on the Mekong river.
The Buddhist Lent closing ceremony is performed in the same way as the beginning of Buddhist Lent, Boun Hokaopradabdine and Boun khao Sark or Salark. At the festival day Buddhist villagers, dressed in new and beautiful clothes take the silver bowl of plateful of food and materials to offer the monks for merit making.

How to organize the ceremony: The term "Watsa" means the rain or rainy season. The monks complete the practices of Buddha teachings during the period of three months in the rainy season without spending any nights in other places. On the 1st day of the dark moon of the eleventh month the closing ceremony for Buddhist Lent should be arranged. But, in practice, it is organized in the full moon of the fifteen in the eleventh month, one day before the due date. In the Buddha's teaching, the closing ceremony was instead made after three months of Buddhist Lent ended. So, in practice the monks made Palavana on the evening of the full moon of the fifteen in the eleven month. It is one day before the real closing date.

The term Pavalana means to announce something in advance or warn or advise each other for example when the villagers say to the monks in advance that " if the monks need to have the 4 main factors such as; clothing, bedding, medicines or something else, please advise us." This also means Pavalana. It's to say something to do in advance.

Pavalana is the task of the monks violate the Buddhist rules, they should warn each other. The reason that the Lord of Buddha allowed the monks to give advise is that when the monks stay together during the Buddhist Lent in the same place it would a few of them might behave badly or make mistakes. After the Buddhist Lent ends, they warn or advice each other before leaving. This means "Pavalana."
To conduct the ceremony for Pavalana, the oldest monk has make a decision first. He may say three, two times or one. Then the others say like him or saying one by one. The words are said in Pali language. it means that " To you all the monks, please listen to me today is the full moon day. It is the day to give prior notice that we have completed the Buddha practice."

in front the others in After the decision is made, the oldest monk sits on his knees, joins his hands and says Pavalanapali language: " To you all the monks, may I notice you in advance and do not in doubt that I made mistakes or sins caused by a breach of the rules of the monastic order(Patimakkha), please warn me, to change my bad behaviour for proper behaviour acting." Then all the monks have to say the same words until its completion. The monks who completed the Buddhist Lent, can again Anisong 5, merit making.

Illuminate ceremony: an illuminate ceremony is the custom of Brahmanism to worship the gods whose names are; the God of Pha Phom(Brahman), the God of Pha Ixuan, and the God of Pha Nalai(Vishnu). Illuminated boats made of bamboo trucks. The oil for the lights screened from the cow fats. After the lamp making the lamp, it was fixed on the top of the pole which is about of 10 Wa high, each unit of Wa lenght equivalent to 2 metres (About 20 metres) from the ground of worship the tree gods above. It is organized in the twelve month. After the worshipping period is over. The lamps are sent along the rivers.

The illuminate ceremony begins in the full moon of the 14 or 15 to the 1st day of the dark moon in the eleventh month. They made the fire place in the yard of pagoda. The oil for fire are from the oily fruits namely Marktumka and fix the cotton coils for fire lighting.

The perfume sticks are made of perfume powder called Omnien. Firstly Omnien powder is dried under the sun, then mixed with the coconut skins and covered with paper. It is called Pathub or Phan Thub.

The worship place for perfume sticks lighting is called Vongkotkhili which means the mountain. According with the story of Vetsantala, it was the place where Phravet lived. To perform the lighting perfume sticks ceremony, some pagodas make camps with many complicated and curved roads inside. There is one entrance in and many doors out and curved roads inside. There is one entrance in and many doors out. Entering to this place, some people lost the way out. Therefore the ones who enter to burn the perfume sticks should consider for not forget the way out. It just made for fun.

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Sisavangvong, street of heritage city
Mekong River is a source of food for Lao and people that Mekong gets through. Beside Mekong River Luang Prabang has Nam Kane River as a source of food for Luang Prabang people. There’s a street in Luang Prabang which is also a source of income for Luang Prabang people, that street is Sisavangvong Street, the local night market is located here, and this is the popular market in Luang Prabang , local people in Luang Prabang sell their handicraft, silk, clothes, cloths, drawing pictures, carving stuffs for tourists.

At night is a place to sell stuffs from local people but day time is cultural street for tourists to visit many places such as: former palace, old temples especially Sisavangvong museum (former palace), Wat Xiengthong.

When the time of Lao New Year arrives, this street becomes the street of festival. There are people marches through this street; there are also ceremonies for good bye old year and welcome new year.

This street is very important for Luang Pabang people. It’s one source of income for people who sell stuffs there and it’s also a tourist spot where you shouldn’t miss if you go to Luang Prabang.

Buffalo Horn Mountain
Buffalo Horn Mountain is located 70 km far from Vientiane. Buffalo Horn Mountain is a protected area which has a charming nature and this is a place to find the true Lao way easily.

If you want to be in nature and relax, picnic, camping, boat ride to see nature and animals like tigers, elephants, bears, wolves, monkeys, birds, butterflies and other spices that they are hard to be seen in Laos this is a great place for that.

This mountain is the most beautiful reserve area which covers the area of 2000 square kilometer and the mountain is 1671 meter high which include mountain river, waterfalls straight from east to west 80 km long and 40 km long from north to south.

In 1993, Lao government announced that Buffalo Horn Mountain is a national protected forest area in purpose to reserve this wonderful forest for animals to live forever and it’s a spot for tourists to touch the real Lao nature in this wonderful forest.

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Laos work visa

If you want to stay longer in Laos, say like 1 year and up you would need 1 year Laos visa, in order to get this kind of visa you must have a job in Laos. The employer will take care of the work permit, once you have 1 year work visa stamped(it is written B2 visa) in your passport then it's easy to apply for work permit and resident card.
Obtaining the Laos work permit, documents needed:
1. Passport
2. B2 visa (1 year visa)
3. Resident card.
4. photos.
In order to get B2 visa, first of all you would need a document from your employer, it's a confirmed document that you're working with the company, your employer should give you that document , if you are in Laos you would need to leave the country and re enter again before they issue you a B2 visa. You would enter Laos with the document provided by your employer and give them at the border crossings or international airports then they would give you B2 visa, you still have to pay fee same as cost of Laos visa on arrival
After you have the B2 visa then it's easy to apply to either work permit or resident card, your employer would take care of that, the fee of resident card is about $90 for the first time but the next time when you extent the cost would lower to $60, the most expensive thing is work permit, the fee is about $240, your employer might pay for you, it depends on agreement between you and your employer. It's pretty easy to get 1 year work visa as long as you have a job in Laos.

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Laos Airlines Announcement

Pakse airport will close for 2 months.

Referring to the notice of the Department of Lao Civil aviation No. 721/DCA dated 12/06/2009 informing that Pakse Airport will be closed from 1st July to 30th August 09 for its renovation work. Otherwise during this period Lao Airlines flights to/from Pakse will be suspended, thus the Savannakhet Airport will be used for the operations of the flights instead.

We would like then to inform that our previous notice is replaced by this one.
Remark: Passengers who has already bought or reserved his/her ticket for Pakse as destination or as point of departure, Lao Airlines will provide him/her with mini bus service from/to Pakse airport on the day of flight.

(Vientiane times) Champasack province, Pakse Airport will be close from July to the end of August for repairing work.
Mr.Yakua Laopangkao said that some part of the runway was feeling the pressures of several decades’ wear and tear and the country’s tropical climate.

These parts are needed to be fixed to ensure a smooth return to earth for planes, their passenger and cargo.

It’s necessary to for the airport to close temporary due to schedule plan for improvement the airport. The repair work will reconstruct the oldest section of the runway which is showing signs of potholing which cause undue wear and tear on the plane.

To facilitate the construction, the airport would be closed from July 1 to September.

If the construction is facing heavy rain for many days, it would cause delays to the contraction and it wouldn’t be able to finish the work on time. The reason that that chooses this time for renovation is it’s a low travel season so it’s the most suitable time to repair the runway.

Lao airlines will add more flight to Savannakhet airport. People who will fly to Pakse Airport will transfer to Savannakhet airport instead then continue over land to Pakse using public transport or tour services. The flight from Vientiane to Savannakhet normally leaves three times a week but now increase to nine flights per week.

For the passengers already booked on flights for Pakse Airport would be flown to Savannakhet then transferred by Lao airlines chartered bus or Van to Pakse.

It was the responsibility of Lao airlines to serve those passengers to ensure they reached their destination.

For more information please contact Lao airlines office:
Address: pangkham street P.O.Box 6441, Vientiane Lao PDR.
Tel: (+856 21) 212-016.
Fax: (+856 21) 212-058.
Email: info@laoairlines.com
Website: www.laoairlines.com
Once again we do apologize for the changed.

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More revolutionary hideouts revealed to public

More caves used by Lao revolutionary figures as hideouts during the struggle for independence have been unveiled to the public.
The Lao national Tourism Authority (LNTA) recently organized a promotional tour to the newly revealed caves in a bit to promote tourism and gather ideas on how to improve historical tourist sites in Viengxay district of Huaphan province.
The opening of the caves will boost Laos tourism numbers in the province and benefits students and researchers of Lao history.
Participants who followed the convoy to the new caves were impressed with the hidden grottoes that were used by officials, soldiers and police during the war as factories, shops, hospitals, schools, meeting places and entertainment areas.
The Viengxay caves in north- eastern Laos are an extensive network of caverns carved out of the limestone mountains. The district, which was stronghold of the Lao people's revolutionary Party of the pathet Laos during the 1960s and 1970s, abounds in caves.
The revolutionary leaders used the protection afforded by mountains to create offices, meeting rooms and shelters for themselves and Laos revolutionary Party members.
Authorities have so far opened only seven caves to the public. These include the living quarters of key leaders such as Mr.Kaysone Phomvihane, Prince Souphanouvong, Mr. Phoumy Vongvichit, Mr. Nouhak Phoumsavanh and Mr. Khamtay Siphndone. LNTA hopes to open all 28 caves to the public in the near future.
Minister to the prime Minister's office and LNTA President, Mr. Somphong Mongkhonvilay, said the hideouts will appeal to visitors from around the world and explain the story of the Lao People's revorutionary Party leaders and the people who fought during the Indochina War.
The authority will exhibit displays describing the lives of officials, soldiers and police so that students and the younger generaton can learn about the nation's history, " he said.
Viengxay is increasingly being visited by foreigners and Lao people, esspecially those iterested in history.
LNTA plans to develop the caves to enable visitors to fully understand the role the site played in the nation's struggle for independence.
Authorities also plan to develop the town of Viengxay into a historical tourist attraction, recapturing revolutionary battles and showcasing the caves, in an effort to draw more foreign tourists t the area.
The developement of the area as a tourist destination is aimed not only at pasing on the ahtonishing story of the revonutionary leaders who lived in the caves, but also at reducing poverty amongst the people og Huaphan province.
It is hoped the development of the sites will significantly boost tourist numbers, which are steadily rising. Viengxay attracted just 400 visitors in 2001 but this had increased to 9,000 by 2009.
LNTA has put a lot of effort into raising funds to develop the Viengxay caves as a tourist attrction. The province is an isolated area and poverty is widespread. Outside support is necessary to develop the province. Mr. Somphong said.
How to get there: a bus from the northern bus terminal in Vientiane takes about sixteen hours to reach Vienxay district in Huaphan province.

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Laos jobs

1. English teacher wanted: Santisouk Montessori Pre-school

We are looking for an enthusiastic, dedicated and experienced teacher to work with our students, aged 2.5 to 6 years old. We prefer a qualified native English speaking teacher who has experience working with young children; knowledge of Montessori method is an asset.

You'll be joining the team of enthusiastic, creative and experienced 9 Lao teachers and 1 foreign adviser. Application deadline: August 1st. The position will be vacant from 12th of August. Interested to join, please submit cover letter and CV to Marieke before August 1st(Interview will be held the week after). You can bring your CV in person to our school(School is open till July 24th), or send by email to smps@laotel.com. For more information, please read our website or give a call.

Here's the address of the school:
P.O.BOX 5340
Vientiane, Laos P.D.R
Tel: (+856 21) 312-342
Email: smps@laotel.com
Website: www.santisoukmontessori.org
Source: Vientiane times newspaper

2. Volunteers needed: Vientiane Times
Vientiane Times requires volunteers to help with editing. We will bear some basic expenses if required.
Application from organizations as well as individuals are welcome.
Qualification:
- Native English speaker.
- Background in journalism.
- Keen to learn about local culture.
For more information please contact Vientiane Times, Pangkham Rd, Vientiane.
Tel: (+856 21) 216-364, 217-593
Fax: (856 21) 216-365, 252-631
Email: editor@vientianetimes.org.la
Closing date: July, 30, 2009
Source: Vientiane times newspaper

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