The Best of Cambodia & Laos

The Fate of the King
Savang or Sisavang Vatthana was the last king of Laos. He ruled from 1959 after
his father’s death, until he was forced to abdicate after Pathet Lao victory in
1975. He and all his family were sent to a reeducation camp and after that the
truth of their fate becomes unclear apart from the certainty that they died.
Educated in France, Prince Savang earned a degree from the École Libre des
Sciences Politiques (now called Sciences Po), the elite academy for French
diplomats. After a decade, Savang Vatthana came home, but his spoken Lao
was now so shaky he had to relearn it. Savang married Queen Khamphoui in
1930, and they had six children, Crown Prince Vong Savang, Prince Sisavang
Savang, Prince Savang, Prince Sauryavong Savang, Princess Savivanh Savang,
and Princess Thala Savang. The king was devoutly religious and took his role
seriously as protector of the Buddhist faith.
Succeeding to the throne in 1959, he was never officially crowned, postponing
his coronation until the end of the war. After Communist victory Savang
refused to leave the country. He was arrested in March 1977 along with all his
family. The new regime feared that Savang Vatthana, who then had lived quietly
in the Royal Palace as a private citizen, would become a symbol of popular
resistance. As a result, he was suddenly spirited away by helicopter to Houaphan
along with Queen Khamboui and Crown Prince Say Vongsavang. Imprisoned
in “Camp Number One,” the crown prince died on May 2, 1978, and the
king 11 days later of starvation. The queen died on December 12, 1981. According
to an eyewitness, all were buried in unmarked graves outside the camp’s
perimeter.
restaurants on Sisavangvong Road head northeast of the boat pier with Phu Si hill to
your right. You will soon see the ornate gold decoration and dark wood of some of the
most ancient wats in Laos. Sisavangvong Road to the east side of the narrow strip of land
between the rivers has become a tourist high street of Internet cafes, bars, and restaurants.
The parallel road on the western side of this small riverine peninsula runs directly by the
banks of the Mekong. You can do this whole district in a half an hour or so by foot. It
remains one of the world’s most relaxed and delightful strolls. To take in the often spectacular
Mekong sunset, head back to the boat pier. The sun sinks behind a small mountain
on the other side of the Mekong in a giant orange ball silhouetting the boats moored
to the south of the pier.
The airport and northern bus terminal are to the northeast of the city while the southern
bus terminal is to the southwest.
GETTING THERE
BY PLANE Lao Airlines (& 021/212-057 or 214-427 for reservations; www.laoairlines.
com) has daily flights from Vientiane to Luang Prabang for $76 one-way. Their routes to
Thailand are to Bangkok (one flight a day there and back), Chiang Mai (one flight a day
there and back) and Udon Thani (two flights a week). To Cambodia they fly only to Siem
Reap (two flights a day there and back). To Hanoi in Vietnam (one flight a day there and
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LUANG PRABANG