Facts about Lao from Lao Lao Gardens information sheet

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Lao is one of the world's most remote and poorest countries in the world. There are very few old people and earning an extra few cents to pay for health could be the difference between life and death.

There is a government curfew for businesses which result in a heavy fine if not obeyed. Businesses must close by 11.30pm and everybody must be off the streets and registered in the place they are legally staying in by midnight.

Lao people wake up at 6am to give alms to the monks. This happens amongst Buddhists in Thailand too. Monks must not have possessions and they are fed by the local people, so the monks go and collect the food left out for them from people's houses at 6am. Most Buddhists leave food for them.

'Bo' means 'no' in Lao language

It is illegal for a foreigner to have sex with a local if they are not married. Within the last twenty years or so, the Laos government have made it legal for Laos to marry people outside of Laos.

Lao Lao is the national drink. It is made locally from sticky rice and is at least 50% alcohol. It is cheap and often drunk by locals. It has been offered to me after breakfast, lunch and dinner. I always say 'yes'. On the other hand beer Lao costs more than a day's wage for Lao people on a minimum wage.

Lao call any Caucasians Falang, and Thais call us FaranG. It originally means a French person and it is used to show respect.

Locals live on approximately one dollar per day. Many stay in a family of 10 living in a bamboo hut with no water or electricity

The older generation here speak French

In Laos they drive on the right whereas in Thailand they drive on the left.

Food is served in the middle of the table and each dish is shared by everybody as soon as it is prepared. Nobody grabs their own dish, all food is shared. The word in Lao for 'mine' and 'yours' are the same and there is no such word for an individualist. It is communalist. Having possessions is a completely foreign concept to Laos.

Laos is so remote that it was not accessible by road until nearly the 21st century.

The only things made in Laos are basic farm crops, handicrafts, textiles, wood products, cement, electricity, cigarettes, beer and soft drinks. Everything else must be imported.

Area businesses make very small profits to stay competitive. Lao pays as much as Thailand for products but on top of that they pay heavy importation taxes. Property values are going out of control, rents have increased 1.500% in the last three years. Any thing modern costs 2-10% more than developed countries and local inflation averages at 15%

Every year around 300 people in Laos die from stepping on unexploded landmines left over from three wars in which Laos was bombed very badly.

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