Trouble's a brewing in laid-back Laos

Interesting
Thanks for an informative blog entry. I'm going to read back through your other pages as well now. I often get wound up when traveling when its assumed your well off because your Western. Ok you may well be in a much better financial position than them but when your on a shoe string back packer budget and you still feel like a walking cash machine it can get very annoying. I have only traveled to a few places in India but my big trip starts in Aug. I'm sure this sort of attitude will start to grate on me. Hope your enjoying your travels. Regards

So true...
We found ourselves nodding along to your blog as we were reading it. It's very true we reap what we sow. Unfortunately this is the logical conclusion and progression of tourism in SE Asia. The locals think foreigners are rich, the foreigners pay the prices because they think they are getting 'something special' due to the buzz of that particular country on the backpacker trail. The country then gets too expensive and poor value for backpackers and a lot of them leave, but as you say there are always more coming to pay the prices. Although with Laos, we can't see that happening due to the aforementioned 'buzz' about the country. Honestly, when we were in Laos in 2007 it was bordering on silly prices for some things and we noticed the 'foreigner can pay anything' attitude creeping in and reluctance to haggle. We aren't completely surprised and think your analysis is spot on and could apply to areas of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam equally.

Re: Fair trade
Although, I agree that there are some people who bargain to absurd levels to a point that is just rude, I think if you are somewhere who just charge you ten times the price, that's not great either! It will eventually put you and others off going to that place. Reading Ralf's blog, Laos hasn't popped up as first place I want to go next. I travel with my small child, I don't really want her to have to witness that on a daily base. Whereas when we went to Samoa, where there aren't huge numbers of "trendy travellers", the locals had huge smiles were really helpful and charged us reasonale prices. Other locals would look out for you and make sure that every one kept to a fair price. We went round one of the islands hiring a taxi, now although he probably charged us more than he might have a Samoan. It wasn't an exagerated amount, (we found a couple of other people to help me paydivide the price and everyone was happy) Once we'd agreed the price, that was it, there wasn't, oooh and of course you can afford this and this cos you're European. And because he didn't overcharge us we wanted to buy him lunch etc.... The whole experience was much more pleasant. So I think, yes, we can pay a little bit more but not stupidly high prices. I think maybe it should be a balanced relationship, we don't try and bring the prices pathetically low and the local doesn't try and push the prices beyond the sky! And not lie about basic things like transport. Yes, say, oooh, I think you would be more comfortable in deluxe class and yes try and sell the higher priced one first and you will get a few people on this but then the tourist who has done his research will say, no, no I would like a basic bus and then the bus employee should then agree to sell that ticket. And I'd say that would be pretty fair! That tourist is not trying to cheat the local, just trying to save money by going on the basic bus, something completely reasonable I'd say!