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Did you like Vientiane because of its quaint and slow pace of life? Then better rush up to visit the Laotian capital as Vientiane’s nonchalant life style might soon become a fading memory. Vientiane New World project, dubbed the ‘Glory of Laos’, is taking shape along the Mekong River and is bailed out by Chinese investors. On 42 hectares of land on Don Chan Island, facing the old city, Vientiane wants to emulate Hong Kong or Singapore with a range of skyscrapers, luxurious shopping malls, hotels and condominiums will give the city a distinctive modern outlook. The project would cost over US$ 600 million and will of course alter for ever Vientiane’s atmosphere.
According to the English-published newspaper Vientiane Times – de facto the official press organ from the Government- main reasons behind the modernization process in the Laotian capital is the desire of Laotians to enjoy all the signs of a modern living: “[Laotians] want to spend time in air conditioned shopping malls, eat Japanese hotpot, pizza or a McDonald’s hamburger at lunchtime and spend the rest of the afternoon in a movie theatre before returning home in the evening. One of the main reasons that Lao people like to cross the border to Thailand is because Laos cannot offer them modern shopping and dining facilities. Many of the younger generation choose to work in Thailand, not only because they want jobs and money, but also because they consider the Thai capital to be modern and wish that Laos was as modern as foreign cities”, explained the newspaper in an earlier edition. CAMCE, the Lao-Chinese joint venture set up for the development of the project wants to make the future district an international cultural and tourist centre.
According to the paper, the project’s developers promised that they will maintain the harmony between the contemporary future district and the traditional Lao and French-colonial architecture that still can be seen in the capital. However, Vientiane’s booming real estate already takes its toll on the urban landscapes. In the city centre, many beautiful old villas already disappeared, especially around Lane Xang Avenue – Vientiane main boulevard- and around the popular area of Nam Phou (Fountain Square). The redevelopment of Nam Phou square has been marred with controversies as it will change the face of one of Vientiane’s oldest and most popular public spaces. It will feature a new restaurant on the square itself. It took six various designs before beign finally approved last January. Among the changes, the restaurant building has been scaled down to let visitors enjoying the surrounding buildings while additional green spaces will grace the square. The fountain will also be enlarged. The square is due to be ready for the the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, which will take place in Vientiane in early November.
Vientiane’s famed Morning market (Talad Sao) experienced a less glamorous fate. Two small pavilions remain from the former Lao-style structure and they are completely hidden and squizzed by high rise buildings of very poor architectural quality. The most controversial project is the new riverfront along the Mekong. A promenade has been constructed but it is cut by a highway running along the River. For the first time in its history, Vientiane is then turning its back to the River by losing the access to the mythical waterway.
Ambitions of the city is to raise the total number of inhabitants from 700,000 to 1.4 million by 2030. But in its path to a necessary modernization, Vientiane repeats the same old mistakes made by other cities around Asia and in the world. Little attention is paid to environment, the sustainability of the project. And worst for the travellers, Vientiane is in danger to lose its soul. “Laos should understand that they have to care also about its heritage, culture and nature. These are important assets for Western travellers visiting a country. Vientiane might then only appeal in the future to Asians. But what about the others?” says a foreign observer based in the capital…
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
