Laos and Thailand have been at each other for centuries, and tensions between both countries have further escalated recently after a reporter in Thailand spoke negatively through Thai media about the new Laos-China railway.

His assumption that we owe China a lot of money and we can't afford to travel on the train can offend Lao people and deteriorates relationships. Every country is in debt, Thailand doesn't borrow money? It has been a long time coming for Laos to have a railway system like other countries and should be congratulated.

Lao people don't really care about the views from ordinary people, but when you're in a position as a news reporter on a Thai Government owned channel, the things you say can be noticed around the world and therefore it comes with responsibility. Laos is a small and poor country, everybody knows that and there's no need to rub dirt on it.

Please watch the videos below spoken in Lao language.



Lao media responds to criticism by Thai media
on the new high-speed train line to China

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzldc-bPmI8








Southern Lao woman is offended by criticism
by a Thai reporter regarding Laos-China train line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_UR7khxOg4




if the videos are not working, please watch on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzldc-bPmI8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_UR7khxOg4

When will Laos be open for tourism? I've been aching to go back

Probably in the middle of the year but you need to be double vaccinated.

Laos is currently open for tourism but you need to be part of a tour group/guided tour type of visit.

For independent/solo travel, you need to wait a bit longer.

I saw the news that it was open on the first of January and I tried to walk in through one of the international checkpoints.. Haha..couldn't get in. Upon further inspection and asking the immigration at Nongkai province, it seems you are correct. Also I'm vaccinated and I've also gotten covid before and recovered from it so many times that I feel like I'm completely immune to it now

What have you been doing to get covid many times? I'm glad that you have recovered. It's a strange world we are living in, people are now scared of each other.

You can never be completely immune from covid. It's just like cold and flu, you can always get it again.

I think the reason why tour groups can enter Laos is because everybody is travelling together with certain restrictions and movements to curb the spread of covid.

I do hope everything comes to normal, I have also been dying to revisit. I believe it is possible to re-enter in 1 July if my sources are correct.  ;D