If you're like me (left Laos in 1978 as an 8 yr old boy), and you want to know what, how, when, where and why about the reason Laos fell to communism... I suggest you get this book.

[b]"I little slave" A prison Memoir from Communist Laos.
by Dr. Bounsang Khamkeo.[/b]

I got this book from Amazon.com on Sunday and I have read only upto page 100...the book is 422 pages.

In this memoir Dr. Khamkeo was born in Laos, went to France as a college student and comes back to Laos with a Ph.D in political science, in hopes to use his education to help out Laos. But only to find political turmoil and in-fighting with internal, corrupt politicians and senior military leaders.  

YES THE CORRUPTION ASPECT NEVER CHANGED!  LIKE INDEPENDENCE SAID BEFORE...."IT'S IN OUR BLOOD"

I personally DO NOT think it's in our blood..but Laos LACKS THE TOUGH LAWS TO PREVENT CORRUPTION!  But then again, IF YOU'RE ALSO A BENEFICIARY OF CORRUPTION, WHY WOULD YOU PASS LAWS TO FIGHT IT??


In the first 100 pages I have learned from Dr. Khamkeo's FIRST HAND ACCOUNT of what he say was happening during the royal family rule....and he goes on to explain why and how the communist party comes to power...

Also Dr. Khamkeo was arrested himself and taken to the "re-education camps" for 7 years before his release in 1989, or "sumanar" as the Laotian people say it.

I don't want to give it all away..but then again...I'm only on page 100.

Buk Hoo Kee... I'm thinking you're around my age (39)...and you too left Laos when you were young. I certainly didn't know what was going on..I knew there was war b/c I can here the fighting and shelling miles behind my house..(Lak 31..just outside of Viengchan).  All I knew was my mom was taking out to Thailand..and my dad had already died during the war.

BHK..this would be a good book for you to learn about the history..WRITTEN BY SOMEONE FROM THE INSIDE...THAT NOW IS FREE TO TELL THE STORY!

I'm glad you start tracing back what had happened after 1975. I was only 15 years old. I knew what was going on at the time. I am lucky to be that age and lucky to not quite 16 at the time other why,  I will have to joint the Army to fight with the current Government at the war. Laos at the time would have to change the government  because the government at the time just like Philippine Ferdinand Marcos government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Marcos

The Loyal family is useless and also corrupt as many people in the government. I can tell you now the people in Laos is still poor but a lot happy than before.

Wow dude, thanks for the recommendation, just bought the book off egay for $14.98 and I can't wait to read it. I did some research on the book and he says he doesn't have any grudges towards the commies, he just doesn't want it to happen again. What can we really do about it now though, the people that did this are already dead by now. I will go and marry their daughters and change their commie attitudes as well as the corrupt thoughts.

I was born in 1976 near the end of that war. My father gave my mother all the money and told her to take us kids to Thailand to escape. He stayed for certain reasons and had to live for years under the careful eye of the commies. My mother found us a stepfather in the camps in Udon and we left to Canada in 1980. My real father escaped and followed us to Canada in 1984. It wasn't until I was 12 when my real father found me and told me who he was. I know everyone's got their story and opinions about what happend during that time. Whether it's the commies or royals, everyone has some opinion. I however prefer the royals even if they were corrupt, who wasn't back then, we still have corrupt politicians/leaders today. The commies, I cannot accept their inhumane ways. Take a look at all monarchies throughout the world today, they all have some type of government for the people and only serve as a figure head for the country. Peope say that the royals didn't do nothing for Laos, well to me, I don't expect them to do anything except defend the country from enemies, how you live day to day is up to you. Take a look at all those ancient empires, romans, egyptians, chinese, they were all into expanding and conquering for the greatness of the empire and making people pay taxes under their rule and make themselves look prestigious. This is what it means to be a King or Queen, rule over the poeple. If you look at the monarchs of today, Thailand, Britain, Brunei, Monaco, Japan, Saudi Arabia, their countries are doing well, their people aren't still kicking around dirt and the people have rights and freedom. I would rather be poor and still have my human rights with the rule of monarchs, than be poor and have no rights and be treated like animals under a commie rule. I myself don't like either ruling over me, perhaps it's due to living in a country where we believe majority rules and everyone has a voice and can vote to how they will be governed and that's what we want for Laos as well. At least here, if I'm poor and stupid, I only have myself to blame but in Laos, I wouldn't have any opportunity except to be a "khanoi".

I often think of what my life could have been like if that war never happend and I was living in Laos since I was born and what I would be doing right about now. Would I be married and have a few kids and being with my "euy and nong", living a peaceful life watching the rice grow in the fields and eating padak.