Many Laotians died while trying to swim across the Mekong River into Thailand to escape the communists during the war in the 1970's.

They were either shot or drowned, and there's still many angry souls in the rivers of Laos from of our sad and sorry history. In Laos, we call the water ghosts "Pee Naam", and they like to take foreigners. Laotians have a love affair with foreigners and the water ghosts are no different.

Many deaths with foreigners in Laos occurs in the water than on the roads when we consider our roads more dangerous. The deaths in the waters of Vang Vieng is also due to hitting the rocks underneath, so those who didn't drink or take drugs would have died anyway. I believe the water ghosts have taken their life.

The sleeper buses do tend to make you vulnerable during accidents because you're sleeping and there's no seat belt. I actually don't mind the beds in buses because a trip can take 8 or 9 hours. Those who don't want to sleep can sit on the bed.

The roads is Laos are not flash but they have improved over the years. At the end of the day you have to get from A to B and I know what I prefer taking between road and air travel.

To each their own beliefs.

As for sleeping buses, it can be an inconvenience for tall people. You can actually choose the type of bus you want to travel in when buying your ticket.

In Laos, we have air-conditioned buses that have seats or beds.

Are there ghosts in Xishuangbanna, pete?

TexasCowboy wrote on 21^st Oct, 2013 at 4:28pm:


I don't know , never helloed one.

I was told chasing ghosts away by spilling your own blood, just one or two drops. 

The U.S. and Canada have the ghosts of the Native Americans. Much more dangerous than the ghosts in Laos.