16.7 C
Vientiane
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
spot_img

Tourists Refused Boarding at Vang Vieng Station, Sparks Online Debate

This Week

On 4 February, a now-deleted video shared on Facebook captured a confrontation between tourists and railway authorities at the Vang Vieng railway station in Vientiane Province, sparking mixed reactions online. 

The footage, posted by a media account, showed two foreign tourists, whose nationalities were not disclosed, attempting to bypass the checkpoint just ten minutes before the scheduled departure of a train heading to Vientiane Capital.

According to the video’s caption, the tourists argued with the railway staff, demanding entry despite the train’s imminent departure. The female user who shared the video criticized the authorities for not allowing the tourists in, claiming they had enough time.

In response, the Lao-China Railway Facebook page posted a clarification on 7 February, offering a different account of the situation. 

The railway explained that the tourists arrived at the station at 11:35 am, just three minutes before the scheduled 11:38 am departure. By this time, boarding had already concluded. 

Despite being offered the option to reschedule their journey without any extra charges, the visitors refused to cooperate and began arguing with the authorities. Security personnel were called in to intervene, and the tourists were escorted off the premises.

Public Divided Over Authorities’ Handling of Tourist Incident

The incident has sparked controversy, with many critics voicing differing opinions. Some supported the authorities, emphasizing the importance of following established policies. 

“It’s a national policy to ensure the safety of passengers. The tourists might not have been aware of the rules, which led to this misunderstanding,” said Reuansack Xanaphonh, an office worker. 

“If the authorities had allowed them to board, it could have jeopardized not only the security of other passengers but also caused delays for other trains.”

On the other hand, some expressed frustration with the authorities’ decision, arguing that allowing the tourists to board wouldn’t have caused any significant issues.

“There’s no kindness toward foreigners; they’re treated unfairly just because they’re tourists,” one Facebook user commented.

“I’ve been through something similar! They still had 10 minutes. That should have been enough time,” another added.

Latest article