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MRC’s Paperless Initiative to Make It One of the First Paperless Organizations in Laos

By
Laotian Times
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The Mekong River Commission has vowed to become one of the first paperless organizations in Laos as part of its efforts to protect environment and promote regional sustainable growth.

Pham Tuan Phan, CEO of the MRC said that the secretariat of the intergovernmental organization of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand had drawn up a paperless regulation as one of its development plans.

The “Paperless Initiative“, put into practice last year, where staff members are encouraged to print less paper and use more electronic documents for meetings and during daily operation. The Secretariat Office of the Commission is also working toward a plastic-less initiative which corresponds to this year’s World Environment Day theme “Beating Plastic Pollution.”

The initiative is also part and parcel of the Mekong regional efforts to save timber resources – the main raw material for the paper processing industry, Phan said at a ceremony to mark Laos’ National Arbor Day on Friday last week.

CEO Pham Tuan Phan (middle) and Deputy Governor of Sikhottabong District Inpong Thoumma (second from right) plant a tree together along the Mekong River bank in front of the MRC Secretariat / Photo credit: MRC

Phan said the implementation of the paperless office policy was possible due to improved IT technology and digitalization.

He said the MRC office is working to become a plastic-free organization to help save the planet, protect the environment, and promote green and sustainable growth in the Mekong region.

The Mekong River Commission is an intergovernmental organization for regional dialogue and cooperation in the lower Mekong river basin, established in 1995 based on the Mekong Agreement between Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. The organization serves as a regional platform for water diplomacy as well as a knowledge hub of water resources management for the sustainable development of the region.

Source: Vientiane Times, Xinhua, MRC

Stunning Vang Vieng

By
Laotian Times
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Many travellers are surprised to find that Vang Vieng, the tourist hotspot and stop-off town on the way from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, is visually spectacular. The party scene, which once made the town’s reputation, has died down in recent years, and many of the riverside bars and grubby stalls have disappeared. The attention of visitors can now refocus on the spectacular limestone mountains, lush green rice paddies and crisp air.

When hotelier Stéphane Vigié sent out a call for photography of the area for a national competition and eventual exhibition, he wasn’t altogether surprised to receive a veritable flood of entries from all over the country, some 400 in all. What did surprise him, when the entries began pouring in, was their quality, especially those from young Lao photographers – exactly the people he wanted to support.

Indeed, his intention behind the competition and show has been two-fold.

“My first objective was to promote what I like to call the good side of Vang Vieng,” he says. “I feel that the media, when they are talking about Vang Vieng, are almost exclusively focusing on its development challenges. They lose sight of what really makes Vang Vieng a special place: gorgeous landscapes but also a very interesting history, many ethnic communities and captivating legends.”

Vigié has long been on a mission to highlight Laos’ artistic heritage and visual culture. Today, he is the co-owner of the town’s most stylish hotel, Riverside Boutique Resort, but he first came to Laos to work as Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program, advising on the fight against poverty and inequalities. He quickly realized that many local people understood relatively little about the country’s cultural heritage, let alone the rest of the world.

He opted to stay in the country, and, through his hotel, promote Laos’ rich cultural history. The hotel has regular shows and exhibitions, and the rooms are themed with specific ethnic décor.

Vigié’s second objective when he launched the competition was to support local artists, specifically photographers. “I wanted to try and give visibility to some good young Lao photographers,” he says, adding that he’s noticed over the years that whenever there was a call for professional photography in the country, it was foreigners who answered it, rather than locals.

Knowing in advance that many prospective entrants, especially the younger ones, would need support, Vigié had organised sponsorship for three separate groups of photographers to travel to the town and immerse themselves in the area.

And, from the quality and diversity of many of the entries, this initiative paid off. From frank and haunting portraits of local residents to startling natural landscape shots, the images on show demonstrate that Vang Vieng has a hold on anyone who visits, even locals who have been travelling through the area their entire lives.

The 24 entries that make up the exhibition, which is showing through August in Vientiane and Vang Vieng, were selected by an international jury of professional photographers, artists and journalists. In a rapidly developing society, many young people – hooked on screens and social media – are nevertheless seeing the world with fresh new eyes. It’s time, says Vigié, to see the world, through this new gaze.

“We were thrilled to receive so many great images,” he says.

“We really hope that this exhibition will help raise awareness about the beauty of Vang Vieng, and also the need to protect and preserve its unique landscapes and traditions.”

 

 

 

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Originally Published in: Champa Meuanglao

Lao Prime Minister Tightens Regulations Against Wildlife Trafficking

By
Laotian Times
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PM Order against Protected Wildlife Trafficking

Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has issued an order to tighten regulations against hunting and trade of protected wildlife. Individuals or groups that breach the order are to be arrested and prosecuted.

The PM issued the Order for Increased Stringency in Management and Inspection of Protected Wild Fauna and Flora, No. 05/PM, on 08 May this year. The order was issued to tighten implementation of forest plant and wildlife protection, especially those species which are classified as endangered.

The order is intended to ensure measures are compliant with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Fora (CTIES) to which the Lao PDR is a party.

The order firstly calls upon all ministries and sectors to increase vigilance and take further responsibility when inspecting and taking measures against those who violate regulations regarding the trade of protected species.

It then orders the cessation of hunting of all species under protected species status, and orders the cessation of import, export, and trade of wild animals and plants.

The farming of protected species is also strictly forbidden under the order, and existing farms are to be converted into safari parks or zoos. This will allow the farms to become tourism sites and provide opportunities for further study of certain species.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been tasked with investigating and targeting shops and marketplaces known for trading in wild animals, particularly those offering bones, skin, horns, teeth, claws, gall bladder, etc.

Meanwhile, border checkpoints and police officers are being instructed to increase vigilance regarding inspections for trafficking of wild animals and plants. Any immigration officers found aiding or assisting wildlife traffickers will be immediately arrested and prosecuted.

The new, stricter regulations are to be disseminated in rural areas by local authorities to ensure understanding by all parties, with the hope of dissuading hunters and poachers.

Street foodies paradise in Hanoi’s old quarter

By
Laotian Times
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No matter the season, now is always the perfect time to visit Hanoi to savour the range of fresh and fantastically affordable local flavours that are the pride of Vietnam’s capital and her people.

Known for its rich and varied cultures and cuisines, it’s no secret that South-East Asia is a paradise for foodies, with flavours, ingredients and preparation methods in incredible array and abundance. Savvy travellers and lovers of regional cuisine know that while many of the most refined gourmet dishes served in the rarefied atmosphere and haute cuisine of storied restaurants, hotels and boutique accommodations are to be found and delighted in, the most popular and altogether delicious signature dishes of the region can be best enjoyed at street level while seated shoulder to shoulder with the people of all ages and walks of life who, together, make each city tick. Indeed, it is often these dishes and the people who enjoy them that can really give each country, city and province its own unique and authentic flavour.

When it comes to enjoying street food at an affordable price, few places can beat the old quarter of the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.The ancient heart of an increasingly modern metropolis is a fine destination for food lovers. Like its peers throughout the region, the city has seen significant development in recent years with new and fancy shopping, accommodation and dining options abounding. While similar changes elsewhere have seen street food and vendors increasingly relocated off main thoroughfares as part of the changing face of urban life, sidewalks and open shopfronts of the old quarter of Hanoi continue to provide a space for a stool and a delicious bite to eat along with some great people-watching opportunities.

And the people of this beating heart of the ancient city are more than pleased to share their fare with locals and visitors alike on street corners and sidewalks, open cafes and roadside vendors, confident in the lasting appeal of time-honoured flavours without feeling the need for too much window dressing. Wherever you cast an eye around the old town, a dazzling array of food is served up on the footpaths, from funky cafes that open up onto the street, as well as patios with a view or curious courtyards. Lanes and alleyways are transformed into dining hot-spots serving up some of the most delicious fare imaginable at prices that are incredibly affordable.

The delicious street-side dining in Hanoi compares most favourably in terms of value for money with that found in any capital worldwide. With a dizzying range on offer, many shops and vendors focus on a signature dish, rather than trying to be all things to all people.

Needless to say, noodles and broths feature prominently, and extend well beyond the ever-famous pho. Other offerings include Bun Rieu (rice noodles in tomato broth), Bun Moc (noodle with mushroom and pork meatball), Bun Bo (beef noodle also associated with the former Royal capital of Hue), Bún cá (fish noodle), banh canh (noodles with crab meat), Bun Thang (Rice Vermicelli with Chicken, Egg, Pork), Mien Xao Luon (Glass Noodles with Deep-Fried Eel), and Bun Cha (noodle and grilled pork).

The latter was famously celebrated by then-US President Barack Obama and world-famous chef Anthony Bourdain, who, in 2016, sat down on simple stools to savour the dish at the increasingly famous Bun Cha Huong Lien restaurant. It’s now attracting more and more visitors anxious to see what the fuss is all about. But while a meal at the restaurant takes one off the street, the simple decor of this local favourite keeps the focus firmly on the delicious food, attracting a constant stream of locals and visitors.

In fact, except for the appearance of strategically placed pictures of Obama – after enjoying his meal and extolling the values of the signature dish – it appears little has changed in the year since. If you go, get the ‘Obama Combo’, including noodles, pork, a fried seafood roll and a bottle of Bia Hanoi (Hanoi Beer) for just 85,000VND ($US3.75 at time of publication).

Once you’ve had your temporary fill of its myriad noodle offerings, Hanoi’s still have more to offer. Famous dishes include Cha Ca (Turmeric Fish with Dill), Banh cuon (Rolled Cake), Banh Goi (Fried Dumplings), Nom Bo Kho (Beef and papaya salad), Goi Cuon (fresh summer rolls) and the ever-popular Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich).

The first dish boasts its very own street along which vendors treat diners with delicious fish. A good place to grab a banh mi is streetside Banh Mi 25. Grab a takeaway or a stool in the dining room boasting a cheerful and popular dining room with view onto the street.

As anywhere, dessert are an essential experience. Hanoi locals (and many visitors) enjoy Chè, (sweet soup) a combination of sweet pudding, jelly bits, dried fruits and ice that makes a cool, sweet and refreshing pick-me-up.

Speaking of re-energisation, the Hanoi experience would hardly be complete without a refreshing beverage or two. For a healthy choice, consider a juice at Juice ’n Joy with its balcony shaded by an ancient tree whose trunk emerges from the nearby Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda and Buddhist temple, with a view of the distinctive St Joseph’s Cathedral.

Of course, every trip should include the famous Vietnamese-style coffee with its trademark mix of robusta strength suspended on an even thicker layer of condensed-milk sweetness. But Hanoi also boasts the curious-yet-delicious Ca Phe Trung, with a sweet creamy egg foam floating on top of the caffeinated brew below. Try it at one of the cafes that line the street sides of the old quarter, or from a perch with a view of Hoan Kiem lake, such as the atmospheric Cafe Pho Co with its patio, courtyard and shrine (as well as an enormous and rather friendly pet cat).

When it comes to eating and drinking your way around the old quarter of Hanoi, leading yourself solo or in a couple or small group is manageable and fun with a bit of research. Alternatively, consider a tour from the student-run Hanoi Free Walking Tours, which gives you the chance to join a guide who can take you to places you might well have difficulty finding on your own through the 3-hour Hanoi Street food Experience.

What is certain is that whichever way you decide to turn, Hanoi’s old quarter continues to provide plenty of surprises, people-watching and delicious cuisine aplenty, all for the right price.

 

 

 

Words and photos: Steven Cleary

Originally Published in: Champa Meuanglao

Laos Will Rollout New and Improved Primary School Curriculum in 2019

By
Laotian Times
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Photo credit: KPL

Since 2015, the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) has been in the process of revising the country’s national curriculum and developing new textbooks, teacher guides and other resources for primary schools.

On Wednesday, Associate Professor Khamphay Sisavanh, Vice-Minister for Education and Sports and Mr Andreas Zurbrugg, Deputy Head of Mission of the Australian Embassy co-chaired the Primary Curriculum Steering Committee’s inaugural meeting to familiarize MoES Departments with the new primary curriculum, including key changes, teacher guides and teaching materials.

Associate Professor Dr Khamphay Sisavanh, Vice-Minister for Education and Sports (right) and Mr Andreas Zurbrugg, Deputy Head of Mission of the Australian Embassy (left) / Photo credit: KPL

The meeting was held as a high level forum for discussion and the thirty-five participants were able to give their feedback on the proposed strategy for teacher in-service training for the curriculum roll-out.

The new primary curriculum will gradually be put into effect starting with Grade 1 in September of 2019.

It will be a national curriculum, which means that every primary school in every district in every province of Laos will receive the revised teaching and learning materials.

There will be one textbook per student (over 800,000 primary students around the country). The new textbooks are in color and employ plenty of visuals, to increase attention and augment student retention. Teachers (over 35,000 primary school teachers) will receive guides for all subjects taught.

The new teacher guides are more detailed and contain guidance on how to organize each lesson and suggestions for using local knowledge, creating extension activities, working with multi-grade classes or teaching non-Lao first language-speaking students.

Primary schools will receive a resource pack with educational materials, such as story books, reading books for beginners or flash cards to support the utilization of the revised curriculum.

All materials were tested in pilot schools around the country and improved with feedback from the trials.

Nine subjects will be taught in primary: Lao language, mathematics, science and environment (formerly known as “world around us”), morals, arts and handicrafts, music, physical education, English from Grade 3 on and social studies starting from grade 4.

The new curriculum will be organized thematically. This new organization is designed to increase integration and opportunities to revise key learning. The themes in each subject are taught at the same time in each grade, and this will help multigrade teachers with planning and delivery of lessons.

A special feature of the new curriculum is: orientation week. During the first week of school, all Grade 1 students will follow a program of activities to help them feel familiar with school life and build their confidence in key routines, behaviors and skills needed in school. Orientation week will help ensure students find school an interesting and enjoyable experience and is known to have a positive impact on learning outcomes.

With the objective to improve student learning outcomes, the development of the new curriculum was informed by child learning theory and established principles of effective primary school pedagogic practice.

Hence, one of the main changes with the new curriculum will be in the pedagogy approach. The new curriculum promotes active learning. The students will be engaged in lessons by doing activities to encourage them to process new information and apply new knowledge learned.

The teachers will be facilitators rather than one-way providers of information. Students will learn by doing meaningful learning activities and by reflecting about what they are doing.

“Today, we acquainted ourselves with the new primary curriculum development with related contents of teaching materials. Certainly, when we have a new curriculum and instructional materials we want our teachers who are playing a key role in the implementation of curriculum at the grassroots level to be familiar with both contents and methodology of teaching,” said Associate Professor Sisavanh.

“Developing a primary curriculum is the first step to improve student learning outcomes. But the second step, the development of good quality teacher training and support is essential to ensure that teachers can successfully implement the curriculum,” said Andreas Zurbrugg. “Australia, the European Union and USAID are proud to be partnering with the Research Institute for Educational Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Sports to support the development of the new curriculum and its rollout.”

Teacher training and support is essential to ensure that teachers can successfully implement the new curriculum. It is teachers who bring the curriculum to life in the classroom and they are crucial to the success of a curriculum innovation.

In-service teacher training modules will be developed based on the revised primary curriculum content and teaching methodology.

The rollout of the new curriculum is a huge task which will need the commitment and support of all stakeholders, from national, provincial, district and school levels. But the new national curriculum and associated teaching and learning resources will make an important contribution to the quality of the learning outcomes of children.

It will help more Lao girls and boys of primary school-age achieve functional literacy and numeracy and acquire life skills.

Source: KPL

Tourism Ministry: November is Laos’ Best Tourist Month

By
Laotian Times
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According to a 2017 Tourism Department (MOICT) report, it was observed that the month of November was Laos’ best tourism month, which had seen 358,997 people visiting the country, with December coming in close at second place with a little over 357,000 people.

Third place went to March with over 355,000 visitors and the fourth best month was February with over 350,000, followed by April with just over 346,000 visitors.

It was noted that November was the start of the cool season, when it’s not too hot and not too cold. This is the month when most Europeans visit Laos.

The lowest number of tourist arrivals was recorded in September (approximately 262,000 visitors), which is a time of fairly heavy rainfall.

The report also ranked tourist arrivals by port of entry. The first Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge in Vientiane recorded the most visitors with over 863,000 tourists, followed by the second Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge in Savannakhet with over 517,000 visitors.

The Boten-Bohan border crossing between Laos and China in Luang Namtha province recorded over 493,000 visitors, while Wattay International Airport registered a surprising 364,000 arrivals.

In 2017, over 1.7 million Thais came to visit Laos, making them the largest tourist nationality. Vietnamese tourists came in second with over 891,000. There were just over 639,000 Chinese tourists and about 170,000 Korean visitors.

The total number of visitors to Laos increased every year from 1990 to 2015. In 2016, the number dropped by 9.6 percent (4.2 million tourists) and there was a further drop of 8.6 percent in 2017, when there were only 3.8 million visitors.

Laos expects to welcome 5 million visitors during Visit Laos Year 2018 and is targeting tourism revenue in excess of US$900 million.

Source: Vientiane Times

Nothing Like a Staycation

By
Laotian Times
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It’s a muggy and oppressively hot Saturday afternoon in Vientiane, but in the hushed, carpeted corridors of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, there’s no weather at all. Nor are there any intrusive sounds, or smells. Just a soothing, clean, crisp-sheet atmosphere that is both refreshing and, to a certain type of traveller, ultimately familiar.

In fact, if you don’t happen to glance out of any windows, you could be in just about any big city in the world – Sydney, Hong Kong, Washington DC, Paris. All branded hotels like this look, smell and sound the same, the world over, and that is exactly what the Crowne Plaza’s ideal guest expects when they check in. Even in Vientiane. Even if they last checked out in Istanbul.

None of this is a disparagement, and Oliver Horn, the hotel’s general manager, doesn’t take it as such. In fact, the muting of a city’s local charm can only mean that the hotel is reaching the highest international standards. And this is what the hotel’s target clientele expects.

“Crowne Plaza is a brand that is mostly targeting business travellers and those leisure travellers who want the ‘safety’ of a brand, who want to know what to expect,” he says.

“If their experience has local flavour, then great, but this is not what our target guest is looking for – they are looking for the predictability of a branded experience.”

“Despite that, we actually do have quite a few references to Lao culture in decoration, uniforms and design, but we deliberately did not make them too obvious – the team is proud to introduce them and open up the culture to those guests who are interested.”

And that is exactly what they’ll get if their room looks anything like ours, which of course it will, because all the rooms must be similar. The colour scheme is neutral, the décor tasteful, the towels fluffy, and the bedding as crisp and white as newly fallen snow – there’s no other way to describe it when you live in Vientiane and all your whites have long turned ecru or eggshell (or whatever other shade name most lessens your frustration). Even the shower is a glory – two huge faucets to choose from that each release a deluge of perfectly steamy water.

The pool is another story. Ah, the pool. Situated on the third floor, it’s a gleaming turquoise oasis that sits at roof level. We sit in the swim-up bar – lounge chairs actually stationed in the water – and order drinks and food, frolic in the water which, as you would expect although you somehow fail to notice it at the time, is neither too hot nor too cold – and wrap ourselves in large, blue-and-white striped towels between dips. The chairs are all positioned to face the sunset, which, in Vientiane, is uniformly spectacular. As we lean back and take it all, it strikes me that we could be watching it on a cinema screen, so removed does the pool feel from the rest of the city. Even the air – so dusty, smoky and distinctive in Vientiane – feels neutralised.

The service is notable – very notable – for its hotel-brand efficiency. I barely need to introduce myself at the desk, when I’m instantly made to feel like everyone’s been waiting for us. When we discover the room doesn’t quite allow for all four of us, a brief phone call later and there’s a knock on the door and another bed made up within minutes. And when our over-excited young children run amok throughout the vast dining room come dinnertime, the staff are both solicitous and delighted – both keeping an eye on them and assuring us that nothing – not even badly behaved offspring – is a problem.

This smooth operation is no accident – not in a developing country like Laos. The country has long been a “white space” for IHG, Crowne’s mother company, but to have the hotel finally open here is a significant step for Laos, if not a coming-of-age signifier.

“We also strongly believe that the country has tremendous growth-potential; the GDP growth was stable across the last couple of years and we believe this will continue,” Horn says.

“Generally, it can be said that once the first brand arrives, others will follow – so from that point-of-view, we are happy to be a catalyst.”

He has worked for IHG all over the world, but plans on staying put in Laos for the moment, as plans for another “really interesting project”, take shape right next door
But for the moment, in practice, the hotel’s emphasis on consistency means some serious investment when it comes to staffing quality, and Horn confirms that staff training was a top priority when developing the hotel; the hotel’s investors spent $250,000 in training personnel during the “pre-opening phase”.

“Being part of an international brand means that we have substantial training resources at our disposal,” he says.

“We had trainers here from our sister hotels in Thailand and many of our colleagues went and experienced other Crowne Plaza Hotels in South-East Asia as part of their training. The biggest thing, however, is that the leadership team is not hiding in their offices but that we actively seek guest contact and listen to our teams every day.”

Indeed, all the staff – touchingly – know and refer to Horn by his first name, another deliberate touch on Horn’s part. Keep staff happy and close, and guests will reap the benefits, no matter where they’re staying.

The local flavour that some guests seek can be had, inevitably, at the vast buffet in the first-floor dining room where, tucked in amongst the meatballs, potato gratin and ratatouille, you can find a very, very good Or Laam, a traditional dish from Luang Prabang. Alongside a carefully curated wine list – we opted, predictably, for the Australian Shiraz – you can also indulge in the traditional Lao dessert of nam varn (water sweetened with sugar and coconut milk, and heaped with jellied fruit and grains), but I couldn’t possibly have walked past the visually splendid array of fancy petit-fours without partaking. Best cream-puff ever – sorry nam van.

Similarly, at breakfast, croissants and granola are plentiful, alongside pho and baguettes. We had been oscillating between heading down for another swim before eating but outside, the storm that has been building for days finally breaks, and the rain beats against the windows as we go for seconds and thirds of all the massive buffet has to offer.

It’s as though Crowne Plaza – in its mission to make us feel as comfortable and free from stress as possible – has even contrived to have the weather make up our minds for us. Anything’s possible in a place like Crowne Plaza – you only have to let the staff know.

 

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Originally Published in: Champa Meuanglao

Words: Sally Pryor

Koreans Bring Lao Cuisine to Korea

By
Laotian Times
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Newly opened Lao Piak is one of only 2 Laotian restaurants in Seoul

Two young women in their early 30s have been close friends since college. Both graduated from high school in Korea and went on to the University of Virginia in the United States, where they first met. When they graduated, they both went into television ― one became a TV presenter and the other a producer at major local broadcasters.

They prepared for the TV jobs together and kept in close touch and traveled together when they started working. After five years in their respective positions, they both quit. 

Kicking their established jobs to the curb, the two women set out on a completely new, risky adventure to open a Laotian restaurant called “Lao Piak” on a tranquil street in Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. One year into its opening, the restaurant is a success. 

Lao Piak’s beef tendon noodles with homemade chili sauce / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-young

It all began when the two went on vacation together two years ago to Laos, a country that had been gaining hype on television. 

“We went to Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos. It was our first time in the country. We decided on Laos because it was close to Thailand and Vietnam and had similar food. It was also after Flowers Over Youth ended with its episode on Laos. That triggered our interest,” said Chung Hyo-yeol, co-owner of Lao Piak and the former TV presenter. Piak refers to noodles in soup in Laotian.

“After traveling to Laos, we were mesmerized by the country and wanted to introduce Laotian cuisine in Seoul. Three months after the trip, we both quit our jobs and went back to Laos to learn Laotian cuisine from locals. On that trip we included Vang Vieng to the two previous locations and stayed for a month.”

They ended up spending three months in the country on three return trips to learn local recipes.

“It was difficult to find locals in the city to teach us the recipes. They were wary. But those in the countryside were more open. Our recipes are from them,” said Won Sung-hoon, co-owner of Lao Piak and former producer at Olive, a local lifestyle and food cable channel. 

Co-owners of Lao Piak Won Sung-hoon, left, and Chung Hyo-yeol / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-young

The two’s radical transformation from producer and presenter to chef-owners brought resistance from their families. 

“Mine wouldn’t see me until the restaurant opened. Sung-hoon and I are as close as sisters so we decided to live together above the restaurant. It’s less tiring for us,” said Chung.

“My family is used to my radical transformation due to a past experience _ when I switched from a biology major to becoming a producer. When they heard I was planning to open a restaurant, they were less surprised,” said Won. 

Laotian food is much influenced by neighbors Thailand and Vietnam and vice versa. It also uses a lot of ingredients from the neighboring countries. Laotian staples are steamed sticky rice and larb which is a spicy marinated meat or fish mixture. The papaya salad dish, better known as som tam in the West, is also a Laotian invention. 

“Because of the low quality of beef in Laos due to geographical reasons, they use more pork and chicken. Their noodle soup is popular among Koreans. The noodles are made with glutinous rice, but it’s not the same as rice noodles in Korea. There’s a dish called khao piak which is popular. Khao means rice, and piak is noodle soup,” said Won, who is in charge of the noodle soup, whereas Chung is in charge of anything fried. 

“Our noodles are handmade. We each take turns making them. It’s on limited availability because we can only make a handful by ourselves.” 

The two are the only chefs at the restaurant. In the beginning they did everything from cooking to serving. Now they have a few part-time servers to help out. 

Lao Piak’s pork larb / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-young

“Here, we create two types of stock ― beef and chicken. We tried for three months to get this right,” said Chung. 

What they learned in Laos is that they like spicy food, contrary to Vietnamese or Thai. 

“We were surprised how much chili sauce they put in the soup ― until it’s red. So we created our own chili sauce,” said Won. “We also want to introduce a dish called Khao poon, a rice vermicelli soup, mostly eaten at weddings. They use coconut milk and ox blood. It might not be liked by Koreans, but we want to introduce foods like this.”

The two didn’t do any marketing but people line up to get a bite. The Laotian Embassy in Korea became a big fan. A contributing factor is the style and decor of the restaurant, which the two put a lot of legwork into.

“We brought in almost everything from Laos ― plates, accessories and decorations and planned the interior concept,” said Chung.

Luckily it caught people’s eyes who were passing by. The street is rather remote from the central hip region, which is why it is surprising that it would attract so many people. 

“A lot of locals started paying visits and now weekdays are packed with locals and weekends with young people from elsewhere.”

Here are some pictures from Lao Piak’s Official Instagram Page.

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Written by: Yun Suh-Young
Originally published in this  Korea Times article entitled ‘Two female entrepreneurs’ delicious adventure’
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