The old French military camp, formerly known as Fort Carnot, in Houayxay District, Bokeo Province, was officially inscribed as a local-level national heritage site on 19 August.
To commemorate the occasion, provincial officials held a cultural ceremony to officially declare the site as a local-level national heritage site.
According to officials, the French colonial administration built the site in the early 1900s.
Covering 10,154 square meters, the fort featured two 15-meter-high observation towers, underground bunkers, and mortar positions on the east and west sides. Its front gate was flanked by heavy guns on both sides.
The construction reflected Houayxay’s strategic importance during the French protectorate period, when the town served as a frontier outpost guarding British Burma (present-day Myanmar) and Siam (modern-day Thailand).
The fort was named after Comte Carnot, a politician and engineer who pioneered innovative fortification designs later adapted for French colonies.
After Laos gained independence from France in 1954, the Royal Lao Army continued to use the fort during the Second Indochina War (Vietnam War) until 1975. Following the founding of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, it was placed under the care of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Army.
In 2010, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the camp was developed into an information center for tourism and historical exhibits, including displays on Indochina War-era military artifacts.
In October 2024, the province opened the former French military camp, namely Fort Carnot 1990 Es Café, as a new historical tourism attraction.
Today, the former military site has been officially transferred to the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Fort-Carnot_Laos_Bokeo_Old-French-Military-Camp.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2025-08-21 11:15:002025-09-02 09:59:57Old French Military Fort in Bokeo Province Recognized as Local Level National Heritage Site
In the first seven months of 2025, Luang Prabang attracted over 2.15 million visitors, Deputy Governor Bounleua Sinxayvoravong reported at the provincial office on 15 August.
With 2,155,994 visitors in the first seven months of 2025, Luang Prabang saw an increase of 983,483 tourists, or 83.8 percent, compared to the same period last year.
The province also generated LAK 1,108 billion (approximately USD 52.76 million) in revenue, reaching 92.2 percent of its annual target.
Key attractions drawing visitors include Xiengthong Temple, Mount Phusi, Kuang Si Falls, the Royal Palace Museum, the Luang Prabang Night Market, etc
To prepare for the upcoming tourist season and the 30th anniversary celebrations of the UNESCO World Heritage Site later this year, the provincial authorities are focusing on urgent repairs and improvements, including resolving traffic bottlenecks within Luang Prabang City.
Meanwhile, Champasack Province welcomed over 426,126 visitors in the same period, generating more than USD 55 million in tourism revenue, an 8 percent increase from 2024. The province exceeded its annual visitor target of 350,958, achieving 121 percent of the planned number in just seven months.
Laos welcomed over 2.3 million tourists in the first half of 2025, up from 2.1 million during the same period last year. The country aims to surpass its 2025 target of 4.5 million visitors, building on more than 4.1 million tourists in 2024.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Luang-Prabang-Night-Market.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2025-08-20 10:05:002025-09-02 10:02:06Luang Prabang Attracts Over 2.15 Million Tourists in First 7 Months of 2025
Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane has called for deeper Mekong cooperation to strengthen digital growth, clean energy, and water resource management to improve the lives of people across the region.
Thongsavanh made his remark on 15 August at the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Anning, Yunnan Province, China.
There, he stressed the need for forward-looking collaboration that delivers tangible benefits to the region’s people.
The official urged member states to prioritize resilient economies, digital transformation, sustainable water management, human resource development, and responses to emerging security challenges, while highlighting agriculture, clean energy, and tourism as key growth sectors.
Thongsavanh also praised the LMC’s achievements over the past nine years, noting that the LMC Special Fund, established in 2017, has already financed more than 100 projects in Laos worth over USD 26 million.
The meeting, co-chaired by China and Thailand, reviewed progress under the LMC’s three pillars, including Political-Security, Sustainable Development, and Social-Cultural Exchange, and five priority areas: connectivity, water resource management, agriculture and poverty reduction, cross-border trade, and production capacity.
Laos Reaffirms Support for Myanmar Peace, Regional Security
On the same day, the Lao foreign minister joined a special meeting with China, Thailand, and Myanmar to discuss regional security and the evolving situation in Myanmar.
He reaffirmed Laos’ support for a “Myanmar-led, Myanmar-owned” political process, stressing that stability there is vital for regional peace and development.
In addition, the ministers reviewed Myanmar’s situation since the military takeover in 2021, including plans for a general election in late 2025 or early 2026. They pledged closer cooperation to combat transnational crimes, including drug trafficking, human trafficking.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Lancang-Mekong-Ministerial-Meeting.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2025-08-19 12:30:002025-09-02 10:13:01Laos Calls for Stronger Mekong Cooperation on Digital Growth, Clean Energy, and Water Management
Old French Military Fort in Bokeo Province Recognized as Local Level National Heritage Site
The old French military camp, formerly known as Fort Carnot, in Houayxay District, Bokeo Province, was officially inscribed as a local-level national heritage site on 19 August.
To commemorate the occasion, provincial officials held a cultural ceremony to officially declare the site as a local-level national heritage site.
According to officials, the French colonial administration built the site in the early 1900s.
Covering 10,154 square meters, the fort featured two 15-meter-high observation towers, underground bunkers, and mortar positions on the east and west sides. Its front gate was flanked by heavy guns on both sides.
The construction reflected Houayxay’s strategic importance during the French protectorate period, when the town served as a frontier outpost guarding British Burma (present-day Myanmar) and Siam (modern-day Thailand).
The fort was named after Comte Carnot, a politician and engineer who pioneered innovative fortification designs later adapted for French colonies.
After Laos gained independence from France in 1954, the Royal Lao Army continued to use the fort during the Second Indochina War (Vietnam War) until 1975. Following the founding of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, it was placed under the care of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Army.
In 2010, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the camp was developed into an information center for tourism and historical exhibits, including displays on Indochina War-era military artifacts.
In October 2024, the province opened the former French military camp, namely Fort Carnot 1990 Es Café, as a new historical tourism attraction.
Today, the former military site has been officially transferred to the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2025/08/20/old-french-military-fort-in-bokeo-province-recognized-as-local-level-national-heritage-site/
Luang Prabang Attracts Over 2.15 Million Tourists in First 7 Months of 2025
In the first seven months of 2025, Luang Prabang attracted over 2.15 million visitors, Deputy Governor Bounleua Sinxayvoravong reported at the provincial office on 15 August.
With 2,155,994 visitors in the first seven months of 2025, Luang Prabang saw an increase of 983,483 tourists, or 83.8 percent, compared to the same period last year.
The province also generated LAK 1,108 billion (approximately USD 52.76 million) in revenue, reaching 92.2 percent of its annual target.
Key attractions drawing visitors include Xiengthong Temple, Mount Phusi, Kuang Si Falls, the Royal Palace Museum, the Luang Prabang Night Market, etc
To prepare for the upcoming tourist season and the 30th anniversary celebrations of the UNESCO World Heritage Site later this year, the provincial authorities are focusing on urgent repairs and improvements, including resolving traffic bottlenecks within Luang Prabang City.
Meanwhile, Champasack Province welcomed over 426,126 visitors in the same period, generating more than USD 55 million in tourism revenue, an 8 percent increase from 2024. The province exceeded its annual visitor target of 350,958, achieving 121 percent of the planned number in just seven months.
Laos welcomed over 2.3 million tourists in the first half of 2025, up from 2.1 million during the same period last year. The country aims to surpass its 2025 target of 4.5 million visitors, building on more than 4.1 million tourists in 2024.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2025/08/18/luang-prabang-attracts-over-2-15-million-tourists-in-first-7-months-of-2025/
Laos Calls for Stronger Mekong Cooperation on Digital Growth, Clean Energy, and Water Management
Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane has called for deeper Mekong cooperation to strengthen digital growth, clean energy, and water resource management to improve the lives of people across the region.
Thongsavanh made his remark on 15 August at the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Anning, Yunnan Province, China.
There, he stressed the need for forward-looking collaboration that delivers tangible benefits to the region’s people.
The official urged member states to prioritize resilient economies, digital transformation, sustainable water management, human resource development, and responses to emerging security challenges, while highlighting agriculture, clean energy, and tourism as key growth sectors.
Thongsavanh also praised the LMC’s achievements over the past nine years, noting that the LMC Special Fund, established in 2017, has already financed more than 100 projects in Laos worth over USD 26 million.
The meeting, co-chaired by China and Thailand, reviewed progress under the LMC’s three pillars, including Political-Security, Sustainable Development, and Social-Cultural Exchange, and five priority areas: connectivity, water resource management, agriculture and poverty reduction, cross-border trade, and production capacity.
Laos Reaffirms Support for Myanmar Peace, Regional Security
On the same day, the Lao foreign minister joined a special meeting with China, Thailand, and Myanmar to discuss regional security and the evolving situation in Myanmar.
He reaffirmed Laos’ support for a “Myanmar-led, Myanmar-owned” political process, stressing that stability there is vital for regional peace and development.
In addition, the ministers reviewed Myanmar’s situation since the military takeover in 2021, including plans for a general election in late 2025 or early 2026. They pledged closer cooperation to combat transnational crimes, including drug trafficking, human trafficking.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2025/08/18/laos-calls-for-stronger-mekong-cooperation-on-digital-growth-clean-energy-and-water-management/