The Vietnam War ended 40 years ago, but reminders are still everywhere in Laos.
The commercial center of southern Laos, Pakse, is busy, noisy and on a charm level with maybe Secaucus.
There is no British Embassy in Laos and the nearest is in the Thai capital, Bangkok.
Its member countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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He has more than 200 workers from Cambodia and Laos, a quarter of his workforce.
Newer members will follow - Vietnam by 2006 and Laos and Myanmar by 2008.
Vietnam and Laos had previously been given until 2013 and 2015, respectively, to comply.
Naw Kham was captured last April in Laos and extradited to Kunming to stand trial.
China, Burma, Laos and Thailand launched joint security patrols on the Mekong in response.
So are five east-west routes linking Thailand and Vietnam, three via Laos and two via Cambodia.
New and mostly untested leaders are in power in Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
In 2008 it moved into neighbouring Laos, where it has 27 branches (and growing).
She had been on holiday in Thailand and the Netherlands before travelling to Laos.
Cambodia had been due to join ASEAN this month, along with Laos and Burma.
Laos-watchers in Bangkok are also divided about who is behind the campaign of terror.
Global Witness reported other shipments going to Laos from Stung Treng that same month.
The ferry at the Mekong crossing of Ban Muang in Laos operates in a pretty laissez-faire sort of way.
None of this augurs well for Laos's bid to join the religiously free-market World Trade Organization.
Asked if Laos would embrace multiparty democracy, Khamtay insists the people want one party.
And so life goes on in Laos - two steps forward, one leap back.
Owing in part to pressure from Thailand, Laos has liberalized its economy more than Vietnam.
Delegations come and go between their capitals, and Laos clears all major policy with Hanoi.
But for some members of the ruling elite in Laos, it was clearly a step too far.
Expats in Laos say that sometimes, if you stay too long, you can never go back home.
So the World Bank would assume, in effect, the risk of Laos not honouring its contractual commitments.
The Owston's civet is an endangered species found in the forests of Vietnam, Laos and southern China.
Bordered by Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, the country has a population of roughly 67 million people.
Yet Laos is prudently cultivating other alliances - joining ASEAN in 1997 was part of its strategy.
Compared with fellow ASEAN newcomers Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, Cambodia seems the most determined to benefit from membership.
In fact, the combined support for ND, Pasok and the rump of LAOS totals 43% in the polls.
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