Letters from Indochina (Part 35)

This entry is part 35 of 39 in the series Letters from Indochina

May 4, 2025

Letters from Indochina (Part 35)

By Simon J. Lau

This morning I visited the morning market in Luang Prabang — a narrow stretch of alleyways packed with stalls selling everything from sticky rice and cured meats to herbal remedies. Locals come here daily for fresh produce, dried spices, and regional specialties you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

I’m rarely surprised by what I see at markets — but today I spotted Asian painted bullfrogs, also known as “chubby frogs.” These round, squat amphibians are often foraged or farmed and used in traditional soups or grilled as snacks. I’d never seen them before and had to look them up afterward. True to their name, they were indeed chubby — and oddly cute.

After the market, I hit the road for Nong Khiaw. The drive started off smooth, then turned rough — and never really improved from there. What struck me most was the steady stream of trucks from China. In fact, many road signs, both official and improvised, were written only in Chinese.

China has poured billions into infrastructure across Laos — roads, railways, and bridges — as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Given Laos’s location, it serves as a strategic overland corridor linking China to the rest of mainland Southeast Asia. By funding highways and a high-speed railway, China is carving out a trade route for moving goods to and from Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond. For landlocked Laos, these projects offer a potential economic lifeline — but at a cost. Most of the funding comes in the form of Chinese loans, leaving Laos with mounting debt and growing concerns about dependency.

As for the road’s poor condition, it wasn’t entirely surprising. I can’t say for sure whether this particular stretch was Chinese-funded, but much of Laos’s infrastructure is. Chinese-backed projects are often fast and large-scale — but not always built to last. And with Laos being a relatively poor country, maintaining that expansive infrastructure over time is an ongoing challenge.

After several bumpy hours — including one stretch of torrential downpour — I finally arrived in Nong Khiaw, a quiet riverside village nestled among jagged limestone peaks. It’s a low-key alternative to some of Laos’s better-known destinations, and I’ll be spending a few days here hiking, relaxing, and soaking in the outdoors.