End of Buddhist Lent - the start of the drinking season?

Long renowned as the land of a million elephants, Laos is also viewed as a land of festivals and celebrations where people need very little excuse to hold a party or family get-together. The majority of festivals are based on the Buddhist faith that dominates the country and festival dates are tied to the lunar calendar.


One of the biggest events is the boat racing festival, which is held every year at the end of Buddhist Lent. The festival is deep rooted in Lao royal heritage and is the main time of the year for a family reunion.

During the celebrations the capital turns into a lively town with thousands of visitors from other parts of the country vying for walking space alongside foreigners eagerly anticipating the important festival.

Stalls line the main roads as vendors set up shop with makeshift booths, hoping to profit from the influx of visitors. A variety of discounted and free samples are available, with salespeople using various enticements to attract customers, such as discounts and free gifts.

Apart from household items and clothing there is an inevitable abundance of food and drink.

There are many vendors selling food and drink along the main street but the area that draws the biggest crowds is the entertainment section. Any booths with a stage or music are always crowded as people enjoy listening to live music, playing games, watching shows, snacking on food and, more importantly, enjoying their drinks.

Many people often wonder what percentage of festival-goers actually watch the boat races. It seems that most people enjoy the festival but never watch the races. A large number of people head to restaurants or friends' homes nearby in order to have a drink.

Although the festival marks the end of the three-month rain retreat for monks, many people look on it as a reason to start drinking again.

I asked many of my friends if they were actually going to watch the boat races. All of them gave me the same answer - they only go there to drink and get together with their friends. It seems that only older people go to the festival to watch the races, while younger people focus more on drinking.

The approach to the spec tator areas is often crowded with older onlookers cheering for their favourite boat, while most young people gather at the street fair and in areas where stages are set up for bands to play. After their unaccustomed walk and tiring shopping, they find a comfortable place to relax with good food and drink, but unfortunately some people overdo the drinking.

Stands that sell drinks bring in a lot of money as most of their customers like to keep drinking until they pass out. If you visit the largest booth or entertainment area, you will find large crowds of people drinking and watching performances. Although some of these shows feature traditional performances, most ape western styles and include risque dancing. Moreover, many brand promoters use girls in alluring dresses to tempt people into their venues.

Often female revellers can be seen in skimpy clothing dancing on chairs and tables. This is inappropriate as the festival is a traditional event with huge numbers of locals and foreigners present. It's time the organisers paid more attention to this sensitive issue. It is good to have entertainment venues for public enjoyment, but this year there were simply too many.

Although it's a time for partying, people should limit their drinking in order to avoid accidents. Women in particular should be careful to remain sober as they have a duty to maintain the image of Lao women and Lao culture.

Next month another big festival, That Luang, will take place. The authorities should use the experience of the boat racing festival to improve this next major cultural event, so as to uphold our fine culture and keep the city clean and tidy.

They also have a duty to ensure that Lao people maintain the traditional image of Laos, rather than just spending their time drinking.



By P.M. Fasai