#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Laos Forum >  >  > Laos Questions >  >  The Last Century of Lao Royalty: A Documentary History

## gjbkk

From Silkworm Books: If anyone is interested  :Smile:  
*The Last Century of Lao Royalty: A Documentary History*
Grant Evans

ISBN 978-974-9511-66-4

2009. 443pp, 21×28cm. 498 b/w photographs, 25 color photographs,
B1,850

Lao Royaltys engagement in all the major events of the country in the last century forms a rich and complex narrative. But with the 1975 Communist revolution this history fell into oblivion and has all but disappeared from public memory.

The Last Century of Lao Royalty recovers this history by presenting a wealth of rare documents and photographs that bring to life the political, social, and cultural activities of the members of the royal families. It provides a thoroughly unique perspective on the role of Lao royalty in the modern story of the nation. Royalty was, in fact, a force for moderation, modernization, and democracy during the period of the Royal Lao Government (1947-1975). The last king, King Sisavang Vatthana, for instance, refused to give his imprimatur to a military dictatorship because he was so doggedly committed to constitutional rule. Naturally, there were some aristocratic royals who remained deeply conservative, but others joined forces with radical revolutionaries.

The book begins with a comprehensive historical introduction, followed by short essays on specific topics and excerpts culled from newspapers, personal letters, official reports, and a variety of other sources. Accompanying these is a rare selection of photographs of Lao royalty and royal occasions collected from individuals and archives around the world. This is no royalist hagiography, however. Modern Lao royal history is presented in all of its complicated convolutions, making this volume a key contribution to our understanding of modern Laos.

Grant Evans was a professor of anthropology at the University of Hong Kong for many years and was co-editor of Hong Kong: The Anthropology of a Chinese Metropolis (1997) and Where China Meets Southeast Asia (1999). He has published extensively on Laos and Southeast Asia, including Lao Peasants Under Socialism (1990), The Politics of Ritual and Remembrance: Laos Since 1975 (1998), A Short History of Laos (2002), and edited Laos: Culture and Society (1999). He now lives and works in Vientiane.

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## watterinja

I sincerely doubt the people of Lao would want these people back. There was a referendum in the 90's about whether, or not, to allow them back. 

Practically, Laos was so divided in previous times due to factions within their royalty. The rich/poor problem that Thailand now faces, could be seen in Laos prior to their bloodless coup, following a rather complicated, bloody revolution. 

Laos seems happy without meddling power-mongers.

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## Norton

> *bloodless revolution*


Hmong's don't bleed?  This from a Hmong website so perhaps all fabrications. :Confused: 

 "The government was concerned enough about this resistance movement to send troops to the hills, in an attempt to crush it. When these proved ineffective against the small bands of "God's disciples" or "Chao Fa" Hmong, four regiments of North Vietnamese soldiers were brought in from their stand-by positions in various parts of the country. Aerial bombing and gas rockets were also used, along with heavy artillery lifted to the highlands by helicopter. Many Hmong settlements were burned to the ground by Vietnamese troops, who, as one eye-witness recounts, passed through like a hurricane, destroying everything and everyone in their path. Deadly chemicals were dropped on those hiding in the jungle and defoliants were sprayed on their crops.(39) 

Civilians who surrendered themselves to the authorities were sent to resettlement villages" in the lowlands, where they were dispatched to "seminar" centres, imprisonment or execution, depending on the decisions of military officials.

  According to one source, only 3500 Hmong in the Phou Bia area were involved in armed resistance against the government, compared to 150,000 in the country. (40) Another reports that the search-and-destroy operations of 1977 resulted in at least 1300 Hmong rebels killed and "thousands" captured in "heavy fighting . For his part, Vang Pao alleged that 50 000 Hmong died from PL chemical poisoning between 1975 and 1978 alone, and another 45 000 perished "from starvation and disease or were shot trying to escape to Thailand".(42)

 It is difficult to confirm the claims by either side. The truth probably lies somewhere between the two sets of figures given by the government and by Hmong refugees. There is no doubt, however, that the campaign against Hmong dissidents has increased significantly the number of people crossing to Thailand. A group of 2500 Hmong, for instance, arrived in Nong Khai refugee camp in December 1977, probably the biggest escape party to reach Thailand It was said to have had more than 8000 members when it first set but from Phou Bia, but a number turned back while many others were captured or shot by PL soldiers along the escape route. 

Many old people died from exhaustion or drowning and quite a few children died when the adults put their hands over the babies' mouths, to prevent them from crying when they risked being spotted by the PL soldiers. Intelligence teams returning to Laos in early 1978 reported frequent sightings of corpses along the way; and in one instance, a young girl of six years old was found still alive near the body of her dead mother, beside a jungle trail."


http://www.hmongnet.org/hmong-au/hmong82a.htm

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## Rural Surin

Good man GJ. For those interested in regional history, it would be well worth your effort to explore Silkworm Book's online catalogue. :Smile:

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