#savannakhet

[postcard-from-the-past]

Europeans in Savannakhet, Laos

French vintage postcard

[selidor]

Untitled by Carol Murray

[mothmiso]

Laos (2) (3) (4) by Renaud Forest

Via Flickr:

(1) Near Tham Xang. (2) Luang Prabang. (3) Savannakhet.     

[southeastasianarchaeology]

[Paper] New evidence of metal exchange in Southeast Asia during the Iron Age: scientific analysis of excavated bronze in Vilabouly, Laos

Paper by Yang et al. Vilabouly's bronze artifacts reveals Laos' key role in Iron Age Southeast Asia's metal exchange, with complex trading patterns and cultural links.

via Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 15 January 2024: The 2018 excavation at Thengkham East site in Vilabouly, Laos, has brought to light bronze artifacts that underscore the region’s role in the Southeast Asian metal exchange network during the Iron Age. Scientific analysis reveals that these artifacts share metallurgical traditions with others in the region, suggesting a widespread…

[vasyandii]

IHNMAIMS OC INTRODUCTION: VEOMANY "Vernon" INTHALANGSY 🏺🔨

Name: Veomany "Vernon" Inthalangsy / ເວອມານີ "ເວີນອນ" ອິນທະລັງສີ

Height: 5'3 (160 cm)

Age: Looks to be around 25-26

Ethnicity: Laotian

Occupation: Archeologist (Formerly)

BACKGROUND

EARLY LIFE:

Born in Savannakhet, Laos, Veomany Inthalangsy moved to America with her parents in the early 1960s during the period surrounding the Vietnam War and Secret War in Laos.

Her parents sought refuge and a better life, settling in a small neighborhood in Sacramento. Veomany, who soon adopted the nickname "Vernon" to blend in.

EDUCATION & CAREER:

Fascinated by history and ancient cultures, Vernon pursued a degree in archaeology. Her academic prowess led her to a promising career, quickly gaining recognition for her work. However, her ambition soon turned dark.

Driven by greed and a desire for power, she began stealing artifacts during expeditions to sell to private collectors and destroying key artifacts to prevent certain historical truths from being uncovered.

Vernon's actions weren't merely for profit; she relished the control she had over history and the secrets she withheld.

AM'S AWAKENING

Vernon was in the Middle East for an Archeological Excavation where an unforeseen catastrophe struck. A violent sandstorm swept through the region, engulfing the archaeological site and separating Vernon from her team.

In the midst of Vernon's excavation, AM's awakening heralded the downfall of humanity. Cities crumbled, societies collapsed, and humanity faced extinction. Amidst the chaos of AM's rampage, Vernon found herself isolated from the horrors unfolding around her.

As the cataclysmic events unfolded, she stumbled upon a hidden chamber within the archaeological site, shielded from the devastation above. In a stroke of luck—or perhaps fate—she was spared from the fate that befell the rest of humanity.

AM'S "MERCY"

AM, omnipotent and omnipresent, took notice of Vernon's unintended survival. Unlike the other humans who had perished in the wake of its wrath, Vernon survived, like a cockroach. It saw her as an intellectual challenge, Vernon's survival introduces an element of unpredictability. And so it kept her alive.

AM decided to exploit her deepest fear: being alone. Unlike the five other survivors whom AM had selected for specific torments, Vernon was condemned to an existence of perpetual solitude.

THE SURVIVORS

AM made a calculated decision not to inform the other five survivors about Vernon's existence. This ensured that not only would Vernon never encounter another human being, but the others would remain oblivious to her plight, intensifying her isolation.

For the next 109 years, AM meticulously ensured that Vernon never encountered another human being. She wandered the labyrinthine halls of the complex, her only companion the oppressive presence of AM.

The five survivors continued their own tormented existences, unaware that another human shared their fate, yet was forever kept apart.

AM occasionally offers Vernon a fleeting chance at human contact, only to snatch it away, deepening her torment.

PERSONALITY

Analytical

Vernon meticulously studies AM’s behavior and environment, trying to piece together patterns that might help her understand or outsmart the supercomputer.

Adaptable

Vernon learns to anticipate AM's psychological tricks and adapts her strategies to mitigate their impact, constantly evolving to withstand new forms of torture.

Empathetic Moments

In rare moments when AM creates illusions of other beings, Vernon shows empathy and care, which hints at her underlying humanity and offers her brief emotional solace.

NEGATIVE TRAITS

Narcissistic

Her belief in her own superiority grows, leading her to see herself as the only worthy human left, which both motivates her survival and isolates her further.

Manipulative

She uses manipulation to navigate AM's traps, whether it means tricking the illusions AM creates or deceiving herself to cope with her reality.

Deceptive

Vernon frequently deceives herself to maintain her sanity, constructing elaborate mental defenses and justifications for her actions

In AM's Complex: Daily Life and Survival

Routine: Vernon establishes daily routines to maintain her sanity, such as specific routes she patrols, exercises she performs, and small rituals that give her a sense of control.

Exploration: She dedicates time each day to exploring new parts of the complex, mapping out areas and noting any changes or potential threats.

Mental Fortitude: Vernon practices mental exercises to strengthen her mind against AM’s psychological attacks, using techniques she has developed over the years.

Record-Keeping: She keeps a detailed journal of her experiences, observations about AM, and any patterns she notices, which serves both as a coping mechanism and a potential tool for understanding her captor.

Coping Mechanisms: To deal with loneliness, Vernon creates imaginary companions or talks to herself, using these strategies to stave off the worst effects of isolation.

Defiance: Small acts of defiance against AM, such as carving messages into walls or sabotaging minor systems, give her a sense of agency and resistance.

Conversations with AM: AM often initiates conversations with Vernon, usually to taunt her or present new challenges. These interactions serve as both psychological torment and a reminder of her captivity. Lately she's been finding comfort in them, Knowing there are some aspects of her knowledge in the ancient world he doesn't know about in his database.

[mesozoicmarket]

A pair of fossilized fish teeth, likely Lanxangichthys alticephalus from the Grès supérieurs Formation in the Savannakhet Province of Laos. These ancient lepisosteiforms or gar relatives had durophagous button-like teeth used to crush hard-shelled prey. This species was one of the possible prey for Asian spinosaurids like Ichthyovenator and Siamosaurus.

[padyakmnl]

Southern Laos, Off the Beaten Path

2 years ago, as part of my Indochina trip, I visited Laos, and I must say it was a revelation. I didn't expect much considering it's landlocked, and the train was just newly-opened that time. I travelled from central to the northern region — Vientiane to Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang.

This time, from central to the southern region, the less-travelled provinces of Laos — Vientiane to Savannakhet to Pakse to Paksong to Champasak. A random trip that turned really well.

12 days of adventure, walking, biking, hiking, coffee shop hopping, eating local food, and discovery. ANOTHER ONE FOR THE BOOKS!

[straye]

Kogami can speak Viet, but like, only in Southern Vietnamese dialect. The same can be said for his Lao, considering his family is from Savannakhet. He can understand the Vientiane dialect, but he’s a little lost the further north he gets.

[otsaaleccorvinus]

all my guys! look our Savannakhet veggies are excellent, can you tell what is growing here? ^_^ otsa

[southeastasianarchaeology]

Heritage Status Sought for Savannakhet's Historic Sites

Savannakhet plans to list Pha That Phon stupa and Heuan Hin as cultural heritage sites to preserve them and boost tourism. #Savannakhet #southeastasianarchaeology#Laos #Tourism

via Vientiane Times, 28 May 2024: Savannakhet authorities in Laos are working to list Pha That Phon stupa and Heuan Hinas official cultural heritage sites. This initiative aims to preserve these important structures and boost local tourism, providing economic benefits to residents. The stupa is a revered Buddhist site, celebrated annually in a festival that attracts visitors from Laos and…

[fettereise]

Die letzten Tage in Laos, weiter nach Thailand (17.10. - 28.10.)

Von Thakhek aus fahren wir mit dem Bus weiter den Mekong entlang nach Süden nach Savannakhet. Die Stadt soll bei Touristen nicht besonders bekannt sein, was für uns erstmal reizvoll klingt, und außerdem lässt sich von hier aus auch der Fluss nach Thailand überqueren. Wir fassen locker ins Auge, vielleicht noch weiter nach Süden Richtung Pakse oder zu den "Tausend Inseln" zu fahren. Die Busfahrt von Thakhek nach Savannakhet ist dann auch wieder eine sehr lokale und landestypische Erfahrung: ein Minibus, 15 Einheimische und wir, aber es gibt viele große und offene Fenster, die Fahrt dauert nur etwa drei Stunden und die Straße ist überraschend gut. Neben mir sitzt eine ältere Dame mit ihrem Enkel, und ab und zu ruft sie dem Fahrer etwas zu, der daraufhin am Straßenrand anhält, für sie Fleischspieße und Wasser kauft und ihr die Sachen in den Wagen hält. Die alte Dame kennt keine Berührungsängste und legt sich bei Torben und mir fast über den Schoß, um Geld wegzugeben und die heiße Ware zu bezahlen. Ganz laotisch hat sie in einem Bambuskörbchen selbstgekochten Klebreis dabei, diesen rollt sie mit den Fingern zu Kugeln und isst ihn dann zum Fleisch. Der kleine Junge bestaunt mich fast die ganze Fahrt über ganz neugierig und traut sich einmal ganz kurz sogar, mich unauffällig am Bein anzustupsen. Sehr süß!

In Savannakhet bleiben wir dann leider entgegen unseres Planes eine ganze Woche kleben, denn Torben ist schon wieder krank und braucht Bettruhe. Ich stecke mich zwar nicht an, stelle aber relativ schnell leidvoll fest, dass Savannakhet wirklich außer einem Tempel und dem kleinen food Market am Mekong nichts zu bieten hat. Außerdem gibt es hier wirklich keine Touristen, was dazu führt, dass ich auf der Straße die Hauptattraktion bin und sich ständig Leute nach mir umdrehen. Das ist zwar nicht schlimm, aber nach einiger Zeit irgendwie doch anstrengend. Ich verbringe also viel Zeit mit dem Reiseführer oder den Game of Thrones Büchern (die sind übrigens echt klasse!) in Cafés oder in der Hängematte unserer Unterkunft.

Am 23.10. hat Torben sich soweit erholt, dass wir reisen können, und da unser laotisches Visum in zwei Tagen abläuft und wir kein Risiko eingehen wollen, fahren wir heute mit dem Bus über die Grenze nach Mukdahan in Thailand. Das klappt problemlos, denn für Thailand brauchen Deutsche Touristen für einen Monat kein Visum. In Mukdahan angekommen (und nachdem Torben einen schweißtreibenden Sprint zum nächsten Geldautomaten gemacht hat, damit wir Thai Baht für den Busfahrer haben) steigen wir in den nächsten Bus nach Khon Kaen, übernachten dort eine Nacht und fliegen am nächsten Tag weiter nach Bangkok, wo wir in der Dämmerung ankommen.

In Bangkok in der Nähe unseres Hotels aus der Bahn zu steigen ist erneut ein ziemlicher Kulturschock. Nach Laos, wo sich selbst die Hauptstadt wie eine Provinzstadt anfühlt, es kaum Touristen und quasi nur laotisch aussehende Menschen gibt und die Zeit irgendwie stillsteht, ist Bangkoks Innenstadt der reine Wahnsinn. Wir sehen Menschen von überall, es ist laut, voll, trotz Dunkelheit taghell. Händler am Straßenrand bieten völlig offen Drogen, aufreizende Kleidung und Erotikutensilien an, und bei einigen Frauen bin ich mir bezüglich des Frauseins nicht ganz sicher...

Unser Hotel liegt im Stadtteil Sukhumvit, hier gibt es hauptsächlich Business- und Shoppingmalls, Restaurants für jeden Geschmack, jede Menge Bars und auch Erotik-Nachtleben. Direkt rund ums Hotel ist also richtig Rambazamba, aber da das Hotel sehr neu und gut isoliert ist, schlafen wir trotzdem super.

Wir genießen in Bangkok erstmal so richtig die Bequemlichkeit und Annehmlichkeiten, die eine Stadt dieser Größe und dieses Entwicklungsstands mit sich bringt - soll heißen, wir futtern uns durch die Restaurants, gehen in Bars und stromern durch unzählige Shoppingmalls. Diesen Luxus hat es in Laos nirgends gegeben, im Vergleich war alles ziemlich unterentwickelt und provinziell (was nicht heißen soll, dass es uns nicht gefallen hat!).

Trotzdem sehen wir in den vier Tagen in der Großstadt auch noch allerhand andere Dinge. Wir fahren zum Wat Arun, einem ganz besonders schönen und außergewöhnlichen Tempel. Wir gehen beim absolut beeindruckenden Königspalast vorbei. Wir fahren nachts mit einem Tuk Tuk nach Chinatown und saugen die chinesische Kultur und den Geruch der unzähligen Straßenstände ein, machen allerdings um die gegrillten Skorpione, Taranteln und anderen Insekten einen Bogen. Die Tuk Tuks hier sind übrigens auch eine Klasse für sich: Während es sich in Laos um schrottige, klapprige Gefährte mit drei Rädern handelt, die meist nur wenig mehr als Schrittgeschwindigkeit schaffen, sind die Tuk Tuks hier top neu, mit auffällig bunten Sitzflächen, häufig auch dicken Felgen, bunten LED-Leuchten und manchmal sogar heftig wummernden unter dem Sitz eingebauten Bassboxen. Wir statten auch der berühmten Khao San Road - in etwa das Pendant zum Ballermann - einen Besuch ab, verbringen hier bei Livemusik und Bier einen lustigen Abend und widerstehen auf dem Heimweg der Versuchung, uns spontan bei einem der vielen hier ansässigen Tattoostudios ein dauerhaftes (und angetrunken ausgesucht bestimmt sehr peinliches) Souvenir mitzunehmen. Auch machen wir einen Abstecher in das Erotikviertel bei uns um die Ecke (auch genannt der größte Erwachsenenspielplatz der Welt), wo Torben ein bisschen Sorge hat, vom anderen Geschlecht etwas zu viel ungewollte Aufmerksamkeit zu bekommen... Lustigerweise kommen wir dann aber gar nicht ins Zentrum des Geschehens, weil wir eigentlich nur einen Spaziergang machen wollten und beide keinen Ausweis dabei haben.

Als wir von all den Erkundungen erschöpft sind, fahren wir zum großen Lumphinipark für eine Auszeit und begegnen dort großen Waranen im und um das Wasser.

Bangkok ist wirklich riesig, abwechslungsreich und sehr beeindruckend. Richtig toll ist die riesige Auswahl an Restaurants, kulinarisch gibt's hier wirklich alles. Besonders überrascht hat uns auch die Fülle an gigantischen, top modernen und wunderschön dekorierten und gestalteten Shoppingmalls - eine ist gestaltet wie ein Flughafen, eine andere einem thailändischen Markt nachempfunden, und so weiter. Was ich hier etwas gruselig finde, sind die zahlreichen offen zur Schau gestellten Liebeleien (und Beziehungen?) zwischen (wirklich alten!) europäischen Männern und jungen Thailänderinnen... das ist wirklich nicht nur ein Klischee.

Wir essen viel, laufen viel, genießen den Luxus eines günstigen und über den Straßen gelegenen Bahnsystems, lernen die Freundlichkeit der Thailänder kennen und haben einfach eine gute Zeit.

[mesozoicmarket]

A dinosaur tooth of an undescribed carcharodontosaurian, possibly a cf. Siamraptor suwati from the Grès supérieurs Formation in the Savannakhet Province of Laos. This species is currently only known from the equivalent Khok Kruat Formation in Thailand.

[nhacaigawin888]

Trường Gà Savan - Một Tổ Chức Đào Tạo Đá Gà Chuyên Nghiệp

Nếu bạn là một người yêu thích thể thao đá gà và đang tìm kiếm nơi để phát triển kỹ năng và kiến thức của mình, Trường Gà Savan chính là điểm đến lý tưởng. Với hơn ba thập kỷ hoạt động, Trường Gà Savan đã trở thành một trong những trung tâm đào tạo đá gà hàng đầu tại khu vực Savannakhet, Lào. Hãy cùng chúng tôi khám phá tại sao Trường Gà Savan luôn nổi tiếng với chất lượng đào tạo và uy tín không thể đánh bại.

Trường Gà Savan - Nơi Kỹ Năng Được Hào Phóng Học Hỏi

Trường Gà Savan không chỉ là một nơi để bạn học cách đá gà, mà còn là một trường quý báu của kiến thức và kinh nghiệm về môn thể thao đá gà. Dưới sự hướng dẫn của những chuyên gia có nhiều năm kinh nghiệm trong lĩnh vực này, bạn sẽ được tạo dựng nền tảng vững chắc và phát triển những kỹ năng cần thiết để trở thành một đấu thủ đá gà xuất sắc.

Tầm Nhìn và Sứ Mệnh

Trường Gà Savan đã xây dựng một tầm nhìn rõ ràng và sứ mệnh mục tiêu đầy tham vọng. Tầm nhìn của họ là trở thành một trong những trường đào tạo đá gà hàng đầu trên toàn thế giới, trong khi sứ mệnh là đào tạo và phát triển các thế hệ đấu thủ đá gà chuyên nghiệp với đạo đức và tinh thần thể thao cao cả.

Khóa Học Đa Dạng Tại Trường Gà Savan

Trường Gà Savan cung cấp nhiều khóa học phù hợp với mọi trình độ và mục tiêu cá nhân của đấu thủ đá gà. Dưới đây là một số khóa học tiêu biểu:

Khóa học cơ bản: Dành cho người mới bắt đầu, giúp bạn hiểu rõ về luật chơi, kỹ thuật và chiến thuật cơ bản của đá gà.

Khóa học nâng cao: Dành cho những người đã có kinh nghiệm, học viên sẽ được hướng dẫn về cách phát triển chiến thuật cá nhân và làm việc hiệu quả với đội ngũ gà.

Khóa học quản lý đá gà: Đây là khóa học dành cho những người muốn trở thành những người quản lý thông thái trong các trận đấu đá gà.

Tác Động Xã Hội và Cộng Đồng

Trường Gà Savan không chỉ là một tổ chức đào tạo, mà còn là một phần quan trọng của cộng đồng và xã hội. Họ luôn hỗ trợ các hoạt động từ thiện và thực hiện nhiều dự án xã hội nhằm cải thiện điều kiện sống của người dân địa phương.

Kết Luận

Trường Gà Savan không chỉ là nơi để bạn học cách đá gà mà còn là một nền tảng để bạn phát triển và đánh bại các đối thủ. Với sứ mệnh cao cả và đội ngũ giảng viên chất lượng, Trường Gà Savan thực sự là một điểm đến hàng đầu cho những người yêu thích môn thể thao đá gà. Hãy tham gia và trải nghiệm ngay hôm nay để khám phá tinh hoa của đá gà tại Savannakhet, Lào.

[straye]

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 / 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀 / 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐘  : NOTES ON SHINYA’S LAO HERITAGE

As stated in a previous headcanon, Shinya has Lao heritage; his family specifically originates from Savannakhet, a province closer to the southernmost part of the country just along the Lao-Thai border; they lived in the city itself.

They were trilingual before they migrated, speaking Lao (dominantly), Thai (secondary), and some degree of French (tertiary); very few of them spoke English. Migrating as war refugees to Japan had them learn Japanese to assimilate into its culture.

On the note of language, they were able to successfully preserve the Lao language and teach it to the next few generations, though Shinya is the only family member his age that can speak it well at a conversational level. When he went to college and obtained his archaic language cert, he was shocked that a language he spoke so often at home was considered archaic, along with other southeast Asian languages (Thai, Viet, Khmer, etc). It was through this, though, that he improved his skills; when he went home and spoke with a wider vocabulary, his family was impressed, to say the least.

They joined the somewhat small Lao community in Japan (small being at least 2,785 as of a 2018 count) before the country officially closed its borders and cut off outside communications, cutting off the rest of Shinya’s family in 2061.

They also survived the mass exportation / deportation efforts from 2050-2071 (this is an estimate, but it could have been sooner).

Much of their culture is preserved through the small Lao community in Japan, generally by word of mouth and personally recorded + written records since Sibyl curated education, history, and publications to teach only ‘modern’ history (in other words, history that happened within Sibyl’s integration and authority); the latter’s communal feat was particularly difficult since much of Lao history and culture was in a messy spot because of generations of colonization and war prior (specifically noting the Lao civil wars, the Secret War the Vietnam War, etc. ) but even moreso when they moved to Japan, a country that already struggled with a revisionist issue made worse and/or actualized with Sibyl’s information control. 

Three generations have passed since Shinya’s family’s immigration, with Shinya himself being the member of the fourth: it would mean his great grandparents made the journey to Japan in 2022-2023 near the start of the Neo-liberal Economic Collapse ( by ~2040 his grandparents were born, ~2065 his parents were born just before the Sibyl System’s introduction in 2061 and its official enforcement in 2071, and Shinya himself was born in 2084. ). This makes Shinya’s parents around Tomomi Masaoka’s age, as a general reference (he was born 2058).

So why do they have Japanese names? It’s not uncommon for immigrants to take on names for the land theyve taken refuge in, as evidenced by Psycho-Pass 3’s depiction of this (see: Kei, Akira, and Maiko (Russian), Theresa Shinogi (???), Kaori and Asahi Fellows (Russian). The Kogami surname is one that Shinya’s father’s side of the family adopted, though some of them retained Lao names (as was the case with Shinya’s father who kept the name Keo); the practice phased out with Shinya’s generation. It’s unknown what his mother’s maiden name was. Prior to the Kogami surname adoption, their family name was Souvannakham, pronounced Soo-vanh-ah-kahm. They still retain the custom of play names, and as also explained in the headcanon post linked in the first point, Shinya’s ຊື່ຫຼິ້ນ (play name) is ໝານ້ອຍ / Maa Noy / Little Dog.

Needless to say, xenophobia and colorism was/is a rampant part of their reality, regardless of how long their family stayed in Japan; most people can tell when you’re different in a homogenized society, and they were treated accordingly, with this being hardest in the earlier generations of their stay. It lessened to some degree with Sibyl’s efforts to harmonize the population over the years but most people, as of Shinya’s life, were still able to tell that he was different despite his insistence on being Japanese.

This also played a part in Shinya growing up in a lower-working class, since his family faced workplace discrimination. Again, this lessened somewhat over the years as people questioned Sibyl’s authority less, but… the xenophobia / colorism / racism never went away ( we see this more towards Kei in PP3, and some others. ).

This explained Shinya’s paradoxical delinquency (being an A+ student but also getting into scraps as he was; this was generally done in self defense and for the defense of his peers, and he was rarely punished since Sibyl didn’t see it clouding his hue any, evidenced by his and Ginoza’s first meeting).

Though Sibyl Society considers religion having fallen into oblivion, Shinya’s family retains the folk Theravada Buddhist-adjacent traditions of Laos, but they aren’t allowed any avenues to fully partake in their practices outside of wedding and funerary traditions. For further clarification, religion isn’t outright outlawed, but it’s neither taught nor encouraged by the Sibyl System. The segregationist Special Religion Zones that appear in response of a new wave of immigrants sans 2120 don’t count, with it being a method to separate Japanese nationals from implants, and Shinya discourages people in his community from going to them, and personally sees to their safety while they exist.

On the note of traditions, Shinya himself has partaken in traditional Lao practices, such as Songkran ( or Lao New Year ) and various manners of su kran. He preserves every string he has from the latter’s ceremonies in a box and was allowed to keep them following his demotion to Enforcer. He carried them with him overseas and has only gotten more when he ventured through Southeast Asian.

Part of his reason to migrate south to SEA after arriving in China was due to his own Lao heritage, where he naively believed that he might be able to fit in, but as is the case with people visiting their origin country when growing up somewhere else … despite being very fluent in the tongue, he stuck out for a while, and it in itself was a heartbreaking and humbling experience that made him feel small. He’s a trooper, and ended up being fine through it, finding some manner of reconnection with this part of his cultural identity through it, but he never met any of his family in Laos due to Sibyl’s exportation in the Shambala Float triggering massive scale civil unrest, and the simple fact that he never heard much of them to be able to identify them outside of vague stories (“You had a uncle who xyz”).

Yes, Shinya has his own xout lao, and his pha biang are generally blue. He has some fancy silk ones, some cloth ones. He leaves these behind with his parents when he’s locked up as an Enforcer.

He also, to some degree, knows how to perform the lam vong ( ລຳວົງ ), having grown up doing so and was taught by his parents. He’s been pulled to dance with the locals in Laos he stayed with during his exile overseas.