Martin Stuart-Fox - A History of Laos

A History of Laos

Martin Stuart-Fox

University of Queensland

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

PUBLISHED BY THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP, United Kingdom

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, United Kingdom

40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 100114211, USA

10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia

Martin Stuart-Fox 1997

First published 1997

National Library of Australia Cataloguing in Publication data

Stuart-Fox, Martin, 1939

A history of Laos

Bibliography, includes index.

1. Laos History. 2. Laos Politics and government.

I. Title.

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication data

Stuart-Fox, Martin, 1939

A history of Laos / Martin Stuart-Fox.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Cover photograph of Tht Luang, Viang Chan, by Rod McGuinness.

For my parents-in-law
Maurice and Rose Cavalerie
former proprietors of the
Hotel Constellation, Viang Chan

Contents

Maps

Over the years of living in, visiting, and writing about Laos I have received friendship and assistance from many people. Many Lao officials have granted me formal interviews, and many more have talked to me about their country. Even now it is best that some remain anonymous. Among those I would particularly like to thank are Mayoury and Pheuiphanh Ngaosyvathn, Souneth Phothisane, Viliam Phraxayavong, Gar Yia (Gary) Lee, Somphou and Sourisane Oudomvilay, Nouansy Keohavong, Khamsing Khammanivong, Khamphuang and Khetsamouth Bouahom, and the late Claude Vincent, whose untimely death in the country he loved is deeply felt by his family and friends. Sixana Sisn and the late Phmi Vongvichit gave me of their time and expressed interest in my work. My good friend Rod Bucknell advised me on transcription.

Anyone attempting to write a general history of a country is greatly in debt to previous scholars. While the historiography of Laos remains, like the country, underdeveloped, much important research has been, and continues to be, done in France, in the United States, in Australia, and not least in Laos itself. It would be impossible to acknowledge my intellectual debt to all from whom I have learnt much in my studies of Laos. But apart from Lao friends mentioned above, I would particularly like to thank McAlister Brown, David Chandler, Jean Deuve, Arthur Dommen, Amphay Dor, Grant Evans, Bernard Gay, Geoff Gunn, Pierre-Bernard Lafont, Ng Shui Meng, Christian Taillard, Bill Vistarini, and Joe Zasloff.

Of those responsible for bringing my sprawling manuscript to the stage of publication, I owe a debt of gratitude to commissioning editor Phillipa McGuinness and my copy editor Janet Mackenzie at Cambridge University Press for their interest and support. Adnan Moussalli kindly produced the maps, while Serena Bagley prepared the final manuscript. Finally, my heartfelt thanks to my wife, Elisabeth, who may at times have wondered if this project would ever see publication, but who always gave me her love and encouragement.