Fairtrek Cobras in Laos

Just 3 days ago, we got ourselves a trekking trip around Luang Prabang (Laos) from Fairtrek. It’s a little more expensive, but just a little step further for our tourist dollar injection going to a better cause than another rich man’s pocket. Don’t believe the Lao locals when they claim a trek is a “short” one. Like our Hmong guide who lived in the mountains before seeking higher education in the city, the trek’s like a walk in the park for Guy (not sure how to spell his name). And we had some great conversations with him! And that’s a picture of him happily strumming away at his creaky Hmong string instrument, and us witnessing cock-fighting.




Some interesting things we learnt. A Singaporean encountering a cobra will shriek and runaway; In contrast, a Laotian encountering a cobra will shout for joy over his lucky day, kill the cobra and ask friends over for a meal of snake meat. Next, we learnt that the Laos government outlawed the growing of opium as a cash crop based on moral grounds. While that caused many farmers’ incomes to plunge (like that of Guys’ parents), drugs still find its way easily through the borders with Cambodia or Thailand. Would then legalizing opium-growing be a lesser of two evils given how black market drugs may still devastate youth in such a country?




And a mind-boggling observation bugged me – why are so many villagers spending so much time collecting plant stalks to weave broomsticks, when only one sells for S$0.60? Feels almost like broomstick exports comprise 25% of Laos’ GDP. Though gleaning some insight off Guy, prosperity does hinge much on the availability of opportunities. If broom-making is the only viable skill that these villagers have acquired, there’s indeed much space here for social enterprise to make an impact.