Canada and Lao Refugees

Title:  Hearts of Freedom - Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees
By:  Peter Duschinsky, Colleen Lundy, Michael J. Molloy, Allan Moscovitch, Stephanie Phetsamay Stobbe
Forward by:  Rt. Hon. Joe Clark (former Prime Minister of Canada)
Publisher, Year:  McGill-Queens University Press, 2025
Price:  CAD$35

Written from the Canadian perspective, the release of this book is serendipitously perfect as this year, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of when Canada and many other countries began letting in Lao immigrants following the end of the Vietnam War.

Sent back to Laos

Since the beginning of 2025 in America under the Trump Administration, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began aggressively rounding up those with orders to leave the country and in particular with those with criminal records - no matter how minor the infraction or how long ago it was - and deporting them back to Laos.

An ode to Xiengkhouang

 

ຊຽງຂວາງແດນງາມ xiengkhouang deen ngam

Cover ໂດຍ: ຕ໋ອງ ກິດຕິພົງ ບຸນທອງສີ ແລະ ຕີ່ງນ່ອຍໆ

Source:  Tingnoinoi, 2021

If you've never heard this song before, get into it.

Vegetarian restaurants in Vientiane

 

Source:  foXnoMad, 2024

Follow along as Youtube vlogger FoxNomad explores Vientiane and tries out Lao vegetarian food options.

All about Lao silversmithing

A master silversmith's studio.

Source:  Robert Guides, 2014

We found some great videos on the craft of Lao silversmithing - it's a centuries old art form that not only survives but continues to thrive in the country.

Descendants of two exiled Lao princes are keeping alive Lao royal recipes

 

Source:  OTR Food & History, 2025

In a deeply fascinating interview that crosses both topics of Lao history and food, Youtube food vlogger OnTheRoad, visits Funky Lamb Kitchen - a Lao restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, owned by 2 descendants of Lao princes.

Massive Lao Art Museum

Lao Art Museum - main hall.  Source:  Laoconnection.com