There is an ongoing construction project along the banks of the Mekong, which includes a new road right by the river (unfortunately), and a park complete with built-in exercise equipment. As the 450th anniversary celebrations grow nearer, the construction project has been nearing completion, and this past week a major statue in the park was unveiled: Chao Anouvong, the last king of the Lao “Lane Xang” Kingdom, who ruled in the 19th century. A week later, the large statue is still a new attraction, and I was in the company of many locals going to pay a visit today. The fact that the area around the statue remains a construction zone, with open buckets of concrete, wires, trash, and paint, doesn’t keep it from being open to the public.
Chao Anouvong
In the park around the statue, numerous folding tables were set up selling all sorts of photo memorabilia of the statue: keychains, framed images, posters. Several photographers were also milling around, with instant-print machines to take photos of families posing in front of the new landmark. The base of the statue was completely covered with banana leaves, candles, and burning incense, all the usual spiritual offerings, and many visitors were kneeling in prayer. This is just one example of the ambiguity between the civil and religious that has confused me since I arrived. People pray at the king’s statue, as well as in the Buddhist temples, and bring the same offerings that they might leave at a spirit house, or at an alms-giving.
offerings at the statue
It seems as though it can’t be completely a coincidence that the king is facing Thailand, which looks like a stone’s throw away, now that the dry season has substantially lowered the water level. Chao Anouvong fought the invading Siamese before he was defeated, and he is remembered as a defender of Lao independence. Today his likeness is pointing toward the neighboring country in what could be seen as a not entirely friendly gesture. Of course, I don’t know for sure if this is the intent, but it seems as though it could be interpreted as such.