Visitors should view all political events as potential risks and do their utmost to avoid them or avoid staying in the area while they are underway. Crime on the road between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng is also a known occurrence. Petty crime including pick pocketing, bag snatching and theft of cash and personal items from guest house rooms have all been reported so pay extra attention to your possessions and be sure to have a comprehensive travel insurance policy before entering the country. When to go: the high season in Laos corresponds to the period in which the weather is most agreeable and this for most people is the cool season lasting from October until the end of March. Large numbers of backpackers arrive in Southeast Asia during this time to do the circuit which takes in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Money: the Lao Kip is the official currency for the country with notes coming in denominations of 1 Kip, 10 Kip, 20 Kip, 50 Kip, 100 Kip and 500 Kip. As 500 kip is the largest note (1 USD is equal to between 850 and 900 Kip), you’ll find yourself carrying large amounts of notes around with you with can be somewhat inconvenient so its worth noting that in many places, US dollars and Thai Baht are also accepted. Carrying a combination of Kip and dollars is advisable to cut down on the volume of notes in your wallet. You can exchange dollars (and other currencies) and traveller’s cheques at banks and bureau de change counters which can be found in Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane. When paying for small things at shops, restaurants and bars, you’ll find that the Kip is the norm whereas at guest houses, you’ll invariably find the price quoted to you in dollars and it would therefore be appropriate to pay in dollars. Lao has its own regional variations of course with a total of 5 distinct dialects spoken, these being: Vientiane Lao, Southern Lao (Champasak), Central Lao (Khammouan), North-Eastern Lao (Xieng Khouang) and Northern Lao (Luang Prabang). Vientiane Lao is considered the chief dialect of the country and is understood by most people while the variations between the other dialects are not so great that cross regional communication is seriously hindered. Emergency: Vientiane is the only city where emergency numbers are in operation, in the rest of the country it’s necessary to call the regular telephone number of the service you require.
Ambulance: 195
Police: 191
Tourist police emergency hotline: 021-251-128 (Vientiane only) Hospitals in Vientiane include:
International Medical clinic: Tel: 021 214018, 021 214022, 021 214025
Sethathilath Hospital: Tel: 021 412783
Friendship Hospital: Tel: 021 413302, 021 413303-6
Australian Embassy Clinic: Tel: 021 511061, 021 511462, 021 413603
Swedish Clinic: Tel: 021 315015 Hospitals in Thailand include:
Nong Khai Wattana Hospital in Nong Khai:
Tel: +66 42 465 201
AEK International Hospital:
Tel: +66 42 342 555 Establishing a relationship with an English speaking local with apparent trustworthiness is perhaps the best way of finding a way into this situation. Alternatively you may wish to employ the services of a business based in Thailand which, on account having employees that share a similar language, may well be able to negotiate better for you than you might for yourself. Typical business hours:
- Government departments: 08:00 to 11:00, 14:00 to 17:00.
- Retail: 08:00 to 20:00.
- Banking: 08:00 to 11:00, 14:00 to 17:00.
| 
