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Viewing cable 07VIENTIANE618, DANCING WITH THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07VIENTIANE618 2007-08-03 09:14 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Vientiane
VZCZCXRO0278
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHVN #0618 2150914
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030914Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1432
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0586
UNCLAS VIENTIANE 000618 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PREL EAID SENV LA
SUBJECT: DANCING WITH THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary: Econoff accompanied Standing Deputy Prime 
Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, along with a group of senior 
diplomats, on a 36-hour set-piece "study tour" of two 
districts in Sayabouri province.  Thanks to a focus on export 
crops, primarily corn, the districts appear to be doing well 
economically.  However, the most interesting aspect of the 
trip was watching how the Lao Government, at a senior level, 
entertains foreigners.  The Deputy Prime Minister likes to 
dance.  End summary. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Econoff accompanied Standing Deputy Prime Minister 
(and former longtime Foreign Minister) Somsavat Lengsavad, 
along with a group of senior diplomats, on a 36-hour 
set-piece "study tour" of Sayabouri province's Paklai and 
Kenethao districts.  The trip shed some light on the 
situation in the province, and was even more interesting as a 
glimpse into how this Communist country is run. 
 
3.  (SBU)  After a long trip primarily through Thailand (Lao 
roads not being reliable during the rainy season), the 
diplomatic entourage, consisting mostly of ambassadors, was 
directed from one staged visit to the next.  During one 
break, the government hosted the entourage for lunch--or so 
everyone thought.  A few days after returning from the trip, 
each of the diplomats received a bill.  During a typical 
stop, a large convoy of Land Cruisers pulled into a rundown 
governmental compound.  A line of local residents waved Lao 
flags and smiled.  Traditionally dressed women put flowers 
around the necks of the visitors and filled their hands with 
Lao gift bags woven from locally grown cotton, wrapped them 
in cotton scarves, and, in one case, put bright orange and 
yellow cowboy hats on their heads.  The diplomats trooped 
into a meeting room, where the local mayor gave a speech, 
passably translated into English. 
 
4.  (SBU)  The speeches followed a standard format -- how 
many families in the district, their ethnic groups, the 
number of women, number of poor people, types of animals 
raised, development success stories, and invariably a request 
for assistance.  The Deputy Prime Minister would then make a 
speech.  In all cases he was completely at ease, smoothly 
interacting with the local politicians, praising them for 
their successes, reminding them where they should improve, 
and offering benefits, such as expansion of the electrical 
grid. 
 
5.  (SBU)  From an economic perspective it appears that the 
two districts the group visited in Xayaboury are doing well, 
apparently because they have moved away from subsistence rice 
farming and are focused on export crops.  Corn is the primary 
crop, growing almost everywhere over the rolling hills and 
primarily planted not in small family plots but in large 
areas using tractors.  According to the DPM, Sayabouri is the 
only province in Laos to embrace corn, and it has benefited. 
Two Ambassadors who had accompanied the DPM on a similar, but 
week-long, trip two years ago noted the increase in concrete 
homes and the almost universal use of permanent roofing 
instead of thatch for homes and businesses.  They were 
impressed with the overnight accommodations as well.  During 
the previous visit the walls of the government guesthouse 
came alive with worms seeking refuge from heavy rain outside. 
 With the exception of the unpaved roads, Sayabouri did not 
look strikingly different from neighboring northern Thailand. 
 
6.  (SBU)  The most interesting aspect of the trip, however, 
was watching how the GOL, at a senior level, entertains 
foreigners.  The Deputy Prime Minster likes to sing, he likes 
to dance, and he is entranced when foreign diplomats 
(particularly diplomatic corps dean Karen Tan of Singapore, 
who was scheduled to complete her assignment four days after 
the trip) can be "encouraged" to sing and dance (Lao style) 
too.  Watching the DPM belt out Lao songs to the pulsating 
beat of a digital accordion, accompanied by a red-faced 
Johnny Walker Gold fan screaming out "rotate, rotate, rotate" 
(to encourage the couples doing the Lamvong, the traditional 
Lao circle dance) is an unforgettable experience.  When Mr. 
Walker invites the Indian Ambassador and his wife to sing, 
and then begins to dance an original composition apparently 
inspired by Bollywood, one takes notice.  Watch out for the 
Lao delegation at the next ASEAN Ministerial. 
HUSO