LUANG PRABANG: As dawn broke over Luang Prabang, saffron-robed monks trod the streets receiving alms — but a cacophonous influx of camera-clutching tourists shattered the peace of the ancient Laotian town.

The Unesco World Heritage site welcomed almost 800,000 visitors in the first nine months of last year, with state media reporting the province hopes to attract almost three million by the end of 2024.

Tourists inject much-needed money into Laos’ shaky economy but present locals with a dilemma, as foreign tour groups dominate and change cultural activities in the sleepy provincial city.

The starkest example can be seen every morning along Kounxoau Road, where monks pad barefoot to collect donations of food. What was once a simple act of communion and support between Buddhist locals and the monks has long been a draw for tourists.

Now the monks have to make their way through hundreds of visitors on plastic stools offering alms as tour guides thrust mobile phones into their faces. For decades, Luang Prabang has seen large numbers of tourists come from all over the world to witness the morning alms-giving, but locals say the ceremony now resembles a photo shoot.

“They are taking more photos rather than buying anything,” complained one 30-year-old vendor. It is a tricky balancing act, as vendors — who sell alms baskets containing lumps of sticky rice for 50,000 kip ($2.40) — both need and resent the visitors. “If there are not enough tourists then we make a loss,” she said, but admitted the dilemma. “The more tourists have come, the more our way of life is changing. Now this is more chaotic,” the vendor said.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2024