Nong Het, also Nong Haet, Nonghet, Muang Nonghet or Nonghed, is a market town in

Xiangkhouang Province Xiangkhouang ( Lao: ຊຽງຂວາງ, meaning 'Horizontal City') is a province of Laos on the Xiangkhoang Plateau, in the nation's northeast. The province has the distinction of being the most heavily bombed place on Earth. The province ...

in northeastern

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

, located about from the border with Vietnam. It is the principal town of Nong Het District. It is located along Route 7, east of

Phonsavan Phonsavan ( Lao: ໂພນສະຫວັນ), population 37,507, is the capital of Xiangkhouang Province. Phonsavan was built in the late-1970s and replaced the old Xiangkhouang (today: Muang Khoune) which was destroyed during the Second Indoc ...

, along the road which passes through Muang Kham and Ban Na Sala on the way to Nong Haet. Bus companies operating in the area have increased to cater for tourists. The population is primarily

Hmong people The Hmong people ( RPA: ''Hmoob'', Nyiakeng Puachue: , Pahawh Hmong: , ) are a sub-ethnic group of the Miao people who originated from Central China. The modern Hmongs presently reside mainly in Southwest China (Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chon ...

History

Nong Het has a turbulent history of battles between the Ly and Moua warriors, Red Laotians and the Hmong. The Red Laotians once invaded, tying up local leaders and robbing the wealthy of the town. Historically, two Hmong families have shared power in Nong Het, the Lo clan and the Ly clan. In 1917, the French appointed Lo Bliayao of the Lo clan as chief of Non Het. The strategical position of Nong Het meant that it was an "important resupply and transshipment point" during the Indochinese and

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, and contained "approximately a dozen NVA warehouses". French colonial leader Doussineau was based at Nong Het during the Japanese invasion. Faydang, son of Lo Bliayao, moved his base from Xiengkhouang to Nong Het in 1961. The Vietnamese built a -long road from Muong Xen to Nong Het to ease the transportation of Communist units to the Hmong base camp. The town also produced some notable Hmong leaders including

Touby Lyfoung Touby Lyfoung ( RPA: Tub Npis Lis Foom , Pahawh: : 1917–1979) was a Hmong political and military leader. Born in 1917 in Nong Het, Laos, he became the first Hmong politician to achieve national prominence. During his long career, which began ...

and General

Vang Pao Vang Pao ( RPA: ''Vaj Pov'' , Lao: ວັງປາວ; 8 December 1929 – 6 January 2011) was a major general in the Royal Lao Army. He was a leader of the Hmong American community in the United States. He was also known as General Vang P ...

Opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

production is not uncommon in Nong Het district.

References

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External links

Global Community Nonghet - ChildFund Australia
Supporting 12 villages in Nonghet district Populated places in Xiangkhouang Province