Pakse (or ''Pakxe'';
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
: ''Paksé'';
Laotian: ປາກເຊ 'mouth of the river'; th, ปากเซ) is the capital and most populous city of the southern Laotian province of
Champasak, and the
second most populous city in
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
. Located at the confluence of the
Xe Don and
Mekong Rivers, it has a population of about 95,000. Pakse was the capital of the
Kingdom of Champasak until it was unified with the rest of Laos in 1946.
History
The French established an administrative outpost in Pakse in 1905. The city was the capital of the Lao
Kingdom of Champasak until 1946 when the
Kingdom of Laos
The Kingdom of Laos was a landlocked country in Southeast Asia at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula. It was bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, North Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
was formed. After the
Franco-Thai war the French ceded
Preah Vihear Province, formerly belonging to the
French protectorate of Cambodia
The French protectorate of Cambodia ( km, ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោមអាណាព្យាបាលបារាំង; french: Protectorat français du Cambodge) refers to the Kingdom of Cambodia when it was a Fren ...
, as well as the part of Champasak Province located on the other side of the
Mekong river from Pakse, which had been part of
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
, to
Thailand.
The city served as the primary seat and residence to Prince
Boun Oum
Prince Boun Oum (also Prince Boun Oum Na Champassak; lo, ບຸນອຸ້ມ ນະ ຈຳປາສັກ; th, บุญอุ้ม ณ จัมปาศักดิ์; ; 2 December 1912 – 17 March 1980) was the son of King Ratsadanay, ...
Na Champassak, an important figure in the
Laotian Civil War
The Laotian Civil War (1959–1975) was a civil war in Laos which was waged between the Communist Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao Government from 23 May 1959 to 2 December 1975. It is associated with the Cambodian Civil War and the Vietnam War ...
. The prince began the construction of
Champasak Palace, but fled in 1974 before it could be completed. The town fell to
Pathet Lao
The Pathet Lao ( lo, ປະເທດລາວ, translit=Pa thēt Lāo, translation=Lao Nation), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The gro ...
forces in May 1975. After 1975, Pakse acquired substantial economic importance in the region. The construction of a bridge over the Mekong, built with Japanese aid, allows road traffic with
Ubon Ratchathani in
Thailand and has further connected the city to neighbouring countries.
Demographics
In 1943, 62 % of the population of Pakse were Vietnamese.
[Stuart-Fox, Martin (1997). ]
A History of Laos
'. Cambridge University Press, p. 51. . Today, Pakse is home to many ethnic Chinese.
Religion
The population is predominantly Buddhist and the city has several temples. These include: Wat Luang, which was built in 1935 and is the largest temple in Pakse, and the Chinese temple Wat Sopsé.
Pakse is also the seat of the Roman Catholic
Apostolic Vicariate of Paksé led by Cardinal
Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun.
Culture
The city is the location of the
Champasak Provincial Museum The Champasak Provincial Museum is a local museum in Pakse, Laos. It holds the unique history of the province, which gathers all kind of artifacts and documents to chronicle the history of Champasak. The museum also holds historical photos of cultu ...
, which is a repository of historical documents and artifacts from the province.
Infrastructure
Health
There are two hospitals in the city. One is the second largest in Laos, but many citizens travel across the border to Thailand as Thai hospitals are better equipped. There is a high risk of malaria and dengue fever during the monsoon season.
Transportation
Road
Pakse is on National Road 13, the main transportation highway of Laos. It has bridges over the Xe Don, the French and the Russian Bridges, and one bridge over the Mekong River, the Lao Nippon Bridge, one of only five bridges over the Mekong in Laos.
Pakse is the gateway to the
Bolaven Plateau, as well as to the southern provinces of
Salavan,
Sekong
Sekong (or ''Xekong''; Lao ເຊກອງ) is the capital city of Sekong Province, Sekong District, Laos. It was created in 1984 after it was ascertained that Ban Phon's unexploded ordnance made it uninhabitable.
References
Populated ...
, and
Attapeu.
Air
It is served by
Pakse International Airport. Pakse Airport construction was completed on 2 November 2009, resuming flights to
Vientiane,
Siem Reap
Siem Reap ( km, សៀមរាប, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia.
Siem Reap has French colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old F ...
,
Ho Chi Minh City
, population_density_km2 = 4,292
, population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2
, population_demonym = Saigonese
, blank_name = GRP (Nominal)
, blank_info = 2019
, blank1_name = – Total
, blank1_ ...
and
Bangkok.
Climate
Pakse has a
tropical savanna climate (
Köppen climate classification ''Aw'') with very warm temperatures throughout the year. Temperatures are especially high in the months before the monsoon season (March–April). There is a distinct
wet season (April–October) and
dry season (November–March).
Tourism
Pakse is growing as a tourist destination. Visitors to Pakse's Champasak Province have grown from 113,684 in 2006 to 493,180 in 2013.
Sites of interest include:
*
Vat Phu
Vat Phou (or Wat Phu; lo, ວັດພູ ''temple-mountain'') is a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex in southern Laos. It is at the base of mount Phou Khao, some from the Mekong in Champasak Province. There was a temple on the site as early a ...
*
Si Phan Don The Si Phan Don ( lo, ສີ່ພັນດອນ; meaning '4,000 islands') is a riverine archipelago in the Mekong River, Champasak Province in southern Laos. Si Phan Don is part of Khong District, including the islands and part of the mainland ...
References
External links
*
Sabaidee Laos: Pakse (official tourism website)
{{Authority control
Populated places in Champasak Province
Laos–Thailand border crossings
Populated places on the Mekong River
Provincial capitals in Laos