“Backpackers in Laos”
Reporter: Sara Bull
Cameraman: Rikard Collsiöö
Editing: Sami Putkinen
First aired: SVT Foreign affairs programme Korrespondenterna, October 28, 2008
Synopsis:
The Swedish reporter Sara Bull travels to Laos and the little village Vang Vieng. Some say the village has sold its soul while others say is a paradise for backpackers. Evident is that the abundance of drugs and cheap liquor is what attracts a lot of the backpackers, and the constant partying costs several lives every year in the region. Lives lost due to “unknown causes” the post mortem documents say, as there will be no investigation of what caused the deaths.
Storyline:
00:16:00:00
Soundbite boy:
I am going to get stoned out of my tree.
00:16:35:00
VO: We’re in Vang Vieng, in the countryside of Laos. A couple of years ago there were only dirt roads in the village. Now the picture is completely different. New hostels are continously being built. But it’s not because of the beautiful mountains that Vang Vieng has won it’s self-evident place in the backpackers’ guide-books. Instead there are other things that attracts the tourists here.
00:17:08:00
VO: Some say that the village has sold its soul. Others say that it’s become a paradise for backpackers.
Before the tourists are allowed to participate in the main attraction of the village they have to sign a document.
00:17:23:00
Soundbite, Thomas Kinmouth:
It says, I don’t know, I don’t know. If you die it won’t be their fault.
Question:
Have you had any accidents:
Soundbite, Man at the reception:
No not any accidents here, only some time.
00:17:43:00
Soundbite, Thomas Kinmouth:
You can get a life jacket here, it is free, but you won’t need anyone unless you can’t swim.
Soundbite, Boys:
Go on Rhys, go go!
00:18:06:00
Soundbite, Rhys Jones:
I feel like I broke a ribbon, I have to drink my pain away.
00:18:13:00
VO: Maybe it’s time for us to present the boys. Rhys Jones has spent the last months travelling around Asia with his friend John Weasel. A couple of months ago they met Ross Gray and Thomas Kinmouth. Later on the gang met Matt Innes and since then they have been travelling together in the region.
00:18:49:00
Question:
What is backpacking all about?
Soundbite, boys:
Experience, culture, I bought a rum before that is...a beer costs more than your accommodation
00:19:12:00
Soundbite, Sarah Beadle:
I think a lot of people want to think that they are doing something original, but everyone is in the same backpacker circle. You always keep on meeting the same people and they think. Wow this is really random I say you on the other place for a month ago, but actually it is not that random because everyone is doing the same stuff.
00:19:35:00
VO: Sarah Beadle is from England. She has recently finished her university studies and she has spent the last nine months travelling around the world.
00:19:45:00
Soundbite, Sarah Beadle:
I would say it is escapism is the main reason why people have come away,They might say that they want to see all these new places, which is true, but essentially there are just escaping from their lifes back home.
00:20:00:00
Question: How are you feeling now?
Soundbite, Rhys Jones:
A little bit drunk, a little bit sore, caughed up a little bit of blood, trying to wash it down. They give you whiskey for free, but they won´t give you water for free. They will give you free whiskey and then send you off like a ten foot jump. Real smart.
00:20:32:00
VO: There are twelve bars along the river and the party that started at lunch time continues all night long. Last summer the tubing had to close down since an Irish boy drowned during a party. But now everything is up and running again.
00:20:52:00
VO, boy:
It is because the booze here it is so cheap. Whether it’s tubing, scooter, trekking. Everybody is getting hurt because there is alcohol involved in everything you do. There is always a beer within your reach.
00:21:17:00
VO: Mr Lao Lao doesn’t just provide the home-destilled alcohol – usually marijuana is sold here as well. If you buy a bucket of vodka and Red Bull you usually get a joint for free. Soon me and my cameraman start to feel the frustration – Mr Lao Lao doesn’t want to sell anything as long as the camera is filming. After all, it’s illegal to sell drugs here.
00:21:50:00
Soundbite, Rhys Jones:
He doesn’t like the videocamera. You can’t blame him though, if there is a camera where you’re handing out joints, I know I’d be freakin’ out.
Soundbite girl:
Everything stopped when you arrived. It did!
Soundbite boy:
We can’t smoke ganja when you are here.
00:22:14:00
Soundbite Rhys Jones:
I am not afraid of the police here because I have money to buy my way out of it, that’s the way I see it, that’s how most people see it here. ‘Cause there’s a buy-out price. Money talks in countries like this.
00:22:28:00
VO: But staff at the embassies would tell you that even in corrupt countries you can’t always buy yourself out of tricky situations. A lot of young foreigners from western countries have died after using drugs in different South East Asian countries. Three young Swedish people have died in Laos’ neighbouring country of Kambodja in the last four years. Cause of death: “unknown reasons”, as their post mortem documents would say.
00:22:55:00
Soundbite, Yvonne Syversen, Swedish Embassy, Phnom Penh:
Three young Swedish people between 25 and 35 have died from unknown reasons. Naturally, their relatives want to know what happened, but unfortunately that’s not possible here.
Question:
Has there been any speculation of drugs being involved?
Soundbite, Yvonne Syversen, Swedish Embassy, Phnom Penh:
You might suspect some kind of drug, of course. Drugs are very easy to access here, and they’re very cheap...
00:23:27:00
Soundbite, waiter:
Do you know why this area has a lot of tourists? There’s one reason, they come for smoke.
Soundbite, customer:
Is it good?
Soundbite, waiter:
Good! Best quality – from Amsterdam.
00:23:37:00
Question:
Do you think that parent who send their children to travel around the world know what they are doing here?
Soundbite, Yvonne Syversen, Swedish Embassy, Phnom Penh:
No, I don’t think so... I don’t think so.
00:23:54:00
By the river in Laos the party is still going on, but when the night falls most of the people head up to the village where the party continues. And here many restaurants offer their special menues. Martin Cuff reads the menue.
00:24:11:00
Soundbite, Martin Cuff:
Happy Pizza comes with weed on it. Happy Pancaces probably has weed on it. Magic mushroom pizza. Bag of weed.
Question:
Have you tried any of it?
Soundbite, Martin Cuff:
Sorry mum... Yeah, I’ve tried my way through most of it.
00:24:33 :00
After midnight the backpackers are returning to the tubing centre. And after a couple of hours the party will start over again.
00:24:42:00
Soundbite boy: I did it yesterday, I did it today and I will do it tomorrow again for sure.
00:24:53:09
End.