(KPL) The Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao) Office in Luang Prabang Province recently inaugurated the UXO Lao Visitor Centre, marking it as both a tourist attraction and an educational hub in the northern region of Laos.

UXO Lao, the country’s primary UXO clearance operator, organized an opening ceremony attended by Mr. Anousak Phongsa, National Programme Director of UXO Lao, alongside representatives from relevant ministries and local authorities.

Mr. Anousak Phongsa highlighted that the centre, established in 2009, has welcomed 117,764 visitors, comprising both domestic and international tourists. The majority of international visitors are from European countries.

The centre’s exhibits include UXO remnants, photographs, and textiles that narrate the stories of Lao people affected by unexploded ordnance. These displays emphasize the devastating impact of war and the persistent threat posed by UXOs in Laos, even over 50 years after the end of the conflict.

Visitors can explore deactivated UXO remnants and view documentaries in an upgraded video room, where films on the history of the Second Indochina War and the UXO Lao Programme are screened.

In 2018, the centre underwent its first renovation with the support of the British government. The second renovation, completed in 2024, was backed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to prepare the centre for high-level ASEAN and ASEAN Plus meetings hosted in Laos, as well as for general visitors.

KPL