River Scene in Thailand.
River Scene in Thailand.
Opium plants found in the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle
is made up of lands from Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. The Golden
Triangle is visited by many for weeks at a time to enjoy its fruits.
Ananda Palace, a beautiful representation of the type of architecture
found in the Southeast Asia region.
The central market in Phnom Penh. Thousands of people come here
daily to buy food and supplies. Notice that many people are riding
bikes or motorcycles, and that the road is of dirt.
The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh is one of the major buildings created
in the style that depicts the cultural heritage of the Khmer dynasties.
There are not many foreign influences in Cambodia because the
Khmer Rouge kept Cambodia very isolated during their reign of
terror.
A floating village on lake Tonle Sap. The village contains not
only floating houses, but also floating hospitals, floating police
stations, and floating pubs. It is very common to see two boats
next to each other with people just chatting.
A bird's eye view of the Mekong River. During the rainy season
many villages or cities cannot be reached by foot. They may only
be accessed by boat or air. The Mekong River is the principle
River in Laos. Most of the population is concentrated in the Mekong
Valley. The river also has potential for hydroelectric power.
Main street in the village of Ban Pah Poh. The bus comes to this
village once a day, and there are no hotels. Again, the roads
are all dirt. One reason that Laos has not developed very quickly
is the lack of effective transportation systems. Civil conflicts
also make access to certain resources difficult.
The Corn falls are near the Laotian and Cambodian border. They
divide Laos and Cambodia both geographically and culturally. This
is one example of the hydroelectric potential of Laos.
An old bomb from the USA is used for a bench in the shade. The
Southeast Asia region has long been war torn. This is another
factor that has inhibited its development.
A busy street in the city of Hanoi. Notice how everyone is on
bicycles. Few people in Vietnam have cars. Can you imagine this
traffic jam if each of these people were in a car?
Mountains in Northern Vietnam. Northern Vietnam is the location
of most of Vietnam's industry. Vietnam's industry has been almost
totally restored after the wars there with lots of aid coming
from Russia. Vietnam's future looks more promising than other
countries in this region due to its resources and extensive transportation
systems.
The Mekong Delta. The Mekong River is also very important to Vietnam,
as it is in much of Southeast Asia.
The Ho Chi Minh Trail was used by millions during the Vietnam
war to make the journey from rural war-torn areas to the city
of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). In just ten years the population
of the city increased from 2.4 million to 4.5 million. After the
end of the war, the government made policies to move people out
of the overpopulated city back to the countryside. The city did
not have enough water, housing, and power, to support such a large
population. Nearly 750,000 of the ethnic Chinese were sent back
to China on boats.
Wreckage of some American planes at the Army Museum. They also
have intact American planes, helicopters, and other reminders.