My world walk blog - Laos #7
I came across a sign on the road in a village called Khoun Kham and wondered what it was about. Thanks to Chris Seymour for the following explanation.
"Australian Embassy thanks Ban Khoun Kham for rescuing Australian tourist lost in jungle
The
Australian Ambassador handed over more than 15,000,000 kip to the
Hinboun Tourist Office, in Khammoune province to thank the local
community for rescuing an Australian tourist, Hayden Adcock, after he
was lost in the forests of Ban Khoun Kham for 11 days.
The
Hinboun Tourist Office will use the 15,000,000 kip grant, provided by
the Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) to develop and erect
signs at several tourist sites in Ban Khoun Kham, including the Tad
Sanam waterfall where the Australian tourist was lost.
During
the handover, the Australian Ambassador, Dr Michele Forster, said “In
such a beautiful area as this, eco-tourism offers great opportunities
for economic development and poverty eradication. I was very pleased to
hear that some of the people who were involved in Mr Adcock’s rescue
have already volunteered to become local tour guides and that the skills
of all guides are being upgraded through training. This will further
encourage tourists to enjoy the natural beauty of this village, with the
benefit of villagers’ local knowledge – and in safety. Guides,
tourists, the tourism office, Ban Khoun Kham and the district as a whole
stands to benefit from this program”.
Head
of the Hinboun Tourist Office, Mr Keoyotkham said, “I promise that my
staff and I will use this grant to promote safe and enjoyable tours in
Ban Khoun Kham as well as all over Hinboun district. We will put clear
signs, in Lao and English languages at several tourist places to make
sure that visitors will not get lost in the future”.
Australian
Ambassador also took the opportunity to thank the villagers for their
efforts in searching for Mr Adcock, “Today I want also to thank you all
for your energetic contributions to local search efforts in the first
several days of Mr Adcock’s disappearance. It was very pleasing to hear
of the considerable efforts at village, district and provincial levels
to locate him – and to ensure relevant ministries at the central level
were informed”.
The
handover ceremony was attended by the Hinboun District Governor,
Thongkhoun Manivanh, Khoun Kham village head, president of the Khoun
Kham’s Lao Women’s Union, villagers and students on 2 October 2008.
The
Australian Ambassador also visited Khammoune Governor, Mr Khambai
Damlad, to express special thanks to him and his staff, the district and
the village for the considerable assistance provided to the Australian
Embassy during the search and rescue – in the village, in the air and in
the forest."
Thanks also to Shannon Pipkins for digging out this newspaper article.
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