Laos (Vietnam War Didn't Happen)

Laos. formally the Lao People's Democratic Republic is a landlocked country in mainland Southeast Asia. Laos is bordered by Vietnam to the east, Kampuchea to the south, Thailand to the west and Burma to the northwest. Laos is a one-party socialist republic like its neighbor Vietnam and Kampuchea.

The history of Laos dated back to the old Lan Xang kingdom founded by King Fa Ngum. The kingdom was a powerful and wealthy country in Southeast Asia, constantly having wars with its neighbors. Eventually the kingdom broke up into three kingdoms: Luang Phrabang, Vientiane and Champasak until getting occupied and invaded by Siam. Then, Laos became a French protectorate after the Franco-Thai war. After a Japanese occupation, Laos recolonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy, when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came to power with help from other communist countries.

Today, Laos is a developing country, and although not as wealthy as its neighbors, is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Laos is a member of the UN, ASEAN, APEC, WTO and some other organizaions. Laos has a good relationships with all of its neighbors and other countries in the world.