FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

One of the the things I have noticed here in Laos is the absence of foreign newspapers, apart from The Bankkok Post. No English, Australian or American newspapers. It may be that it is just not economic to import and distribute them or it may be a censorship issue. The Bookman always enjoys the International Herald Tribune while in Asia but sadly it is not available here.

During our three days in Vietiane the hotel has supplied a copy each morning of the Vientiane Times but this looks like a newspaper you might expect in a country where freedom of speech is not practised. It is laregly filled with what read very much like Government press releases. For example in today's issue these are some of the headlines:
Govt approves five year socio-economic development plan
Govt urges greater commercial crop production
School hygeine programme to combat bird flu, tooth decay

Makes you wonder. Mind you one can watch CNN and BBC World News on TV so........