Research Field Trip: Day 1 and Day 2 in Lao PDR

We finally arrived in Vientiane for the meeting and data collection. The flight from Bangkok to Vientiane has always been great since my first experience to Laos.  After arrival, we had to be ready for the meeting with our team.

The meeting was full of enjoyment and excitement. Team members from Melbourne consists of Tim Moore from the University of Melbourne and Natt Pimpa from RMIT.  We first met with Sriampa and Christi, our partners from Burnet Institute, at a local coffee shop called Joma café.

The focal points of our discussion include the logistics of data collection and protocol of meeting with key stakeholders in the community. We were confirmed that the key villages in this study will include Vangyang, Namkeep, Nongkadeang, Noonsomboun, Padong, Boungkham and Huaysuan. Our team carefully selected these villages due to their vicinity to the mine and diverse populations (miners and non-miners). We are also aware of significance of Suvanakhet as the largest province in Laos.

From the methodological perspectives, our concern is how to engage with workers, women, men, representatives of women union and the community. With strong plan and support from the National University of Laos, Burnet Institute and MMG in Vientiane.  Our team contacted the community leaders and workers and asked for support in the recruitment process.  Although it took 2-3 months to recruit the participants in this study, we know that all participants are very keen to share their life stories with us.

We had lunch with Dr. Saengdeune, Dr. Soonthone, Dr. Kabmanivanh (aka Kab) and Ajarn Malaipon and Ajarn Outoompon (Ou) from the National University of Laos (NUOL). It was our first time to meet with Dr. Kab and Ajarn Malaipon in Vientiane. Both will play a leading role in the data collection process in Vilabouly. I must admit I am impressed by the quality of work from NUOL team, particular their research in gender, equity and migrant workers in South East Asia. Our lunch ended with ideas to be implemented in the field.     

    

Our second day started at 5am!!!

We met with Dr. Kab and Ajarn Malaipon in front of the University and that’s where our journey began. Traffic in Vientiane was not that bad for Tuesday morning and I expected some long, quiet 12 hours trip..I was wrong! As a competent researcher in sociologist, Dr. Kab broke the ice with an interesting conversation on “Kao Chi Pate” (French Style Sandwich) and its cultural influences in Laos. By 8am, we stopped by a shop and bought 5 Kao Chi Pater and iced coffee…What can I say!! Sab Lai (delicious).

An important part of the research team is getting to know each other. We exchanged our stories from education in Australia, research in Laos, migrant workers an ASEAN Economic Community, Thai politics, gender and ethnicity in Malaysia and even Australian politicians. I realized that this 12 hours trip is truly important for us to understand each other’s work and life backgrounds.  We stopped at Chum Pa Sak for lunch with Dr. Soonthon and Ajarn Malaipon. I was amazed by the number of big trucks loaded with wood, products and people on the road. This area is one of the strategic area for Laos economy and it will become greater when AEC becomes a reality in 2015.

The road to Vilabouly is not that bad. I observed some roadwork and construction along the way and some signs of deforestation and damaged roads. Obviously, this area is where economy and people link and it may require some facelift in the future.  When we were close to the community where we will spend the next 14 days with, we started to see heavy rains and storm. What excite me is the households and community along the road. I observed small communities, plantations and some shops. People who gathered in the shops are mostly men. Women seem to work on the domestic issues such as looking after kids, feeding their poultry, and cleaning the house. The sign of gender role is very clear to me at this point.

We arrived in Vilbouly at 5.30 and checked in the guesthouse (Heun Boun Houm). One of our team members, Thalalin from Burnet Institute, greeted our team and organized rooms and schedule for us. I am excited to know that we are going to work with this fabulous team in the next 2 weeks. And I know it is going to be a very meaningful and interesting research.