ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author discusses a growing body of literature on Luang Prabang and Lao affairs. Heritage in Luang Prabang is contested and managed very carefully by the authorities to ensure that it corresponds with official political narratives. In the case of Luang Prabang, UNESCO states: Luang Prabang is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Luang Prabang tourism office invites visitors to: Lose yourself in the timelessness of Luang Prabang. The intended targets of the heritage presentations are not static and nor are their expectations necessarily consistent. The author argues that this is very relevant in considering how to present Luang Prabang in a way that is both engaging to visitors, broadly supported by locals and is at the time acceptable ideologically in a nominally socialist society.
