Mr. Sousath Phetrasy – Pioneer of Plain of Jars Tourism.

Mr. Sousath Phetrasy, the man who introduced the Plain of Jars to the world, has a remarkable life story shaped by the difficult years of the Secret War in Laos.

In 1970, at just ten years old, Sousath was sent to study in China to escape the heavy fighting around Vientiane. Life there was difficult; he struggled with the strict and highly politicized education system and soon decided he wanted to return home.

Along with classmates who had finished their studies, he began the journey back to Laos by bus. Unfortunately, the timing was dangerous. Near the border, the fighting had intensified, and evacuation buses were overcrowded. Sousath managed to get on a bus, but the parents of some Chinese students forced him off because he was Lao.

Alone and abandoned, he refused to give up. For the next five years, he lived in a cave near the border, attending a nearby school and surviving under extremely challenging conditions.

In 1975, when the war finally ended, Sousath was sitting at the entrance of his cave, unsure of his future. Suddenly, a Lao Air Force helicopter landed nearby. Running toward it, he made an incredible discovery: the pilot was his older brother. Their emotional reunion brought tears after years of separation. His brother explained that their father had always told him to keep searching for his younger sibling.

Disguised as an Air Force mechanic, Sousath flew back with his brother to Vientiane, finally reunited with his family. In the following years, he worked in several different professions, including banker, private detective, and late-night disc jockey on Lao national radio.

A few years later, he moved to Xieng Khouang Province (today’s Phonsavan). Recognizing the historical and cultural importance of the Plain of Jars, Mr. Sousath became the first person to propose to the Lao government and international organizations, including AusAID, that the site be opened to the public and cleared of unexploded ordnance (UXO) left from the Indochina War.

He worked closely with archaeologists during the early excavations and helped bring tourism to the region. In 1991, he founded one of the first local tour agencies in Phonsavan, beginning a journey in tourism that continues today.

Today, his legacy is carried on by his eldest son, Mr. Nouds Phetrasy. Nouds served in the Lao Air Force, where he trained in UXO clearance operations in southern Laos. He later became a professional guide, certified as a National Guide, Cultural Heritage Guide, and UNESCO-MICT Guide.

With deep knowledge of the Plain of Jars and the history of the Indochina War, Mr. Nouds Phetrasy continues his father’s mission by organizing specialized tours around the Plain of Jars and northern Laos, sharing both the cultural heritage and war history of the region with visitors from around the world.