Buddhist Scriptures (Hor Thri Pidok) Ceremony in Salavanh Province, Lao PDR

Built over 200-years ago, bombers destroyed the original Simongkhoun Temple on the Xe Don River in 1972. Remnants of this temple and its stupa can still be seen in the town’s northeast, though vines and shrubs try to hide it. Novice monks sometimes rest in the temple’s sala on the river bank near the warehouse storing longboats used during the annual boat racing festival. However, a new temple has risen across the street, and an even larger one is under construction next to it.
Location: The temple is situated in the northeastern part of Salavanh Town

Photo credit: Tourism Laos (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR)