Vientiane (/vjɛnˈtjɑːn/ French pronunciation: [vjɛ̃’tjan]; Lao: ວຽງຈັນ Wiang-jun; Thai: เวียงจันทน์ Wiang-chan, IPA: [wiəŋ tɕan]) is the capitaland largest city of Laos, situated on the Mekong River near the border with Thailand. Vientiane became the capital in 1563 due to fears of a Burmese invasion. During French rule, Vientiane was the administrative capital and, due to economic growth in recent times, it has now become the economic centre of Laos.
The estimated population of the city is 754,000 (2009). The city hosted the 25th Southeast Asian Games in December 2009 celebrating the 50 years of SEA Games.
The name of the city is derived from Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism. In modern Lao, the meaning of the name Vientiane is ambiguous. The alternative meanings “city of the moon”, or “city of sandalwood” are championed, because the words for ‘moon’ (chandra चन्द्र in Sanskrit) and ‘sandalwood’ (chandana चन्दन in Sanskrit) are written and pronounced identically as ‘chan’ in modern Lao. The name in Thai, เวียงจันทน์, however, retains the etymological spelling, which indicates “city of sandalwood.” Yet the Lao spelling of “Chanta” means moon, and is officially spelled as “moon” in the name of the district in Vientiane spelled “Chantabuly”. Perhaps the translation would mean “moon” now, since in the Lao language, any reference to plants, flowers, or trees is accompanied by “Maek”(plant/fruit), “Mai” (wood/tree) or “Dok”(flower). Without these references the word would not have that meaning. Since no reference to sandlewood without the prefix “Mai” (plant or tree) exists in the Thai or Lao language, it is difficult to insist that “Chan” means sandlewood. To correctly say sandlewood or city of sandlewood, the romanized Lao translation would have to be “Vieng MaiChan.” “Chan” alone does not mean sandlewood but could mean Moon, thus the idea that it would have to mean “moon.” The romanized spelling “Vientiane” is of Frenchorigin, and reflects the difficulty the French had in pronouncing the hard “ch” sound in the Lao word; a common English-based spelling is “Viangchan”, or occasionally “Wiangchan”.

History

The great Laotian epic, the Phra Lak Phra Lam, claims that Prince Thattaradtha founded the city when he left the legendary Lao kingdom of Muong Inthapatha Maha Nakhone because he was denied the throne in favor of his younger brother. Thattaradtha founded a city called Maha Thani Si Phan Phao on the western banks of the Mekong River; this city was said to have later become today’s Udon Thani, Thailand. One day, a seven-headedNaga told Thattaradtha to start a new city on the eastern bank of the river opposite Maha Thani Si Phan Phao. The prince called this city Chanthabuly Si Sattanakhanahud; which was said to be the predecessor of modern Vientiane.
Contrary to the Phra Lak Phra Ram, most historians believe Vientiane was an early Khmer settlement centered around a Hindu temple, which the Pha That Luang would later replace. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the time when the Lao and Thai people are believed to have entered Southeast Asiafrom Southern China, the few remaining Khmers in the area were either killed, removed, or assimilated into the Lao civilization, which would soon overtake the area.
In 1354, when Fa Ngum founded the kingdom of Lan Xang, Vientiane became an important administrative city, even though it was not made the capital. King Setthathirath officially established it as the capital of Lan Xang in 1563, to avoid Burmese invasion. When Lan Xang fell apart in 1707, it became an independent Kingdom of Vientiane. In 1779, it was conquered by the Siamese general Phraya Chakri and made a vassal ofSiam.
When King Anouvong raised an unsuccessful rebellion, it was obliterated by Siamese armies in 1827. The city was burned to the ground and was looted of nearly all Laotian artifacts, including Buddha statues and people. Vientiane was in great disrepair, depopulated and disappearing into the forest, when the French arrived. It eventually passed to French rule in 1893. It became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos in 1899. The French rebuilt the city and rebuilt or repaired Buddhist temples such as Pha That Luang, Haw Phra Kaew, and left many colonial buildings behind.
During World War II, Vientiane fell with little resistance and was occupied by Japanese forces, under the command of Sako Masanori. On 9 March 1945 French paratroopers arrived, and “liberated” the city on April 24, 1945.
As the Laotian Civil War broke out between the Kingdom of Laos and the Pathet Lao, Vientiane became unstable. In August 1960, Kong Le seized the capital and insisted that Souvanna Phouma, become Prime Minister. In mid-December, General Phoumi then seized the capital, overthrew the Phouma Government, and installed Boun Oum as Prime Minister. In mid-1975, Pathet Lao troops moved towards the city and American personnel began evacuating the capital. On August 23, 1975, a contingent of 50 Pathet Lao women, symbolically “liberated” the city. The 22 year long civil war ended in December 2 1975 when the Pathet Lao captured Vientiane and sent the royalist army into exile.
Vientiane was the host of the incident free 2009 Southeast Asian Games, with 18 competitions being dropped from the previous games held in Thailand, due to Laos’ landlocked state and the lack of adequate facilities in Vientiane.
By many travelling guides, such as the rough guides, Vientiane is called to be the most relaxed capital in the world.