Vongsamay: Dreams and Determination
March 21, 2009
Vongsamay stood in the vast expanse of his western-style log and plank lodge, proudly explaining to us how it had all been built. “The materials are all local. I made the wall and the tables and benches from slabs (the outside cuts of wood from trees, one side of which are rounded). People here just leave them in the woods; they don't used them. But I thought 'I can use them.'”And he has, with visually stunning effects.
Everything is made of wood; the tables and benches highly polished. The shake roof soars above the restaurant area, and the sides are open to the view: the Namhai River in the foreground, and the two landmark mountains in the background: Phoumon and Phousakheuk. Phoumon is particularly remarkable, shaped like a breast with a nipple, from which it gets its name.
Vongsamay showed us the big, bright, well-organized kitchen and the meeting room, complete with projection screen for presentations. We walked over to a part of the restaurant where we could see the foundations of the building. Like most buildings in Laos, it sits on tall cement stilts. “There I will build a store, a laundry, and living quarters for my staff.” As we peered over the edge of the railing, we could see workers putting the final layer of fine crushed rock on the boules pitch they were building.
Other workers were watering recently planted trees, shrubs and flowers: the area around the restaurant and the bungalows is beautifully landscaped.
Vongsamay showed us the big, bright, well-organized kitchen and the meeting room, complete with projection screen for presentations. We walked over to a part of the restaurant where we could see the foundations of the building. Like most buildings in Laos, it sits on tall cement stilts. “There I will build a store, a laundry, and living quarters for my staff.” As we peered over the edge of the railing, we could see workers putting the final layer of fine crushed rock on the boules pitch they were building.
Other workers were watering recently planted trees, shrubs and flowers: the area around the restaurant and the bungalows is beautifully landscaped. Vongsamay's creation, the 'Sainamhai Resort,' embodies his guiding principles: traditional Lao-style buildings made with local materials, a peaceful natural environment, and a place that invites complete relaxation and enjoyment.
But the Sainamhai Resort is not in a well established tourist area – yet. It is four kilometres from the little town of Na Hin, and 40 kilometres from the Konglor Cave. Vongsamay has a vision. He believes that the new road out to the Konglor Cave will bring many more tourists to the area. The Konglor Cave is renowned not only for its limestone formations but perhaps more for the fact that its seven kilometre length can be navigated by boat.
He also believes the new 'friendship bridge' from Tha Khaek, just 140 kilometres south of Na Hin, to Thailand, will also bring increased tourism to the area. And that traffic on the road to Vietnam will continue to increase, bringing tourists almost to his doorstep.
Vongsamay's vision is already paying off: there's a steady stream of tourists showing up at his resort, planning to stay one night, and like us, staying three or four. It's just that kind of place.
We sat down to tea, and Vongsamay told me a little more about his story, and how he came to build the 'Sainamhai Resort.' Vongsamay was born in Savannakhet, and spent his early childhood there. He came from poor family. His father died when he was just 3 years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his seven brothers. They moved to mother's village – poor village in the countryside near Savannakhet.
In 1971 one of his brothers who had gone to school in Vientiane invited his mother and brothers to come there and live with him. So at age 13, Vongsamay started secondary school in Vientiane. His brother, who was now working as a math teacher, supported the family while he and several other brothers all went to school.
Vongsamay finished high school in 1980. The Lao government offered him the opportunity to go to Cuba for advanced training. It gave him the choice of several areas of study. Vongsamay selected architecture. He went to Cuba, all expenses paid, and lived and studied there for six years from 1982-1987 – the 'best years' in Cuba, according to Vongsamay. To its credit, the Cuban government paid everything: accommodation, food, clothes, medicine – even vacations in Cuba. Vongsamay studied with Cubans and with other international students from Cambodia, Chile, Ghana, Yemen, and Mexico. The language of instruction, and the language all around him, was Spanish. So – Vongsamay became fluent in Spanish.
When Vongsamay came back to Laos he worked as an architect, designing and overseeing the construction of hydro-electric plants and workers' accommodation at sites all over Laos. Because these projects are funded by international organizations, Vongsamay has worked with professionals (engineers, architects, construction people, environmentalists) from all over the world, and the lingua franca is English. So – Vongsamay has become fluent in English as well.
Vongsamay is now the Site Facilities Manager, at the nearby Theun-Hinboun Power Company. He works full time, and is particularly busy now because the capacity of the dam is about to be doubled. This is a huge project, which will require the hiring of two to three thousand additional workers, and accommodation for all of them. But despite being fully employed, Vongsamay has already started looking to the future.
And the future, for him and his family, is the Sainamhai Resort. Vongsamay plans to continue to develop the resort, from its present 12 2-unit bungalows to perhaps 30. He would like to expand his services to offer tubing, kayaking, canoing, camping and motorbike rental; to buy a minibus to take tourists to the Konglor Cave; and to hire local guides to take tourists on treks through the forest, to waterfalls, and for picnics and camping on the two local mountains.
The resort already accommodates parties, weddings, conferences, and meetings, and Vongsamay plans to increase this side of his business as well.
In all of his business dealings, Vongsamay is thinking not just of himself, but of the benefits that his and other tourist developments can offer to the local people. Vongsamay hires locals to work in all aspects of the resort. His aim is not just to give them jobs and income, but more importantly to give them the experience of working.
But perhaps the most important thing that Vongsamay is doing is providing others with an example of what can be achieved with vision and initiative. Vongsamay told us that when he first started his project, many people in area didn't support him; they didn't think the resort was a good idea. It was too far from main centres; it wouldn't be successful. But Vongsamay had vision and he was determined, so he wasn't discouraged by their concerns. Now that people can see the success of his resort, Vongsamay hopes that they will be encouraged to pursue their own dreams.
“Step by step,” he says. “I will continue to make it better, to build more, step by step.”
He also believes the new 'friendship bridge' from Tha Khaek, just 140 kilometres south of Na Hin, to Thailand, will also bring increased tourism to the area. And that traffic on the road to Vietnam will continue to increase, bringing tourists almost to his doorstep.
Vongsamay's vision is already paying off: there's a steady stream of tourists showing up at his resort, planning to stay one night, and like us, staying three or four. It's just that kind of place.
We sat down to tea, and Vongsamay told me a little more about his story, and how he came to build the 'Sainamhai Resort.' Vongsamay was born in Savannakhet, and spent his early childhood there. He came from poor family. His father died when he was just 3 years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his seven brothers. They moved to mother's village – poor village in the countryside near Savannakhet.
In 1971 one of his brothers who had gone to school in Vientiane invited his mother and brothers to come there and live with him. So at age 13, Vongsamay started secondary school in Vientiane. His brother, who was now working as a math teacher, supported the family while he and several other brothers all went to school.
Vongsamay finished high school in 1980. The Lao government offered him the opportunity to go to Cuba for advanced training. It gave him the choice of several areas of study. Vongsamay selected architecture. He went to Cuba, all expenses paid, and lived and studied there for six years from 1982-1987 – the 'best years' in Cuba, according to Vongsamay. To its credit, the Cuban government paid everything: accommodation, food, clothes, medicine – even vacations in Cuba. Vongsamay studied with Cubans and with other international students from Cambodia, Chile, Ghana, Yemen, and Mexico. The language of instruction, and the language all around him, was Spanish. So – Vongsamay became fluent in Spanish.
When Vongsamay came back to Laos he worked as an architect, designing and overseeing the construction of hydro-electric plants and workers' accommodation at sites all over Laos. Because these projects are funded by international organizations, Vongsamay has worked with professionals (engineers, architects, construction people, environmentalists) from all over the world, and the lingua franca is English. So – Vongsamay has become fluent in English as well.Vongsamay is now the Site Facilities Manager, at the nearby Theun-Hinboun Power Company. He works full time, and is particularly busy now because the capacity of the dam is about to be doubled. This is a huge project, which will require the hiring of two to three thousand additional workers, and accommodation for all of them. But despite being fully employed, Vongsamay has already started looking to the future.
And the future, for him and his family, is the Sainamhai Resort. Vongsamay plans to continue to develop the resort, from its present 12 2-unit bungalows to perhaps 30. He would like to expand his services to offer tubing, kayaking, canoing, camping and motorbike rental; to buy a minibus to take tourists to the Konglor Cave; and to hire local guides to take tourists on treks through the forest, to waterfalls, and for picnics and camping on the two local mountains.
The resort already accommodates parties, weddings, conferences, and meetings, and Vongsamay plans to increase this side of his business as well.
In all of his business dealings, Vongsamay is thinking not just of himself, but of the benefits that his and other tourist developments can offer to the local people. Vongsamay hires locals to work in all aspects of the resort. His aim is not just to give them jobs and income, but more importantly to give them the experience of working.
But perhaps the most important thing that Vongsamay is doing is providing others with an example of what can be achieved with vision and initiative. Vongsamay told us that when he first started his project, many people in area didn't support him; they didn't think the resort was a good idea. It was too far from main centres; it wouldn't be successful. But Vongsamay had vision and he was determined, so he wasn't discouraged by their concerns. Now that people can see the success of his resort, Vongsamay hopes that they will be encouraged to pursue their own dreams.
“Step by step,” he says. “I will continue to make it better, to build more, step by step.”
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