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International Business Times
International Business Times
World
Rose Troup Buchanan and Thanaporn Promyamyai

'Destroyed The Peace': Historic Laos Town Grapples With Tourism Boom

Monks have to make their way through hundreds of visitors on plastic stools offering alms as tour guides thrust mobile phones into their faces (Credit: AFP)

As dawn broke over Luang Prabang, saffron-robed monks trod the streets receiving alms -- but a cacophonous influx of camera-clutching tourists shattered the peace of the ancient Laotian town.

The UNESCO World Heritage site welcomed almost 800,000 visitors in the first nine months of last year, with state media reporting the province hopes to attract almost three million by the end of 2024.

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