(Image: PTD Phonsavan, cc-3.0)
Having visited Laos (wonderful experience) some years ago, I know how difficult it can be to access certain areas of the country. This gutted Russian tank abandoned where it was destroyed during the Indochina Wars is a potent reminder of the rotting military hardware and unexploded ordnance that plagues Laos to this day – and explains why potential world heritage sites like the enigmatic Plain of Jars remain virtually off-limits. According to Wanderplex, Laos remains the most bombed country in the world. And of the two million tons of ordnance dumped on the country during the Vietnam War, 30 per cent failed to detonate. An estimated 300 people per year are killed in Laos due to unexploded ordnance (UXO). So even if you do stumble across a military relic such as this abandoned tank, it’s a good idea to keep your distance.
Keep reading – explore 20 Spectacular Military Abandonments of the World and Laos’ Mysterious Plain of Jars. Also, be sure to click through the thumbnails below.
