VIENTIANE: 22nd February 2005 -- 'But I didn't know the Salesians were in Laos', you say.  As of the 20th February 2005, the date of the first official visit of the Salesian Regional Fr V. Klement, the Thai Provincial Fr Depharat (also spelt Theparat), the Salesian in charge of 'Midt Sam Phan Service' near Vientiane, Fr Tito Pedron, along with the Rector of Udonthani, Fr Nophorn, it would be hard to deny that the Salesians are in Laos.

    On 24th May 2004, the Midt Sam Phan Service opened its doors for the first time. 'Midt' means 'friend' and 'Sam Phan' means 'communication' in Laotian.  A month previously, the then Thai Provincial, now Bishop Joseph Prathan and his council had approved a budget for the initial stages of the new presence which was to be near the Laotian capital Vientiane, which would be a small workshop offering basic training in electricity and automotive, and which would be led by Mr Sanya, a Thai Salesian teacher and past pupil, together with 4 Laotian teachers, all of them having spent time at Don Bosco in Bangkok.

    In fact, a brief look at any map will reveal that Vientiane is very close to the Thai border, and but 90 minutes drive from the Salesian centre at Udonthani. The exchanges between the two nations are many given that at least 16 million Thais speak a dialect very close to Laotian.  The population of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos is around 6 million, 50% of whom are Buddhist and the other 50% (or thereabouts) of whom are animists.  Nevertheless the 7 Laotian dioceses all have locally-born Bishops.

    After 9 months of a Salesian presence through the energetic efforts of Salesian past pupils/teachers (and in fact Mr Sanya is regularly known as 'Brother Sanya' in those parts), the centre has begun to gain the trust of local people.  The centre offers air-conditioning and automotive repairs, though there are relatively few vehicles in Vientiane, and moves are afoot for the first group of 5 students to begin a 1 year course in electricity and automotive skills.

    The future is now looking a little more certain.  There are 4 Laotian Salesian-trained teachers (who studied at the Don Bosco Technical School in Bangkok), Fr Pedron, while living in Thailand, is able to visit monthly for several days.  The Salesian priority is a vocational training/technical institute - there being only one other Catholic school in all of Laos. 

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