The advisory stated that US tourists and business travellers would also be better off keeping to the same restrictions. The embassy explained that the US Department of State says there is a significant danger of being shot or being blown up by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Xaisomboun.
The State Department noted that there had been several roadside gun attacks in Xaisomboun in the last few months of 2015. Two more in late January claimed the lives of three and injured one more.
The advisory continued by stating that tourists should not stray from the beaten track in Laos because IEDs were an ongoing problem. It added that tourists going to key Laotian tourist destinations such as Luang Prabang or the Plain of Jars were unlikely to be affected.
The Vientiane embassy also posted the notice on its Facebook pages. This entry concluded by urging all US nationals in Laos, or planning trips to the Southeast Asian country, to be careful and monitor what was happening in their immediate proximity.
US warns citizens to keep away from Xaisomboun Province in Laos
News in Asia
The US embassy in the Laos capital of Vientiane has issued a warning that advises travellers to avoid Xaisomboun Province. The statement said the embassy had temporarily banned its staff from travelling to the central province.