Mythbusting – ‘foreigner areas’ more secure?

Some people believe that by living in an area of Vientiane with a high volume of foreigners, or in a compound style property, their home and belongings will be more secure.

Whilst at first it may feel comfortable to live amongst one’s own, this does not necessarily guarantee security. In fact, quite the opposite is often true.

If the majority of houses in an area are rented by foreigners, this means entire streets can be vacant for large periods of time (especially during holiday periods) giving opportunistic thieves free reign.

Aside from the wonderful experience of cross-cultural exchange, living within or near a Lao community also has security benefits. Here’s why:  local people, by custom, often live in traditional (larger) family groups.