Myanmar President visits Luang Prabang during State Visit to Laos

The high-level Myanmar delegation led by President U Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, travelled from Vientiane to Luang Prabang on Sunday as part of their State Visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The delegation departed from Wattay International Airport aboard a special aircraft and arrived in Luang Prabang, the ancient cultural capital of Laos, where they were warmly welcomed by local officials. During the visit, President U Min Aung Hlaing and his wife toured the Royal Palace Museum in Luang Prabang. They paid homage to the ancient Pha Bang Buddha Image and offered light, flower and golden lotus robe. A statue of Mara Vijaya Buddha Image and commemorative book about the construction processes were also presented during the visit. They then toured the temple area, and officials explained its history. The Pha Bang Buddha Image is a highly sacred statue placed at the entrance of the Royal Palace Museum. It is believed to have been cast in Sri Lanka in the 1st century and later gifted to the Lao King Fa Ngum in 1359 by a Khmer king. The temple construction began in 1963, was interrupted by civil war, resumed in 1990, and was officially opened in 2006. After that, the delegation visited exhibits of royal items once used by Lao kings. The Royal Palace Museum, located on the banks of the Mekong River, is a major cultural heritage site. It was once the royal palace, later turned into a national museum after the monarchy was abolished in 1975. In 1995, UNESCO recognized Luang Prabang as a World Heritage Site, and the palace is a key cultural center known for its mix of French colonial and Lao architectural styles.