The mystique of Laos

Carmen is working on her second murder mystery set in Laos. This one is The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill. It is about an aging doctor, educated in Paris (where he met and married a committed Communist), now a disillusioned veteran of the 'revolution' that put the Pathet Lao in control of Laos (this was once daily newspaper fare in my young days). Carmen says she likes the novels because they remind her of Cuba. Cotterill has lived some years in Laos and seems to have an accurate ear for dialogue. Here is a taste, a conversation between Dr Siri and another old comrade from his Pathet Lao days:

"How was your weekend?"
"Sensational. Spent both days up in Van Viang at a political seminar. You?"
"Dug a ditch."
"How was it?"
"Sensational. My block won first prize in the 'Uplifting Work Songs' competition."
"Well done. What did you win?"
"A hoe."
"Just the one?"
"We got it for a week each, alphabetically. What's the big news of the month up on the roundabout?"
"Big news? We made it to the top of a world list last week."
"Lowest crime?"
"Highest inflation."
"In the world? Wow. We should have a party or something."
"Then there's the ongoing puppet scandal."
"Tell me."
"The party ordered the puppets at Xiang Thong temple in Luang Prabang to stop using royal language, and said they had to start calling each other 'comrade.'"
"Quite right, too. We have to show those puppets who's pulling the strings." Civilai hit him with a lettuce leaf. "What happened?"
"Puppets refused."
"Subversive bastards."
"The local party members locked them up in their box, and they aren't allowed out till they succumb."
"That'll teach them."

To my taste, this reminds me more of Mexicans than Cubans. A hot sense of quiet irony.

Next episode: The great Vientienne Traffic Light Debate.