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Viengthong district

ເມືອງວຽງທອງ
Viengthong district ເມືອງວຽງທອງ
District
Country	Laos
Province	Houaphanh
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)

Viengthong district is a district (muang) of Houaphanh province in northeastern Laos.^[1] It is the gateway to the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park, which protects mountain forests which are home to a number of endangered species. The park headquarters is in the town.

History

Before the Laotian Civil War, Viengthong district was under the same jurisdiction as Pak Seng district, Luang Prabang province, and was a Buddhist settlement called Muang Hiem, which means 'beware of the tiger', alluding to tiger attacks in the area.

There was a temple called Vat Hiem on a nearby hill where the district government administration building sits today, but this was destroyed by US bombing during the Laotian Civil War. The only remnants are a stupa and an unexploded bomb lodged deep in the ground, deemed not to be dangerous.^[2]

References

^ Maplandia world gazetteer
^ Viengthong Office of Information & Culture and Nam EtPhou Louey NPA. "Biking and Walking Around Viengthong" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2011.^{[dead link‍]}