Can’t Forget Vientiane, Lao Refugee Song - Ms. Thantavanh Rasasack, 1968 (English Lyrics)

Can’t Forget Vientiane - Ms. Thantavanh Rasasack ບໍ່ລືມວຽງຈັນ - ທັນຕະວັນ ຣາຊາສັກດ໌ Ms. Thantavanh Rasasack was a very popular artist in the pre-1975 era. Many of her recordings from the period still survive, and I hope to convert a number of them into translated lyric videos like this one. To my knowledge, her most recent recording was made in late 2020. I am unsure of Thantavanh Rasasack’s particular scenario, but much of the Royalist Lao music industry fled the Kingdom of Laos well prior to the capitulation in 1975. For example, by 1970, the principal Lao music star, Kho Viseth had fully relocated to Thailand. Many fellow Lao artists would follow. The lyrics were written by Mr. S. Sengsirivanh (ສ. ແສງສິຣິວັນ), also a Vientiane native and former Royal Lao Policeman. He had a very impressive law enforcement career, while also sustaining his extensive songwriting portfolio. This particular song was written during his years of training abroad in Maylasia, France, and Thailand as he was being ushered into a spot of leadership for future Lao public security efforts. At the conclusion of the war, he spent 13 years in a communist re-education camp at Viengxay, Houaphanh province. In the early 90s his son Sangchan Sengsirivanh (who had made it to the US), negotiated a bail bond with the Lao PDR for his father’s freedom. He currently resides with his wife in Portland, Oregon. I would like to thank Mr. Phong Davong, a wonderful Lao-French musician, for providing the lyrics written in Lao script. He has also converted this piece into sheet music that is available for free, from his website here: These translations are an approximation, and may not be 100% accurate, but the general idea survives. All content belongs to their respective owners and not myself.