Traditional Lao-style house???

Minister of Health for the Lao PDR, H.E. Dr Ponmek Dalaloy addresses
those in attendance of the opening of the new WHO office

As the Health Frontiers Field Representative, I was recently invited to the Open House for the new WHO office in Vientiane. Leila and I rode our bicycles to the event and were hastily directed to the back of the building so that there was room for the shiny SUVs of the other NGOS and the black, sedans of the diplomatic corps. During the ceremony, the director of the WHO in Laos welcomed us to their new "traditional Lao house." Huh? Has he looked at the building? Traditional Lao-style houses do not have Roman columns and grand curved wooden staircases. They don't even have running water or electricity. The new WHO office looks more like a southern mansion, or the White House. There is a lot of money to be made in development. This event just served to help me appreciate the volunteer, low-budget mission of Health Frontiers. I rode my bicycle away with pride.