TNAG-0940-FCO40-1159-Visits-by-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Ministers-and-officials-t-1980 — Page 17

CONFIDENTIAL

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significance of the festivities at the November Full Moon, centring on the That Luang Pagoda and on donations to the Wats traditional at that time. Although, presumably only a shadow of the Royal festivals of pre-1975, the Buddhists of Vientiane were at least as visible as those of Bangkok!

South East Asian Department

17 December 1980.

CONFIDENTIAL