Locals believe the king’s remains are housed in the ancient stupa, Vat Pha Saysettha, as the king died nearby. Prior to coming under the kingdom’s control, the territory was called “Idkabue”, which means “buffalo droppings” as wild buffaloes lived in the area. However, French colonialists interpreted this as “Attapeu”, which remains its name to this day.

During the first Indochinese War against the French, Attapeu became the headquarters for the National Liberation Front, which was totally destroyed. The province was finally liberated on 28 April 1970, and became known as the “Land of Heroism” for its major role in the revolution. Though much of Attapeu was levelled, evidence of the war remains to this day, and is mostly concentrated in the eastern part of the province along the mountainous Ho Chi Minh Trail near the Vietnam border.

Source: Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism