Every Thursday at La Résidence Phou Vao, the staff gather their brooms and brushes and set out on tuk tuks to collect trash, waste and discarded plastic to help keep Luang Prabang clean and unpolluted.

Deemed ‘Green Thursday’, this private initiative is the first of its kind in the area, and has been organized by La Résidence Phou Vao to set a good example and help encourage others to do their part in preserving the environment.   

As residents and businesses in Luang Prabang pay to have their trash collected (and very few are able to afford to do so) this project helps support the local community and preserve their surroundings. The staff concentrates on clearing waste mainly from the streets, the Mekong River bank and from the areas surrounding the temples. In addition to collecting litter, the staff also take time to speak with Lao people and tourists, to help educate them on how to protect the planet, how to change polluting habits, and maintain Luang Prabang.

More than 10m³ of waste and plastic is collected each Thursday by La Residence Phou Vao.