AK armed Lao soldiers are quite common around town.
While #Thailand has its share of military around the streets, they are usually discreet and mostly at checkpoints.
Soldiers in #Laos seem to go about their daily business, walking through the markets with their AKs on their shoulders.
As if to demonstrate how polarised we have become by Western media, and games, I think nothing of unexpected encounters with M-16 wielding Thai soldiers.
Yet the first unexpected encounter with an AK toting Lao soldier did send a shot of adrenaline through my system.
M-16, good guys. AK, bad guys. At least that’s how my nervous system reacted before logic took over.