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Back in Vientiane, where Laos is playing host to the 25th Annual SEA Games (South East Asia). This is a first for the country, and imperturbable Vientiane has been transformed - for 10 days anyway. Sirens and horns wail as sports teams and VIP's are shuttled back and forth from hotels to stadiums. Police line the streets - vendors too.

The countries involved: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, East Timor - even Brunei. The competition includes 30 games, many of them common in the west, but a few played only in this corner of the world, such as Sepak Takraw. It's like volleyball, but the 3 players per side can use only their feet to get a rattan sphere over the net.

GO LAOS!