The fair officially opened on February 21 but a large number of visitors had gathered there by 7pm the previous day, making major roads to the venue extremely congested. Traffic police had worked hard to maintain a flow of traffic, but many visitors still had taken shortcuts through paddy fields.

The Vieng fair is considered a venue for ‘selling and buying luck’, where products are offered at reasonable prices and buyers usually do not bargain. Commodities on sale include tools such as hoes, sickles and knives, all of which buyers believe will bring good luck in the lunar new year.

This year’s ornamental tree corner will attract a lot of buyers looking for tea, fir and cornbeefwood trees.