Laos has few reliable transportation routes due to its mountainous topography and lack of development. Any government's ability to maintain a presence in regions far from the national or provincial capitals has historically been constrained by this inaccessibility, as has interaction and communication between villages and ethnic groups.
The only natural channels suitable for large-draft boat transportation are the Mekong and Nam Ou, and low water limits the size of the draft that can be used on many routes from December to May. Pirogues have traditionally been used by Laotians in lowland villages on the banks of smaller rivers for fishing, trading, and short trips up and down the river.
Otherwise, one must travel on foot or in an ox cart over level ground. Upland ethnic groups have had to rely solely on pack baskets and horse packing for transportation due to the steep mountains and lack of roads.
There isn't much of a road network. Since the 1950s, a primitive network that began under French colonial rule has served as a vital means of increased intervillage communication, the movement of market goods, and a focal point for new settlements. The majority of Laotians only traveled short distances, if at all, as of the middle of 1994 because travel in most areas was difficult and costly. It is anticipated that in the future, villagers will be able to seek medical care, send their children to schools at district centers, and work outside the village with greater ease as a result of ongoing improvements to the road network that began at the beginning of the 1990s.