Story: Laotians
Not all Laotians came to New Zealand as refugees: Mrs Chanthouma Souvannakhilya and Mr Chittavoravong Saly (photographed in 1967) arrived as students under the Colombo Plan. Mrs Souvannakhilya was the first Laotian woman to do so. She is wearing the national costume, made by her mother.
Using this item
Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)
Reference: EP/1967/0580/6
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
How to cite this page
Man Hau Liev and Rosa Chhun, Laotians – Immigration: escaping the Killing Fields, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/1076/colombo-plan-students (accessed 27 October 2025).
Story by Man Hau Liev and Rosa Chhun, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2024.