Google Street View in Laos

Google has signed on the Lao PDR government has a partner to supply images of Laos through its popular Street View technology.
According to local media reports, The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications will partner with Google Asia Pacific to work on the street view technology over the next three months
It will take that amount of time to collect images of Vientiane that will then be edited by Google, before they are loaded to Google Maps.
It could take up to a year to complete the project for the Lao capital and even longer before it includes Luang Prabang.
Google Street View requires specialised vehicles equipped with a camera capable of taking 360 degree photographs. The vehicle tours the streets collecting images.
The ministry’s Cooperation and Planning Department general director, Phoukhong Chitlooklok, said the programme would make it convenient for travellers who are researching and planning holidays in Laos.
“Google Maps and Street View will help people discover our country and efficiently plan their journey when travelling around Laos.”
Google Next Wave Emerging Markets Product Manager, Divon Lan, said that they will pay attention to the country and people’s privacy and if there were forbidden areas then they would get government permission before proceeding.
There will be many forbidden areas in Lao PDR, which is still controlled by relatively conservative communist leaders. They are very sensitive about security issues and will probably place off limits areas around airports and government installations.
Google censors out individuals’ face and vehicle license plates.
The Street View images appear when an individual zooms in on the map or satellite image, as well as dragging the ‘pegman’ icon onto a location on the map.
It is considerably overrated in Southeast Asia as the images are often out-dated and irrelevant for destinations beyond major commercial cities such as Bangkok. It is not a very helpful tool for planning detailed ane well researched itineraries, but it is good for a country’s image, a cosmetic touch to encourage travel.
Laos is the seventh Southeast Asian country to enrol in Street View. The others are Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.
Singapore due it compactness is probably the best example of how it can work and be a valuable tool, while the cover of destinations in Thailand and Myanmar is disappointing. Google Street View is available in 55 countries.

Sourced: ttrweekly