Pakse

Pakxe or Pakse means "Mouth of the river Se" is a city in southern Laos, situated at the confluence of the Xedone and Mekong Rivers. It is the largest city in Champasak province and its capital. It is served by Pakse International Airport and is the gateway to the Bolaven Plateau. It was also the former capital of the Lao Kingdom of Champasak.

This city was founded by the French as an administrative outpost in 1905, and was formerly the capital of the Lao Kingdom of Champasak and residence of the King of Champasak at Champasak Palace, which was abolished in 1946 when the Kingdom of Laos was formed. Since the construction of a bridge over the Mekong (built with Japanese aid), allowing road traffic with Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand, Pakse has become the commercial centre of southern Laos.