The capital city whose name derives from the Lao expression for “city of sandalwood” is Vientiane. In Lao, viang means “walled city,” while chan is connected to Sanskrit candana, meaning “sandalwood.” Together, the name is commonly interpreted as “walled city of sandalwood.”
Vientiane is the capital of Laos and stands on the Mekong River, close to the border with Thailand. The city has been an important Lao political and religious centre for centuries, and it became the administrative capital during French colonial rule.
The name can cause confusion because chan may also be associated with “moon” in Lao usage. This has led to an alternative interpretation, “walled city of the moon,” but “city of sandalwood” is the standard explanation used for this trivia clue. Vientiane is also sometimes written Viangchan or Wiangchan, while Vientiane is the French-derived English form.