Maysa Bouavone Phanthaboouasy, born in 2001 in Luang Prabang province, Laos, is a master's degree student at the University of Economics and Business in Hà Nội. Photo courtesy of Phanthaboouasy

By Minh Khuê

Maysa Bouavone Phanthaboouasy, born in 2001 in Luang Prabang province, Laos, is a master's degree student at the University of Economics and Business in Hà Nội. Besides her studies, Maysa is a TikToker and content creator, gaining popularity on social media with content related to Vietnamese and Lao culture.

Maysa's story with Việt Nam began in 2020 when she received a scholarship to study at the Quảng Ninh University of Industry. As she grew up and learned about the history of Laos and Việt Nam, her fascination and curiosity about Vietnamese culture, people, and the country deepened.

She said: "I have loved Việt Nam since I was little. After finishing high school in Laos, I received a government scholarship, so I didn’t hesitate to choose this country as my destination for studying abroad."

Maysa wears a traditional Vietnamese áo dài. Photo courtesy of Phanthaboouasy

Maysa created her first video on TikTok in April 2023 to clarify that she wasn’t actually Vietnamese, as many people had mistakenly believed. The video quickly went viral and attracted numerous comments. This experience made Maysa realise that Vietnamese people were curious about Laos, which inspired her to create more videos to introduce her homeland.

She explained: “I hope that the young people of Việt Nam and Laos can become more familiar with each other's cultures and people, fostering a stronger bond of friendship between the two nations.” 

In addition to content about the culture, people and customs of Việt Nam and Laos, she also offers insights into her life as a Laotian student studying in Việt Nam, especially for young people in Laos who are considering studying or working abroad. 

"I see that many young people in Laos don’t have the chance to understand the lifestyle and people of Việt Nam. As an international student, I want to use my real-life experiences to help them have a broader view of the culture here," she said.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree, Maysa was awarded a scholarship for a master's program at the University of Economics and Business in 2024. While prioritising her studies, she also works as a content creator and has amassed over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, more than 562,000 followers on Facebook and around 104,000 subscribers on YouTube. Her growing presence across multiple social media platforms highlights her significant influence.

She created a community group on Facebook called 'Brothers of Western Việt Nam and Eastern Laos' to connect the two countries. The group is still active and thriving with nearly 95,000 members. 

“Maintaining this group is meaningful to me, as it provides a platform for sharing more information about Laos with Vietnamese people who are interested in visiting or learning more about my country,” she said.

“Whenever I go out, many people recognise me and tell me they’ve learned a lot of interesting things about Laos through my content, which has made them love Laos even more," Maysa added.

In May 2024, Maysa received an invitation from the Department of External Information to participate in the opening of the Press Centre to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory. Photo courtesy of Phanthaboouasy

In May 2024, Maysa received an invitation from the Department of External Information to participate in the opening of the Press Centre to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory. Additionally, she has participated in many exchange events organised by the Embassy, sharing her journey of studying in Việt Nam.

“This career has opened up many opportunities for me to learn new things, travel to different places, and hear inspiring stories,” Maysa said.

The most memorable moment for Maysa was watching Việt Nam's 3-2 victory over Thailand at the iconic Rajamangala Stadium, securing the 2024 ASEAN Cup championship.

“I always knew that the Vietnamese people love their country. But attending the final match, joining in the celebrations on the street and singing along with everyone made me feel an intense affection for both Việt Nam and its people,” she said. 

Maysa plans to explore more content related to tourism in Việt Nam and Laos to promote travel between the two countries.

As for her plans after graduating, Maysa shared with Việt Nam News that she will return to Laos to work while continuing to foster the relationship between people of the two countries as a content creator. 

She jokingly added: "After finishing my studies, if I marry a Vietnamese man, I will stay in Việt Nam."  VNS