This time line will attempt to explore the aftermath of the death of Auguste Pavie in 1887, before he successfully led the French efforts to seize Laos from the Siamese. So without further ado...
What if the August Pavie died in the sack of Luang Prabang?
In 1887 the region now known as Laos was a dangerous place for a Frenchman, it was a dangerous place for anyone really. The Haw Wars had been raging sporadically around northern Laos and Tonking since 1865, with the different 'Flag Gangs' attacking the French imperialists in Tonking, the peasants and temples in Laos, the Thai military that hunted them, and each other. It was not unusual to see an isolated village nearly destroyed after a raid. People would be slaughtered, mutilated or carried into captivity, and any wealth would be taken as well. The Monks and temples of the north were not spared either from the raids by these Chinese bandits from Yunnan. Where most saw death, despair and depravity, one enterprising Frenchman saw opportunity.
Auguste Pavie had spent years in Indochina, he had learned Cambodian and had led several successful expeditions including laying a telegraph line from Phnom Phen to Bangkok and another to Saigon. His successes were rewarded with growing influence and postings, finally rising to become the First Vice Consul in Luang Prabang in 1886. The future looked incredibly bright for this ambitious man, and his vision for expanding French suzerainty across Indochina seemed to finally have found a path to fruition when the Flag bandits attacked Luang Prabang in 1887. As the city began to burn, Auguste rescued Oun Kham from certain death by ferrying him across the river away from the city. However, this also proved to be his undoing. As the ferry moved slowly across the water, a skilled shot or an unlucky stray bullet caught Auguste in the side. The wound seemed minor at first, but quickly became infected. By the time they reached skilled physicians with the proper medicine to treat him, it was too late. Auguste and his dreams passed away quietly a few days later*.
(*In our time line he was not shot, lived and used the influence he gained in the successful rescue to start winning the hearts and minds of Laotian rulers and people. At the same time he helped manipulate events so that Thai and Lao forces were never quite able to subdue the Chinese and T'ai bandits.)
What if the August Pavie died in the sack of Luang Prabang?
In 1887 the region now known as Laos was a dangerous place for a Frenchman, it was a dangerous place for anyone really. The Haw Wars had been raging sporadically around northern Laos and Tonking since 1865, with the different 'Flag Gangs' attacking the French imperialists in Tonking, the peasants and temples in Laos, the Thai military that hunted them, and each other. It was not unusual to see an isolated village nearly destroyed after a raid. People would be slaughtered, mutilated or carried into captivity, and any wealth would be taken as well. The Monks and temples of the north were not spared either from the raids by these Chinese bandits from Yunnan. Where most saw death, despair and depravity, one enterprising Frenchman saw opportunity.
Auguste Pavie had spent years in Indochina, he had learned Cambodian and had led several successful expeditions including laying a telegraph line from Phnom Phen to Bangkok and another to Saigon. His successes were rewarded with growing influence and postings, finally rising to become the First Vice Consul in Luang Prabang in 1886. The future looked incredibly bright for this ambitious man, and his vision for expanding French suzerainty across Indochina seemed to finally have found a path to fruition when the Flag bandits attacked Luang Prabang in 1887. As the city began to burn, Auguste rescued Oun Kham from certain death by ferrying him across the river away from the city. However, this also proved to be his undoing. As the ferry moved slowly across the water, a skilled shot or an unlucky stray bullet caught Auguste in the side. The wound seemed minor at first, but quickly became infected. By the time they reached skilled physicians with the proper medicine to treat him, it was too late. Auguste and his dreams passed away quietly a few days later*.
(*In our time line he was not shot, lived and used the influence he gained in the successful rescue to start winning the hearts and minds of Laotian rulers and people. At the same time he helped manipulate events so that Thai and Lao forces were never quite able to subdue the Chinese and T'ai bandits.)