I think the reason might be found on page 83 of Mayurī Ngaosīvat's book "Path to Conflagration."
"For ritualistic reasons, the pagodas in the Lao capital all face east and their flanks are aligned with Mekong River. The only exception is here, at Wat Sisaket, which lies perpendicular to the Mekong River; its axis of forty degrees southwest turns it toward the Khorat Plateau, and its view includes Saraburi and Bangkok. The achitectural precision is astonishing. Anou's contemporaries, aware of the geomantic setting of this royal pagoda, understood the intended message. "At this splendid new temple of Sisaket, he [Anou] held a grand assembly of all his feudatories twice a year to pay him homage." Representatives who took part in this assemblage would stand with their backs turned to Bangkok. After 1827, the court of Bangkok required that this practice cease: all the Lao were required to pay homage to Bangkok, with their faces turned in Bangkok's direction. French coloniation renewed Anou's gesture. After the French protectorate ended, the Lao kingdom neglected to reinstitute Anou s proud gesture and instead staged its oath-taking ceremonies in a less contentious temple, Wat Ong Tu, a tradion which lasted until 1975."
So if you go to pay homage at Chao Anouvong statue, you're going to be facing him and have your back toward Thailand.
P.S. Sorry, I don't have Lao font. Anybody please feel free to tranlate. Thanks.
เป็นผมจะตอบว่า ประเทศอินเดียสร้างพระแก้วยังไม่ทวงเลย และถ้าอยากได้มากก็มาเอาคืนซิ Take it back if u can.
ປະເທດອິນເດັຍເຂົາເປັນຜູ້ສ້າງແຕ່ປະເທດແກເປັນໂຈນປຸ້ນໄປໄອ້ເຫັ້ຍເອີຍ. ແກຢ່າໃຊ້ຄຳວ່າ Take it back ກັບສິ່ງທີ່ຊາວພຸດນັບຖື.ໄອ້ຄົນບໍ່ມີສາດສະຫນາ ສະພໍສັງຄົມປະເທດໄທມັນຈະເລີນລົງທຸກໆວັນ.
เป็นผมจะตอบว่า ประเทศอินเดียสร้างพระแก้วยังไม่ทวงเลย และถ้าอยากได้มากก็มาเอาคืนซิ Take it back if u can.
ປະເທດອິນເດັຍເຂົາເປັນຜູ້ສ້າງແຕ່ປະເທດແກເປັນໂຈນປຸ້ນໄປໄອ້ເຫັ້ຍເອີຍ. ແກຢ່າໃຊ້ຄຳວ່າ Take it back ກັບສິ່ງທີ່ຊາວພຸດນັບຖື.ໄອ້ຄົນບໍ່ມີສາດສະຫນາ ສະພໍສັງຄົມປະເທດໄທມັນຈະເລີນລົງທຸກໆວັນ.