The Seno area of Savannakhet province, known for its famous grilled chicken or pingkai Seno (Seno grilled chicken), has plans to be moved as the area will become a rest stop for drivers traveling along Road No. 13 South.
Deputy Head of Information, Culture and Tourism Department of Savannakhet Province Mr. Singha Phannavong told Vientiane Timesyesterday that the Seno area will become a rest stop for the region under support from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ASEAN, with the project estimated to cost more than US$2 million.
The Seno area is located in Outhoumphone district where passersby could stop to get their fill of chicken and drivers driving from north to south, south to north or from east to west (from Vietnam to Thailand) could also stop before continuing to other destinations.
“Currently a concession company will clear UXOs before clearing the land to build a rest stop along the road with access into the town of Savannakhet,” Mr. Singha said.
MrSingha said that some of the chicken shops along the roadside would also be removed for the project but that it is still in the process of cooperation between the authorities, the concession company and the JICA-ASEAN project officials working out the details.
Following the plan, the rest stop would include five main areas including a market, food stalls or shops, a gas station, a hotel and logistics, he noted.
Mr. Singha also stressed “in terms of our service for tourism we also plan to improve and manage the area to make it more clean and in better condition to serve visitors and we will also help the Association of Seno Grilled Chicken to improve their management.”
He added that “the Seno grilled chicken area is now booming. So, we will have to help the association to improve its systems and location as it will become the rest stop area for the region.”
There are 35 grilled chicken shops in the area, where they can sell at least 1,200 grilled chickens per day and receive at least 70 million kip each day. Currently, Vientiane residents can also very easily buy Seno grilled chicken and they don’t need to travel to the Seno area of Savannakhet province to buy it since a new restaurant has just opened in Vientiane this past June.
As the popularity of the famous grilled chicken grows in the capital, the restaurant will be expanded to more branches throughout the city.
The restaurant has opened another outlet at the PTT station, a Thai petrol station in Naxay village, Xaysettha district, making it the first shop to sell the much-desired chicken in the capital.
Source: Vientiane Times
