Lao craftspeople need better marketing in order to boost the prospects of the cultural production sector, especially carvings, sculptures and pottery produced as souvenirs.
The Lao carving and pottery sector needs to produce new cultural products, according to the Lao Handicrafts Association and the relevant government policies.
President of the Lao Cultural Production Company, Mr. Bounleung Veunviravong spoke with Lao media after a recent training course on increasing technical skills in the sector.
Mr. Bounleung said the old cultural products produced by the sector have been too large and thus they are not very appealing for purchase by overseas tourists who have to return home via airplane.
Instead, the new products should be smaller and better produced, Mr. Bounleung said.
“We think that our company can respond by producing all kinds of cultural products including smaller ones.”
However Mr. Bounleung noted that Lao producers are also still lacking overseas markets for the products they produce.
Mostly, Lao carvers and sculptors have been producing works for domestic customers in Vientiane and also the provinces.
They receive various kinds of orders including cement Buddhas, gold Buddhas, and other statues made of cement, clay and other substances.
However souvenir production has not developed according to the plan because there has not been the markets for these products elsewhere.
President of the Lao Handicrafts Association, Mr. Hansana Sisane said the association needs to continue working to encourage Lao sculptors to take on new forms and techniques.
The Lao Culture Production Company was established in 1988 to respond with the policies of the government on the promotion of Lao cultural production.
This includes pottery, carving, sculpture, traditional music and also the souvenir production sector.
Source: Vientiane Times
