Some vendors are complaining about lease fees for selling goods during the boat racing festival from October 14-17 in Vientiane, saying they are too expensive and increase every year.
However, other vendors are happy as they are aware of the best locations for setting up stalls and are willing to pay the set fees.
As an example, some sites at this year’s boat racing festival cost 4 million kip for a 6 by 4 metre space in the in-demand zone around the Pakpasack Junction at Vatchan village in Chanthabouly district. Some stall holders are charged even more for other limited spaces.
One Vientiane vendor said the 4 million kip fee wasn’t too expensive for her as she already paid 3 million kip for a 3 by 3 metre space last year.
The vendor explained she had been selling food at the boast racing festival for the last five years and stall fees had increased every year but not more than 100,000-200,000 kip for each location.
Some locations were too expensive because they are booked and then resold again to second/third vendors, she said.
Meanwhile, some visitors also are worried about the price of goods and food, which is expected to more expensive with higher lease fees.
Vientiane Times yesterday asked a local concessionaire, who asked not to be named and had received a concession area from Vatchan village officials, about booth availability.
She had 50 booths in her area with limited availability of6by4metrespacesat4 million kip each.
However, the festival organising committee is meeting today in Vientiane to explain about booth fees for vendors and to raise more awareness in the public as well.
The boat racing festival is one of the biggest and most significant festivals of Laos held every year at the end of Buddhist Lent in Vientiane attracting large crowds to enjoy the various activities with vendors’ stalls proving popular as people try to snap up a bargain.
Source: Vientiane Times
