Blue Emergency Poles, which began to appear across Vientiane a few months ago, are designed to provide a real-time emergency response service and on-the-spot assistance when necessary, the Laotian Times has learned.
When citizens press a button attached to the poles, officials at emergency services centers will be online to assist. The officials will be able to talk to callers on the speaker while viewing them through the camera in real time.
They will also send someone when on-the-spot assistance is needed.
An informed source told Laotian Times that the service would also have English speakers to help foreigners and tourists.
An emergency pole in Chao Anouvong Park, Vientiane Capital
It is still unclear which government body is fully in charge of managing and operating the polls, but the source said it would be the General Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security that oversees the Vientiane police emergency number 1191.
The Lao government is currently finalizing the installation and the service, and there would be an announcement when the service officially commences, the source added.
The currently available emergency lines in Laos are 1190 for fire, 1195 for the ambulance and for police: 1191, 241162, 241163, 241164, and 212703. The Tourist Police can be contacted in Vientiane on 021-251-128.
