A press conference was held last Friday at Vientiane’s Talat Sao (Morning Market) Mall to inform the public of the future of the market and mall complex, which has been uncertain for some years.
The press conference was held by Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone, Vice Mayor of Vientiane Capital, Mr. Xaykham Ounmixay, Vice President of the State Inspection and Anti-Corruption Authority, Mr. Khammone Bouaphane, Deputy Head of the Vientiane Capital Department of
Finance, alongside heads of urban planning and public works departments.
Shopkeepers and retailers currently operating inside the mall complex were also present at the press release.
According to a recent Lao Post story, Mr. Khammone said that in line with a notice by the Prime Minister’s Office on dispute resolution in relation to the concession of the morning market, the Vientiane Capital administrative authorities are making every effort to find a resolution to the ongoing dispute.
Whilst details of the nature of the dispute were not revealed, resolution of the dispute will involve the redevelopment of the morning market site as part of a wider plan drafted by the Vientiane Capital Department of Public Works and Transport, and in line with current market conditions.
The Morning Market complex is currently under the custodianship of the government, with the original market and first Morning Market Mall being managed by a special government department. The Morning Market Mall II complex is under the management of Houasinh Phattana Ltd, who won the right to management by court order.
Because the morning market complex is situated in a prime location in central Vientiane and is a center for many types of trading, there has been interest in redevelopment by various developers.
The government is calling upon any interested party to submit a proposal for redevelopment and management of the Talat Sao complex under the guidance and in line with certain conditions. One such condition is that whoever takes over the project will be responsible for the construction of a pedestrian bridge linking the three Talat Sao buildings with the adjacent bus station.
The new project owner will also be responsible for the repayment of the debts left over from the previous project owner.
