The Lao government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South Korea last week to send more Lao nationals to work in the country’s agricultural and fishery sectors and gain experience and expertise from Korean farmers.
Fatal Car Crash in Thailand Claims Life of Lao Driver
A Lao national was killed in an accident on Tuesday following his vehicle’s collision with a truck in the province of Udon Thani, Thailand.
Xieng Khouang Authorities Arrest 40 People For Illegally Mining Natural Minerals

Xieng Khouang provincial authorities apprehended 40 locals for illegally mining natural minerals earlier this month.
Let the World Hear the Voice of the Asian Games, the “Asian Games Letterbox” concluded with great success in its first stop Hong Kong
The fervor of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games ignites Hong Kong
Early in the morning, the “Asian Games Letterbox” campaign began to accept submissions from enthusiastic citizens. Word of the event swiftly spread through conversations and mobile devices, increasing like wildfire. From West Kowloon Cultural District to Causeway Bay, from Golden Bauhinia Square to Victoria Harbour, numerous renowned commercial districts proudly showcase the presence of the “Asian Games Letterbox.” These Letterboxes, adorned with the endearing mascots Chenchen, Congcong, and Lianlian, scatter the passion of the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 throughout Hong Kong while simultaneously gathering heartfelt blessings from the local community.
Mr. Timothy Tsun Ting FOK, the First Vice-President of the Olympic Council of Asia, President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, said during an interview with Phoenix Satellite Television and ifeng.com, “A simple letterbox, a simple postcard, with the hope that the entire world may hear the resounding voice of the Asian Games. It is truly remarkable that despite the rainy weather today, numerous young people have actively participated. I believe the ‘Asian Games Letterbox’ will stir up awareness of sports participation for everyone in Hong Kong.”
Amidst the exquisitely designed letterheads adorned with heartfelt blessings, the ” Global Insights” microphones were handed to passersby on the streets of Hong Kong. When asked about the host city of this year’s Asian Games, nearly all respondents accurately responded with a resounding answer—Hangzhou. However, when queried about their impressions of Hangzhou, the answers varied greatly, encompassing many perspectives. Some embraced the traditional Chinese aesthetics, likening Hangzhou to the poetic verse, “Desiring to compare West Lake to Xi Shi, Light or heavy makeup, they harmonize effortlessly.” Others recognized Hangzhou as a realm of modern technology and an idyllic abode, citing its intelligent technology prowess and reputation as a livable paradise.
Speaking of technology, it is imperative to mention the newly added esports events in this year’s Asian Games. Most respondents were aware of the inclusion of esports in the Asian Games. One interviewee expressed, “The spectacle, competitiveness, and excitement of esports are in no way inferior to traditional sports. The inclusion of esports in the Asian Games, although only a small step for the Asian Games, is a big step for esports.”
Mr. Kenneth Fok Kai Kong, Head of the Hong Kong, China delegation to the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 and Chairman of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation, regards the inclusion of esports in the Asian Games as a historical event. He also expressed, “Many Hong Kong athletes have been diligently preparing and competing abroad, and many of them have achieved commendable results. Hence, I hold an optimistic outlook for the prospects of this Asian Games.”
The convenience brought by technological advancements has led to declining opportunities for modern individuals to write with their own hands. Handwriting heartfelt blessings for the Asian Games symbolizes sincerity, significance, anticipation, and special meaning. Consequently, more and more Hong Kong citizens were captivated by the allure of the “Asian Games Letterbox” and enthusiastically participated. From Golden Bauhinia Square to Victoria Harbour, every corner brimmed with a profound essence of the Asian Games.
“Wishing the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 to be a grand event of friendship, peace, and progress, making Asia and even the world more splendid.” With a spirited and wise demeanor, an elderly gentleman solemnly wrote down his blessings and dropped them into the “Asian Games Letterbox.” This act signifies not only a simple wish but also an unspoken legacy. More than one thousand similar blessings, have been expressed by the people of Hong Kong through their tangible actions, demonstrating their anticipation and enthusiasm for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The “Asian Games Letterbox” campaign will be held in multiple countries and regions across Asia. Moreover, among the successful senders of blessings, a lucky few will be randomly selected as recipients of surprise gifts, including tickets to the Asian Games.
Hangzhou and Hong Kong are heart-to-heart and strive forAsian Games
The English rendition of the slogan for the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 is “Heart to Heart, @Future,” symbolizing a heartfelt connection paving the way towards a promising future, much like the present bond between Hangzhou and Hong Kong. In recent years, the relationship between Hangzhou and Hong Kong has blossomed, continuously forging new chapters through close and vibrant exchanges.
As early as two months ago, the Hangzhou Hong Kong Youth Association organized a promotional event titled “Harmony Between Hong Kong and Hangzhou, Celebrating the Asian Games, Sharing the Grand Event.” This event aimed to provide detailed information about the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 to the people of Hong Kong, allowing the concept of “green, intelligent, frugal, and civilized” event organization to resonate with them deeply. Additionally, Asian Games mascots were distributed, inviting Hong Kong citizens to pay attention to, participate in, and personally experience the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, symbolizing a sincere hope to gather together at the event.
It is widely known that the Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-renowned horse racing organization. Starting from July of last year, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has sent high-level expert teams on seven occasions to conduct on-site inspections and establish professional connections at the equestrian venues of the Asian Games. It was on May 10th of this year that the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and the Hong Kong Jockey Club signed the ” Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Support and Cooperation for the Equestrian Event of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022.” The Hong Kong Jockey Club will provide comprehensive technical support for the equestrian events of the Hangzhou Asian Games, undoubtedly injecting a powerful boost into the organization of the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 equestrian competitions.
The Asian Games is a grand event, co-creating the future
The second phase of registration for the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 has been successfully completed, with the participation of Olympic Committees from all 45 countries and regions across Asia.
The Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 represents more than just a sporting event. Throughout history, sports have often served as a medium, where competition is merely the outward manifestation, while the essence lies in the love and peace among nations, ethnicities, and races.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach once expressed the significance of the Beijing 2008 by stating, “Through the Beijing 2008, the world gained a better understanding of China, and China gained a better understanding of the world.”
The same holds true for this Asian Games. It serves not only as the pinnacle stage for athletic competition in Asia but also as an important platform for diplomatic, cultural, and economic exchanges. Outstanding athletes from various Asian countries and regions will contribute to a splendid display of sporting excellence. Moreover, the gathering of nations in Hangzhou will create a beautiful scene of unity and friendship, shaping a stable global order. Through the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, the world will undoubtedly gain a deeper insight into China’s future direction, while China will contribute its strength towards the future of Asia and the world.
Hashtag: #AsianGamesLetterbox
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Amazon Prime Day Returns on 11 and 12 July with Thousands of Real Deals and Exclusive Launches in Singapore
Save big on local and international brands like Omnidesk, Epitex, UGREEN, Spigen, Sukin, Bose, Muji, LEGO, Xiaomi, and across categories like Books, Toys, PC & Electronics, Household & Kitchen, Baby, Personal Care, and more.
Stay up to date with the latest Prime Day news at Amazon.sg/primeday
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 21 June 2023 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon Singapore revealed today that Prime Day, two days of epic deals exclusively for Prime members, will be back in Singapore from 11 July to 12 July, offering an extensive pipeline of deals. Prime members can also anticipate deep discounts on top products from local and international brands like Omnidesk, Epitex, UGREEN, Spigen, Sukin, Bose, Muji, LEGO, and Xiaomi, and enjoy savings across thousands of deals across various categories including toys, electronics, beauty, kitchen, home, books, baby products, and more at Amazon.sg/primeday.

“This Prime Day, we are excited to bring our Prime members incredible savings, exciting deals and new products from brands they love. Whether they wish to explore popular new products or replenish their essentials, Prime members can benefit from the wide range of deals and selection of authentic brands and products, while enjoying fast and free delivery on eligible selections,” said Leo Laforgia, Country Manager of Amazon Singapore. “We want to thank our Prime members for their support, as we aim to continue growing their trust in us by providing a seamless shopping experience where reliability and convenience are at the forefront.”
Don’t Miss Out on the Real Deals
Prime members have the chance to shop for two days of amazing deals this Prime Day on 11 July and 12 July. Prime Day will offer exclusive access to limited-time offers, new product launches, and great entertainment that allows Prime members to spend less and smile more.
That’s not all – for customers looking to plan ahead, they can now look forward to previewing upcoming deals on select products five days before they officially run on Prime Day.
No matter what you’re shopping for, Prime helps customers get the most out of Amazon, unlocking trusted deals to cater to all your shopping needs. Not a Prime member yet? Anyone can join Prime or start a 30-day free trial at Amazon.sg/prime to participate in Prime Day.
- First dibs on deals leading up to Prime Day: Prime members don’t have to wait to shop. As we gear up for Prime Day, members can enjoy real deals from trusted brands sitewide, including selections from Amazon Fresh and International Stores across key categories including toys, books, electronics, beauty, kitchen, home, baby products, and more. Discounts include:
- Save up to 30% off carton deals on Baby, Beauty, Health & Personal Care, and more.
- Get S$20 off S$120 on Baby, Beauty, Health & Personal Care, Grocery, and more.
- Save up to 20% on San Pellegrino, Tiger Beer, Torres chips, Heineken, Frenz eggs, Kirin, and more (buy 4 and get an additional 15% off).
- Buy 4 get 15% off on Grocery, Beer, Wine, Spirits, and more.
- Up to 8% off Big Ticket Items from International Stores.
- Save up to 30% on Laptops from ASUS, HP, Lenovo and ROG.
- Save up to 30% on PC Components from ASUS, Corsair, Crucial, MSI, Seagate, Toshiba, Western Digital and more.
- Up to 30% off on Philips Hue products.
- Amazon Book Club Prime members can enjoy 10% off on all books (except selection from Amazon Japan).
- Buy 2 get 15% off on Epigram books.
Starting today till 11 July, Prime members can claim bonus classic games each week, including Prey, Baldur’s Gate II, Shovel Knight: Showdown, and STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed™. Additionally, members can claim different in-game content and perks for several popular games over the next four weeks, including Overwatch 2, Diablo IV, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, and Pokémon GO. Please see this blog post or gaming.amazon.com/home for full, comprehensive details of all Prime Gaming Prime Day offers.
*Terms and conditions apply to all promotions listed above.
Hasbro’s exclusive launch on Amazon.sg for Prime Day
Against the backdrop of Prime Day this year, Prime members will get exclusive access to Hasbro’s new lineup of products across popular toys and games, including Nerf, Transformers, Play-Doh, Twister and Monopoly.
“We are excited to bring brand-new play experiences to fans, families, and movie and toy lovers all around the world. Working with Amazon Singapore showcases our vision to expand our product offerings for everyone, everywhere to create unforgettable memories for fans of all ages,” said Bhavesh Somaya, General Manager – Asia, Hasbro.
- First look at Hasbro’s newest toys and games: In the lead up to Prime Day, from 7 July onwards, Prime members will be the first in Singapore to purchase Hasbro’s latest lineup of products for kids and adults alike.
- Nerf Elite 2.0 Double Punch — This motorized blaster with double barrels and double clips includes 50 Nerf Elite 2.0 foam darts, giving you more than enough darts to reload both clips twice.
- Transformers Legacy Evolution Rise of Tyranny 2-Pack — Experience the origin stories of legendary Cybertronians before the war in this 2-Pack of Transformers Voyager Class collectible action figures featuring exclusive packaging artwork.
- Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Busy Chef’s Restaurant Playset — Run your own restaurant and create, customize, and share amazing Play-Doh food creations with pretend customers.
- Monopoly Chance — A high-stakes, card-flipping version of the Monopoly game which only takes about 20 minutes to play.
- Twister Air —Take moves from the mat to the screen with the Twister Air game! App is available on July 15.
- Limited time only: From 22 June to 6 July, Prime members can enjoy up to 90% off on selected Hasbro’s toys and games, from brands such as NERF, Transformers, Disney, Star Wars, MARVEL, Play-Doh, Monopoly and more.
*Terms and conditions apply to all promotions listed above.
Additional Prime Day perks
- New to Amazon.sg? Get S$5 off S$25 for Prime Day 2023 purchases. New Prime signups only.
- Amazon Vouchers: Discover more ways to save with Amazon Vouchers. Find discounts on everyday essentials, as well as gifts, electronics, beauty, toys, and more. Simply clip the voucher and the discount will be applied at checkout. Visit Amazon.sg/vouchers for information.
- Amazon.sg Gift Cards: Amazon.sg Gift Cards offer an easy, simple, and convenient gifting experience, providing access to an extensive selection of products on Amazon.sg at Amazon.sg/giftcard.
- Promotions: Enjoy greater savings when shopping on Amazon.sg and Amazon Fresh. From 1 July, visit amazon.sg/bankpromotions for more information.
- Bank promotions
- DBS/POSB card holders can get S$18 off S$150 or more when they spend on Amazon.sg.
- Citibank Mastercard card holders can get S$15 off S$120 or more when they spend on Amazon.sg.
- Citibank Mastercard card holders can get S$12 off S$100 or more when they spend on Amazon Fresh.
- UOB card holders can get S$8 off S$100 or more when they spend on Amazon.sg.
- Introducing Buy-Now-Pay-Later by Atome on Amazon.sg: Amazon.sg customers can now pay for their shopping using Atome’s pay-in-three, 0% interest payment option. Get S$20 off S$200 on your purchase when you pay with Atome during Prime Day.
- Looking for more payment promotions? Get 2% off your purchase when you use PayNow, with no minimum spend.
*Terms and conditions apply to all promotions listed above.
Prepare for Prime Day
- Join Prime: New customers can enjoy a 30-day free trial when they register for Prime membership. For S$2.99 a month, Prime membership includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, unlimited access to video game benefits with Prime Gaming, access to epic deals on Prime Day, free same-day delivery on selected delivery windows for Amazon Fresh & Fast on purchases made on Amazon Fresh, Watsons, and Little Farms, and more.
- Set up deal alerts: Prime members can subscribe to receive deal alert notifications related to their recent Amazon searches and recently viewed items. All they have to do is visit the Prime Day event page on the Amazon app between now and Prime Day to create deal alerts. Once Prime Day arrives, members will receive push notifications on any available deals.
Shop for Good this Prime Day
Amazon makes it easier for customers to give back through the Amazon x Shop for Good Wishlist. While shopping during Prime Day, customers can also support local non-profit organizations (NPOs) and their causes by purchasing items off their Amazon wishlist – a depository of items they need the most. Shoppers keen to do good can donate through the wishlist.
Shop Deals from Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Prime Day provides small and medium businesses with the opportunity to market their products to more than 200 million Prime members around the world.
Visit Amazon.sg/smallbusinesses to start shopping from small business sellers and visit Amazon.sg/primeday for the latest Prime Day news.
Find Prime Day Around the World
Prime Day will kick off on 11 July in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the U.S. Prime members in India can shop Prime Day later this summer.
Every Day Made Better with Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime was designed to make your life better every single day. Over 200 million paid members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime, including the best of shopping and entertainment. In Singapore, Prime membership includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, unlimited access to video game benefits with Prime Gaming, Prime Day, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping. Prime members enjoy access to free one-day delivery on domestic Prime eligible selection on Amazon.sg, free same-day delivery on selected delivery windows for Amazon Fresh & Fast on purchases made on Amazon Fresh, Watsons, and Little Farms, as well as early access to deals and exclusive deals. Prime is S$2.99 per month. Start a 30-day free trial of Prime at Amazon.sg/prime.
Hashtag: #AmazonSG #PrimeDay #AmazonPrime
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, and Kindle are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit Amazon.sg.
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Thai Activists Sue Government Agencies for Allegedly Using Pegasus Spyware Against Them

BANGKOK (AP) — Two prominent Thai activists filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing the government of using the internationally notorious Pegasus spyware to infiltrate their mobile devices during a period of political unrest almost three years ago.
Lao Filmmakers Fund 2023 Supports Nine Film Projects

Blue Chair has announced its decision to support nine short film projects through its 2023 Lao Filmmakers Fund (LFF).
Souvanny Home Center Issues First Corporate Bonds in Laos
Souvanny Home Center Public Company has become the first company in Laos to issue corporate bonds via the Lao Securities Exchange.