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Largest Forest in Xayaboury to be Opened as Tourist Attraction

Forest in Xayaboury

Hoping to draw more people to experience its natural beauty and establish its profile as a tourist destination, Xayaboury Province is opening up its largest forest as one of its visitor attractions.

An official has confirmed that provincial authorities surveyed the forest in Phieng District, which is 80 km from the provincial capital. After surveying the trees and the surrounding area, provincial authorities considered various ways  on how they could develop the forest into a tourist attraction and open it up to the public.

The director of the province’s Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Mr Chanthi Simanichan, has stated

that the biggest trees in Phieng district are maitaekha (Sindora cochinchinensis) and can grow up to an impressive 15 metres in width and more than 10 metres in height. The maitaekha are hundreds of years old and are highly valued for their solid wood.

The area will be of interest to those with an interest in nature and those who can appreciate the preservation of the towering trees surrounding them . There is potential for a variety of outdoor activities for visitors who enjoy the great outdoors, as well as for individuals wanting to study tree species in Laos.

Apart from observing the massive trees and the serenity of nature, there are fascinating caves waiting to be explored, including the beautiful Lobphai Cave.

There are many officially designated tourist sites in Xayaboury Province but due poor road access, reaching tourist sites is difficult and dangerous, particularly during the wet season.

However, provincial authorities plan to build a road to the forest in an effort to bring development to impoverished Phieng District. Mr Chanthi stressed that it is essential to build roads to make more of the sites accessible.

Due to poor road conditions, Mr Chanti urges anyone who is looking to visit the forest to plan ahead and contact the Phieng District Information, Culture and Tourism Office to find out current road hazards.

“The provincial authorities plan to build a dirt road to the forest because there is no road access at present,” Mr Chanthi has stated. “Construction will start this year and then district authorities will officially open the forest area as a new tourist site. Locals and foreigners can visit at any time, but don’t forget to contact the Phieng district Information, Culture and Tourism Office so that officials can provide help”.

Photo: TreetopLaos

Special Economic Zones See Dip in Foreign Investment

Specific-Economic-Zone-Laos

Special economic zones around Laos are currently seeing less interest by foreign investors than in previous years, as many try to come to an understanding with local regulations.

Vientiane Industry and Trade Area Special Economic Zone (VITA Park), at Km22 Nonthong in Xaythany district is one of the zones facing this problem, says Mr Sibounheuang Vienheuangphay the VITA Park president.

In previous years, various foreign investors, particularly from China, Japan and Thailand, have requested information regarding conditions and facilitation of investment in the zone, however Laos has only seen a few return to make the actual investment.

Mr Sibounheuang speculates that investors have difficulty comprehending the length of time it takes for approvals and the many tax payment stages under the regulations.

“Some companies do not have a deep understanding of the Lao rules and regulations,” he explains. “The investment promotion law is still the responsibility of various sectors which causes many foreign investors to have a different approach in their business operations here.”

It is hoped the special economic zone issues can be resolved in the upcoming year to further opportunities for foreign investors.

VITA Park is a joint partnership venture between the Lao Government, holding 30 percent ownership, and Nam Wei Development Co., Ltd., holding 70 percent ownership.

Phase I of the park project covers an area of 110 hectares and  future expansion projects intend to develop another 500 hectares.

Infrastructure at the park is now more than 90 percent complete, with  various industrial and commercial services comprising about 70 percent of the structure. This includes factories, dormitories, trade centres, vocational schools, a hospital, banks and other facilities.

According to the VITA official, a total of 49 companies have registered to invest in the park with around US$63.27 million, of which 23 companies have completed their projects, three factories are under construction and seven have began exporting their products.

The total export value has reached US$75.5 million, while imports are estimated to be around US$81.3 million.

The business venture has created jobs for local people with more than 1,200 positions expected after the completion of phase I and II of the park. Eventually 40,000-50,000 people will be employed after VITA Park has reached completion.

From 2013 to 2016, the park paid more than 2.25 billion kip and contributed over US$538,000 to the government. The project will continue to assist government revenue especially salary taxes on labour.

Officials to Cut Wait Time on Lao-Foreign Marriage

Lao Foreign Marriage

After numerous complaints made by the public, officials are examining ways to expedite the marriage process for Lao and foreign nationals.

A meeting was held by The Foreign Expatriate Management Department, Ministry of Public Security last week to review and analyze potential issues delaying the process and how to resolve them.

A senior department official informed that a marriage application submitted to the ministry by a Lao national and a foreigner should take approximately three months for consideration and approval. However, complaints have indicated that it takes far longer to receive the legal documents necessary for the marriage to be considered official.

Ways to regulate and legalize undocumented marriages between Lao nationals and foreigners who have entered and resided in Laos illegally, particularly in the provinces, was also a topic of discussion during the meeting.

According to statistics provided by the ministry, from 2009 to 2016 an estimated 2,631 approvals were granted for Lao nationals to legally marry foreigners of various nationalities.

 

Permanent Residency Process Also Under Review

Officials also reviewed the enactment of a Lao policy which permits foreign nationals and those with no nationality to apply for Lao permanent residency, with varying criteria set for different groups of foreign nationals.

According to a Prime Ministerial Decree issued in 2011, to be eligible to apply for Lao permanent residency, the applicant must not ever have been found guilty by a court and imprisoned.

Foreign applicants must have resided in Laos for a minimum of 10 years, immediate relatives of the foreign expatriates are also eligible to apply.

Foreign nationals of Lao origin as well as those foreigners whose parents hold Lao nationality can apply immediately.

Foreigners also qualify for permanent residency if they have married a Lao national legally and have lived in Laos for two consecutive years.

Investors with registered capital of at least US$500,000 and who have operated businesses in Laos legally for at least five years are eligible to submit an application.

Experts whose professional experience is necessary for the development of Laos, people who have been granted special privilege by the Lao government as well as those who have been certified as making a good contribution to the Lao revolutionary task and national construction and development are all eligible to apply.

The PM’s decree also details all required documents, steps and relevant departments at which the documents must be submitted.

Photo: Pinterest

Authorities Warn Public of Organised Crime Involving ATM Fraud

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Police officers are are in pursuit of two wanted criminals who are suspected to be using fake ATM cards to withdraw money from various bank ATMs in Vientiane and other provinces.

According to the Economic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, numerous people have fallen victim to the criminal action and a considerable amount of money has been stolen.

The department has issued a warning to the public, to beware of fake ATM cards being used to withdraw money from ATMs of various banks in the Lao PDR, along with pictures of the two wanted suspects. Members of the public who see the suspects are asked to inform the authorities nearest them immediately.

The warning also uncovered the tactics used by the criminals, to carry out the organised crime that has caused a detriment to so many victims’ accounts.

An officer of the department explains that the criminals used skimming devices attached to the ATMs to record people’s card information unknowingly when the machines were being used. The criminals then used the acquired information to produce fraudulent cards to withdraw money.

The suspects have been captured on CCTV cameras behaving in a suspicious demeanor, however the nationalities of the suspects and the number of those involved remains unknown.

According to a member in law enforcement, police officers and representatives of the banks have held meetings on the issue to discuss measures in preventing the unlawful crime.

Various commercial banks have been warned by the department to take the proper precautions in managing and inspecting their ATM’s to avoid anyone else falling victim to the bandits.

A bank official has addressed that, compensation for money lost to the criminals by customers could be made on a case by case basis.

As an example, in the case the loss of money is caused by a banking system not meeting security standards, appropriate consideration would be made to compensate depositors.

However, where the loss of money falls under the responsibility of the depositors, for instance the depositors failed to keep their ATM password confidential and was utilized by someone else to withdraw funds from their accounts, the bank would not compensate.

The official suggested ATM users to carefully observe ATMs, specifically the card insert panel to ensure there is no skimming device attached, along with covering the ATM keyboard panel when inputting a password.

ATM users are urged to report any suspicious machines or irregularities to their bank immediately.

Investors Receive Clearance For Feasibility Study on Vang Vieng Tourism Complex

VangVieng may already be a tourist hotspot but the small town might become an even bigger tourist attraction in the future. Yijin Construction Engineering Lao Co., Ltd. has expressed interest in developing  a tourism complex on an outdated airfield in the frequently travelled city, anticipating even more tourist traffic annually.

On Tuesday, the provincial authorities agreed that the Chinese owned company could start a feasibility study for the project which will take about a year to conclude.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the authorities and the company on February 28, the project site covers 15 hectares of land.

The airfield occasionally serves as a landing site for helicopters carrying senior government officials visiting local communities and various business people, but for the most part has been neglected.

If the company does decide to invest in the project, the complex will include; a concert hall, exhibition hall, an ‘ice playground’, fountain park, shopping centre, children’s recreation area, water park, hotels, apartments, restaurants, bars and will cost an estimated $200 million USD to build.

According to the province’s Department of Planning and Investment Director, the airport was managed by the Ministry of Defence, and project authorisation would conclusively depend on what the government decides is appropriate.

It was also added that  the investors would need to build a symbolic landmark for the town aside from the development of the project, possibly a ‘city pillar’.

Since the airfield has been vacant and seldom used in past years,  the five villages running parallel to the airfield have intruded on the state land with homes and businesses being built on the property.

The director confirmed that if the project were to proceed residents would be required to demolish encroaching properties.

Known for its beautiful landscapes and relaxed surroundings, Vangvieng  is a popular tourist destination in Laos. Based on the district’s Office of Information, Culture and Tourism more than 180,000 people visited Vangvieng in 2016, generating around 73 billion kip in income for local communities.

Of the arrivals in Vangvieng 140,000 were foreign nationals with about 45 percent coming from Europe.

The provincial authorities recently gave permission to another company to conduct a feasibility study on the development of a tourism complex in the same district, where the Nam Xong and Nam Lik rivers meet.

The aim is to have tourism facilities available to accommodate and attract more tourists to the towns.

First Auction of Lao Leaders Cars Rakes in 11.6 Billion Kip

Auction of Lao Leaders Cars

The auctioning off of the first 14 luxury cars returned by Lao leaders concluded at the National Convention Center on Tuesday. Though this is the first of many auctions that will occur, the first batch of cars withdrawn from government officials has raked in an unprecedented 11.6 billion kip.

The Laotian Times reported earlier last month that leaders of all state organisations would forgo their expensive luxury cars as part of austerity measures, including Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith himself.

The Prime Minister received the highest bid on his previously owned BMW Series 7/730 LI at an astonishing 1.33 billion kip (estimated US$162,000) and was won by a local businessman, Mr Thonglith Kingkeo-oudom. An authorized Lao dealership informs that a brand new BMW 730 LI, is valued at an estimated US$170,000.

Auction Winner Thonglith Kingkeo-oudom
Auction Winner Thonglith Kingkeo-oudom

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Somdy Duangdy supervised the auction, which was attended by hundreds of officials and entrepreneurs.

More than 50 participants attended the event, including representatives of companies and banks, registered to bid for the 14 cars. The fleet of luxury cars were comprised of seven BMW 730 LI and seven Mercedes Benz S350, which have all been in use since 2012.

The BMWs, all driven by the country’s top leaders, were the coveted stars of the auction floor with cars previously owned by President Bounnhang Vorachit, Vice President Phankham Viphavanh, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and President of the National Assembly Ms Pany Yathotou.

A starting price was set at 830 million kip for each of the BMWs and 500 million kip for each of the Mercedes Benz regardless of the mileage displayed on the odometer.

The BMWs driven by Mr Phankham Viphavanh and Ms Pany Yathotou attracted the second and third highest bids of 1.3 billion kip and 970 million kip, while the lowest offer was 850 million kip.

The highest bid for a Mercedes Benz was 780 million kip (more than US$96,000) and the lowest was 520 million kip (almost US$64,000). 

A member of the committee in charge of the car withdrawal and auction, Mr Khamlavanh Chanthalavanh, announced that the auction was a historic occasion and the first of its kind by giving members of the public the chance to bid for a vehicle previously driven by a top government official.

The BMWs had accumulated distances ranging from over 2,000km to almost 21,000km, while the Mercedes recorded just over 1,000km to slightly over 19,000km.

The withdrawal of the luxury vehicles from government leaders, followed by the auction is a momentous and significant step by the current leadership.

The government has announced that Tuesday’s auction was the first, with many more to follow. Remaining luxury vehicles that were purchased for use in state affairs will be reclaimed along with extra cars that were provided to leading officials and will also be up for bidding.

Infamous Lao Drug Lord Xaysana Will Not Be Extradited to Laos

Lao Drug Lord Xaysana Keopimpha Arrested

Notorious Lao drug lord Xaysana Keophimpha will remain subject to Thai law and the Lao government is unlikely to ask for his extradition, a government official has confirmed.

As The Laotian Times has previously reported, Xaysana, also known as Vanlob, 41, was arrested at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on January 19, along with three other accomplices.

As reported by the media, Thai police officers had raided and arrested a number of alleged drug dealers in the kingdom, rumored to have connections to Xaysana. Several million US dollars worth of assets linked to the drug trade have since been seized.

“Xaysana was arrested in Thailand and that has to be handled in line with Thai laws,” Government spokesman, Prof. Dr Chaleun Yiapaoher, disclosed at a press conference on Friday. “The government has not raised the issue of requesting extradition.”.

A  senior official from the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained to Thai media that Laos and Thailand have signed an extradition treaty, but the Lao government is unlikely to request Xaysana’s extradition.

The Lao government can request his extradition, but it would be contingent upon Thai authorities and whether they agree with extraditing the drug lord. However, Laos requesting extradition is highly doubtful, a source has said.

It was clarified by the source that in a hypothetical case in which a Lao criminal fled to Thailand but committed no offence while there, Thai authorities would be obliged to return the suspect following a request made by Laos authorities in accordance with the treaty.

Since Xaysana was alleged to have based his drug trafficking network in Thailand, which means the supposed crimes were in violation of Thai laws, the Thai authorities have a legal right to detain, investigate, prosecute and sentence him, if found guilty.

Following Xaysana’s capture, Lao officers hunted down gang members affiliated with the drug lord in Vientiane and Khammuan province, including the arrest of another major drug lord, Khonpasong Soukkaseum, also known as Xiengther, 47, who is rumored to be a more prominent drug dealer than Xaysana himself.

33 additional suspected drug traffickers and dealers from five gangs have been arrested following the nationwide crackdown.

Officers are in an ongoing pursuit for the remaining gang members, and are actively building cases against the offenders who are currently in custody, in preparation for the prosecution.

Officials Give Green Light to Vientiane Expressway Project

Vientiane Expressway Project

In an attempt to ease city congestion, the government has given their blessing to move forward  on a proposed 14km Vientiane expressway project, linking the city center to the outskirts in Xaythany District.

Government spokesman Prof. Dr Chaleun Yiapaoher confirmed that the project was discussed last week at the government’s monthly meeting for February. The notion of the multi-million dollar project was presented and examined during the two-day meeting.

“In principle, the government agrees to build the expressway,” Prof. Dr Chaleun said.

The six-lane Vientiane expressway, with a planned width of 70 metres, will be built parallel to Kaysone Phomvihane Road and will run from the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre (Lao-ITECC) in Xaysettha district to Dongmakkhai village in Xaythany district.

Amidst the 14 kilometre stretch of road, the interstate will also link with several key roads including Road No. 13, the 450 Year Road and the much anticipated Laos-China railway once it has reached completion.

However, before the construction of such a large project can begin, the relevant departments  have been required by officials to complete a thorough study and analysis to guarantee its effectiveness as the project would require a substantial investment and involve particular technical standards.

Once the study and analysis are complete, details of the Vientiane expressway project will be studied, deliberated and approved before it can be implemented, the spokesman announced.

vientiane expressway diagram
A model of the proposed Vientiane expressway

An estimated 87 houses will be affected by the expressway, while the rest of it will pass through farmland. Families who have to relocate to make way for the expressway will be compensated.

The estimated cost for this immense project is expected to be between US$150 million and US$200 million, relevant authorities were urged to look into methods of investment for funding before the conclusion of the meeting.  

Dr Bouavone Souklasaeng said that the road corridor is designed to avoid densely populated communities to minimize impact.

She explained that although the expressway will be built parallel to Kaysone Phomvihane Road, the two roads will have quite a bit of distance in between, so buildings, shops and businesses running along the Kaysone Phomvihane Road will remain unaffected.

It has been suggested in regard to funding for the project, to take the form of a Public Private Partnership, which in this case involves two likely scenarios.

According to Dr Bouavone, the first scenario would see the state provide 70 percent of the funding and the private sector 30 percent.

The second is for the state to contribute 60 percent of the cost and the private sector 30 percent, while local people whose properties are affected would contribute 10 percent by giving up their land.

If the second scenario were to happen, citizens affected by the expressway would receive a dividend from the project annually.

The Vientiane expressway is expected to be a toll road in which one car is  expected to pay about 5,000 kip per trip.