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Prime Minister Declares Land as Focus for Transport Development

Prime-Minister Thongloun Sisoulith

During the annual conference of the Public Works and Transport sector held this week, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith cautioned that decisions regarding water and air transportation projects must be thoroughly thought out in future.

The Prime Minister emphasized land transport to be the primary focus of transportation development in the country. He commended the sector for their accomplishments over the past forty years, noting that tremendous progress had been made in infrastructure development.

During the meeting, a number of leaders and officials from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, along with other participants including business professionals and retired officials, were reminded of the government’s efforts in converting the country from landlocked to land-linked and to create a transportation hub in the region.

A massive venture in this regard, PM Thongloun mentioned the expansion of the 3.5 km Laos-Thailand Railway to 7.5 km, a plan to build a railway to connect Khammuan Province’s capital to a port in Vietnam and the highly anticipated Laos-China Railway, among other projects.

Prime Minster Thongloun Sisoulith at the Public Works and Transport Sector Meeting

The Prime Minister has also disclosed information about a recent meeting with deputy prime ministers,  confirming a continued cooperation with Thailand and the development of a road system valued at 2 billion baht.

The PM stated,“From the geographic specification of our country, we have to focus on land transportation as key to the heart of transportation, travel and tourism.”

He urged the Ministry to improve the quality of road infrastructure by strategically planning and completing any road projects that had already been initiated, but to avoid the implementation of several projects simultaneously in fear of inadequate completion.

When referring to Build, Operate and Transfer projects, Prime Minister Thongloun specified that alternative options must be available aside from tollways.

The PM highlighted Lao civil aviation, stating that he appreciated the sector having received certification from the International Civil Aviation Organisation on Universal Safety, after scoring 73 percent in an audit.

However, Lao civil aviation services remain behind other ASEAN countries and need improvement in service quality. Detailed studies on any plans for airport construction were called upon, with the PM counseling against the construction airports in provinces that have no demand for passenger flights, such as Attapeu Province, where the airport was recently shut down.

When questioned whether water transportation could be an option for the country, the PM admirably reasoned with the Ministry to consider the matter thoroughly, wisely stating, “Do not do any unreasonable projects on the Mekong River. Let it be the river of life, it’s enough for small boats to float on it.” He continued making his case by referring to the Mekong River as the “Mother of property” and “Mother of life” to dependant citizens settled in the region.

Regarding the matter of urban planning and housing, Mr Thongloun proposed conserving old historic buildings while planning to develop more modern structures as well.

Prime Minister Thongloun is imploring the Ministry to be stricter on the rules and regulations to prohibit unregulated construction of residences and the violation of town and city plans.

Bo Nam Hiem: The Largest Hot Springs in Laos

Hot Springs of Hiem, Huaphan

Fancy a soak and a bite to eat at the same time? Head on up to Huaphan where the hot springs of Hiem offer a relaxing bath that you can boil an egg in (or any other food products!).

The legendary province of Huaphan is where the chilly northern climes meet the lukewarm air of the magnificent hot springs of Hiem. It is here that we can witness the largest and most majestic hot springs in Laos.

While Huaphan is known for its rugged terrain, with dense mountainous forests and historical significance as the strategic base of the revolutionary Pathet Lao, few know of the mysterious hot springs of Hiem, which would give any Japanese Onsen a run for its money.

The hot springs of Hiem hold the title of being the hottest springs in the country, with a water temperature reaching as high as 100 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the spring is so heated in that a common activity for eco-tourists is egg boiling (or simmering). In addition to indulging in a natural Jacuzzi session (and a protein boost), visitors of the hot spring can enjoy the various delicious cuisines of Huaphan and enjoy cozy, forest picnics!

The hot springs of Hiem are open from 7am to 7pm. The next time you take a trip to Samneau, make sure to check out this hidden gem of natural beauty. You’re guaranteed to have a hot time!

Source & Images: Kuanjai Magazine

Laos Only ASEAN Member To Give Up Luxury State Cars

By now you’ve probably heard about the extraordinary move by Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to reclaim all Lao leaders luxury vehicles and replace them with Toyota Camry model cars. The auctions of the reclaimed vehicles are actually currently ongoing, as leaders say goodbye to their luxurious Mercedes-Benz and BMW vehicles.

In honor of this event, here at the Laotian Times we thought it might be interesting to find out what types of cars other world leaders are driving. Did you know that the French president drives a Citroen? Or that the Malaysian official state car is a Proton? 

In a symbolic gesture of good faith to its people, Laos is the only ASEAN member to have given up its luxury state cars!  Check out the full list of state vehicles below (click to enlarge):

World Leaders Luxury Cars

Private Airline Lao Skyway Adds Airbus Helicopter to Its Fleet

Lao Skyway Buys Airbus Helicopter
Lao Skyway Buys Airbus Helicopter

Shepherd Media has announced that Lao Skyway has recently purchased a brand new H125 Helicopter from Airbus Helicopters for civil and parapublic missions, including domestic charter flights and search-and-locate operations. The Lao private airline is expected to receive a second H125 in May later this year.

The Laos-based airline made the order in August 2016.

Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia Managing Director Derek Sharples said: “We are honoured by Lao Skyway’s trust and confidence in us, as the H125 begins its maiden flight in Laos this year.”

Sharples believes that Laos is an important market for Airbus, and is delighted to see the company’s presence growing in the country, with helicopters serving the needs of the Laotian skies well.

“Airbus Helicopters remains committed to ensuring the fullest support to Lao Skyway, as it grows its fleet and operations in the coming years,” adds Sharples.

Previously known as Lao Air, Lao Skyway is a private airline with its headquarters at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Laos. It operates scheduled and charter services to airports in the country not served by Lao Airlines.

The company’s logo comprises 3 boomerangs, which together form a bird. This reflects the company’s commitment and priority of safety: Lao Skyway’s aircrafts will fly to their destinations and will always safely return to home base.

Source: Shepherd Media

Analysis Indicates Fenpropathrin as Cause of Houayxay Fish Deaths

Fenpropathrin Fish Deaths Houayxai Laos

A toxic chemical known as “Fenpropathrin” has been identified as the cause of mysterious fish in the Nam Ngao Sanctuary in Houayxai District, the Department of Pollution Control, Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment has confirmed.

As previously reported by The Laotian Times, on February 12th, citizens of the Houayxai district in Bokeo province described lifeless fish floating down the Ngao River. Since then, seven people in the nearby community of Nam Deua village have fallen ill, observing symptoms like headaches, fatigue and nausea after consuming fish brought from the contaminated river.

“Based on data collected during our field inspection, about 800 to 1,000 kg of fish are believed to have been killed by Fenpropathrin,” states Mr Khamphanh Nanthavong, director general of the department.

Fenpropathrin is a pyrethroid insecticide commonly used in agriculture and everyday  households. It was originally produced in 1989 and banned by the World Health Organisation in 2016 as a result of  its high toxicity. The hazardous synthetic can enter the human body system just through skin contact and has a long term lingering effect. 

Though authorities have previously warned local citizens not to ingest or peddle any dead river life in their villages or nearby communities, fish were reportedly illegally sold and eaten.

“Samples of some contaminated water have been sent to Vientiane Capital for laboratory examination to decide if the water can be used for domestic purposes and we expect that the lab result will be revealed in couple days,” says Mr Khamphanh.

Most of the fish that were poisoned in the Nam Ngao sanctuary are protected native aquatic species which include the tilapia, Chinese carp, perch, and Poropuntius-deauratus. The  sanctuary spans over 1.5 km, with a major section located in Pongnanoun village. The Nam Ngao Sanctuary was established to preserve and protect precious wildlife in the river.

Bakery by Boris: A Parisian Retreat in Vientiane

Bakery by Boris Laotian Times

By Jasmina

Though Bakery By Boris has opened its doors to the public just this month, the good people of Vientiane have been satisfying their sweet tooths with Boris’s distinguished cakes since 2014.

Before the debut of the brick and mortar version of Bakery By Boris, the 27-year-old French pastry chef had been catering to Vientiane’s demand of delicate pastries and skillful cakes out of his professional home bakery. Over the past three years it hasn’t been uncommon for patrons to walk into various cafes within the city and recognize his perfectly portioned cakes glistening from inside their glass cases, just begging to be eaten. 

With so many skilled and talented chefs opening up their own patisseries and bakeries across Vientiane, the selection for hand-crafted baked goods has increased in the capital significantly. Nevertheless, I have anticipated the opening of this bakery since the first day I laid, er, teeth on Boris’s decadent three tiered chocolate cake.

The bakery is located in a residential neighborhood down a small alley in Simuang, so when you arrive, the first thing you will notice is how serene and calm it feels. Outdoor seating surrounds the front and side of the building, and tables are invitingly placed under leafy trees to provide shade (a reason to go early, we haven’t encountered any free outdoor seating as of yet).

Upon entering the patissere, you instantly notice how trendy the bakery feels with the partially- exposed high ceilings, the minimalist concrete floors contrasting the white walls, and natural light spilling in from the wall-to-wall windows, with a view of the outdoor garden. Though visually appealing, the acoustics of the establishment does have a downfall; because of the minimal materials used to reach its stylish, raw atmosphere, the echo of the coffee machine and voices of patrons idling by, bounces off the floors and walls making it feel unbearably noisy at times.

This bakery is an Instagrammer’s dream come true (c’mon, you know your food tastes better once social media has seen it), as the pastries look as beautiful stock piled behind the display case as they do sitting on the plate in front of you. In my professional experience ( for those of you who don’t know, I am a self proclaimed professional cake eater. Official title: Eater of Cakes.) what makes Bakery By Boris so appealing is that they provide so many choices when it comes to baked goods.

[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”17″ override_thumbnail_settings=”1″ thumbnail_width=”100″ thumbnail_height=”75″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ images_per_page=”20″ number_of_columns=”0″ ajax_pagination=”0″ show_all_in_lightbox=”0″ use_imagebrowser_effect=”0″ show_slideshow_link=”0″ slideshow_link_text=”[Show slideshow]” template=”/home4/laotiantimes/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/products/photocrati_nextgen/modules/ngglegacy/view/gallery.php” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails”]From cakes to croissants, to cookies to puff pastries stuffed with savory filling, you can be sure everyone in your party will find something that will satisfy their current mood. For an indecisive person, like myself, I relish on not having to face the decision of what I feel like eating until it is in front of me. That being said, Bakery By Boris has been attracting a large number of patrons, and the few times I have shown up on a late Saturday afternoon, most of their inventory has been depleted. So if you decide to drop by on a weekend, this is another reason why you should go early.

On this particular Saturday afternoon, I had no trouble deciding on what I was going to devour, since my all time favorite strawberry cake was beckoning for me as soon as I stepped in the door.

My partner ordered a pain au chocolat (also known as ‘chocolate bread’, made from the same layered dough as a croissant with dark chocolate stuffed in the middle. Once, I called it a ‘chocolate croissant’ and my French roommate nearly had a meltdown) and hot chocolate while I ordered an iced Americano to enjoy with my cake. A staff member quickly cleared off an unoccupied table when he noticed we were scouting for a place to sit. My strawberry cake arrived almost instantly, while my partner’s pain au chocolat arrived a few minutes after being warmed.

My first blissful bite into the silky strawberry cake was sublime. The fresh strawberry slices were draped in a mousse that sweetened the tart fruit perfectly and was textured by a soft sponge cake at the bottom. The chocolate bread had a semi-sweet stick of chocolate planted in the center surrounded by a flaky, light outer texture, not much different from a croissant *ahem*.

We had almost finished eating before our beverages arrived, my iced americano was a bit watered down and the hot chocolate was decent, but nothing to write home about.

The price tag on our afternoon gourmet excursion was about 87,000 KIP, which is reasonable given the quality of ingredients and the skillset it takes to construct these intricate flavors. I will absolutely return to Bakery By Boris despite the coffee needing some improvement and the noise level being slightly bothersome. It still has an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere and view, delicious pastries, and excellent service.

Bakery By Boris opens daily Tuesday-Sunday from 7AM-6PM and is closed on Mondays. If you are going towards Simuang temple, count the second alley on the left after the Honda dealership. If you are coming from Simuang temple, turn left into the alley before Nuno balloons, there is minimal parking available for a few cars and motorbikes. If you are on foot, or bicycle, you can enter through the front of the bakery, the first alley on the left after Honda.

For more inquiries into Bakery By Boris please visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bakerybyboris/ or call 020 77 792 228.

Queen Mathilde of Belgium Makes Official Visit to Laos

Queen Mathilde Visits Laos

In the first visit to Laos by a member of the Belgian royal family, Queen Mathilde met with Vice President Phankham Viphavanh at the Presidential Palace on Monday.

According to the Lao News Agency, Queen Mathilde, who is also the Honorary President of Unicef Belgium, and Her Royal Highness’s delegation, is visiting Laos from February 20-23, in line with the Unicef cooperation framework.

[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”16″ override_thumbnail_settings=”1″ thumbnail_width=”100″ thumbnail_height=”75″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ images_per_page=”20″ number_of_columns=”0″ ajax_pagination=”0″ show_all_in_lightbox=”0″ use_imagebrowser_effect=”0″ show_slideshow_link=”0″ slideshow_link_text=”[Show slideshow]” template=”/home4/laotiantimes/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/products/photocrati_nextgen/modules/ngglegacy/view/gallery.php” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails”]During the meeting, Her Royal Highness also met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Khamphao Eunthavanh, and President of the Lao Women’s Union, Ms Inlavanh Keobounphanh.

Both sides examined numerous ways to further expand cooperation between Laos and Unicef, particularly the Lao government’s attempts to alleviate poverty and to graduate Laos from least developed country status.

The Queen expressed her sincere gratitude for the gracious reception the Lao government and people have offered to her and her delegation, saying She highly regards the partnership between Unicef and Laos.

From 2012 – 2016, Unicef has executed work programmes in Laos totaling to more than US$49 million. From 2017-2021, Unicef intends to complete programmes amounting to  US$70.5 million, which will fund programmes in seven main areas of social protection, climate change and disaster response, education , health, hygienic water, nutrition, educational institutions, policy and justice improvement.

The Queen is scheduled to visit programmes jointly run by Unicef and the Lao government in southern Salavanh and Champasack provinces during the remainder of her stay.

Photos: New My Royals

Sengdara Fitness Plans Major Makeover

All New Reception Area at Sengdara Fitness Center Makeover
All New Reception Area at Sengdara Fitness Center Makeover

One of Vientiane’s modern institutions is gearing up for a facelift, as the fitness craze takes hold of the developing capital.

Established in 2003 as one of the first full-service fitness and recreation centers in Laos, Sengdara Fitness swiftly gained a loyal following among Vientiane’s growing middle class, a group with growing spending power and increasing sensitivity to concerns over their health and wellbeing. Sengdara has since remained been at the helm of the domestic fitness market.

As the demand for more health-related services has risen, so too has the opening of new fitness-related establishments. A string of newer fitness centres has recently popped up, from small neighbourhood gyms to fancier, higher-grade hotel fitness clubs.

Responding to market pressures and evolving consumer preferences, Sengdara Fitness has made several high-cost improvements to its fitness facilities, ranging from the importing of an all-new line of international-grade Precor fitness machines, remodelling of locker rooms, restrooms, aerobics room and steam/sauna rooms and an upgrade of the pool and massage facilities over the past three years.

Sengdara has also opened a second branch, called Fitness Express, in Nongtha, with another branch in Paksé planned within the next six months.

Despite these positive changes, Viroun ‘Leng’ Sengdara, owner and founder of Sengdara Fitness, will not stop there.

“Sengdara Fitness is good, but there is still plenty of room for improvement,” he says.

“We are really appreciative of our clients who have supported us over the years. We have always tried to pursue high standards of excellence, in providing friendly and helpful service, top-notch gym equipment and and beneficial group exercise programs.

“Whether our customers visit our facilities to stay healthy, lose weight or simply to relax, we strive to give them an unforgettable experience. We want our clients to know that in the future, they will receive consistently great service and facilities in any province they go.”

He said the organisation would be announcing a major makeover of its flagship location in Ban Saphanthong.

“The designs have just been finalised. Currently, we’re among the finest in the country. After this remodelling, we’re going to go beyond that. We hope that this new makeover will make our customers even more proud to show off their Sengdara Fitness memberships. This will not be just a face-lift, this will be a full-scale rebirth.

“I’m proud to show everyone a little preview.”

[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”15″ override_thumbnail_settings=”1″ thumbnail_width=”100″ thumbnail_height=”75″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ images_per_page=”20″ number_of_columns=”0″ ajax_pagination=”0″ show_all_in_lightbox=”0″ use_imagebrowser_effect=”0″ show_slideshow_link=”0″ slideshow_link_text=”[Show slideshow]” template=”/home4/laotiantimes/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/products/photocrati_nextgen/modules/ngglegacy/view/gallery.php” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails”]And, acknowledging the issue of limited parking on its premises, Sengdara Fitness also plans to construct a four-story, 150-car capacity garage right next to the flagship location.
“Never again will our customers say there is no parking at our fitness centre!” says Sengdara.

Blueprint for Sengdara multi-story carpark
Blueprint for Sengdara multi-story carpark

For more information, please visit the official Sengdara Fitness website or Facebook Page.