The actor was escorted to the safety by Lao police and authorities after swimming from Thailand to Laos.
Actor and singer Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak swam across the Mekong River on Sunday from Thailand to Laos and raised funds for charity in both countries.
The LaoSafe website has seen unprecedented traffic in recent weeks as interest in Laos as an emerging destination continues to grow.
VIENTIANE, LAOS – Media OutReach – 24 October 2022 – The official website of the LaoSafe programme, which provides an improved digital experience for visitors to Laos, as well as for businesses certified under the national initiative, has experienced unprecedented surges in traffic over the past few weeks.
The latest promotional video released in August, has recently raked in over a quarter of a million views, making it one of the website’s most watched videos of the year. The video follows a couple as they journey through some of the varied attractions that the country has to offer: a stay a in a luxury 5-star hotel, a tranquil visit to an iconic Buddhist stupa, adventurous activities zip lining and kayaking through various karst rock formations, and, finally, a relaxing cup of freshly brewed Lao coffee surrounded by nature.
Department of Tourism Management Director General, Mme Darany Phommavongsa, of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism said of the website: “More and more visitors are arriving in Laos since the country fully reopened its borders in May. A good number of these are already aware of the LaoSafe programme and are interested to find out which businesses are LaoSafe certified.”
Implemented by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, and approved by the Ministry of Health, LaoSafe is a nationwide initiative designed to create a world-class health and hygiene system within the tourism and hospitality industry.
Sector-specific standards have been developed for accommodation, food and beverage, tour guides, and drivers, to raise the benchmark of hygiene provision throughout the country and to build international confidence in Laos as a safe tourist destination.
Mme Darany Phommavongsa noted that “increased traffic to the LaoSafe website can be traced to several different countries, primarily Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the USA. We are pleased to report that this programme is helping to promote Laos as a safe, secure destination for travellers in the region and around the world.”
The LaoSafe programme is supported by the Skills for Tourism Project (LAO/029), which is co-financed by the governments of the Lao PDR, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland, and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 24 October 2022 – GS1 Hong Kong (GS1 HK) welcomes the launch of Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today. As the first batch of CDI participants, we fully commit to support the next generation digital trade finance services through the offering of trusted digital trade data from GS1 Hong Kong’s ezTRADE, a long-serving B2B order-to-cash platform.
Anna Lin, Chief Executive, GS1 Hong Kong
As one of the first key collaboration partners in HKMA’s CDI pilot project since its inception in 2020, GS1 HK has successfully launched its ezTRADE Data Management Portal connecting to CDI as Data Provider.
GS1 HK has been digitising trade by connecting buyers and suppliers through ezTRADE for more than 20 years. It is being used by a range of industries like fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and food and beverage (F&B) companies, including 95% of local supermarkets, 79% of hospital drugs supply chains and 70% of Hong Kong-styled fast food restaurant groups today.
GS1 HK has been partnering with banks to offer digital trade financing, which aims to help business get working capital easier and faster. The up-to-date and trusted transactional data such as purchase orders and invoices reflect the latest financial health of the borrowers.With the consent from the borrowers, banks can get the reliable data from ezTRADE as alternative data to accelerate the credit assessment and approval processes.
In addition, we have been helping banks to build a trade financing workflow system that bridges their own applications to CDI, saving their development efforts while facilitating secure sharing of data. As a data provider with expertise to support connectivity between banks and the CDI, GS1 HK plays a pivotal role in digitising trade and shaping the digital trade financing landscape.
“We are excited to have partnered with banks to offer new financial services to our ezTRADE suppliers community. Not only does this new offering speed up SMEs’ access to working capital, but as well provide banks with trusted up-to-date trade data to offer better loan facilities and continuously monitor the borrowers’ health. CDI provides an efficient and scalable ecosystem to collaborate with more financial service providers,” said Dr. Stephen Lam, Chief Operating Officer of GS1 HK.
Instead of multiple one-to-one connections between banks and sources of commercial data, CDI enables each bank and data provider to have a single connection to CDI, making data sharing more secure, efficient, and scalable.
“By providing alternative data for banks to enable more streamlined and hassle-free services to SMEs, we have been bringing great value to the SMEs in their continued digitalisation journey. We look forward to working with more banks, third party logistics providers, technology partners and other stakeholders in the digital trade financing ecosystem, empowering more innovative services to the SMEs,” said Anna Lin, Chief Executive of GS1 HK.
Hashtag: #GS1HongKong
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About GS1 Hong Kong
Founded by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce in 1989, GS1 Hong Kong (GS1 HK) is the local chapter of GS1®, which supports companies’ digitalisation to enhance supply chain transparency and efficiency, ensure product authenticity, and facilitate online and offline commerce with global supply chain standards (product identification key and barcode) and a full spectrum of standard-based platforms, solutions and services.
Currently, GS1 HK has around 8,000 corporate members covering close to 20 industries including retail consumer goods, food and food services, healthcare, apparel, logistics as well as information and technology. By engaging with communities of trading partners, industry organisations, government, and technology providers, GS1 HK is fostering a collaborative ecosystem with the vision of “Smarter Business, Better Life”.
Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, GS1® is a not-for-profit, standards organisation that has 115 national chapters serving 150 economies globally. For more information, please visit www.gs1hk.org.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 24 October 2022 – Leading UK developer London Square has opened an international headquarters office in central Hong Kong to showcase its range of outstanding residential schemes – demonstrating its commitment to a first-class customer experience for its purchasers across the East and South-east Asia regions.
London Square’s new office is located at the premium address of One Exchange Square, a 52-storey building in central Hong Kong.
The residential developer has already delivered schemes worth ÂŁ1.8 billion across Greater London since its launch in 2010 and is committed to investing into the future of the capital and beyond, with a land pipeline worth ÂŁ2.5 billion in gross development value. London Square’s renowned high-quality homes have always been a major hit with buyers globally, and it has now expanded its existing platform to offer an entire eco-system of tenures, reaffirming their position as a leading residential developer.
Connecting purchasers with a quality life in Greater London through the outstanding customer experience
To ensure a first-class experience for its overseas customers, the International Headquarters will provide in-person assistance for purchasers with their award-winning customer journey, whilst a bespoke service with a tour is given to each customer to get in touch with the most updated insights from the UK property market and experience London Square first-hand.
In-depth information on London Square and the high specification properties on offer will be available. This will allow customers to see and experience first-hand London Square’s exceptionally well-designed show kitchens and bathrooms, the carefully curated range of interior options tailored for each development, plus view the models, and use the interactive tools to get a detailed overview of London Square’s well-connected developments across Greater London.
Reflecting the company ethos and name, which was inspired by the UK capital’s famous squares, London Square is dedicated to exceptional placemaking, individually designing every scheme to reflect its location, creating new destinations, with garden squares and landscaped spaces, as well as commercial spaces to encourage thriving new communities in areas where those who live and work in London will choose to build a home.
Customers will also be invited to seminars, launches and VIP events that provide the latest property market insights including direct links to the on-site sales suites in the UK, as well as using augmented reality.
Showcasing the 4 amazing property projects catering to every customer’s pursuit of life
Among the first developments to be launched in the Hong Kong office will be London SquareNine Elms and London Square Croydon. The former a new residential landmark in the centre of the capital – part of the UK’s most exciting new destination on the South Bank, while the Croydon is a new apartment scheme in the south of the capital. According to research commissioned by London Square, Croydon is shaping up to have exceptional property price growth, fuelled by its status as a top 10 business location for tech company start-ups. A 14-minute train journey from Croydon to London Bridge or Gatwick makes it one of the best-connected commuter destinations.
Other schemes that will be available to view include London Square Watford, a stylish collection of one and two bedroom apartments in a gated development in a popular residential spot just two miles from the town centre – and with top ranking as one of the UK’s leading commuter destinations. The analysis by Dataloft, a leading property market intelligence company, examined the excellent lifestyle on offer, employment opportunities, quality education, extensive green spaces, and first-class transport links, in a research report commissioned by London Square.
Commuter hotspot Walton-on-Thames is just outside the capital – a popular riverside town in the highly desirable county of Surrey, which attracts families looking for good schools and a quality lifestyle. London Square Walton on Thames is in the coveted Ashley Park area, and features a collection of distinctive family houses, all with private gardens, reflecting the renowned Surrey Arts and Crafts style of architecture, and set in over five acres of gardens with mature trees and shrubs. The first residents have already moved in and there are just three family homes now available for sale in the final release.
London Square International HQ Hong Kong: 3406, 34/F One Exchange Square Central, Hong Kong
Hashtag: #LondonSquare
About London Square
Founded in 2010, London Square is a leading residential developer delivering a range of high-quality homes in well-connected locations across Greater London. London Square has expanded its existing platform to offer an entire eco-system of tenures – private for sale, for rent and affordable. The company’s divisions comprise London Square Developments, its private for sale arm, London Square Partners, set up to work with the public sector, London Square Works, which focuses on developing high quality space at its mixed-use developments, and London Square Living, its new Build to Rent division, which sources sites and develops the for rentals. Square Roots is an independent provider of affordable housing launched by London Square in 2021.
Tourists visiting the Patuxay monument in Vientiane Capital accompanied by a LaoSafe certified guide (Photo: LaoSafe).
Curated by the well-known travel magazine, Wanderlust, famous tourist spots in Laos have made it on the list of best places to visit in the world in January 2023.
HANOI, VIETNAM–Media OutReach–24 October 2022– The Asian Development Bank (ADB) mobilized a $135 million climate financing package for VinFast Trading and Production Joint Stock Company (VinFast) for manufacturing Vietnam’s first fully-electric public transport bus fleet and first national electric vehicle (EV) charging network. The assistance will support Vietnam’s efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and expand high-tech manufacturing industries.
The climate financing comprises 7-year tenor financings, including a $20 million loan funded by ADB, parallel loans of $87 million facilitated by ADB as mandated lead arranger, and concessional financing of up to $28 million. The climate financing is certified by the Climate Bonds Initiative, a scientifically-based standard for labelling bonds, loans and other debt instruments which contribute to addressing climate change.
ADB has partially offset the project’s risks by utilizing concessional financing through its managed trust funds comprising loans from the Australian Climate Finance Partnership funded by the Australian Government (ACFP), the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and a grant from the Climate Innovation and Development Fund, which is funded by Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Parallel loans were also mobilized by ADB from Export Finance Australia, the Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation, Oesterreichische Entwicklungsbank AG, and responsAbility.
“This project delivers a high-impact, sustainable transport solution for Vietnam while helping it meet its climate goals and supporting the growth of climate finance in the region,” said ADB Private Sector Operations Department Director General Suzanne Gaboury.“Asia and the Pacific is the frontline of the global fight against climate change, and private sector projects like this one with innovative partners such as VinFast are crucial to help its countries decarbonize their economies.”
Vietnam’s transport sector accounts for 18% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, and its decarbonization, through options like e-mobility, will directly impact the country’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Additionally, the project includes a technical assistance (TA) of $950,000 from the ACFP and the CTF, focused on raising consumer awareness about e-mobility’s economic, environmental, and social impacts to help advance its market penetration. The TA will also help promote the role of women studying for or working in fields related to science, technology, and mathematics.
“We are delighted to receive this extensive support and a long-term financing package from ADB and several esteemed international Development Finance Institutions. We see this as a vote of confidence in our efforts to become a global smart mobility company that offers environmentally friendly public transportation, and to advance Vietnam’s transition to a low carbon economy,” said VinFast’s Global CEO Thuy Le.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
Established in 2017, VinFast is Vietnam’s first domestic car company and electric passenger vehicle manufacturer. VinFast is a subsidiary of Vingroup Joint Stock Company, Vietnam’s largest private enterprise. VinFast develops electric cars for the domestic and international market, and is investing in a nationwide network of fast-charging units to support its electric vehicle expansion in Vietnam.
Hashtag: #VinFast
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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