Home Blog Page 6280

Laos and IRRI Maintains Partnership in Food Security

By
Laotian Times
-
rice
rice

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Lao government have reinforced their three decade long partnership in research by expanding the institute’s role in increasing Laos’ food and nutrition security.

An agreement was signed in Vientiane on Monday by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Phouangparisak Pravongviengkham, and IRRI’s Director General, Mr Matthew Morrell.

The agreement will allow for continued collaborative research between the two bodies that will contribute significantly to the development of the sector.

“This strong partnership is now further solidified with the signing of the Host Country Agreement between our two parties,” the Deputy Minister stated.

Mr Morrell added, “we are elated by our renewed partnership with Laos; our work in Laos over the decades has yielded great results and we look forward to continuing that work,”.

The longstanding partnership between Laos and IRRI was formed in 1987, when the first memorandum of agreement was signed. With the agreement intensifying in the 1990’s, Laos’ rice sector transformed from being pure subsistence to commercial production.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Laos achieved rice self-sufficiency when total rice production hit more than 2 million tonnes in 1999. In 2012 and 2013, rice production exceeded an astounding 3 million tonnes.

Current initiatives between Laos and IRRI include the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE), which aims to reduce risks and improve livelihoods within the country, as well as neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, specifically Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar.

CURE aims to empower farmers in challenging environments, to improve their rice production and livelihoods by introducing climate-ready technologies that will raise rice productivity in less than ideal  environments, especially in areas where crops suffer from torrential downpours.

Laos is one of the major rice producers amongst the Asean countries, with annual rice exports to Vietnam, Thailand, China and other countries around the globe.

However, Lao rice varieties are still in need of increased standards and productivity compared to other Asean countries, especially Thailand and Vietnam.

 

Dongdok Campus Market Engulfed in Flames

By
Laotian Times
-

On Saturday morning at approximately 3:30am, the Dongdok campus market at the National University of Laos (NUOL) was engulfed in flames.

According to initial reports from the Industry and Commerce Office in Xaythany district, the inferno is believed to have originated from a jewelry repair shop, setting 158 shops and 15 stalls ablaze causing an estimated 373 billion kip in damage.

Seven fire engines from Xaythany district and central Vientiane, attempted to extinguish the flames and took troops about two hours to gain control of the blaze.

Vendors who lost goods and other property are reporting their losses to the district Industry and Commerce Office, and the office will reassess the extent of the damage after all the vendors have registered their deficits.

With many stalls selling clothing, shoes, mobile phones and other goods, the Industry and Commerce Office intends to help vendors whose products were incinerated by the fire.

Fortunately, not all of the shops were consumed by flames, the campus market is covered by four large metal roofs. Three were completely destroyed but one roof was only partially damaged.

Security officials from Xaythany district, along with officials from Dongdok village, NUOL and the Dongdok campus market, are protecting what remains of the market and are keeping guard over those shops that are still intact.

Although, no official announcement has been made on what sparked the fire, many markets and buildings have repeatedly fallen victim to the jumbled electrical power lines that hover just above the streets of Vientiane. Xaythany district’s electricity sector plans to replace the electricity system at the market.  

Champa Meuanglao Inflight Magazine Reaches the Skies

By
Laotian Times
-
Champa Meuanglao Magazine

Champa Meuanglao, the official Lao Airlines inflight magazine, has undergone a drastic change as part of a reboot that now showcases a modern and sophisticated Laos.

With a newly designed logo, backed by an impressive team of editors, designers and photographers, the revamped, bi-monthly publication reflects an evolving Laos, showcasing the country’s arts and culture scene, world-famous cuisine and enduring popularity as a travel destination.

Champa Meuanglao now also focuses on business innovation and the rapid development of Laos as a commercial hub in the region. This is happening at a time when Lao Airlines is also making both small and large scale organizational improvements in attempt to enhance its competitiveness.

The revamped first issue cover features The Walking Street, a bustling part of the riverside in Vientiane that shows a vibrant night market teeming with delicious food stalls, eclectic music and the hippest of Vientiane youngsters.

On the topic of the Walking Street, CML Managing Editor Sally Pryor writes, “No, this is something different. It’s a strange sensation, alighting from a car (you can’t really walk until you get there) and making your way through the narrow space between the buildings at Vientiane New World, a new shopping district facing the river. If night has fallen, the lanes and courtyards between the buildings will be filled with pop-up food stalls, funky open-air bars and racks of vintage clothes. Clusters of people – mainly hip young Lao, savvy expats and a smattering of tourists who probably can’t believe their good fortune – mill around on crates, benches and avant-garde seating. Many of them are holding drinks that actually glow, and settle in for several hours. Welcome to Walking Street, the unexpected – and yet, when you think about it, completely inevitable – sensation lighting up the pristine, darkened facades of what would otherwise be a dead space after dark. It’s the brainchild of Anouza Phothisane – AJ to his friends – a local entrepreneur who, in his words, just wanted “to create a new chill-out space for people to hang out – not too fancy”.

Champa-Meuanglao-Magazine-Cover
View the May-June edition here!

The magazine also features Naked Espresso as the burgeoning coffee empire that has hit Vientiane by storm, TOHLAO co-working space’s role in the fledgling startup community, 108 Jobs launch of the country’s first job app, LTH’s affirmation as Apple’s only trusted official authorized reseller, and a story on Laos’s entry into the global Slow Food Movement.

In addition to the editorial content, readers have come to rely on the advertisements in the magazine as an easy, time-efficient way to find about products and services in Laos and in the destination countries to which Lao Airlines flights travel. In a peaceful, serene environment such as an aeroplane seat, adverts stand the best possible chance for recall.

Champa Meuanglao Magazine is the nation’s prime vehicle for getting an advertiser’s message in front of the people that matter.

The benefits that advertisers can expect include:

–        a captive audience of over 900,000 passengers a year

–        distribution to hotels and ticketing offices throughout the country and in the region

–        a two-month shelf life making it more cost-effective than daily or weekly advertising vehicles

–        quality advertising production

–        ad sizes and styles to meet various budgets

For more information, contact RDK Group by email at info@rdkgroup.la or by phone at  +85620 55555521, +856 20 55285580, or  +85620 55731717.  The magazine is now open for advertising for the July-August edition.

Champa Meuanglao
View the May-June edition here!

HUAWEI P10/P10 Plus Official Launch

By
admin
-
This Facebook link thumbnail image template was created by Christian Karasiewicz, owner of www.christiankonline.com

On 22 April 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Vientiane Capital, Huawei Technologies Lao held a launch ceremony for its new product, the HUAWEI P10/P10 Plus, a smartphones that comes equipped with new innovations. The product was presented by Mr. Sujinyong, Director of Communications Equipment at Huawei Lao, and invited guests, as well as the media.

Mr. Sujinyong addressed the attendees, saying “just four years ago many people may not have known that the Huawei brand from China would become a point of interest in the present, and in 2016 the high quality premium Huawei p9 smartphone would help Huawei rise to third from the top among smartphone brands around the world. Now, in 2017, Huawei has developed something that surpasses all others in the Huawei P10/P10 Plus, which is a smartphone that includes the professional-quality Leica camera lens.”

Mr. Vankong Sisavath, Product Manager, explained the special features of the Huawei P10/P10 Plus phone as well as the rear camera that was produced in cooperation with Leica, and is the first time a Leica lens has been used for a front camera, with quality close to that of a professional camera. The camera has many special features, including portrait and Hybrid Zoom that assists focus. Huawei has worked with Pantone, world leader in color technology, to ensure vibrant color, such as Dazzling Plus, Dazzling Gold, Prestige Gold, and Graphite Black.

Professional photographers from Laos attended the event and showcased their work and shared their experiences using the Huawei smartphone, as well as demonstrating how to take professional-style photographs with the Huawei P10/P10 Plus handsets.

Advance reservations for phones opened in mid-April as part of a promotion that offered free items such as Lao Telecom free call and data packages, Laosat Satellites, lucky phone numbers, and gift boxes.

Huawei offers excellent after-sale service to its customers, including a three-month warranty against screen breakage, no matter the cause, and will even collect the broken item from customers’ houses for repairs. Repairs can be completed within two hours.

This Facebook link thumbnail image template was created by Christian Karasiewicz, owner of www.christiankonline.com

Laos Struck by 4.9 Magnitude Earthquake in Hongsa

By
Laotian Times
-
earthquake hongsa laos

An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale struck central Laos yesterday at 5:10am, according to a report by the Lao Post. The earthquake hit close to Hongsa, in Xayabouly Province, affecting nearby townships and villages including Ban Thasuang, Ban Kieusala, Ban Thanoune, and Ban Huaylai.

There have been no reports of damage or injury caused by the earthquake, although tremors were felt by some residents.

Lao Rocker ‘Sack Cells’ Goes Viral in China with “Belt and Road” Song

By
Laotian Times
-
Sack Cells Belt and Road Song

Athisack Ratanavong, or more popularly known as ‘Sack Vong Cells’, is recognized in Laos as being a talented rock musician and singer for his work at Indee Records. However, the Lao national has recently caught the attention of people in China with his soft rock track, “Yidaiyilu”, the Chinese term for the Belt and Road Initiative, that is now a trending song on Chinese social media, despite it being performed in Lao.

As previously reported by The Laotian Times, the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative  is a crucial part of China’s development strategy and was initially proposed in 2013. The aim of the initiative is to  deepen economic cooperation with countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, focusing on developing a trade and infrastructure network that connects the three continents.

In collaboration with journalist-turned-songwriter, Vilayphone Vongphachanh, the two managed to capture the significance of the Belt and Road concept in simple words and a catchy tune. Key phrases such as, “mutual benefits”, “win-win results” and “enhancing connectivity across nations” are a few of the lyrics that keep the song straightforward for the listener.

Working as a host and program editor in the Lao service at China Radio International, Vilayphone has resided in China for six years, and was inspired to write the song based on his knowledge about the Belt and Road Initiative through his work. He explained that the song was produced in 2016 to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Laos, but only just recently gained traction after a music video was produced.

The video has been released ahead of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which is being held in Beijing on May 14 and 15.

 

Locusts Swarm Northern Laos Wreaking Havoc on Crops

By
Laotian Times
-
Locusts

The Northern provinces of Huaphan, LuangPrabang, Oudomxay, Phongsaly and Xieng Khuang have been invaded by locusts, reaching plague proportions despite attempts to control the insects with chemical sprayings.

After receiving more insecticide, spraying machines and other equipment from China, Lao and Chinese agriculture officials have teamed up to brainstorm ways on how to effectively combat the swarms that have been wreaking havoc on local crops.

Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Agriculture Department, Mr Vilaysouk Khennavong and a representative from the Chinese Embassy to Laos, Mr Wang Qihui, signed an agreement for the provision of the supplies on Thursday.

Despite the government of China equipping the Agriculture Department with 21 vehicles, 1,100 machines,1,000 protective suits and other various equipment this year alone, it has proven to be ineffective against the mass of locusts dominating the area.

With additional equipment expected to be delivered to the suffering provinces soon, officials will be better armed to fend off the invading swarms.

During the previous locust invasion at the end 2016, authorities reported that the locusts had laid eggs in 640 places on an area of more than 9,000 hectares. The area included 376 villages in 24 districts of the five provinces.  

Last month the eggs hatched in 81 locations in 38 villages in 12 districts of Huaphan, LuangPrabang, Oudomxay and XiengKhuang provinces.

Officials from the agriculture and forestry offices have been working tirelessly with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, local authorities and villagers, in attempt to control the locusts population by destroying the eggs, spraying pesticides, and being extremely vigilant of outbreaks.

A surveillance team from the Agriculture Department predicts there will be locust outbreaks in many districts and more provinces, and has observed an increase of 20-30 percent in locust infestations this year, as compared to previous years.

A surveillance team from China has forecasted  that if control measures are successful, the outbreak will stabilize in the next two or three years.

Apple of Her Eye: Nothing Like The Real Thing

By
Laotian Times
-
LTH Apple Store

The manager of Laos’ only official Apple Authorised Reseller store says there’s nothing like the real thing.

As a marketing symbol, you can’t get much more potent than the apple. That remarkably simple and instantly recognisable image of an apple with a single bite taken out is now as ubiquitous as a can of Pepsi or – in Vientiane at least – a bottle of Beerlao.

But when it comes to consumers, devotees of Apple’s carefully curated line of products generally care about one thing – where can they get the real deal? And where, if their real-deal devices break, can they get them properly repaired?

While Vientiane is now dotted with the Apple symbol, most adorn shops that supply Apple products bought in Thailand, and don’t provide any user support. Others are on shops that have good deals with other “grey market” resellers.

But, thankfully, there is one authorised distributor of Apple products in Laos – the LTH Store, the electronics distributor that also imports Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba, Philips, Faber, among others. Carine Prinsitthirat knows her phones. Her father owns L Thong Huot, and her family has long cornered the electronics and mobile phone market in Laos.

Born and raised in France, Mrs Prinsitthirat moved to Laos with her parents when she was 15, and studied international business management in Thailand, destined for life at the helm of a large company.

LTH Apple Store Laos

So she has been able to watch the rise and rise of the mobile phone market in Laos, beginning with Nokia in the early 2000s. By the time the iPhone stormed the world in 2008, Nokia had a solid hold on the Lao market, with the massive logo-ed store on Dongpalane road a beacon for users everywhere of the real thing. Today, nine years later, the old Nokia store has been combined with the main LTH shop (LTH Store shop), with Samsung is next door and Apple right across the street. LTH owns all of them but, says Mrs Prinsitthirat, convincing Apple to let LTH sell its authorised products was no easy matter.

LTH were initially able to sell Apple products in a small corner of one of its electronics stores, to see how they fared on the market. In this context, the company’s experience selling Nokia and Samsung was a help, rather than a hindrance, and in fact, according to Mrs Prinsitthirat, most Apple sellers deal Samsung phones as well.

And besides, she says, the Apple market is unlike any other on the tech scene. “The target market is different,” she says.

“With Samsung, for example, the bestseller will vary because of its wide variety. But the target is still not the same because it’s Android and the iPhone is iOS. Once you have iOS you never switch’’

Once it was clear there was a strong market – that is, enough customers with means to indulge in their love of fine tech design – LTH was allowed to open a J Studio & LTH (JStudio by LTH), devoted exclusively to Apple products – complete with the trademark, blond-wood-and-chrome trademark fitout – in Vientiane Center.

The licence to sell iPhones comes with access to authorised service providers from Apple, and she has been impressed at the quality of the service provided, especially for products needing repairs or replacements.

“Actually the system is very good, Apple provides everything.’’ she says.

“Basically, when the phone is activated, we can show the customer when the warranty starts online. And when a phone or computer needs repairing or replacing, DHL will come and pick up the phone every business days on our doorstep, and within 3 to 5 business days, you can get your new phone. If you compare with other after sale services, this is very efficient.’’

She says that as a Lao person, opening an Apple Authorised Reseller store is a dream come true – at just 24, she fits solidly into the iPhone generation.

Her next ambition is to become an Apple Premium Reseller, meaning the store can sell the latest products, including the increasingly-sought-after Apple Watch.

Champa Meuanglao
Written by: Latsamy Phonevilay
Originally Published in: Champa Meuanglao,  official Lao Airlines in-flight magazine, 2017 May-June Edition

1...6,2796,2806,281...6,485Page 6,280 of 6,485