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Laos Regains Control of .LA Domain Name

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Laotian Times
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Laos’ internet top-level domain name dot la (.LA) has been restored to Laos’ full management and operation after years of being leased to a foreign company, a minister has said.

Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Dr. Thansamay Kommasith told local media recently the domain name was brought back a few months ago and is currently located at the Lao National Internet Centre.

He spoke to the media during a meeting between the government cabinet, Vientiane Mayor and provincial governors.

Laos granted the leasing to the foreign company for more than 10 years to provide commercial services as Lao technical staff were previously not fully prepared and capable of doing so professionally.

He said that successfully bringing back the.LA domain name was one of the outstanding achievements of his ministry after a few years of negotiation with the company.

Over the years, the ministry has been training its staff, drawing up regulations and making other preparations in readiness for the full management and operation of the.LA domain once it was returned, as well as the overall development of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.

To commercialise the.LA domain name, the ministry has permitted local internet providers to provide services for “.LA.”

In addition, the ministry has permitted a foreign dealer to provide services for foreign customers outside Laos.

Globally, there are about 70,000 users of the “.LA” domain name including hundreds of users in Laos, according to officials at the Lao National Internet Centre under the ministry.

Officials in charge are drawing up a plan to promote the use of .LA, especially among local users.

A country code top-level domain is an Internet top-level domain generally used or reserved for a country, sovereign state, or dependent territory identified with a country code.

The.LA is the Lao People’s Democratic Republic or Laos country domain name. Its popularity has grown since it was officially launched in 1996.

The .LA suffix is very popular in the United States as an abbreviation for the city of Los Angeles or the state Louisiana. There are many websites and blogs that successfully use .LA domains as a city top-level domain.

Dr. Thansamay said Laos is properly prepared to manage the domain and develop its ICT sector as a whole including the preparation of personnel, regulations and infrastructure.

Last month, the National Assembly passed the Information and Communication Technology Law and a prime ministerial decree on an information and communication centre has also been promulgated, which Dr Thansamay said would be important tools to develop the ICT sector.

The ministry has completed installing equipment to centralise communications management through the Lao National Internet Centre.

Nationwide, most Lao people access the ICT network through telecommunication signals covering 90 percent of villages in the country.

The 3G and 4G signals cover 60-70 percent of all villages nationwide.

Source: Vientiane Times

Thai Embassy Confirms New Visa Policies

By
Laotian Times
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The Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane has issued a notice confirming the Kingdom’s new visa policies. The official notice serves to clarify the rumor of new policies after a draft notice surfaced on the internet last week.

The official notice issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane stipulates the following three points:

“1. From 1 December 2016 – 28 February 2017, foreigners of all nationalities could submit application for a Single Entry (60 days) Tourist Visa to Thailand without visa fee at the Consular Section of the Royal Thai Embassy.

2. Foreigners who work or reside permanently in the Lao PDR are eligble for applying for the Multiple Entries Tourist Visa (METV) to Thailand. METV costs 5,000 baht, valid for 6 months and foreigners would be able to stay in Thailand up to 60 days per journey. Rules and regulations apply.

3. For those nationalities that are currently under the the 30 day visa waiving scheme, 2 journeys to Thailand per year would be granted under the scheme through any international land boundary checkpoint to Thailand. Please inquire with immigration officers at the checkpoint for further information.”

thai-embassy-visa-notice

Korean NGO Prolongs Social Welfare Services

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admin
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The Korean NGO Great Peace in the Lao PDR (Great Peace) expects to continue their project in 2017 to provide social welfare services and promote child rights in the local community.

It is expected the project will end in May.

As part of the project, an agreement was signed yesterday for the provision of educational supplies to Nongtha-tai Public Pre-School and Hongxeng Public Pre-School in Chanthabouly district, Vientiane.

The signing c eremony was attended by a representative of Great Peace, Ms Seheeyu.

Speaking at the event, a member of the organisation, Mr Kwang Kim, said the equipment consisted of electronic items, furniture and books related to children’s education.

The supplies have been funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to support the project, which is called supporting early childhood education for vulnerable children in Laos, he said.

The equipment would be given to the two pre-schools located in target villages because it is intended for use by children from low income families, he added.

It would be used continuously for the purpose of early child care and education.

We expect it will be useful in improving the quality of classes in both schools as they will be able to use electronic equipment and other items that have not been available to them in the past, Mr Kwang Kim said.

For several years, Great Peace has run activities in support of the protection of child rights in local communities. This has also involved teachers in target schools in Chanthabouly district, namely Nongtha Tai, Phontongsavath, Hongxeng and Phontong-Chommany pre-schools.

The objective was to put the concept of child rights into practice in the schools’ day care services and curriculums.

The project has been run in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare since February 2012.

Great Peace in the Lao PDR provides social welfare services to the local community by offering holistic guidance whether it be financial, physical or spiritual, based on a spirit of social equity.

The organisation has also worked in Phonsavang and Thongkhankham villages in Chanthabouly district.

Blessed Kids Day Care Centres have been operated by the organisation since 2012 and sponsored by KOICA.

Source: Vientiane Times

EDL Opens Call Centre for Public Feedback

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admin
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Electricite Du Laos (EDL) has opened a larger call centre with the phone number 1199 so that consumers can make complaints or recommendations regarding the company’s operations.

According to a notice issued by EDL, the call centre was previously operational but could only accept one call. As of December 1 the service has been extended and the centre can now receive 10 calls simultaneously.

EDL encourages the public to comment on matters such as billing errors, fires, the service provided by officials, and any other issues.

Services have improved after a large number of complaints were lodged in May and June about mistakes in electricity bills.

In a similar move, last month the government also provided a telephone hotline number (1516) so that members of the public could make suggestions regarding government performance.

In a notice to announce the hotline, the Prime Minister’s Office said it was provided on the advice of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

Observers welcomed the move, but said it was equally important to ensure that the issues people raised are taken seriously and addressed in a timely and efficient manner.

Several state bodies currently operate hotlines, encouraging citizens to voice their concerns and seek explanations and solutions from the relevant bodies.

A few years ago, the National Assembly launched its own hotline (156), which operates during ordinary sessions twice a year.

The hotline has received upwards of 1,000 calls during debate sessions, following which the Assembly invites the agencies responsible to clarify the issues raised by callers.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr Sommad Pholsena, said his ministry is also setting up a hotline (1514), which will be operational soon so that people can directly raise concerns relating to the operations of the ministry.

Ms Khemmani, from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, also said in June that the ministry had opened a hotline (1510) to enable members of the public to inform them about trade-related issues.

Since June, at least 62 calls have been made informing the ministry about problems ranging from the sale of out-of-date foods, unreasonably high electricity bills, public transport scams, and internet problems.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Security opened a hotline (1191) in August as part of the Police Command Centre Project. It enables callers to inform police about crimes and other social issues, thereby easing the process of investigation and more efficiently addressing security issues.

People who want to report an emergency or are in need of assistance from the police can call the hotline free of charge.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

PFHA Assesses Health Activities

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admin
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A project aiming to improve health service quality for local people in Laos’ northern provinces was one of the achievements highlighted at a meeting of the Promotion of Family Health Association (PFHA).

The health initiative known as the Safe Motherhood project has been targeting the provinces of Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Oudomxay and Vientiane promoting nutrition for newborns, distributing information on reproductive health to youth while giving communities better access to health services.

Chair of the PFHA, Dr Chansy Phimphachanh noted the achievements in Vientiane on Thursday at the annual PFHA meeting to review its activities.

Although maternal, newborn and child death rates across Laos have continued to decline she said we need to promote to mothers and children how they can gain access to more health services at hospitals and dispensaries.

Many poor women living in remote areas of these provinces can’t access health services because they don’t have enough money to pay for a hospital visit and still lack knowledge on healthcare for their children.

She also noted that providing individuals with family planning services not only dramatically cut infant and maternal deaths, but also improved the health of mothers and children.

Complications around pregnancy remain the greatest killer of girls and women in the developing world, including Laos, she added.

She explained that sexual reproductive health and rights along with family planning were key pillars for reducing maternal mortality and improving mother and child health in target provinces.

According to the PFHA, the association is part of the International Planned Parenthood Federation which has had presence in Laos since 2004.

Their vision is to provide Lao people with innovative and up-to-date reproductive health information and quality services for a healthy society, contributing towards lifting Laos out of least developed country status.

Their work is based in 4 four key strategies: promoting family health for those in the remote areas of the country, empowering individuals through awareness-raising on reproductive health knowledge, information and services, supporting health service providers at the local level to have adequate knowledge, information and skills and work in collaboration with government authorities, relevant stakeholders, and other civil society organisations.

According to the Lao Social Indicator Survey 2016, the mortality rate of infants was 86 per 1,000 live births. The mortality rate of mothers was 200 for 100,000 births.

Source: Vientiane Times

Khammuan Clamps Down on Sale of Substandard Goods

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admin
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Authorities in Khammuan province are carrying out strict checks to remove substandard goods from market stalls and shops in a bid to put an end to a chronic problem.

Local authorities found various substandard and out-of-date products in Khounkham and Bualapha districts and disposed of these goods, which included food items, soft drinks, cosmetics and chainsaws worth over 31 million kip.

Khounkham district officials said they visited 127 stalls during their search for illegally imported goods.

They confiscated 15 chainsaws and machinery spare parts from four shops worth more than 14 million kip, with most of the businesses owned by Chinese and Vietnamese nationals.

Officials also found 44 out-of-date products on sale at 68 stalls worth more than 13 million kip, which included soft drinks, cooking ingredients, and cosmetics.

The authorities warned the vendors and recorded their names. They were told that if they continued to import products illegally they would be charged in accordance with the law.

Bualapha district officials also reported that they found substandard goods and confiscated items including food, soft drinks, and children’s products.

Authorities in other provinces are also on the lookout for substandard goods, especially New Year gift baskets.

The Food and Drug Department under the Ministry of Health has warned the public to be careful when buying gift baskets because some of the items they contain may be imitation or past their sell-by date. This may not be obvious because they will be mixed in with other items.

In the run up to every New Year holiday, health officials visit markets in Vientiane and the provinces to look for expired goods tucked into gift baskets, in the interests of consumer safety.

The Consumer Protection Law aims to protect the life, health, property and rights of consumers, which includes people affected by poor quality or illegal goods and services such as food, medicine, cosmetics, and healthcare. The law also covers disagreements between consumers and suppliers.

The Consumer Protection Law stipulates the measures to be taken against violators. Authorities will issue violators with a warning on the first offence but will fine them if they repeat the misdemeanor.

Source: Vientiane Times

Prime Minister Visits Sakura Park in Viengxay

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admin
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Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith recently visited the Lao-Japan Friendship Sakura Park in Viengxay district, Huaphan province, to tour the park planted with Sakura or cherry blossom trees.

Viengxay district officials told Vientiane Times that the experts have maintained the Sakura trees well and expected they will begin blooming during the next couple of months (January-February 2017).

Each year, around 20,000 people from provinces around the country as well as locals in Huaphan province have visited the Lao-Japan Friendship Sakura Park.

District officials plan to develop the park to be an official tourist site in the near future and attract even more local and foreign tourists to the area, which is the first Sakura Park in Laos. Thus, they plan to develop essential infrastructure facilities to cater to the tourists.

Sakura Park was officially opened in February 2015, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Lao-Japan diplomatic relations. Approximately 300 Sakura seedlings have been presented by Japanese friendship associations and NGOs, including Asian Development with Disabled Persons (ADDP) and the Saitama-Laos Friendship Association, as a token of friendship between the two countries.

Nurturing Sakura trees requires expert knowledge, technical skill and experience. With this in mind, Huaphan province invited Japanese NGO, ADDP to extend their skills and knowledge to local people.

In response to the request, the ADDP established their branch in Viengxay district and are teaching local disabled people how to take care of Sakura trees as a part of vocational training project.

The ADDP staff and trainees are not only nurturing the Sakura trees but also making and selling Sakura cookies, which could be a specialty souvenir for the tourists.

Source: Vientiane Times

Expired Food Products Often Found in Khammuan

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admin
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Fairs and events organised in Khammuan province often see the sale of not only legitimate products and foods but also expired goods, which are subject to seizure by officials.

The relevant provincial authorities regularly find expired goods at fairs and events, including its annual Phathat Sikhottabong Stupa festival.

A relevant provincial authority official, Mr Phonsavanh Phommany told Vientiane Times on Thursday that the main reason is because traders and buyers don’t care to examine the expiration dates on many goods.

“If they had read it, they would not have bought products which were expired,” he said.

Most expired food products are usually beverages imported from Thailand and Vietnam.

The Phathat Sikhottabong Stupa festival will take place in Thakhek district from January 9-11, so the relevant authorities need to start checking many shops at the festival in order to help consumers avoid buying expired goods.

Many products, handicrafts and foods will be on sale during the three-day festival that will attract thousands of people, including many from other provinces and also foreign visitors.

Provincial authorities held a meeting recently in preparation for the festival to make sure it creates a lasting impression on visitors.

The golden-tipped Sikhottabong Stupa is 29 m high. It is one of Laos’ most sacred sites and is located 6km south of the town of Thakaek on the banks of the Mekong.

It was originally built by the Sikhottabong Empire to keep relics of the Lord Buddha around the 6th century, at the same time as the That Ing Hang Stupa in Savannakhet province and That Phanom in Thailand.

The province has about 18 hotels, four resorts and more than 69 guesthouses.

Khammuan province has 198 officially designated tourist sites; 139 of them are scenic, 30 are of cultural interest, and 29 are of historical interest.

More sites to visit are the caves, namely Tha Falang, Kong Lor cave, Xebangfai cave, Tham Heup cave, Nam Don Resurgence (Khoun Nam Don), Tham Phi Seua cave (Tiger Spirit cave/Butterfly cave), Tham Pha Chan cave (Sandalwood Buddha cave), Tham Pha Nya Inn cave, Tham Nang Aen cave (Sitting and Flirting cave), Xieng Liab cave, and Buddha cave.

Also of interest are the Kamphaeng Yark (The Giant Wall) and the old part of Thakhaek town.

Source: Vientiane Times

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