An upcoming international baseball tournament in Laos has been canceled amid concerns over the new Coronavirus.
Lao Baseball Tournament Cancelled Amid Coronavirus Concerns
Still No Coronavirus Cases in Laos, 103 and 150 Hospitals on Standby
The new government task force set up to prevent an outbreak of the Coronavirus in Laos has begun its work in preventing and controlling the virus. While no cases have been confirmed, two hospitals in Vientiane have become designated virus health centers.
South Korean Firm Scores Construction Project in Savannakhet
South Korea’s Dongbu Corporation has been awarded a construction project in Savannakhet province worth about USD 25.6 million.
Why Laos Has Not Reported Any COVID-19 Cases
UPDATED: 23 March 2020, 9:58pm
Laos, officially at least, remains free of the new coronavirus (now deemed by the international medical community as COVID-19). A Laos-shaped imprint stands out stark and grey against a sea of red on any map of the pandemic.
And yet many within and outside the country question the authenticity of this claim.
Chinese National Carrying Coronavirus Travels Through Laos
A Chinese national who traveled through Laos has been confirmed to have been carrying the new Coronavirus.
Laos Launches QR Code Payment Standard
The Bank of Lao PDR has launched a Lao QR Code standard for electronic payments in a move to improve payment services and integration between banks.
The QR code standard will comply with the finance and currency sector’s strategic plan and minimize the use of cash, driving the onset of a digital economy and boosting socio-economic development, the BOL Governor Sonexay Sithphaxay said at the launching ceremony, as quoted by Xinhua News Agency.
He added that the introduction of a Lao QR code standard will encourage other banks in Laos to speed up QR code development.
In addition, participants of the ceremony also discussed local payment systems and how to minimize the possible negative impacts of using digital payment systems, including security issues.
The use of QR codes for payments, services and transactions, has been widely adopted in Laos, but is not well integrated with other domestic and international systems, Xinhua noted.
In August last year, Lao Development Bank entered into an agreement with KIWI Company to roll out the QR code payment service Alipay.
Separately, Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public joined hands in July last year with Chinese payment service provider UnionPay International to roll out new QR code payment services in the country.
The move enabled UnionPay app users to make payments by scanning QR codes at local stores across Laos.
Fires, Corpses, Debt Collectors, Unscrupulous Fuel Stations – Lao Social Media
The Laotian Times brings our readers a round-up of some of the most shared topics this past week, based on reach and engagement on Facebook.
A Good Lao Day
Paintings of women dressed in traditional attire by Sompraseuth Chounramany instantly went viral on social media last week.
Officials on Coronavirus High Alert In Wattay International Airport
Souliya Vilaythong, a medical officer, shows off equipment based at Wattay International Airport that is purported to detect signs of the epidemic coronavirus that has been plaguing the region and the world. The ad-hoc medical camp is part of the government’s efforts to step up its fight to contain the spread of the epidemic.
Convicted Felon Receives Death Sentence
Kinoi, the notorious druglord and debt collector, has been sentenced to death. The 36-year-old has also been convicted of other crimes, including money laundering and arms dealing. Social media users have long supported and applauded the death penalty for drug dealers and violent criminals. However, many remain skeptical regarding the actual implementation of capital punishment, citing the lack of news that the executions have actually taken place.
Toilet Fees Near Khonepapheng Falls
Despite the official government notice from provincial authorities waiving entry fees, there are still reports of people having to pay fees to enter the Khonepapheng Falls. Even worse, there are reports that a 10,000 kip fee is being charged to use the toilet facilities.
“Cats” Found At Wattay International Airport
Customs officials discovered three cats on the lawn in front of the airport. Social media users were most concerned with the way that the cats were being handled (notice the officers’ grips).
Fire In Don Chan/Chao Anouvong Bush Area
A huge inferno erupted in the bush area of Don Chan/Chao Anouvong Park (Vientiane Capital).
Dead Body Found In Aftermath of Chao Anouvong Fire
Police were alerted by nearby villagers of a corpse that had been burnt beyond recognition during the aftermath of the fire that burned that area. Personal identification documents found near the body appeared to indicate that it was a foreign national. It is unclear whether the fire was the cause of death.
Unconscious Man Found On Street Has Nothing to Do With Coronavirus
The Lao Red Cross Rescue Team 1625 announced that fears that a Chinese man had dropped dead due to having contracted the coronavirus in front of Lao-Viet Bank (i-Mobile intersection, Vientiane Capital) have been misplaced. On the 31st of January, the rescue team woke the man (a Mongolian national) up and he appeared normal and healthy.
Unscrupulous Fuel Station
A Facebook user Kou Xapoungern exposed a bad practice prevalent among unscrupulous fuel stations. Having heard it happen to many others, he had to see it for himself to believe it. He took a 1.5 mL Tigerhead water bottle and filled it up at an unmarked fuel station in Bolikhamxay. The pump read 2.05 liters, which cost him a total of 20,000 kip (at 9,740 kip per liter), but the bottle was not filled to its entirety. While some social media users claimed that it might have been a technical issue, the majority advanced the narrative that it was unethical station owners who intentionally programmed their pumps to be this way.
Laos Suspends Visas at Checkpoints Bordering China
The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a notice to all checkpoints bordering China to temporarily suspend the issuance of tourist visas to those entering the Lao PDR from China.
