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Lao Front Elects Party Leadership

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The Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) on Friday elected its Party leadership to oversee the work of the organisation for the next five years.

The election took place at the Front’s fourth Party Congress, which also reviewed the performance of the LFNC over past years and discussed the next five-year plan.

Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President, Mr Bounnhang Vorachit, was present at the congress which was attended by 101 delegates including 27 women.

The congress elected the new LFNC Party Committee comprising nine members, who were chosen from 11 candidates.

Politburo member and President of the LFNC Dr Xaysomphone Phomvihane was elected Party Secretary of the LFNC. Mr Khambay Damlat was elected as Deputy Party Secretary and Ms Khamchanh Phomsengsavanh was elected as Chairwoman of the Inspection Committee of the LFNC. The three have been elected as the Front’s Standing Committee.

Following the election, President Bounnhang told the newly-elected Party Committee to take steps to translate the Resolution of the congress into detailed work plans and programmes in order to fully realise them.

He advised the Front’s new Party leadership to endeavour to strengthen the body’s organisational structure towards greater ideological strength.

Mr Bounnhang told the new Party Committee to pay great attention to raising ideological awareness and inspiring a morally revolutionary spirit among Party cadres and officials, and educate them to be cognisant of state laws and regulations and to have a strong sense of responsibility.

The new committee was told to work harder to push Party cadres and officials in the LFNC to teach themselves to improve their professional competence to meet the growing needs and requirements of the existing work and responsibilities of officials. The Party Secretary General stressed the need for the committee to improve its leadership and working methods based on centralised democratic principles.

The committee was told to attach great importance to attracting assistance and cooperation from friendly countries and international organisations to improve the performance of the LFNC and enhance its work. Mr Bounnhang praised the LFNC for its achievements over past years.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

HIV Prevention Project Underway in Champassak

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The Integrated Development Project for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS has launched in Champassak province to prevent the risk of human exploitation and trafficking and risk of sexually contracted infections.

The project is now in its second phase in Phonthong district and runs from 2016-2019. The project targets six villages which are close to the Thai border and therefore vulnerable to the risks of unsafe migration.

The risks include those of abuse, drugs, human exploitation and trafficking and sexually contracted infections. All of these risks have the potential to damage lives, so the project is focused on their prevention.

The first phase of the project from 2012-2015 in Phonthong district provided assistance to local HIV-contracted families for their physical and psychological health as well to improve their living standards.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony to continue the Integrated Development Project for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS took place in Vientiane on Friday, inked by Head of the Champassak provincial Health Department Mr Somkiat Vorralath and Country Director of World Concern Laos Mr Nigel Goddard.

Mr Goddard said World Concern Laos has had the privilege of serving the Lao people since 1983, working in Luang Namtha, Saravan, Xekong and Champassak provinces.

We are currently working through integrated development projects in Saravan and Champassak provinces, working to strengthen communities in their capacity for livelihoods, health education, and protection, he said.

We see prevention as better, more cost effective and more effective in alleviating suffering than cure.

That is why this project focuses on awareness raising, vocational training, leadership and community development in order to promote a more protective environment, which helps prevent unsafe migration and its risks, he added.

If villagers who migrate are aware of how to protect themselves and how to migrate safely then they will be less likely to fall into dangerous situations or contract HIV and spread it in their home villages .

If villages have strong governance they will be better protected by their leaders, and with improved livelihoods and quality of life in their own village they are less likely to choose to migrate to risky situations.

Source: Vientiane Times

Law Amendments to Enhance Livestock Industry, Food Hygiene

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Amendments to the Law on Animal Husbandry and Veterinary are set to give a significant boost to livestock businesses, ensure environmentally friendly operations and provide hygienic food for consumers.

The law drafting committee told the National Assembly last week that the amendments are in line with the Party and government’s policies and hygienic standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Trade Organisation.

The changes will promote animal husbandry in Laos in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner to ensure food security towards production on a commercial basis, while ensuring safety for consumers.

The amendments highlight policies to facilitate the upgrade of currently nature-based animal husbandry into a modern animal husbandry industry.

The policies include the promotion of scientific research and experiments concerning animal husbandry knowhow, breeders, animal feed, and economic returns.

The relevant sectors are required to regulate breeders by registering their intellectual property rights, compiling information, and so on.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is mandated to develop technical standards and train professional researchers to carry out animal feed analysis to facilitate growth of the animal husbandry industry.

The state promotes investment in the livestock industry, while ensuring businesses will not adversely affect the environment or nearby communities.

The amendments prohibit farmers from feeding their livestock with growth-enhancing substances that also have side effects on human health. All production chain processes must follow safety guidelines, including those on chemical use.

The amendments also define measures to prevent animal disease outbreaks by requiring people who suspect the onset of any disease to inform authorities in charge of animal husbandry and veterinary affairs within 24 hours. Once a suspected disease is confirmed, the authorities are required to inform international organisations when it is deemed necessary. If the disease is found to have affected humans, the authorities are required to inform the health authorities within 24 hours.

Once informed of a potential disease, the authorities in charge of animal husbandry and veterinary affairs must take immediate action through preventive and response measures against any occurring disease.

These include identifying control zones, spraying chemicals to kill the suspected pathogen or disease, and prohibiting the movement of livestock.

A compensation policy is also outlined for farmers whose livestock are killed as part of response measures to prevent the disease from spreading.

The draft amendments to the law also require the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to put in place the necessary technologies, facilities and personnel capable of diagnosing animal diseases.

The amendments also identify stricter measures to inspect animal products before they are imported into Laos so as to prevent products containing a pathogen as well as contaminated food from entering Laos.

Stricter inspection is also required to be carried out in slaughterhouses before meat is sent to markets. The amendments also define the considerate treatment of animals.

Parties found to be violating this amended law will be penalised under measures outlined in the law and other relevant regulations and laws.

Source: Vientiane Times

Japan Funds Upgrade of UXO Training Centre

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The government of Japan has provided grant assistance worth US$827,244 to rebuild the UXO Training Centre and fund a UXO-related capacity-building programme.

A signing ceremony for a grant contract for the project took place at the Japanese Embassy on Friday between Japanese Ambassador to Laos Mr Takeshi Hikihara and Project Coordinator and Financial Officer of the Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) Ms Naoko Iwase.

The signing was witnessed by embassy officials and JMAS staff. JMAS is a Japanese non-profit organisation that has been actively engaged in UXO-clearance activities in Laos since 2005. The grant extended at this time will fund activities in the final year of this three-year project.

This project aims to rebuild the training centre and to carry out capacity building for UXO clearance operation staff. In the final stage of the project, an office, cafeteria and kitchen will be built at the training centre.

At the same time, training for UXO Lao staff on explosive ordnance disposal techniques will be conducted. Bomb-cutting with saw is one effective and safe disposal method and is particularly useful when a bomb cannot be dismantled or its fuse cannot be removed.

It is hoped that this project will help UXO Lao to accelerate UXO-clearance operations in the medium- to long-term perspective.

JMAS has implemented several UXO projects in Laos, namely in Xieng Khuang province in 2005-7 and 2008-9, in Saravan province in 2011, in Attapeu and Champassak provinces in 2011-13, and in Vientiane from 2014-15.

In August this year, JMAS started a new project to mechanise the process of UXO clearance for the first time in the world.

Japan, fully aware of the importance of UXO issues, prioritises this issue in its ODA policy in Laos.

Japan has placed particular emphasis on UXO clearance through funding, providing equipment such as detectors and bush-cutters, technical assistance, and capacity building.

Japan has also supported UXO-related risk education and the medical treatment of victims of UXO.

Source: Vientiane Times

Stunning Wax Castle Procession Reflects Rich Lao Culture

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Thousands of people gathered yesterday for the grand wax castle procession, one of the main features of the annual That Luang festival and among the country’s cultural highlights.

The festival has become more widely known over the years and more and more foreigners make a point of coming to Vientiane for this very special and uniquely Lao event.

This year’s festival holds greater significance than usual as it marks the 450th anniversary of the building of the nation’s iconic symbol  the golden That Luang stupa. During the festival from November 12 to 14, visitors can also see an almsgiving ceremony, a traditional tikhi game, and a candlelight procession around the gleaming stupa.

This year there was an extra surprise in store for visitors as there were several exhibitions featuring a traditional village and various aspects of Lao lifestyle since the 16th Century.

To mark the 450th anniversary of the stupa, on Saturday Vice President Phankham Viphavanh, Vientiane Mayor Dr Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, and other government officials attended an opening ceremony of the celebration.

This was followed up by the much anticipated wax castle procession yesterday, led by monks, government officials and other notable groups, with the procession parading majestically around the stupa.

Participants carried the gaily decorated wax castles, borne by individuals and groups representing provinces, districts, villages, and public organisations.

Before coming to That Luang, procession participants brought their wax castles to Vat Simeuang where they paraded around the temple on Saturday night.

The procession begins at Vat Simeuang, which was built on the orders of King Xaysetthathirath and is considered to be the home of Vientiane’s founding pillar, and therefore one of the most important places in the capital.

According to legend, when the pillar was laid above a hole, a pregnant woman named Ms Si inspired by supernatural forces sacrificed herself by jumping to her death under the pillar as it was being dropped into position. Ms Si, or Chao Mae Simeuang, is now seen as the guardian of the city and people pay homage to her every year during the festival.

Wax castle processions have been a part of Lao life for many years and people greatly enjoy this tradition. It is common to offer wax castles on special occasions and people believe it earns them a great deal of merit. There is a legend relating to Buddha’s life and the tradition of offering ornamental items made from honey and wax.

Wax castle offerings are hosted by families, villages, and districts; presented in groups and individually. Their bearers ask for blessings from monks and the spirits, hoping for good luck, health, and wealth. This year’s festival was a special opportunity for delegates from several countries who are in Vientiane for the fourth meeting of governors and mayors of Asean capitals. The meeting is taking place from November 13 to 17 and participants had the added bonus of a firsthand insight into Lao culture.

This morning thousands of devotees will take part in a mass almsgiving ceremony around the That Luang stupa and the esplanade, presenting offerings to monks.

The That Luang festival is one of biggest and most colourful celebrations for Lao people nationwide.

The event has been even more grandly celebrated this year as it marks both the 450th anniversary of the stupa and the success of the fourth That Luang restoration project.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

BCEL-KT: Trade Summary (Nov 11, 2016)

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Trade Summary

At the end of the week, most Lao stocks closed at unchanged prices as the previous session. But the heavy-weight stock, EDL-Gen lost 50 kip, dragging the LSX index down slightly by 0.82 percent to 990.94 points. Compared to the previous day, Lao Market improved considerably in term of trading volume, reaching 250,330,000 kip from 51,600 shares traded. EDL-Gen was the only stock that has been traded while the other four stocks were unchanged in prices without any matching.

Toshiba Wins Equipment Supply Contract for Laos’ Nam Ou 4 Hydropower Plant

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Laotian Times
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Power China Resources Ltd. has awarded a contract to Toshiba Hydro Power (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd. to provide equipment for the 132-MW Nam Ou 4 hydroelectric plant in Laos.

The deal calls for THPC to manufacture and maintain three sets of 44 MW generating units, with delivery expected to begin in March 2018.

The company — a subsidiary of the Japan-based Toshiba Corp. — said the units will be the first five-blade bulb-type turbines it has manufactured.

Nam Ou 4, to be located on the Nam Ou River in Phongsaly and Luang Prabang provinces, is part of the greater 1,156-MW Nam Ou River Basin Hydropower Project.

HydroWorld.com reported in May that work had begun on the project’s second phase, which includes Nam Ou 1, 3, 4 and 7. Nam Ou 4 is scheduled to go into operation in 2020.

Source: Hydroworld

Luang Prabang’s Tourism Earnings Pursue Upward Trend

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The World Heritage town of Luang Prabang expects its income from tourism in 2016 to grow by US$192,455 compared to last year, an official said.

According to officials at the Luang Prabang Tourism Department, the growth in earnings is continuing as tourist arrivals increased by 16 percent in the first nine months of this year.

This has caused tourism revenue to rise by about US$137,305 so far this year compared to an increase of US$92,628 last year.

The figures were determined by the department after it conducted a survey of tourist spending in the town.

Luang Prabang expects to see a gain in earnings of more than 1.41 trillion kip in the next five years, thanks to steady growth in the tourism sector.

The sector has recorded growth of 85-90 percent in tax and duty collection from trades and services, according to the provincial Finance Department.

The number of tourist arrivals has risen to 600,000 visitors and is still increasing, making Luang Prabang officials confident they can reach their target of around 616,000 visitors annually.

Tourists from China, Thailand, and Korea have all increased in number this year, thanks to the opening of direct flights between Laos and China and Korea which has seen tour groups from the two countries grow in number.

The data shows that the number of European, Asian and Pacific visitors in the first nine months of this year reached 156,223 visitors, an increase of 21 percent compared to the same period in 2015.

According to the Tourism Marketing Department, tourists from China and Korea are lured by the country’s rich blend of nature, culture, traditions and lifestyle along with drawcard destinations such as Vientiane, Vangvieng, Luang Prabang and Pakxe.

Tourist numbers are continuing their year-on-year growth and it is expected that Laos will achieve its goal of 5 million tourists this year.

These encouraging figures will help to further drive investment in tourism in Luang Prabang, officials say.

Source: Vientiane Times

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