Six Problems the Lao Government is Trying To Solve by August

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July 26, 2019

Six Problems the Lao Government is Trying To Solve by August

The Lao government held its two-day monthly meeting in Vientiane Capital from July 23-24 to discuss resolutions to six major problems faced by the country, including dengue fever, African swine fever, and drought.

Laos has begun to face mounting problems in the second half of the year, including a dangerous outbreak of dengue fever, devastating drought, invasive pests, weak currency, and unregulated social media commentary.

The government met to discuss these problems at its monthly meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, who called upon every sector of government to instill measures to address these and other issues.

He requested that members of the government take swift action and report on their outcomes to the Prime Minister’s Office by August 15.

Dengue Fever

The number of cases of dengue fever continues to climb among the Lao population, with more than 14,000 cases recorded across the country, resulting in 33 deaths.

According to the Lao National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology, the two strains of dengue hitting the country are dengue virus serotypes DEN-2 and DEN-4. Vientiane has seen mostly DEN-2, while southern provinces have had cases of other types. Dengue serotype 2 (DEN-2) can cause hemorrhagic fever, giving rise to a high mortality rate.

A nationwide dengue warning was issued in early July amid increasing dengue fever cases across the country, and experts have been sent from Vientiane to discuss the control of the disease, along with health workers in the south.

The authorities are urging citizens to keep surroundings clean while focusing on destroying mosquitoes and their breeding sites.

African Swine Fever

China and Thailand Ban Pig Imports from Laos

The first cases of African swine fever (ASF) were reported in Laos last month, with seven outbreaks across villages in Salavanh Province leading to the deaths of 973 animals.

The disease was then detected in Savannakhet, and Vientiane Capital, with Luang Namtha on high alert.

Thailand, China and Vietnam were quick to ban pork imports from Laos following the outbreaks in the country.

African swine flu is not known to transmit across species, meaning the disease is fatal to pigs but does not harm human beings.

Devastating Drought

Laos, among other Southeast Asian nations, is experiencing an unprecedented and devastating drought. Low rainfall and high temperatures are affecting not only the country’s food security but also farmers’ livelihoods.

The lack of rain has delayed rice production in the country’s 800,000 hectares of wet-season rice fields, with transplantation only 40 percent completed,

The drought comes alongside record low water levels of the Mekong River, which flows through Laos.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC), based in Laos, cited deficient rainfall over the Mekong basin as among key factors that have contributed to the current state.

An El Niño climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean is a major factor contributing to global weather conditions, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicts ocean temperatures to remain close to current levels through the June-August period, easing only around September-November.

Fall Armyworm Infestation

Xayaboury Province has been hit with a plague of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), destroying sweetcorn and other crops.

The caterpillars have destroyed 30 percent of 35,000 hectares of maize crops, according to the Director of the Xayaboury Agriculture and Forestry Department, Mr Somvang Keovilaysack.

As a result, a 30 percent shortfall in supplies to domestic and overseas markets is expected this year.

This is the first time farmers have been affected by the insects, with the infestation beginning in Paklai district and quickly spreading to all eleven districts in the province where sweetcorn is grown.

The Lao government is now putting measures in place to control the situation and will make attempts to prevent future infestations.

Fall armyworm affected crops in Thailand and Cambodia this year, where it was never a problem before, and has also spread across 15 provinces in China, affecting about 90,000 hectares of grain production.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) convened a three-day meeting of international experts in Bangkok in March to discuss the armyworm plague, inviting officials from affected nations to brainstorm ways to limit the global devastation.

Weak Currency

A fluctuating exchange rate and the drop in the value of the kip, alongside the depletion of foreign currency reserves, has caused price hikes among many household products and services, impeding economic growth and driving up the cost of living.

At the government’s monthly meeting, the departments responsible were told to boost productivity and increase exports, provide more support to the business sector, and try to boost tourism in hopes of stimulating economic growth.

Social Media Regulation

The government has grown concerned about unregistered news websites posting misinformation on social media, and has requested all purported news agencies register their websites or Facebook pages.

Comments made by the public on such websites have taken aim at shortcomings in state administration, giving rise to discussions among the cabinet about the need for further regulation of information posted online.

By Francis Savankham

Xayaburi Dam Denies Responsibility for Dry Mekong River

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Laotian Times

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July 26, 2019

Xayaburi Dam Denies Responsibility for Dry Mekong River

The construction company behind the Xayaburi dam in northern Laos has dismissed allegations that the dam is one of the reasons for the sharp drop in water levels in the downstream stretches of the Mekong River.

CK Power Company, the construction company behind the Xayaburi Dam, said that the company raised the water level in the reservoir for technical purposes only once in October last year.

The company’s comment came after Thailand blamed the dam for causing low water levels in the Mekong, accusing the dam of storing water for test runs.

Some test runs on the Xayaburi dam did commence on July 15 and were planned to continue until July 29, to prepare for the official start of operations in October, according to Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR).

“The trial would severely impact the drought-hit provinces in the northeastern region, whose tributaries rely on water from the Mekong River,” ONWR said.

The office added that Thai water level gauges below the dam found that water levels had dropped by almost 1.8 meters, which is the lowest in 28 years, since the dam began to store water on July 9.

Accordingly, Thailand has asked the Lao government to suspend the test run of the Xayaburi dam.

Many industry observers believe, however, that the allegations lack credibility, citing the fact that the Xayaburi dam is a run-of-river type installation.

A run-of-river type dam is designed to produce power with a limited amount of water storage, or no water storage at all.

Each day the same amount of water that flows into the reservoir is released from the reservoir to produce power.

This is different from a storage type dam that collects water in the reservoir during the wet season and slowly releases over the dry season to produce power. The Nam Theun 2 and other Mekong dams in China fall into this category.

Meanwhile, Deputy Managing Director of CK Power Company, Anuparb Wonglakorn, criticized the Jinghong dam in China’s southern Yunnan province, for releasing less water downstream, causing the water level in the Mekong to drop.

Dr. Anoulak Kittikhoun, Chief Strategy and Partnership Officer at the Mekong River Commission, is among those who share a similar view.

During his interview with Lao Nationa Television on July 25, he said storage by the Jinghong Dam in China is one of the main reasons why the water level is so low at present

“The dam has announced it will be releasing less water due to maintenance over ten days, from 5 to 19 July. After this, it will revert to its normal release schedule,” said Dr Anoulak.

He informed reporters that the main reason for the low level of the Mekong River is simply a lack of rainfall.

Laos Hit by Worst Drought in Decades

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Laotian Times

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July 25, 2019

Laos is suffering a severe drought amid low rainfall and high temperatures, which is affecting not only the country’s food security but also farmers’ livelihoods.

The lack of rain has delayed rice production in the country’s 800,000 hectares of wet-season rice fields, with transplantation only 40 percent completed, according to a report in the Vientiane Times on July 24.

“Low rainfall and high temperatures are destroying the crops of Lao farmers across the country against the backdrop of an ongoing drought in the Southeast Asian region,” the paper noted.

The drought comes alongside record low water levels of the Mekong River, which flows through Laos.

In Vientiane, the water level of the Mekong is 0.7 meters, or 5.54 meters below its long-term average water level measured over 57 years (1961-2018). It is about 1.36 meter lower than the minimum level.

Between June 16 and July 18, there was a drop of 5.58 meters at the station, according to the Mekong River Commission (MRC).

Water levels of the Mekong River are also at their lowest recorded between June and July, falling below their historical long-term minimum levels.

MRC cited deficient rainfall over the Mekong basin as among key factors that have contributed to the current state.

Laos’s efforts

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bounkhuang Khambounheuang has informed provincial and district authorities to send officials to help farmers immediately, rather than waiting for official advice from the ministry.

Provincial agriculture and forestry departments have also been told to prepare fast-growing rice varieties for farmers while they wait for the rains.

“Our agriculture officials might encourage farmers to grow other crops that result in higher economic returns,” Bounkhuang said, as quoted by Vientiane Times. “Farmers who have borrowed money from banks need to report to authorities regarding the number of damaged crops so the government can help negotiate with the banks.”

Meanwhile, a steering committee to work with farmers has been set up in Xayaboury province where only 45 percent of 34,000 hectares of wet-season rice fields have been transplanted.

Director of the province’s Agriculture and Forestry Department, Somvang Keolaysack, expressed his concern that if the drought continues crops in the province will die, and it could face a rice shortage in the year to come.

Provincial Deputy Governor Bounphak Inthapanya said the province has encouraged both the public and private sectors to help pump water for farmers.

In particular, the province has asked private companies with water pumps to give its authorities access to them so that they can pump water for farmers in affected areas, she added.

Cooperation with neighbors

Laos is not the only nation in the region battling a drought.

In Thailand, about 1,600,000 hectares of paddy fields in 20 provinces in the North, Northeast and Central Plains have been affected by a lack of rainfall, raising concerns over the drop in rice production and rise in rice prices in the second half of this year.

“I am worried about farmers because they have invested much, but there is a water shortage. Irrigation must be limited to maintain tap water production and protect consumers,” said the Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as quoted by Bangkok Post on July 24.

In an effort to relieve damages, Thailand has asked China, Myanmar and Laos to release more water into rivers to help relieve the drought conditions in the country where only 40% of farmland was irrigated.

“There had been talks with China, Myanmar and Laos, asking them to release more stored water so it would reach downstream regions,” Gen Prayut added.

The provincial irrigation office in Nakhon Phanom had already begun to conserve water at all 13 reservoirs in the province’s 12 districts in preparation to provide drought relief.

Farmers outside the irrigated zones were also told to reduce farming activities to avoid damage from the drought.

Silver Lining

There is a silver lining. The Lao Meteorology and Hydrology Department has issued a forecast, suggesting that there will be more rainfall at the end of July and early August.

“The rainfall will result in a gradual rise in the level of the Mekong and its main tributaries,” the department said.

MRC also said in early July that the situation is expected to improve at the end of July, with rain in the forecast.

At that time, MRC quoted the Asian Specialized Meteorological Center as saying that wetter-than-average conditions may develop over parts of the region between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and eastern Mekong sub-region.

HR Forum Showcases Synergy of Tech and Human Resources

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Laotian Times

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July 24, 2019

HR Forum Showcases Synergy of Tech and Human Resources

Attended by 175 people, the HR Forum 2019 focused on the synergies between HR and technology, bringing together HR experts from Laos, Australia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

For the third year in a row, government, private sector, and civil society human resource (HR) managers have come together for a unique international networking and knowledge-sharing event in Vientiane designed by two Lao Australian alumni, and proudly supported by the Australian government.

“Keeping up to date with advances and innovation in technology is essential for the Lao public and private sector to stay efficient and effective in the management and development of their personnel. There are great lessons to be learned from companies leading the way in Laos, as well as from experts in the region.” Sophie Wilkinson, Second Secretary of the Australian Embassy stated in her opening remarks.

The HR Forum is the brainchild of two Australia Awards Alumni, Sittiphone Thapesuphanh of Karuna and Thiphaphone Phetmany of Enterprise & Development Consultants Co. Ltd (EDC), and received support from the Australian Government which has a long history of supporting human resource development in Laos.

The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) also co-hosted the forum.

“The Australian Government is very proud to support Australian alumni to apply their new skills and knowledge upon returning to Laos in a way that sparks change for their sector. The HR Forum is a great example of that, as it was not only the concept of our alumni but was heavily supported by other alumni volunteers and speakers”, Ms Wilkinson said.

The HR Tech Forum 2019 was targeted to guide micro, small and medium-sized companies or organizations in moving from traditional human resource management and development tools to affordable technologies. The forum provided insights about employing HR technology in both the national and international context, and targeted managers working in both the business and development sectors.

The forum also provided three breakout sessions in its afternoon program to provide participants the opportunity for a more in-depth discussion with visiting experts. Participants struggled to choose between three simultaneous sessions on organizational development and human resource management using accessible, free of charge and affordable applications and websites. Afterward, participants said the forum gave them in-depth knowledge about human resources and technology available to enhance human resource management within the workplace.

The organizing committee comprised of Karuna, Enterprise & Development Consultants Co., Ltd (EDC), Austcham Lao PDR, the Australian Embassy, and the Laos Australia Institute. The committee would like to extend their great appreciation to the gold sponsors, Vientiane College, and CS Intellect for their support.

Lao Civil Servants told to Mind Manners, Stop Abusing Position

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Laotian Times

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July 24, 2019

The Lao government has issued a new decree on the ethics and morals of civil servants, including a revised code of conduct, which will come into effect early next month.

The decree, No. 184/GoL issued June 29 2019, and signed off by Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, serves as a reference point for members of Party and government and mass organizations, and to educate civil servants, ensuring they take full responsibility in their roles, follow the law, and treat all citizens and residents with equal politeness and respect.

In particular, the decree prohibits civil servants from abusing their power for personal gain or the benefit of their relatives and people associated with them. Those who fail to abide would face disciplinary action.

Other guidelines defined under the decree include:

1. Treat all citizens with fairness, kindness, politeness, offering respectful and reasonable guidance where necessary.
2. Provide services for citizens with fairness, on time, and without prejudice against gender, age, ethnicity, social status, level of education, or [religious] belief.
3. Properly facilitate citizens without any deliberate obstruction with regard to access to public information.
4. Manage state property by putting the nation, the people, and society first.
5. Never abuse position, abuse power, or take gratuities or accept gifts from individuals or other entities.
6. Upgrade professional expertise and qualifications and improve the performance of their agency.

The government’s move comes amid public frustration over public services.

“The decree is seen as part of the government’s efforts to deliver good public services and address public complaints,” Vientiane Times reported on July 22.

The paper cited the disrespectful and condescending attitude displayed by many civil servants, unacceptably slow service, and demands for something in return as issues in question.

“Some business operators have complained that they are asked to pay unwarranted fees to have their documents completed or approved and if they don’t pay these additional charges, their documents will take a long time to process,” the paper said.

This is not the first time for the Lao government to improve public service.

Some ministries and other government organizations have already set up hotlines to respond to public complaints and the problems people encounter regarding public service delivery.

The government has also previously warned state employees to stop the practices mentioned above.

Photo: Nikkei Asian Review

BCEL, UnionPay to Launch QR Code Payment Service in Laos

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Laotian Times

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July 23, 2019

BCEL, UnionPay to Launch QR Code Payment Service in Laos

Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL) has joined hands with Chinese payment service provider UnionPay International (UPI) to roll out new QR code payment services in Laos.

The move will enable UnionPay app users to make payments by scanning QR codes at local stores in the country, Cards International reported on July 22.

UnionPay currently operates one of the most popular mobile payment apps in China, with about 150 million users across 18 cities, including Shanghai. The company is also one of the largest players in the country’s bank card market by market share.

This means BCEL’s collaboration with UPI would help Laos’s local businesses to reach out to more Chinese visitors, who make up one of the largest sources of tourists.

More than 4.1 million visitors came to Laos in 2018, an 8.2 percent increase compared to 2017. More than 800,000 tourists came from China, a rise of 26 percent, according to the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

Laos is also currently pushing for a promotional campaign, Visit Laos-China Year 2019, to attract more Chinese tourists.

“Since the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative, UnionPay has taken deep participation in the development of Laos’s payment industry by promoting card acceptance and issuance as well as participating in the building of local payment infrastructure, and have achieved much progress in our business localization in the country,” said UPI CEO Cai Jianbo, as quoted by Cards International.

“Now, UPI further expands its local service scope to mobile payments, not only meeting the mobile payment needs of visiting tourists, but also supporting the digitalization of Laos’s payment industry,” he added.

BCEL is already well known locally for its much-lauded OnePay app, which utilizes QR Code technology to allow local payments within Laos, and also offers payments directly from Laos to certain Thai bank accounts.

Dengue Virus Continues to Plague Laos

By

Laotian Times

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July 23, 2019

The number of cases of dengue fever continues to climb steadily among the Lao population as rainfall resumes and the wet season sets in.

As of July 17, more than 14,000 dengue cases were recorded, which resulted in 31 deaths, according to The Lao National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology. The number stood at 10,778 in early July.

The center determined that the strain of dengue that hit the country is virus serotype 2 and 4.

In particular, Vientiane is experiencing an outbreak of the type 2 virus, while other southern provinces, including Champasack and Savannakhet, also recorded cases involving such virus, it added.

The serotype 2 causes hemorrhagic fever, which has a high mortality rate, and the center’s analysis showed that the virus seems to have mutated.

“People infected with the type 2 virus can become dangerously ill within two days instead of four or five days,” said Lao Minister of Health Bounkong Syhavong, as quoted by Xinhua News Agency.

Efforts to tackle the virus

The Lao government is currently increasing efforts to contain the outbreak.

The Health Ministry issued a nationwide dengue warning in early July amid increasing dengue fever cases across the country.

Experts have been sent from Vientiane to discuss the control of the disease, along with health workers in the south.

The authorities are also urging citizens to keep surroundings clean while focusing on destroying mosquitoes and their breeding sites inside and near these areas since mosquitoes are responsible for transmission.

Correct diagnoses is also vital for effective treatment.

Nations across Southeast Asia are noting a high number of cases with the death toll rising in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The World Health Organization estimates that about 2.5 billion people live in dengue risk groups, with about 100 million new cases each year worldwide.

Drug-resistant Malaria Found in Laos

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Laotian Times

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July 23, 2019

A new study has found that Malaria parasites resistant to essential drugs have spread to Laos and other parts of Southeast Asia.

A group of researchers from the U.K. and Thailand analyzed samples from malaria patients across Southeast Asia and found that such parasites have moved from Cambodia to Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

In particular, the parasites are resistant to a combination of two drugs, namely artemisinin and piperaquine, which was introduced in Cambodia in 2008, the BBC reported on July 23.

The researchers found that the first cases of the parasite mutating and developing resistance to both drugs in 2013.

The BBC quoted another study published in the same journal as saying that half of the patients were not being cured with standard therapy.

It added, however, there are alternative drugs that can be used instead, such as using different drugs alongside artemisinin or using a combination of three drugs to overcome resistance.

The broadcaster also noted that the findings will not effect much change in regard to people’s day-to-day life in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

“Tackling malaria is about more than just picking the right treatment after infection. All the efforts around controlling the mosquitoes that spread the disease will not change,” the BBC said.

Laos has made significant progress in eliminating malaria and achieved a steady decline in malaria cases over the past decade.

The number of malaria cases in Laos has dropped by 90 percent in recent years, down from a peak of 50,000 cases during an outbreak in 2014 to 9,000 cases in 2018, according to The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has been one of key players to support Laos’s efforts to eliminate malaria.

The U.S. has contributed more than $1.9 million to support the Lao government in its fight against malaria, providing and distributing mosquito nets, diagnostic tests, and anti-malarial treatments to the Lao people.

As the latest contribution, USAID provided a total of 174,000 additional mosquito nets to Laos, according to a statement by USAID on July 17.

“These mosquito nets will be distributed to families in rural areas of the southern province of Champasack, where the number of malaria cases remains high,” USAID said.

In 2017, there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria in 87 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The disease kills about 435,000 people every year – most of them are children under the age of five.

Xayaburi Dam Denies Responsibility for Dry Mekong River

Laos Hit by Worst Drought in Decades

HR Forum Showcases Synergy of Tech and Human Resources

Lao Civil Servants told to Mind Manners, Stop Abusing Position

BCEL, UnionPay to Launch QR Code Payment Service in Laos

Dengue Virus Continues to Plague Laos

Drug-resistant Malaria Found in Laos

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