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NA Members in Favour of Retaining Death Penalty

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National Assembly (NA) members yesterday voiced their support for keeping the death penalty, which is handed down to people who have committed serious crimes, including brutal acts of murder and possession of large quantities of drugs.

Assembly members expressed their feelings on the issue when commenting on the draft of the Criminal Code during a debate session.

The Ministry of Justice has enhanced the Criminal Code to replace the existing Penal Law in the hope that it will be a better guide for criminal lawsuits.

The ministry introduced the draft, which contains 420 articles, to sound out the opinion of NA members before submitting it to the Assembly for approval.

Of the 420 articles, 309 specify certain offences, with 12 categories of offences subject to the death penalty.

Under the Penal Law, these offences include treason, rebellion, spying, physical harm against the interests of national security, destruction, disruption of state or social undertakings, civil commotion, destruction or attack of detention and reformatory centres, the use of chemical weapons, murder, battery, and drug trafficking.

In his deliberation before handing the draft to the floor for debate, NA Vice President Mr Somphanh Phengkhammy reminded members that many countries had done away with the death penalty.

NA member for Oudomxay province Colonel Khamphong Vichit said he supported the idea of terminating the death penalty for most crimes but wanted the new Criminal Code to maintain the death penalty for cruel murders and dealers in hard drugs.

Even though the Penal Law mandates the death penalty, it has frequently not been enforced when a court verdict has stipulated it.

NA member for Luang Namtha province, Mr Kongphet Keobuapha said that if the death penalty were waived for certain crimes, the term of imprisonment should be extended from the current maximum of 20 years to 25 or 30 years.

Members pointed to several loopholes in the draft and asked the drafting sub-committee to close them.

Mr Kongphet said that if the Criminal Code stipulated only one ceiling fine for a category of crime, that could allow officials too much leeway in issuing fines, as they would have the freedom to impose the full amount or levy just a small fine if they were so disposed.

Colonel Khamphong raised his concerns about terms of imprisonment that had a large range of, for example, one to five years, saying officials were at liberty to decide on any length they pleased.

He also wanted the punishment for hit and run drivers to be clarified, saying discrimination should be made between drivers who fled the scene of an accident and continued to hide, and those who drove off but later went to a police station.

NA member for Phongsaly province Mr Buathong Ousengkham said he wanted the new Criminal Code to clarify the punishment for offences relating to corruption in civil servant recruitment. He complained that no one who committed such an offence was punished.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Inspection of State Leaders, Departments Centres on Legal Amendments

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State leaders, heads of government, top legislators and other high-ranking officials will undergo inspection following the approval of the amended Inspection Law of the National Assembly (NA) and Provincial Assemblies.

Members of the NA concluded a majority vote by 78 percent of those attending the ordinary session on Tuesday, passing the draft-amended law.

The newly-added Article 15 of the draft-amended law stipulates that the country’s president, vice president, prime minister, deputy prime ministers and cabinet members, who are elected or whose appointment is approved by the NA, shall be required to undergo inspection by the NA through its ordinary session.

The supreme prosecutor, president of the People’s Supreme Court, president of the State Auditing Organisation, and president of the NA, vice presidents of the NA, NA committees, NA committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons as well as the NA Secretary will also be inspected by the parliament.

Chairman of the NA Law Committee, Mr Saithong Keoduangdy told the ordinary session that it was necessary to amend the 2004-version law to meet the changing circumstances, aiming to ensure that the leaders and state organisations elected and approved by the NA function in their roles properly.

Four new parts, four new charters and 49 new articles were amended and newly added, bringing the total to eight parts, 10 chapters and 103 articles in the draft-amended law. Slight changes could be made to the structure of the law as revision could be made in accordance with recommendations from the law makers following their debate.

The NA will carry out its inspections through reports of the leaders and the regulations the leaders promulgated to ensure they coincide with the country’s constitution, state laws and resolutions of the NA.

The inspection will also be based on petitions the people submit to the parliament and other inspection mechanisms the NA has created.

Amendments also demand state organisations to undergo inspection by the NA’s mechanisms. The committee in charge of constituency affairs is mandated to carry out inspection into the performance of the NA members.

Provincial governors, the Vientiane mayor and their deputies as well as presidents of the provincial assemblies and their vice presidents along with other high-ranking provincial officials will also be inspected through the sessions of the provincial assemblies, according to the newly-added Article 56.

Inspections of targets under the responsibilities of the provincial assemblies will also be carried out.

Standing committees of both the NA and the provincial assemblies are mandated to draw up inspection plans for both parliaments to approve in order to facilitate the inspections.

Once the amended law is promulgated, Regular inspection will be carried out over the targets as stipulated by the law, Mr Saithong said, adding that the people will have trust in the inspections of both the NA and the provincial assemblies.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Swiss-Lao Project Promotes Newborn Care

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The Swiss-Lao Hospital Project has provided medical equipment worth about US$1 million for Lao hospitals, aiming to improve conditions for new mothers and newborns around the country.

Deputy Director General of the Mother and Newborn Hospital, Dr Sivanesay Chanthavongsouk, said this week the equipment would help to improve the quality of medical services for mothers and children.

Switzerland’s assistance supports the Ministry of Health’s policy to reduce the number of deaths among mothers and babies throughout the country, he added.

According to the 2012 Lao Social Indicator Survey, the death rate of birthing mothers is 357 out of every 100,000 births. The death rate of children under one year is 68 out of every 1,000 live births, and for children under five it is 79 out of every 1,000 live births.

The equipment donated by Switzerland includes incubators, phototherapy lamps, ultrasound machines, warming beds, gynaecology chairs and other items related to mother and child healthcare.

It will be distributed to Xayaboury, Luang Namtha, Xieng Khuang and Champassak provinces and the main hospitals in Vientiane. Most of the equipment will be installed at district hospitals. Vice President of the Swiss-Lao Hospital Project, Dr Marion Monkhoff, said the project will continue to improve mother and child health in Laos in the long term.

In the future we plan to provide training on how to provide better service in hospitals, she said.

Dr Monkhoff observed that the care of newborns and their mothers is better today than in the past but said many aspects still needed improvement. The Swiss-Lao Hospital Project would continue to provide solutions to various problems, she added.

The Swiss-Lao Hospital Project is an initiative run by Swiss doctors, midwives, nurses and association members who have lobbied for an improvement in the medical care available to mothers and children in Laos since 2000.

President of the project, Dr Urs Lauper, was also present at the equipment handover.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Luang Prabang Sets Sights on ASEAN Clean City Award

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Laos is gearing up to submit Luang Prabang province as a contender to receive the ASEAN Clean Tourist City Standard (ACTCS) in early 2018.

Deputy Director of the Tourism Development Department under the Information, Culture and Tourism Ministry, Ms Phonemaly Inthaphome, told Vientiane Times yesterday the world heritage town was holding its third meeting to discuss an application.

The meeting took place from November 14 to 16, where officials decided on an action plan, the sectors that would be responsible, funding sources, and the time it would take to process the project.

Luang Prabang has more potential than places in other provinces to receive the award. During our last meeting we collected information that would support Luang Prabang’s application. There are 108 criteria that need to be met, Ms Phonemaly said.

The first meeting, which took place in May, explained the potential of the province to win the award to local authorities and the private sector. This was done so they could help with the preparation of the application. The team visited landfill sites, water supply systems, handicraft and other commercial centres in the province to assess the town’s suitability.

Next year, we want to improve our chances of meeting the criteria before the final assessment in September, before we submit our application to ASEAN. If we receive the award, there will be a presentation ceremony in Thailand during the ASEAN Tourism Forum in early 2018, she said.

The third meeting of the team was organised by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in cooperation with Luang Prabang province. It was supported by the Regional Economic Integration of Laos into ASEAN, Trade and Entrepreneurship Development.

According to an international survey of 2,800 visitors in 2015, carried out by the Tourism Development Department, 83 percent of foreign tourists who visit Laos wanted to see Luang Prabang.

The survey was conducted at Wattay International Airport, the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge on entry into Vientiane, and in Luang Prabang and Champassak provinces.

The survey also revealed that the main interests of visitors were temples and monuments, which comprised 70 percent of visitors’ stated preferred activity.

Sixty-six percent said they were interested in viewing the countryside, 48 percent said they wanted to sample the food, and 34 percent expressed an interest in visiting a new destination.

Luang Prabang was most foreign visitors’ first choice because of its old and attractive temples and the activities of the monks who live in these temples.

Visitors also cited the town’s character and the fact that the local lifestyle was readily observable and accessible.

People in the province assiduously preserve their traditions through festivals and rituals such as Lao New Year, the Boat Racing Festival, the end of Buddhist Lent, ethnic festivals, baci ceremonies, almsgiving, and other temple-based activities.

It was these features that led UNESCO to list the town as a World Heritage Site in 1995, among 1,007 World Heritage Sites in 161 countries worldwide.

The province has regularly been voted as Best City’ by readers of the UK’s Wanderlust travel magazine. Luang Prabang has received the award on seven occasions from 2006 to 2015 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015).

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Whatsapp Rolls Out Video Calls

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Laotian Times
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Whatsapp Video Calls

Whatsapp, the world’s most popular messaging app, and arguably one of the most widely used apps in Laos, is finally rolling out video calls.

The company announced its had been beta testing the feature for the last few months, and is finally rolling it out for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices through updates in each operating system’s app store. The video call function has been the biggest request on the part of Whatsapp users, and could affect users’ choice of messaging software.

“We’re introducing this feature because we know that sometimes voice and text just aren’t enough. There’s no substitute for watching your grandchild take her first steps, or seeing your daughter’s face while she’s studying abroad. And we want to make these features available to everyone, not just those who can afford the most expensive new phones or live in countries with the best cellular networks,” said WhatsApp in a blog post.

Whatsapp likely to woo users away from Line and Wechat in Laos

While messaging rival Line, by South Korea’s Naver Corp is hugely popular in neighboring Thailand, WeChat is the app of choice for Chinese users. Here in Laos, Whatsapp has remained popular for its short audio message function and clear sound quality. If video calls prove to be equally as clear, Whatsapp will likely remain the number one app of choice in Laos and around the world.

Which is your favorite messaging app? Leave your comment below!

BCEL-KT: Trade Summary (Nov 15, 2016)

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Trade Summary

On Tuesday, LSX index lowered by 1.64 percent or 16.36 points, weighted by the loss of the energy stock. EDL-Gen saw a big amount of trading volume by foreign investors for more than 190,000 shares in the trading session; the opening price was 4,850 kip but finally managed to close down at 4,800 kip with 192,700 shares matched. BCEL stayed at 5,200 kip, having only 1,000 shares traded, while LWPC engaged in trading for the first time after 22 days of no execution, with 2,000 shares, translating to 12,200,000 kip. PTL and SVN had no trading at unchanged prices. The market trading volume was 195,700 shares which resulted in 942,760,000 kip of daily turnover.

Laos, Ireland Enhance Cooperation

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President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, his wife and delegation arrived in Vientiane on Monday for an official visit to Laos from November 14-16 at the invitation of President Bounnhang Vorachit.

An official bilateral meeting between high level Lao and Irish delegations led by the two heads of states Bounnhang Vorachit and Michael Higgins took place yesterday at the President’s Office to discuss future bilateral cooperation.

The delegations discussed assistance and cooperation on UXO clearance in Laos, environmental protection and climate change, the promotion of economic, trade and investment cooperation in Laos, and shared their views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

President Higgins praised the success of Laos in hosting the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings.

He invited Mr Bounnhang to visit Ireland, with Mr Bounnhang accepting the invitation.

Ireland has assisted Laos in promoting capacity building for Lao personnel as well as in education, especially English language training. Irish assistance to Laos has involved particularly the Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (LANITH), promoting personnel development in the tourism sector.

Irish scholarships have also been granted to Lao students to study at the Institute of Technology in Dublin.

On the same day, President Higgins and his delegation met with Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and President of the National Assembly Ms Pany Yathotou, with the meetings taking place in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding.

President Higgins and his delegation also visited places of interest in Vientiane such as the Vat Sisaket Museum, the Ministry of Health’s Institute of Nutrition, and LANITH .

“This visit by President of Ireland Michael Higgins and his delegation shows Ireland’s intention to enhance cooperation between Laos and Ireland to new heights in the history of the relationship between the two countries,” a press release from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

“The event is a milestone in strengthening the good relationship and cooperation between the two countries after they established diplomatic relations in August 1998,” the press release added.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Govt Introduces New Database for Education

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The Ministry of Education and Sports and the FPT University of Vietnam have introduced an education database system and new website programme www.laoympic.la for e-learning by students in Laos.

The Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Centre agreed to partner with the FPT University on the development of the database for education quality management at every level of the state and private sector.

According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Centre and FPT University are ready to implement the programme .

The project focuses on building a quality education database for educational institutions.

It is also developing a knowledge test through online systems for learners, the Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Centre said.

An opening ceremony took place in Vientiane on Tuesday and was attended by Head of Office of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Sisamone Sithirajvongsa, Assistant Minister of Education and Sports, Mr Thongpiew Boutsady, and representatives of support companies and students.

Director General of the Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Centre of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Mr Vanhxay Noraxeng, said after opening the quality education database and new website that they will be training officials to use the software as well as further refining it.

After that they will present it to the Ministry of Education and Sports for the establishment of a leading committee, as well as the provision of training and handbooks on the use of the database and website.

During the development of the databases and website, Unitel, Star Telecom and FPT companies will provide free internet access to the programme. The internet system is registered with the the Lao National Internet Centre.

The website will be available in provinces throughout the country, serving primary and secondary schools as well as adult learners free of charge.

Mr Vanhxay said project will be officially launched at the beginning of 2017 by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

Source: Vientiane Times

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