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Two Border Crossings Between Luang Namtha and Yunnan, China Reopen After 20 Months

The reopening of the Pang Hai and Ban Mom border crossings was marked by a ceremony on 11 September 2023 at the Pang Hai border crossing checkpoint in Sing district, Luang Namtha. (Photo: Vientiane Mai)

Two border crossings between Luang Namtha province in Laos and China’s Yunnan province reopened on Monday, September 11, after being closed for 20 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social Media Users in Vientiane Capital Raise Alarm Over Poor State of Roads

Roads in the area of Sikhai village. (hoto: Nu lorvixai)

Many social media users, especially those in the Vientiane Capital, have once again expressed their anger and frustration over the poor state of the roads in the city, which have deteriorated to worse conditions during the wet season.

World-famous Contemporary Artist Mr Doodle Jets in to City of Dreams

The acclaimed British artist to Perform His First Ever Live Creation in Macao Celebrating His First Solo Exhibition in Macao and Unveil his World Premiere Art Creation

MACAO – Media OutReach – 13 September 2023 – Following the successful launch of the ‘Mr Doodle First Exhibition in Macao’ in early August, Melco Resorts & Entertainment welcomed the highly anticipated, world-famous contemporary artist to the City of Dreams for his first-ever live creation in Macao, unveiling his latest world premiere art creation.

Speech_Mr. Clarence Chung

Today, at City of Dreams, in celebration of “Mr Doodle First Exhibition in Macao”, Mr Doodle jetted into the flagship integrated resort of Melco to provide an exclusive demonstration of his unique creative process, showcasing his artistic talents by doodling a giant 2.5-meter by 1-meter sculpture with City of Dreams logo in front of a live audience exclusively for Melco. Mr Doodle also hosted a ceremony unveiling his latest world premiere art creation with Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office; Mr. Cheang Kai Meng, Vice President of Cultural Affairs Bureau; Ms. Cheong Man Fai, Head of the Department, Education and Youth Development Bureau; Mr. Clarence Chung, Board Director of Melco Resorts & Entertainment; Mr. David Sisk, Chief Operating Officer – Macau Resorts, Melco Resorts and Entertainment and Mr. Patrick Fan, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Forward Fashion Group.

GOH Toasting
Mr Doodle Live Creation at City of Dreams



The latest world premiere art installation – “Mr Doodle | Mickey Mouse” Sculpture, stands at 30cm in height and adds a playful and artistic twist to the beloved Disney character, Mickey Mouse. The art piece captures the iconic character in his most classic pose with hands tucked behind his back, toes pointed, and standing tall with pride. Limited to only 500 pieces worldwide, each highly sought-after piece has been meticulously crafted from premium resin while the main body of the sculpture features a recurring arrangement of doodles created using Mr Doodle’s relief technique.

Mr Doodle_Mickey Mouse_Sculpture
Mr Doodle Live Creation_COD Sculpture



Co-organized by Melco Resorts & Entertainment and Artelli, with the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the support of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, “Mr Doodle First Exhibition in Macao” will be on display at City of Dreams until October 15. The exhibition features 24 original art pieces and four large-scale art installations created exclusively for City of Dreams. It is curated by Pearl Lam Galleries, Artelli and ARTOX GROUP and holds the distinction of being the Special Exhibition of “Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2023”.

Mr. David Sisk, Chief Operating Officer – Macau Resorts, Melco Resorts and Entertainment said, ‘Melco is excited to welcome world-acclaimed artist Mr Doodle for his visit to the city showcasing his first-ever live creation performance exclusively at City of Dreams. In alignment with Melco’s commitment to diversification and fully supporting the Macao SAR government’s initiative on promoting the cultural exchange and artistic learning, we are honored to dedicate more incredibly diverse art and cultural activities for all Macao visitors and locals.”

Born in England, Mr Doodle is one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists, known for creating distinctive artworks characterized by intricate black and white lines and patterns that infuse everyday objects with a lively touch, his works have been exhibited in major galleries around the globe.

In addition to the new live art creation, the exhibition also features four specially created art installations that are accessible to guests around-the-clock throughout the flagship integrated resort. These installations include “Doodle Love Wall”, a large wall at City of Dreams Level 1 covered in Mr Doodle’s signature patterns, boldly outlined figures, and symbols and motifs representing love; the “Doodle Showroom”, an expansive 52-meters by 20-meters façade outside The Showroom adorned with Mr Doodle’s signature ‘doodling spaghetti’; the “Doodle Hall”, a breathtaking immersive artwork covering the floors, walls and pillars of the Main Portal of City of Dreams with Mr Doodle’s lively interlocking designs, alongside a giant LED video wall showcasing Mr Doodle’s creative journey and the attractions of his first exhibition in Macao; and the “Doodle Cube”, a multimedia art installation in the lobby of Morpheus that animates the diamond-shaped geometric structures, fluid curves, and free-flowing forms found in the hotel’s architecture. Meanwhile, Mr Doodle’s 24 original artworks at Artelli, the Pioneering Multi-dimensional Art Space, at The Showroom, are available for art tour by online reservation. Morpheus Lounge has also launched the Mr Doodle Afternoon Tea Experience, allowing guests to view the “Doodle Cube” while experiencing a unique and artistic afternoon tea for a complete immersive artistic journey exclusively at City of Dreams.

Hashtag: #Melco

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited

The Company, with its American depositary shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ: MLCO), is a developer, owner and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe. The Company currently operates Altira Macau (), an integrated resort located at Taipa, Macau and City of Dreams (), an integrated resort located in Cotai, Macau. Its business also includes the Mocha Clubs (), which comprise the largest non-casino based operations of electronic gaming machines in Macau. The Company also majority owns and operates Studio City (), a cinematically-themed integrated resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, a Philippine subsidiary of the Company currently operates and manages City of Dreams Manila (), an integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. In Europe, the Company operates City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol in the Republic of Cyprus (). The Company also continues to operate three satellite casinos in other cities in Cyprus (the “Cyprus Casinos”). For more information about the Company, please visit .

The Company is majority owned by Melco International Development Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, which is in turn majority owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is the Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

About Artelli

Artelli is a Pioneering Multi-dimensional Art Space. Joining hands with artists, Artelli has a strong devotion to deliver art projects, including exclusive and debut collections. In the future, the art space would ascend into the world of Metaverse, NFTs and more. Artelli creates exceptional art experiences and atmosphere, reimagining art with brands and culture collaborations to unveil a state-of-the-art multi-dimensional and diversified space, setting them apart from traditional retail and art exhibition models.

Artelli will be expanding footprints worldwide in the next five years, from the Greater Bay Area to mainland China, Hong Kong China, Tokyo, Seoul, New York, London and Paris, becoming the new global landmark of art and culture.

Saving for health and income-related emergencies are among top priorities for Asians: Prudential Survey

  • More than 60 percent of the people surveyed are putting away substantial sums of money for health and income related emergencies
  • Generation Y respondents are the biggest emergency savers, with nearly three-quarters putting money aside
  • Insurance provides an important financial safety net for emergencies. Close to 80 percent of respondents have health insurance while 46 percent have income replacement protection

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 13 September 2023 – People across Asia are taking proactive steps to prepare for the increasingly uncertain and volatile global environment, especially against health and income-related emergencies. According to a recent survey, Empowering Aspirations: Financial Preparedness in Asia, by Prudential plc (Prudential), more than half (60 percent) of the 5,000 respondents surveyed across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stated their commitment to setting aside money specifically for health and income-related emergencies.

Empowering Aspirations explores how providing a safety net to people’s everyday lives is enabling individuals to live more fulfilling lives by gleaning insights into saving trends, insurance adoption, and aspirations for a more secure future.

Empowering Aspirations_Infographic_English.jpg

Priscilla Ng, Group Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, Prudential plc, said, “We are currently living in an uncertain world where the pandemic has highlighted the importance of being prepared amid constant disruption. With this in mind, we undertook the survey to understand the impact that having a financial safety net can have on individuals, and their ability to pursue personal and professional aspirations.”

Millennials demonstrates highest inclination for emergency savings

Faced with uncertainties, individuals prioritise emergency savings as they seek to secure their future. Nearly two-thirds of participants (61 percent) attributed their increased savings to the social and economic impact of the ongoing pandemic.

Across different generations, it is Gen-Y or the millennials, that demonstrates the highest inclination for emergency savings, with 74 percent of individuals in this group prioritising saving for a rainy day. This figure surpasses the percentages observed among half of Gen-Z (49 percent), nearly two-thirds of Gen-X (62 percent), and close to half of baby boomers (49 percent).

A market-by-market comparison reveals that Malaysia leads in terms of savings, with 67 percent of respondents actively allocating funds for emergencies. In contrast, Hong Kong recorded the lowest figure amongst the five markets, where just half (52 percent) of the people in the city said they save for emergencies.

Insurance as a crucial financial safety net

Amid concerns regarding financial stability, the survey also highlights the critical role of insurance in providing a much-needed financial safety net. Among the 5,000 respondents, close to 80 percent have health insurance, while 46 percent have income replacement protection, highlighting the significant role of insurance in safeguarding individuals against unforeseen circumstances that can impact their health and earning capacity.

Notably, individuals with insurance exhibited a stronger propensity for saving, with two-thirds (66 percent) of insured participants indicating that they save for emergencies. In contrast, only 39 percent of those without insurance reported saving for emergencies.

More than three-quarters (76 percent) of the respondents cited the provision of a crucial safety net as the primary motivation for acquiring insurance. Additionally, a little less than two-thirds (62 per cent) mentioned seeking protection against prevalent diseases in the market, while half of them attributed their decision to a family history of specific illnesses.

Aspirations for a Secure Future

Respondents were asked about their spending priorities if they didn’t have to allocate funds for emergencies. The results revealed a range of aspirations. Half of the respondents (49 percent) expressed a desire to save more for retirement, acknowledging the need for long-term financial security. Additionally, nearly one-third of the respondents (31 percent) expressed a desire to travel more, while more than a quarter (26 percent) considered investments in property or home improvements and emphasised the importance of investing in better education for their children (28 percent).

“We are in the business of assuring people’s futures and therefore we strive to safeguard their well-being and financial security. Prudential is committed to addressing these challenges by bridging the protection gap and empowering individuals to face the future with confidence.

“Our new purpose statement ‘For Every Life, For Every Future’ reflects our mission to be a trusted partner and protector by providing simple and accessible financial and health solutions,” said Ms. Ng.

Notes

Definitions:

  • Generation Z: Often abbreviated as Gen-Z, refers to the cohort of individuals who were born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s.
  • Generation Y: Often abbreviated as Gen-Y, refers to the cohort of individuals who were born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s.
  • Generation X: Often abbreviated as Gen-X, typically includes individuals born between the early-to-mid 1960s and the early 1980s.
  • Baby Boomers: Generation of individuals who were born during the post-World War II baby boom, generally between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s.

Hashtag: #Prudential

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About ‘Empowering Aspirations: Financial Preparedness in Asia’

Empowering Aspirations a survey that Prudential carried out across five Asian markets – Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The study interviewed 5,000 people online between March – April 2023 to look at the reasons why people save and take up insurance. It also explores how having a financial safety net to mitigate health and income risks can enable individuals to live more freely and fully to pursue their goals and aspirations.

The full survey findings and insights can be found .

About Prudential plc

Prudential plc provides life and health insurance and asset management in 24 markets across Asia and Africa. Prudential’s mission is to be the most trusted partner and protector for this generation and generations to come, by providing simple and accessible financial and health solutions. The business has dual primary listings on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (2378) and the London Stock Exchange (PRU). It also has a secondary listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange (K6S) and a listing on the New York Stock Exchange (PUK) in the form of American Depositary Receipts. It is a constituent of the Hang Seng Composite Index and is also included for trading in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme and the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme.

Prudential is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc. a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, nor with The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

Aon Names Jeff Plein as Chief Operating Officer for the Asia-Pacific Region, Bringing Expertise in Business Operations to Better Serve Clients

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 13 September 2023 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today announced Jeff Plein has been named as the chief operating officer (COO) for the Asia-Pacific region, effective Sept. 11.

Jeff-Plein_HR.jpg

Plein will report to Mindy Simon, global chief operating officer, and Anne Corona, chief executive officer of Asia Pacific. He is based in Singapore and joins the Aon Asia-Pacific Executive Committee and the Aon Business Services Global Leadership Team.

“We are delighted to welcome Jeff to Aon. He is an outstanding leader and his extensive experience in driving operational excellence will help further develop the world-class operations and technological capabilities that Aon delivers to our clients in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Corona.

Plein succeeds Bill Hooper, who was named as global COO of Commercial Risk Solutions, for which he will relocate to the United Kingdom later this year.

“With his extensive experience in investment management, banking and the broader financial services sector, Jeff will bring strong insights that will help our firm continue to deliver innovative solutions as we help our clients to be better informed and better advised,” added Simon.

Plein will work closely with regional and global teams to support growth and deliver a differentiated client experience, with responsibility for the design and execution of all aspects of the Asia-Pacific operating model.

“The Asia-Pacific region presents significant opportunities for growth and innovation,” said Plein. “I am looking forward to building on the firm’s vision to help clients make better decisions as they face today’s rapidly changing, increasingly complex and interconnected challenges. Working together with our colleagues, we will continue to leverage technology, data and insights to deliver enhanced solutions and capabilities for our clients in the region.”

Plein joins Aon from Citibank, where he worked since 2018 as managing director, Asia Pacific head of securities services operations. He has previously held senior roles at Fullerton Fund Management, BlackRock and Pacific Investment Management Company.

For more information about Aon in the Asia Pacific region, please visit www.aon.com/apac.

Hashtag: #Aon

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Aon

(NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries and sovereignties with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business.

Follow Aon on , , and . Stay up-to-date by visiting the and sign up for News Alerts .

Noisy Music at Laos Tourist Sites Irks Nature-Loving Visitors

Noisy Music at Laos Tourist Sites Irk Nature-Loving Visitors
Foreign tourists enjoying themselves at the Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng (photo: Lengthy Travel)

Foreign tourists have spoken out about noisy music at tourist sites in Laos, highlighting the disturbance it causes to those who want to spend some quiet time in nature.

China Business Knowledge White Paper Series: Space Tourism Isn’t Science Fiction Anymore

By Professor Lisa Wan, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, CUHK Business School

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 13 September 2023 – Since ancient times, humans have observed astronomical phenomena and dreamed of exploring the worlds beyond ours. When Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon’s surface on July 20, 1969, he said, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Space exploration has served as an inspiration to humankind. Although space exploration was only limited to professional astronauts in the past, it is no longer a dream for private citizens reaching for the stars themselves anymore.

With the continued advancement of technology, space travel is turning into reality.
With the continued advancement of technology, space travel is turning into reality.

Virgin Galactic first blasted off to suborbital space on July 12, 2021 and Blue Origin soared past the edge of space on July 20, 2021. Then, Space X launched Resilience which carried 4 civilians into space on Sep 15, 2021, making it the world’s first spacecraft to carry all civilian passengers.

With the continued advancement of space technology, space exploration has become a key mission for many nations including the U.S. and China. For example, the U.S. plans to return to the moon and establish a lunar colony over the next few years. China also built its Tiangong space station in 2022 and is planning to get to the Moon in 2030. The rapid development of space technology will further lower the costs of space tourism and the space tourism market is expected to grow rapidly. The global market for space tourism is estimated to reach US$1.7 billion by 2027, and the U.S. and China are the two biggest potential markets for space tourism.

Having civilians travelling to space will be a breakthrough in human cultural development. As space tourism hits mainstream commercialisation, who would be more interested to spend money on enjoying the breath-taking views of Earth in space? Moreover, a luxury space hotel Voyager Station is scheduled open for business in 2027. In order to generate revenue, what activities and foods should space tourism companies provide to tourists once reach orbit? Since space tourism is still expected to remain relatively expensive, what about the masses who are still unable to afford space travel? Is there a way for them experience space travel in a cheaper fashion? What lessons can companies seeking to develop space tourism learn?

In this CUHK Business School Research White Paper, we sought to explore the latest and future development of this newly emerging industry.

Must-Have Menu and Activities at Space Hotel

Though physical space travel is still inaccessible to all but the super-rich, this is becoming less of a barrier in the foreseeable future. With the continuous evolution of space technology, many believe that space tourism costs will drop and slowly but surely make its way into mainstream.

This research white paper provides several insights. First, Chinese people have a higher intention to engage in space tourism than their American counterparts because the latter perceive space travel to be riskier. A possible strategy to promote space travel in the Western market would be to provide more concrete technological information and to emphasise safety in advertisements and social media to reduce tourists’ risk perceptions. On the other hand, when targeting the Asian market, space travel advertisements could emphasise the fantasy and extraordinary experiences.

Second, when considering the space hotel facilities and services, both American and Chinese tourists in general want to have basic facilities of artificial-gravity pools and spa/massage room services. While American tourists have a higher preference on “outdoor” space tours, Chinese tourists prefer “indoor” activities like watching movies. Space tourism companies may consider to tailor-made the services according to their different preferences.

Third, food is an essential part of travel. Based on the survey findings, it is suggested that steak and burgers are “must menu items” for space hotel to satisfy both American and Chinese tourists. Hotpot is the most popular menu item for Chinese tourists, I highly recommend future space hotels to include this to shape Chinese tourists’ memories.

Space Travel Opportunity for Public?

Forth, immersive technology of metaverse enables users to engage in virtual space travel in anytime and anywhere. However, would visitors explore the space virtually no longer be interested in visiting the space physically in the future? I conducted a survey in 2022 by inviting 120 participants to experience a 5-minute virtual space tour for enjoying the earth view. After experiencing the immersive VR space tour, more than 80 % of participants were excited and indicated that they would travel to space physically if they could afford it. Therefore, using immersive technology as a “pre-trip” of space can attract tourists to travel to space physically.

Thanks to immersive VR and AR technology, the general public can experience space travel in an affordable fashion.
Thanks to immersive VR and AR technology, the general public can experience space travel in an affordable fashion.

In addition to space hotel services and food, it would be interesting for space tourism companies to explore how to apply robots to serve tourists in the near future. Robots are usually adopted to help astronauts to investigate and complete dangerous and risky space missions. In fact, robots can also serve in a companion role for human in space.

Since the cost of sending a robot to space is much cheaper than sending a human (e.g., they can be left out in space without returning to earth), it is cost effective to adopt humanoid robots to serve tourists in space hotel. My previous research suggests that, in the hospitality and tourism context, customers in general prefer to interact with humanoid robot than non-humanoid robot, and they are more willing to use friendly-looking service robots (e.g., child-like) when they are looking for suggestions such as menu items to try, specific things to see. However, they prefer to use professional and competent-looking service robots (e.g., adult-like) when seeking instructions related to tax refunds or travel insurance. These research findings on earth provide practical insights for robot adoption in space hotel. For example, space hotel could use child-like humanoid robot to greet guests and increase their satisfaction.

Space tourism remains in its nascent phase, but traveling to outer space may be as easy as taking a flight to Europe in the future. At CUHK Business School, we look forward to exploring the latest development in space tourism, and how hospitality and tourism industry can better seize these emerging opportunities.

Learn more: https://cbk.bschool.cuhk.edu.hk/research-whitepapers/space-tourism-isnt-science-fiction-anymore/
Hashtag: #CUHKBusinessSchool

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Malaysian Government Launches RM5,000 “MSME Digital Grant MADANI”

VeecoTech Serves as Digital Partner (DP)

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 13 September 2023 – The Malaysian government, through the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN Bank), and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has launched the MSME Digital Grant MADANI under Budget 2023, to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Malaysia digitise their operations.

VeecoTech Solutions, an appointed Digital Partner (DP) by MDEC, will provide digital solutions such as website development, e-commerce platforms, digital marketing, cyber security and more to help MSMEs take advantage of this grant and digitise their businesses.

VeecoTech will be holding a webinar to provide more information about the grant. The webinar will be held on 20th September 2023 [Wednesday] (10 am – 11 am) for English speakers and on 21st September 2023 [Thursday] (10 am – 11 am) for Mandarin speakers. To register for the webinar, please visit: https://www.veecotech.com.my/sme-grant/.

The grant is open to all MSMEs in Malaysia that have been operating for at least 6 months. To apply for the RM5000 matching grant, MSMEs must submit an online application form and provide supporting documents, such as their business registration certificate and financial statements.

“We are excited to partner with the Malaysian government to help MSMEs digitise their businesses,” said Alain Lye, Managing Director at VeecoTech. “We have a proven track record of serving hundreds of organisations, local and international. We can’t wait to help MSMEs, even local hawkers, in Malaysia, to take advantage of this grant and grow their businesses.”

Grant ends when the RM100 million allocation has been fully disbursed.

Hashtag: #VeecoTech #MSMEdigitalgrant #SMEGrant2023 #Grant #Malaysia #smallbusiness


The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About VeecoTech Solutions

Established in 2011, VeecoTech is a leading Malaysia IT solution company, specialised in helping businesses to achieve their success through digital solutions.

Together with the subsidiary companies, namely Benova and Bold Media, VeecoTech has operations in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Being a multidisciplinary team capable of providing an integrated and robust digital ecosystem for clients, VeecoTech’s expertise lies in website design, e-commerce, software, branding and marketing solutions.

The company has served over 500 clients from diverse industries, including public sectors, manufacturing, property, financial, healthcare, F&B and others.