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Laos Launches Inspection on Car Dealers to Curb Illegal Imports

Laos Launches Inspection on Car Dealers to Curb Illegal Imports

The Lao government has instructed dealers who import and sell vehicles to present their documents no later than November 29, in a move to address illegal vehicle imports.

Those who fail to present their documents may lose their business license and will not be allowed to import vehicles, according to Vientiane Times.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce will monitor and collect statistics from dealers whose activities and standard of service is in doubt.

The government has also instructed the relevant sectors to take stronger action to address the issue of illegal imports as many vehicle owners have not paid taxes.

The Lao customs sector has been seeking to resolve such issues for many years since it has caused the country significant amounts of revenue loss.

Between 2015 and 2016, for example, the government expected to collect revenue of LAK 2,426 billion (USD 273 million,) but it only was able to collect LAK 1,828 billion, accounting for 75.3 percent of the target.

During this period, more than 5,000 illegally imported vehicles were impounded.

Vientiane Times quoted the customs department as saying that some of them were destined for ministries, government departments, and individuals, but were imported by dealerships which failed to follow the proper procedures.

South Korean Singer Choi Siwon Named UNICEF Regional Ambassador in Laos

South Korean Singer Choi Siwon Named UNICEF Regional Ambassador in Laos

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has named Choi Siwon, a member of South Korean boyband Super Junior, as its new regional ambassador for East Asia and Pacific.

His appointment was announced on November 11 in the Lao capital Vientiane at an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The convention was designed to assess progress towards the implementation of the CRC and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and discuss future efforts to unleash the unlimited potential of children and young people in Laos.

As part of the forum, Mr. Choi will participate in a Youth Talk Panel Discussion with a group of youth, who are contributing to further children’s rights.

He will also highlight the importance of sustained investments to unleash their potential as they develop between now and 2030 while visiting a school and youth-led radio group in Laos.

Over the last four years, Mr. Choi has been committed to children’s issues through his role as a special representative for UNICEF Korea.

In his capacity, he recently visited Vietnam, where he supported UNICEF’s campaign #StopBullying to raise awareness of bullying and engage young people in developing solutions to end this problem.

Regional Ambassadors are chosen among prominent individuals from art, science, literature, entertainment, sport or other fields of public life who have expressed a desire to contribute to raising awareness of the aims, objectives, and priorities of UNICEF to convey messages about its activities and to extend its public outreach.

Mr. Choi, who made a debut in 2005 as a member of South Korean boyband Super Junior, has been active in the entertainment industry across Asia as a singer and actor.

Meanwhile, Super Junior is one of the most influential boybands in South Korea and was the best-selling K-pop artist for four years in a row.

Unitel Tests 5G Network in Vientiane

Unitel Tests 5G Network in Vientiane
Unitel

Unitel has officially conducted a 5G test in Laos, becoming the second player to do so after state-owned Lao Telecom.

The test, which showed a maximum speed of 1.7 Gbps, was held recently in the Lao capital Vientiane during the 19th ASEAN ICT Ministers Meeting and the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Unitel brand, Vientiane Times reported.

5G is the new fifth-generation cellular network technology, which is said to offer speeds 100 times faster than 4G. It is primarily used for smartphones and other similar devices. 5G is also expected to support new applications like remote medical procedures and autonomous driving.

The General Director of Unitel, Mr Luu Manh Ha, said the successful testing is a step towards the beginning of a complete 5G network “in the near future”.

The company will continue to expand 5G mobile network testing in some provinces to give customers the current speed experience while coordinating and reporting to the Ministry of Post and Communication on 5G deployment nationwide.

Unitel has been active in Laos for 13 years and is now the biggest network operator in the country with over 3 million subscribers, which accounts for 56 percent of the country’s telecom market.

Its parent firm, Viettel, tested its 5G network in Cambodia and Myanmar in July and August, respectively, through its local subsidiaries.

Separately, Lao Telecom announced on October 8 that it began trialing its 5G system, becoming the first player in Laos to do so.

Lao Telecom is the first integrated telecommunications provider in Laos. Since 1996, the company has offered wire-line and wireless services to 3.5 million people across the country.

In 2011, the company officially launched 4G network, becoming the first company to provide the system in the country and the second nation to do so in Southeast Asia.

The company also began operating 4.5G services in Vientiane at the beginning of 2017 and then expanded services to the provinces.

Laos to Experience Early Cold Snap, Rain

Laos to Experience Early Cold Snap, Rain

A cold snap is set to hit most of Laos this week as the result of a high-pressure system over the northern and central parts of the country.

According to the Meteorology and Hydrology Department, the forecast for November 7-10 will see cooler temperatures in northern and central areas, with lows of 13C, and highs at 27C.

Super Typhoon Halong, a Category 5 Super Typhoon tracking along the coast of Vietnam, is among the strongest storms ever recorded by satellite, according to the Washington Post.

Super Typhoon Halong (Weather Underground)
Super Typhoon Halong (Weather Underground)

While it is not likely to hit land, it is affecting weather patterns in the region, causing the wet weather in southern Laos.

Rain and fog is in the forecast for central and southern Laos, while Vientiane will see temperatures ranging from 24C to 26C.

Laos to Regulate Imports to Promote Domestic Production

Laos to Regulate Imports to Promote Domestic Production

Laos plans to regulate imports of consumer goods, in a move to promote domestic production while curbing rising exchange rates.

Lao products are struggling to compete in terms of price and production amid increasing goods imported from neighboring countries, both legally and illegally, Vientiane Times reported.

The trend is also driving up the exchange rate of foreign currencies against the Lao kip, especially Thai baht, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Somchith Inthamith.

To tackle the issue, the Lao government has set up a task force led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Somdy Duangdy.

The task force will work with Vientiane authorities to strictly inspect imported products according to Lao regulations, using technology and license certification when checking at border crossings.

This is because trucks that bring in consumer goods from Thailand to Laos do not always have import licenses, according to Mr. Somchith.

He stressed that the government’s move is not designed to ban imports altogether but is aimed at determining what kind of products should be limited and those whose import is essential.

When it comes to promoting domestic production, the task force will focus on the organic and clean agriculture sector, which has little competition.

In addition, the government will use funding intended to support food security and commercial production, as well as push for collaborative projects both in Laos and overseas.

The government plans to launch the initiative in Vientiane first and will introduce it in other areas if it is successful.

S Korean President Vows to Continue Support for Dam Collapse Victims

S Korean President Vows to Continue Support for Dam Collapse Victims

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, on a state visit to Laos, has vowed to make every effort to assist those affected by the catastrophic dam collapse in southern Laos last year.


A saddle dam of the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy hydropower project collapsed, in which a joint venture between SK Engineering & Construction and Korea Western Power is participating. The incident killed dozens of residents and displaced thousands of others.

“The South Korean government will continue to do its best to help the people in the affected areas return to their stable lives,” President Moon said at a meeting with the Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

Is response, PM Thongloun thanked the South Korean government and businesses for their support for the recovery and called for continued attention from South Korea on the matter.

He added that Laos hoped cooperation between the two countries in the hydropower sector would further develop, including one dam which is due to be completed this year.

Separately, President Moon also had a meeting with his Lao counterpart President Bounnhang Vorachith, where the issue of dam collapse was among topics discussed.

At that time, President Bounnhang noted that the South Korean government offered humanitarian aid and support for mid to long-term reconstruction work right after the incident.

In response, Moon expressed his gratitude for the Lao authorities maintaining trust in South Korean companies despite the case.

The South Korean government provided USD 2 million in humanitarian aid and 1,000 tons of rice right after the dam collapse and is also working on a project to restore the state’s integrated reconstruction through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, or KOICA.

In addition, the two countries agreed to strengthen development cooperation that contributes to the improvement of the quality of life and economic development of the Lao people, including the “comprehensive management project along the Mekong River” under the “EDCF Agreement” signed on September 5 to provide USD 500 million for the 2020-23 period.

In addition, the two sides agreed on the importance of utilizing the abundant water resources of Laos in bilateral cooperation to create co-prosperity in the region and agreed to push for necessary measures actively.

What’s discussed among leaders of two countries and remarks made by President Moon look promising, but it is still unclear what they can do in terms of resolving an ongoing dispute between the Lao government and SK Engineering & Construction.

The Lao government and the South Korean firm are currently making conflicting claims over the cause of the dam collapse.

The National Investigation Committee (NIC) of Laos announced its findings that the dam collapse was not a “force majeure” event, and it could have been prevented by adequate treatment measures.

At that time, SK Engineering immediately issued a statement and refuted the findings of the NIC, saying that the finding lack scientific evidence.

Meanwhile, SK Engineering said the company is and will be focusing on support to Laos regardless of what’s said or discussed during President Moon’s visit to Laos.

Drug Counseling Center in Vientiane Receives Upgrade

Drug Counseling Center in Vientiane Receives Upgrade

A counseling center in the Lao capital Vientiane that treats people with drug use disorders has been expanded, a move that would accommodate the increasing number of people who require counseling and treatment.

The facility, which is located at Sisattanak Hospital in Sisattanak district, offers free advice and community-based therapy, according to Vientiane Times.

The upgrade work was supported by the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section of the United States Embassy to Laos through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime with more than LAK 200 million (USD 22,640) invested.

“It’s a private counseling room to protect people from the stigma associated with drug use and can provide treatment by specialists that meet international standards,” said Health Office Head of Sisattanak district, Dr. Khonesavanh Thepphavong.

Between 2014 and October 2019, a total of 321 people visited the facility for advice. It first opened in 2014.

Most of those who seek help are aged between 18 and 25, and about 95 percent of drug users are addicted to amphetamines, Vientiane Times added.

Lao Airlines to Launch New Routes to Japan’s Kumamoto in March, 2020

Lao Airlines

Japan Civil Aviation Bureau has given a green light to Lao Airlines to launch two new routes connecting the Lao capital of Vientiane and the resort town of Luang Prabang with the Japanese city of Kumamoto.

New routes will be launched on March 18, 2020, according to a statement by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

The route between Vientiane and Kumamoto will run on Wednesday and Saturday, while that between Luang Prabang and the Japanese city will run on Monday and Friday.

An Airbus A320 aircraft with 158 seats will be used for two round trip services.

Lao Airlines first laid out its plan to launch such routes in August.

At that time, President of Lao Airlines, Mr. Bounma Chanthavongsa, said the economy airfare for the new flights would be around USD 750, presumably for a return ticket.

Mr Bounma added that the company would be applying for the approval of launching new routes to the Japanese authorities in August.