(KPL) By the year of 2007, the tourism sectors has grown up steadily which created revenue for the country almost 26 percent per, said Mr Soukhaseum Phothisane, Vice Chairman of Lao National Tourism Authority to the media on 27 December.

He added that there were 1.3 million foreign tourists arrival Laos during 10 months, growing 900,000 people over last year figure, about 37 percent increased compared to the same previous of last year. About 1,400,000 tourists are expected to come to visit Laos at the end of this year, which will provide a benefit to the country about US$ 200 million...more

According to Mr. Soukhaseum, the service sector is now improving its facilities to serve their clients including hotel, guesthouse, and restaurant and tourist sites. In other hand, the handicraft products by ethnic people is also encouraged to display at the various activities in domestic and foreign countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan.

In addition, Lao government also plans to upgrade the communication and transportation system in grass root level in order to attract more tourists. This included the road from Km 20 to Konglor cave, Luang-Namtha Airport, and other roads to the new tourist sites.

Go together with the tourism administration office improvement in the provincial level, the government will also build the awareness on how importance of tourism to the social-economic development.

Source: kpl

Vientiane prepares for a fabulous New Year

Hotels, halls and entertainment venues throughout Vientiane are preparing parties to celebrate the New Year countdown on December 31.

According to Vientiane Times reporters yesterday, the line up for the big night includes:

Lao International Exhibition and Convention Centre (Lao-ITECC): Lao-ITECC is preparing a countdown party on December 31 for government leaders and officials as well as residents in Vientiane that includes a fashion show, and singing and dancing with local stars. Lao-ITECC will light fireworks and firecrackers at midnight as a highlight during the evening. The price of a ten seat table is one million kip per table...more

National Culture Hall: The Ministry of Information and Culture invite leaders and officials to join them in a New Year 2008 Countdown Party at the National Culture Hall. The party is also open to the general public, with a very reasonably priced of one million kip per 10 seat table including food and beverages. The ministry will also host a live telecast from 10 to 12pm, as well as stage a number of traditional performances, including singing and dancing for the entertainment of guests.

Lao Plaza Hotel: The hotel, in cooperation with Lao Brewery Company has organised a Bubble-Night Party for customers, providing free draft-beer, Beerlao gifts and food. The party will also feature popular singers from the Lao Art Media Company, as well as the opportunity to win big prizes in a lucky draw competition. The party price is US$300 for a 10 seat table, or US$30 per person.

Don Chan Palace: The hotel plans to surprise New Year revellers with popular singers from a famous local recording company, offer fabulous spot prizes for guests who come in fancy dress, and host a lucky draw. The hotel will also present a local circus that will astound part goers with performances during the evening's celebrations. The hotel has a set price of US $300 per 10 seat table and US$30 for person.

Novotel Hotel: The hotel will feature a concert with live bands including the famous Over Dance and Modern Dance, as well as Lao traditional performances. Staff will also provide a sumptuous variety of international foods for the delight of guests. The price is US$30 per person.

Still need some ideas? There are still many entertainment venues around Vientiane providing special gifts and draw cards to lure in customers, including the Wind-west pub, Highwayman, Marina, Romeo and Mina nightclubs. Various restaurants will also be hosted special events and deals, and giving out New Year gifts for customers.

Police warn people planning on going out and celebrating this New Year to be safe, and to be aware of the traffic regulations and driving drunk laws. People should celebrate this New Year, but ensure that they wake to a fantastic 2008.


By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Road No. 1: highway to progress

Road No.1 officially opened this month, bringing both economic and health benefits to Vientiane residents; it is also a symbol of the cooperation between Laos and Japan .

Road users enjoy travelling in comfort on the new road financed by Japan .
The upgrade of the road includes a drainage system that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport believes will prevent flooding in the rainy season.

The installation of streetlights has also made a great difference to driving conditions in the city...more

The Lao government and people, especially Vientiane residents, are thankful the road has finally been completed, and travel around the city is now more comfortable and safer.

This project was of great importance, said the Project Coordinator of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Mr Dedsongkham Thammavong.

He said the reconstruction of the road with Japanese assistance was a significant contribution to the improvement of communication and transportation in Vientiane and in the region.

Mr Dedsongkham said the new road would provide both direct and indirect benefits to Laos . It would certainly improve conditions for people operating businesses along the road.

The road is 29 kilometres long and runs from the Sikhay junction to the Thanalaeng warehouse. Its reconstruction cost more than US$366 billion kip (about 4.645 billion yen).

The smooth, black-topped road has helped to improve the capital's image, especially as it is such a central part of the city, Mr Dedsongkham said.

It will enable Laos to become a more efficient transit country and provide more opportunities for people in the sub-region to engage in trade and tourism.

“As you know, the road will also support our efforts to reduce poverty. Better road access is central to realising the government's goal to eradicate basic poverty by 2010. With more roads, people living in the rural areas will be better able to improve their standard of living,” he said.

Japan has been a major donor to the development of road and bridge infrastructure in Laos .

Before the road was rebuilt, it regularly flooded outside Ongteu and Inpeng temples during the wet season.

“I am confident we will not have to suffer from flooding any more now that engineers have installed drains on either side of the road, leading to Hongxaeng and Hongpasak canals,” Mr Dedsongkham said.

It is anticipated that business along the road will boom and contribute to the country's socio-economic development.

According to Ministry of Public Works and Transport statistics for 2004, Laos has 31,209 km of roads, 8.6 percent more than in 2001.

The data shows that in 2005 there were 4,497 km of tarred roads, an increase of 4 percent. There were also 10,097 km of gravel roads, up 8.8 percent up, and 16,616 km of dirt roads, 11 percent less than previously.

The expansion of the road network has boosted the economy and helped to improve people's living conditions all around the country.

Roads enable the transport of farmers' crops and other goods to markets, and in this respect Road No. 13 is considered to be the backbone of the country.

All corners of the country are now being linked, with Roads 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 16, 18 and others becoming a part of this network.

All provinces have road access and there are now 125 roads accessing districts nationwide.

River communication has also improved, with the building of ports and embankments along the Mekong River in the north of the country, to facilitate river transportation through Laos , Thailand , Myanmar and China .

Vientiane residents believe that the good condition of the newly-finished road will also bring health benefits.

A resident of Saphanthong village in Sisattanak district, Mr Khamsone, said he was pleased to be able to travel on a smooth and clean road. He believed it would bring an end to flooding and would reduce the amount of dust blowing around.

The Deputy Director of the Ophthalmology Centre, Dr Siphetthavong Sisaleumsak, said that dust was a significant contributing factor to respiratory problems and eye diseases each year, especially conjunctivitis.

“Now that the road is properly surfaced, it should help to alleviate the problem,” he said.


By Xayxana Leukai
Vientianetimes

(KPL) A leading mobile phone network company Millicom Laos (Tigo) last Sunday held a concert to present big New Year gifts to its customers through the entertainment programmes by popular singers from local and foreign music companies.

The local artists were from Indee Record including Sam, Nalin, Souk, Modern Dance, LOG and Princes, while the famous artists from the Republic of Korea were Ahn Jin Kyung, Yang Eun Ji, Han Ae Ri, Hwang Yun Kyung and Myung Sa Rang from “BABY VOX Re.V”...more info and photos

BABY V.O.X was established in 1997 and their first single album (“Haircut”) ranked top ten on Korean music charts.



The girl band BABY V.O.X’ second album, Baby VOX II, was a much bigger success, hitting on the Korean pop charts.

On December 26, DR Music unveiled the members of the new Baby V.O.X, “Baby V.O.X. Re.V”.


L.O.G joined the concert

Like the original group, there is one lead vocalist, three “sub-vocalists”, and a singer.

The group made its debut in January of 2007, with the lead singer “Shee”.
Compared to the other groups, however, Baby V.O.X. Re.V has a more mature, sexual image, much like the original Baby V.O.X.



This group made its debut in January and has visited various countries.


Princess joined Baby V.O.X


Sam joined Baby V.O.X


Overdance vs Baby V.O.X


Source: kpl
Photo: Indee

The 2009 SEA Games in Vientiane was officially announced to thousands of athletes and officials from Asean nations on Saturday night during the closing ceremony of the 24th SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand .

The closing ceremony took place in front of 20,000 spectators in the main stadium in Nakhon Ratchasima.

All Lao athletes and officials who attended the closing ceremony of this year's SEA Games were delighted to be present, as the occasion marked not only the medals they had won but also the day when Laos took possession of the SEA Games flag ahead of the 25 th SEA Games in Vientiane in 2009....more info

The Lao delegation receiving the SEA Games flag was led by Standing Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Executive Board of the 2009 SEA Games, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad; the Minister to the Prime Minister's Office, President of the Lao National Sports Committee and Lao National Olympic Committee, Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom; the Vice President of the Lao National Sports Committee and National Olympic Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa; and the Vice President and Secretary General of the Lao National Olympic Committee, Mr Souvannarath Sayavong.

After this year's SEA Games host Thailand presented the SEA Games flag to Laos , a performance by more than 400 Lao artists in five programmes followed.

The first item was a traditional dance and the song Sieng Khaen Lao , featuring the cultural traditions of Lao ethnic groups and the khaen – the country's traditional musical instrument.

The second item was the Sunrise Dance, a traditional dance modified from the Ramayana. This was first performed in Luang Prabang province and depicts the tradition of kindness, friendliness and hospitality of Lao women.

The third item portrayed the Hmong New Year, and by a dance to celebrate the harvest season.

The troupe then performed a song to welcome the 25 th SEA Games in 2009, which will take place in Vientiane .

The song told of the honour and pride the Lao people feel at hosting the SEA Games, and expressed a welcome to all Asean athletes, officials and distinguished guests.

The fifth item on the programme was a song expressing how the games will serve to strengthen relationships, friendship, solidarity and unity.

It is hoped the SEA Games will help to push Asean sports closer to world levels in the near future. In the meantime, Laos is delighted to be hosting the event and warmly welcomes all Asean members to the games in 2009.

Saturday night was an occasion not only for Lao athletes and people around the country to celebrate the passing of the SEA Games flag to Laos but also the fact that Laos had its first ever major victory at the SEA Games this year, winning 5 gold, 7 silver and 32 bronze medals.

By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes,

More photos: http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=98894&p=3&topicID=14622235

Indee Records, the most popular music industry in Laos, officially released their new artist, Nalin Daravong, to the public on 11th December 2007.

Young talented Narin, 19, is now studying at the faculty of Economic, National University of Laos. She loves singing and has been singing since she was very young for many occations. The most outstanding of her performance was during the "Close up music contest award 2006" where she had to compete with more than 100 contestants and she was the winner in that time.

Her first single album entitled "Wao Bar Bar" or "Why Do You Say That?" draws inspiration from modern punk, 90s alterna-pop, 50s rock and the music of the Caribbean. The song composers for this album was Lao producer "Mee Sourinthone" in collaboration with versatile Indee artists such as Aluna, Silvia, Tou and the Cells.



Info: ecom & Indee

NAKHON RATCHASIMA – Laos officially announced yesterday that only 25 sports will be played in the 2009 Southeast Asian Games which it will be hosting for the first time.

Laos had earlier announced that one sport it was scrapping was basketball.

Also axed were chess, softball, dance sport, gymnastics, bodybuilding, cycling, equestrian, fencing, softball and all water sports.



The sports to be played are aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, bowling, boxing, football/futsal, golf, handball, judo, karate-do, muay, petanque, pencak silat, sepak takraw, shooting, shuttle cock, snooker and billiards, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, traditional boat race, volleyball/beach volleyball, wrestling and wushu...more info>>

25th SEA Games are tentatively set Dec. 13 to 21, 2009 in Vientiane, Dr. Phauthong Seng-Akhon, president of the Laos Olympic Committee, announced Friday.

Seng-Akhon announced that China will build a $ 46-million main stadium while Vietnam will construct a $ 6 million training facility for the athletes.

Laos will also build a hotel near the proposed main stadium to house some of the 2,500 athletes it expects.

This will mark the first time that Laos will host the biennial Games.

Vientiane will be the main hub with some events scattered in Luangprabang and Champasak.

Thailand has already appealed to Laos officials that if they can’t hold some of the events, it was willing to host them and play the sports near the Thai-Laotian border.

source: www.mb.com.ph

Well known Korean pop group Baby Vox Re.V will hold a concert to welcome in the New Year at the Lao-ITECC in Vientiane this coming Sunday.

If you have ever heard the hit songs “Never Say Goodbye” and “Shee”, or watched one of their spicy videos, you will no doubt know the name of the most famous girl band in Korea, Baby Vox Re.V - the sexy creators behind the self-titled album Baby V.O.X. Re.V.

The five member group, consisting of Ahn Jin-gyeong (lead vocalist), Yang Eun-ji (sub vocalist), Hwang Yeon-gyeong (sub vocalist), Kwon Ae-ri (sub vocalist), and Myeong Sa-rang (sub vocalist/ rapper), will perform songs from their latest album and, some may say more importantly, titillate audiences with their stimulating Korean-pop styled dance moves...more info>>

Sunday's performance is made possible by special invitation from the telecommunication provider Millicom Lao Co Ltd., commonly known as Tigo.

The company will host the concert to say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new, and as an expression of gratitude for the continued support of its customers.

A fantastic line-up of local artists, including the newly formed punk-rock band Punky Dolls, rappers LOG, pop group Princess, and the latest pop star to emerge onto the Lao music scene, Nalin, will support the international headline act.

According to a Millicom Lao Co Ltd spokesman, there will be no public ticket sales.

“People who want to attend the concert will have to use our phone service called Easy Load. Phone numbers that have credit of 16,000 kip or more will go into a lucky draw to select the numbers that will receive a ticket. Those who don't want to risk missing out on a ticket in the lucky draw can also simply load 100,000 kip into their phones and they will then receive a ticket,” said a company spokesperson.



Baby Vox Re.V's debut album was unveiled in December 2006, and the group made its smashing debut onto local charts in January 2007 with the lead single “Shee”.

The brand new girl group, a ‘descendant' of the original Korean girl band Baby Vox, was to be called Baby Vox 2, but was instead named the enticingly more cryptic Baby Vox Re.V. The “Re.” in the name is said to derive from the word “Renaissance” which it was hoped would imply a sense of resurrection of the original, and the “V” stands for “voice” meaning that the group will bring new sounds and a new voice to the music industry.



The original Baby VOX first appeared in 1997, when the captivating group was made up of five singers Jang Shieun, Jang Hyunjun, Yumi, Lee Heejin and Kim Eiji.


By PHOONSAB THEVONGSA
Vientianetimes

(KPL) Lao Judo players won two gold medals more at the 24th SEA Games on 11 December.

Mayouly Phanouvong and Phonevane Si-amphone defeated Thai rivals, and Vietnamese’s in Ju-No Kata double’s women with the top 275.5 points, while Viengvilay Chansy and Chindavong Sivanvilay won the hearts of juries with their best performance in Nage-No Kata double’s men.

Lao athletes also won nine bronze medals including two from petanque, four from boxing, two from Mouay Lao and one from rugby on 11 December.
To 11 December Laos ranks the 8th in top-ten ASEAN Games chart wining four gold medals, one silver and 22 bronze medals.

KPL

Atsaphone district in Savannakhet province is an area
of extreme poverty and receives few holidaymakers, but popular Taiwanese celebrity, Mr Wang Lee Hom, saw the area differently when he visited last week.

Although the district is without any modern facilities, Mr Lee, a World Vision Sponsorship Ambassador, found the area beautiful, rich in nature and memorable. He also said he would like to return to Laos one day with his family.

“I met many children, whose lives are different from other places such as Taiwan and New York ,” he said during an interview with Vientiane Times on Friday, after spending almost a week in Savannakhet province...more info>>

He travelled with a World Vision team to the province from November 24 to 28 to inspect development projects and meet local children and communities; the trip aimed to raise funds and encourage others to sponsor needy children in Laos .


Photo: Mr Wang Lee Hom runs with children in Atsaphone district, Savannakhet province.

In the villages he visited, the people did not scream out when he approached like in Taiwan and other countries in Asia where he is considered a popular star.

He said that because of poverty, the children he met had a difficult lifestyle. They live in a rural area where they are always working in the rice fields.However, he said that he really enjoyed his time with the children.

“I followed them into the rice fields and experienced first-hand how they live,” he said.



Mr Lee said that the Lao children had wonderful personalities and generous hearts. “But they need help from groups like World Vision.”

He said that he personally sponsored 10 children by donating 188,000 kip (US$20) per month for each child, adding that he will continue his assistance until it is no longer needed.

He explained that he had decided to support the children when he saw a media campaign about Lao children in need and he knew he could trust the organisation so he started making donations.

“World Vision has a good plan for the way that it helps to develop these villages, not only giving them food but working towards long term sustainability.”

He said that he likes to help the poor; he wants to make them smile, which makes him smile too.

After experiencing the rural lifestyle, he said he feels changed, adding that he had travelled to many places around the world that were poor. But this was the first time he felt that he had a good emotional connection with the people he met.

He shared their home and daily life, eating sticky rice with them.

He said that he was happy to help Lao people, because in helping others he was also helping himself.

His philosophy holds that a donor should not provide the poor with only food and money but also teach them how to make a better living because, if one day the help stops, they can manage on their own.

He added that World Vision Laos shares this philosophy.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
Vientianetimes
Photos: BluemarkTW

MORE Photos>>
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=98894&p=3&topicID=14341883



wang lee hom
Laos, Savannakhet

Laos captured its first medals of the Games by winning gold in both the men's and women's shooting petanque in the 24th SEA GAMES in Korat, Thailand.
They are VATHANXAY KHAMPHAVONG and CHANCHAMONE VONGSAVATH from Vientiane and Champasak province.
Miss Vongsavath (18) is a young woman from Champasak province that makes her debut at the SEA GAMES for the first time. Back to the last SEA Games in 2005 in the Philippines, the Lao petanque team walked away with 2 gold medals, but all from the men's single and team events.

More bang for your buck
Lonely Planet Bluelist

South African travellers are always looking for a good deal and a way to make those hard-earned rands go further. If you're in the market for an overseas holiday, consider these destinations where you'll get serious bang for your buck・

Laos
Laos is unique in its region ・its relative isolation from foreign influence means travellers are in for a remarkably well-preserved slice of traditional Southeast Asian culture, everywhere from the fertile lowlands of the Mekong River valley to the rugged Annamite highlands. And now, with the opening of the border to central Vietnam, southern Laos ・previously the most remote place in the region ・is easier than ever to get to. Laos is studded with ancient temples and monasteries, and ecotourists are also in for a treat, with tremendous caving and kayaking opportunities in the country's large, unspoiled forests...more

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is unique in turbulent Latin America. It's leading the way in its conservation policies, with around 27 percent of the country protected, ensuring that the lush jungles are teeming with monkeys, lizards, frogs, and all manner of exotic birds and insects. It's also got awesome surfing and terrific beaches, a swag of huge national parks and volcanoes, and fantastic hiking and rafting opportunities. Plus the people are friendly (it's the only Latin American country with no army), the coffee's outstanding, and, off Cocos Islands, there's some of the world's best diving.

Dominican Republic
The DR packs a huge punch. On the one hand, it's your typical tropical island paradise with pure-white beaches, oh-so-blue waters and oodles of palm trees. On the other hand, it boasts a rugged mountain interior with ample opportunities for first-class wildlife discovery, rafting and hiking. And the locals like to hang loose, too, holding surfing championships with all the attendant hoopla, block parties galore, and two annual Carnival extravaganzas. If none of that satisfies, check out the capital, Santo Domingo: with its faded, Spanish-colonial and art deco architecture, it's like Cuba without the rhetoric.

Ethiopia
Beautiful Ethiopia offers the chance to step back in time, as befitting a country known as the 'Cradle of Civilisation' (in Addis Ababa's National Museum are the 3-million-year-old remains of 'Lucy', one of humankind's earliest ancestors). Ethiopia is the home of remarkably well-preserved traditions (the north is filled with Christian monuments dating back to the 4th century AD), a legacy of its status as the only African nation to avoid colonisation. It also boasts diverse ecosystems ・deciduous forest, evergreen forest, desert scrub, wetlands, grasslands ・and there are plenty of hiking opportunities in the country's rugged mountains.

Iceland
Chilly Iceland is a tourist hotspot, largely due to its striking natural features: majestic glaciers, empty black-sand beaches, hot springs, geysers, active volcanoes, ominous peaks, massive lava deserts・and, in summer, a sun that never seems to set. This is the land of classic photo opportunities. It's also got a storied history and folklore tradition and a renowned, and eclectic, modern music scene centred on Reykjavik, a vibrant, friendly city that contains some of Northern Europe's best bars. For more physical pursuits, whale-watching, swimming and fishing are popular, and there's also the chance to ・wait for it ・go diving.

Nicaragua
Nicaragua, Central America's largest country, has been curiously ignored by the tourist hordes thus far. But relax ｬｬ・the war's over, even if for outsiders perception hasn't changed. Discerning travellers with a thirst for adventure know that the country's protected parks and nature reserves, massive black volcanoes and tracts of rainforest are perfect for trekking. Others will just appreciate the scenery, including the atmospheric Spanish colonial towns. The beaches are superb, too, with plenty of surfing and diving spots, and all of it is easy on the wallet.

Syria
For history buffs and lovers of atmospheric locations alike, Syria delivers the goods ・the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Mongols, Ottomans and French are just some who've left their imprint on the country. Think of Syria as a vast open-air museum, with stunning ruins and magnificent castles; Bosra, possibly the world's best-preserved Roman amphitheatre; Aleppo, with its covered, stone-vaulted souqs, extending for 10km; and Damascus of course, probably the oldest world's oldest continuously occupied city.

Tokyo, Japan
Hit Tokyo's clubs, bars, karaoke rooms and restaurants for full-tilt sensory overload. Or just wander the streets: there's always something to do in Tokyo, and not all of it involves great wads of cash. The sheer energy of the city's consumer culture can provide days of entertainment, but there are pockets of tradition, from small backstreet noodle shops and onsen to little old ladies in traditional dress. The streets and alleyways are teeming with worlds within worlds, and you'll never be short of eye candy, whether it involves girls dressed as Little Bo Peep or boys dressed as Edward Scissorhands.

Ukraine
After a long, bitter and very bloody period of Russian occupation ・and the appalling disaster that was Chernobyl ・you'd be forgiven for thinking Ukraine needed time to heal. But, although the scars are still fresh, the country is infected with an enthusiasm that's rapidly rubbing off on travellers. What's on offer? Cheap food and drink, the frenetic capital Kyiv, wonderful trekking through the Carpathian Mountains, with its rich and exotic wildlife; Gothic and Byzantine architectural wonders; the Crimean coast by the Black Sea・you can even kit yourself out in protective clothing and take a tour through the Chernobyl power station itself, perfect for lovers of haunted, post-apocalyptic landscapes.

Uruguay
The meat in a geographical sandwich between Latin American behemoths Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay just quietly goes about its business. A respite from the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires and Rio, Uruguay charms travellers with its wonderful colonial towns, lovely beaches and peaceful, unspoiled natural beauty. Hiking, horse riding, fishing, biking and whale-watching are just some of the pursuits on offer. If you do need something more, shall we say, 'cosmopolitan', there's always Punta del Este: this renowned beach peninsula is in party mode 24/7, year-round, attracting socialites and celebrities from all over Latin America.

Source: http://travel.iafrica.com/destin/700520.htm

Housewives at risk to HIV infection

(KPL) The Lao National Committee Control of AIDS Bureau disclosed yesterday that only six months of this year, at least 226 Lao people infected with HIV positive nationwide.

The meeting of the Mobility AIDS Partnership (MAP) Lao PDR held at Lao Plaza hotel in Vientiane from 5 to 6 December, to call on all organisations taking part of the support’s anti-HIV...more info

This MAP meeting’s attempts to seek key mechanism to mobilise all organisations taking part of the anti-HIV, after housewives were found as a highly risky group.
The MAP Lao PDR was supported by the Canada South East Asia Regional HIV/AIDS Programme, where was attended by representatives from ministries, mass organizations, non-governmental organisations and donor agencies under chairmanship of Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Bounkuang Phichit.

According to the Lao National Committee Control of AIDS Bureau pointed that since 1990 to 2007, about 2,400 Lao people have been infected with HIV positive age about 25-35s, most of them being mobile workers.

Meanwhile housewives are reported that they are a high risky group of infected HIV positive from their husbands. Last years, 355 Lao people were reported that infected HIV positive.

The meeting of MAP Lao PDR followed the regional Mobility AIDS Partnership among Canada, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam (MAP-4), which took place in Vientiane, on 3-4 December 2007. MAP-4 is a main component of CSEARHAP, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency; the programme was established in four countries to implement the UN Regional Strategy on HIV Vulnerability Reduction for Migrants and Mobile Populations.

At the National level, the programme relies on a multi-sectoral mechanism of government and non-government partners to implement activities that directly reduce the HIV exposure of migrants and mobile populations. The MAP-4 meeting in early December focused on regional and national advocacy for issues of HIV and mobility.
Two-day meeting’s main objectives were to discuss the purpose, role and responsibilities of the Mobility AIDS Partnership in the Lao PDR and to promote sharing of resource invested in mitigating the HIV Vulnerability of migrants and mobile populations.

The main outcomes of the meeting included a review of the draft terms of reference of this national level multi-sectoral working group and a draft map of available resources. Discussions led by the UNAIDS Country Coordinator, Dr Michael Hahn, focused on the need to prioritize initiatives to reach the most vulnerable of the many migrants and mobile populations and their communities.

Mobile populations at high risk of HIV exposure were identified and various organizations shared their HIV-related activities for these migrants and mobile populations. By identifying existing evidence-based interventions and gaps in programming for migrants, stakeholders developed a matrix of existing initiatives to foster collaboration among stakeholders with similar interests and discourage duplication of efforts.

Source: kpl

Lao Art Media and Thailand 's Spata will be joining forces to film a new movie entitled Sabaidee Luang Prabang, which will demonstrate the beauty of Laos to local and foreign audiences alike.

The film production team, comprising members from both Laos and Thailand, has already finished filming scenes in and around Vientiane, before moving on to other provinces in the north and south, with the hope of revealing the essence of Laos to foreign movie-goers. The film aims to complete production by Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) in April next year...more info >>

Apart from key team members from Thailand , well-known Thai actor Mr Ananda Everingham has been invited to play the film's lead role, the hero who falls in love with a local Lao beauty, the daughter of a Luang Prabang souvenir shop owner.

Sabaidee Luang Prabang , or ‘Hello Luang Prabang', tells the real-life story of a young man of mixed Lao-Australian parentage, who grows up in Australia immersed in a culture very different to that of Laos . But he falls in love with Lao charm and hospitality - and a beautiful Lao girl - during a visit to his father's home in Luang Prabang province.

The film will consist of 70 scenes, three of which have already been filmed in Vientiane . The next destination is Champassak province, where the production team will capture a variety of natural and cultural sites, before returning to Vientiane to film at Sisaket and Ongteu temples, among others.

“The film will, however, focus on the World Heritage site of Luang Prabang, which holds much intrigue for foreign people interested in its cultural and natural beauty,” explained the movie's director, Mr Anousone Sirisackda, at a press conference at Lao Art Media last week.

“ Laos is beautiful in terms of its culture, way of life and long history, and has many stunning tourist destinations, but all of these wonderful things haven't yet been exposed to the outside world. We are confident this film will showcase the beauty of Laos ,” he said.

According to Mr Anousone, starring next to Mr Ananda will be Ms Khamly Philavong, who will play the role of the local heroine. In the film, she will dress according to traditional Lao custom.

Mr Ananda explained that the script actually corresponded with his own real life experiences, and his feelings towards Laos .

“I have often visited Laos because I really appreciate the way of life and culture here; I particularly love the beautiful tourist destinations. I'll never forget the kindness of the Lao people who all treated me so nicely during my stay. I hope to be able to communicate this to foreign audiences through the film,” he said.

Will Mr Ananda (or his character Sorn) be able to win the heart of the beautiful girl? Audiences will have until the film is released to find out.


By Phonesavanh Sangsomboun
Vientianetimes
Photo:luangprabang2day

Asian visitor arrivals to Laos surge

The steady increase in the number of visitor arrivals to Laos has continued, with a 29 percent rise during the first seven months of this year.

Visitor arrivals from January to July reached 887,842, up 29 percent from the same period last year, according to statistics from the Lao National Tourism Administration.

The figures indicate that Asean and regional visitors alone reached 765,255, up 35 percent compared to the same period last year, while there were 82,183 visitors from Europe , a 4 percent increase...more info

This period saw an increasing number of visitors not only from Southeast Asian countries but also non-Asean regional countries, especially Brunei , the Philippines , Singapore , India , Japan , and China .

People from European countries such as Greece , Germany , the Netherlands and Finland are also arriving in increasing numbers.

The only tourist group that did not increase in this time was visitors from central and South America , with only 36,250 during the period, according to statistics.

Thai visitors to Laos lead the way, with 519,288 (a 35 percent increase), followed by Vietnam with 155,754 (49 percent more than last year), and the US with 27,324 (a 1 percent increase).

“The increase in the number of tourists is due to our government's open-door policy to tourism, and the general stability of the country,” said the director of the administration's Department of Planning and Cooperation, Mr Sounh Manivong, yesterday.

“It's also the result of Lao tourism promotion efforts throughout the region and the world, from both state and private sectors.”

Mr Sounh said that Laos has become a well-known destination for visitors to Asia , and it is now easier to travel to and within the country, with upgraded transportation systems and more flights coming into the country from foreign airlines.

There have also been improvements in general facilities and services as well as tourism infrastructure, along with more visa exemption agreements with countries in the region that have allowed visitors to gain easier access to Laos , he said.

Most tourists arrive in Laos via the new Lao-Thai Mekong Friendship Bridge in Savannakhet province, and the border checkpoints from Thailand in Champassak and Luang Prabang provinces and Vientiane , Mr Sounh said.

By M.Vongsam-ang
Vientianetimes

Taiwanese star to visit Laos

Popular Taiwanese actor Mr Wang Lee Hom will visit Savannakhet province this week as part of activities to raise funds for development projects in Laos.

A press release from World Vision Laos stated that the organisation had invited Mr Lee Hom and his entourage to visit the province from November 24 to 28 to inspect World Vision-sponsored development projects and meet local children and community people.

Mr Lee Hom, who is also a singer and song-writer, appears in the recently released motion picture Lust, Caution, a film by director Ang Lee, personally sponsors 10 Lao children in Savannakhet through World Vision...more info

The celebrity will trek through poor rural communities for five days to visit the children he sponsors and their families, and learn how he can respond to the needs of the communities they live in.

After the trip, he will return to Taiwan as World Vision's Sponsorship Ambassador, to raise awareness and encourage donors to provide funds for Laos and other parts of the world.

According to the press release, the hope is that through Lee Hom's personal experience and example, the people of Taiwan will be moved to action and become more active in their support for those living in poverty, especially for the children of Laos .

To date, Mr Lee Hom has recorded over 10 albums and has seven movie appearances to his credit. He has also won numerous music awards and his talent is highly recognised across the region in Taiwan , Hong Kong, mainland China , Singapore , Japan , and Southeast Asia .

World Vision Laos is an international NGO working in 31 districts across six provinces to create lasting change for children, families, and communities living in poverty. Through child sponsorship funding, World Vision works across many sectors including Mother and Child Health, Food Security, and Education.

By Vientiane Times



A Different Kind of Giving Thanks,

In the Wang household, Thanksgiving has been the one time each year when my family gets together for dinner cooked by the greatest chef on earth (in my eyes) Wang Mama.

No matter how busy I am, or where in the world I am, I always stop work and fly to New York for a taste of that mouth-watering turkey stuffing.

Just thinking about it now: fresh, juicy, chock full of the flavor that is synonymous with Thanksgiving...it's almost enough to make me book that flight back home. But this year, for the first time in my life, I'm choosing to cancel my reservation. This year, I'm trading turkey for crickets.

Or I should say, rice, bamboo, crickets and crabs, to be more exact, which will probably be what I eat on my trip to Laos as World Vision Taiwan's ambassador this Thanksgiving.

The origin of Thanksgiving is to "give thanks", for being blessed with a fruitful harvest, and having enough to eat.

The way I see it (and I know my family agrees), what better way to give thanks,
than to help children living in poverty, who perhaps didn't have such a fruitful harvest. I'm excited for this trip, to meet my 10 sponsored children for the first time face to face, and to share with them the universal language of music.
I can't wait to see them smile, and to hear them sing. And of course, I am looking forward to the work that lies ahead of me in presenting,
as ambassador, a clearer picture of what World Vision Taiwan has
accomplished and has yet to accomplish in the impoverished areas of Laos.

My new album, "Change Me" delivers a message of power to the people,
that we all have the ability to do the right thing, and to make a change for good.

To change the world. Whether it be in environmental conservation, charity work, or in my professional career, I am inspired by this message,
and hope that you are inspired this holiday season as well.
After all, inspiration is the first seed for a fruitful harvest!

Happy Thanksgiving!

王力宏
Wang Leehom
2007.11.21

LAO Art Media will begin production of a movie called Sabaidee Luang Prabang next month for completion ahead of Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) in April, to promote tourism in Laos.

The movie is being written, produced and funded locally with the joint support of the Ministry of Information and Culture and the Lao National Tourism Administration.

The plot centres on a man of Lao and Australian parentage who visits his father’s former home town of Luang Prabang, where he is struck by the beautiful nature, culture and traditions.


During his travels, the young man meets and falls in love with a beautiful girl, who seems to him to embody the character and spirit representative of Lao women, which is different from those of the where country he grew up...more

The lead actors in the movie will be Lao, while some members of the cast have been chosen from neighbouring countries. Most of the movie will be shot on location in Luang Prabang province.

“We want this movie to promote tourism and make foreigners aware of the culture and traditions of the world heritage city of Luang Prabang,” said the President of Lao Art Media, Mr Anonsone Sirisackda.
He said the film would first be released in Thai cinemas, before being promoted in other Asean countries if it proved successful.

Mr Anonsone added that the company also planned VCD and DVD releases of the movie for distribution in Laos and as a souvenir for visitors.


By OUNKHAM PIMMATA
Vientianetimes

France to grant 1m euro for Vat Phou project

The government of France has announced a grant totalling 1 million euros for a three-year project starting next year on the site of the ancient, Khmer-built Vat Phou, according to a government official on Tuesday.

The head of the Vat Phou World Heritage Site Office, which was established last month, Mr Khankham Kaenboutta, said that the agreement is under preparation and is expected to be signed later this month...more

He said that the many activities covered by the agreement would continue on the plans of the Lao government.

The project will have numerous functions, including architectural restoration, cultural activities and information management, according to the Head of Heritage Architecture of the Solidarity Priority Fund for Vat Phou, Mr Laurent Delfour.

“We are sending Lao architects and engineers to receive training at a new school in Cambodia , which runs a course on cultural heritage,” he said.

This year, two Lao architects have already attended the course, and the project plans to continue sending architects to Cambodia every year, according to Mr Delfour.

Also, this year, one Lao official will be sent to France to be trained as an information specialist and to see how this work is done in France , he said.

“We hope that after this three-year project, the office's Lao staff will be able to work unassisted,” he added.

During this time, the project will involve making the site more secure and beautifying the surroundings, as well as producing a handbook for tourists explaining what they can see, and special activities such as the baci ceremony to encourage them to spend more time at the site.

“Everything should be realised with harmony and manners, because UNESCO's plan gives us much to do but we still have to respect the site,” Mr Delfour said.

So far, many countries have provided preservation assistance, including support from the government of Italy worth more than US$150,000.

Vat Phou was built at the end of the 5 th century during the early period of the Khmer Empire in Cambodia , and is one of the oldest historic sites in Laos .

T he site was listed as a world heritage site on December 16, 2001 by UNESCO, and covers 390 square kilometres of three districts - Champassak, Pathoumphon and Phonthong.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Vientianetimes

Big crowd expected at next Elephant Festival

Organisers of next year's Elephant Festival, to be held in February, expect more than 15,000 visitors to attend the parade of 70 elephants in Paklai district, Xayaboury province.

During the first Elephant Festival, held over two days in February this year in Hongsa district of Xayaboury province, close to 50 elephants took part, mostly from Viengkeo village, the largest population centre in Hongsa district, and more than 10,000 local and foreign visitors attended the event...more info>>

Next year's festival will run for three days, from February 15 to 17, as a joint project between ElefantAsia and the Lao National Tourism Administration.

“Our first festival was such a success, and attracted so many people, that we decided to make it a three-day event next year,” said ElefantAsia's Programme Manager, Mr Sebastien Duffillot, at a press conference at the Lao Journalists' Association yesterday.



“The event will not only aim to raise awareness of the importance of protecting elephants, but also to promote tourism and benefit local villagers, who will prepare home-stays, food and local products to sell to visitors,” he said, adding that the festival's primary purpose was to rekindle an interest in elephants, and to encourage their care and preservation.



During the festival, visitors will be able to take elephant rides around the village and explore the natural surroundings. Trainers will demonstrate how elephants take part in logging projects, and there will also be a short circus performance .

The 70 elephants will be blessed by monks in a traditional baci ceremony, and experts from organisations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society will give a lecture on elephant conservation.

Gender awareness will also be taken into consideration. “There was a competition last year to select three male elephants as the most gentle and friendly, but this year both female and male elephants will be chosen,” Mr Duffillot said.



Visitors can travel to the festival site by boat and bus from Vientiane and from Luang Prabang province, and 12 guesthouses will be available, as well as home-stay accommodation costing 25,000 kip a night.


By Phonesavanh Sangsomboun
Vientianetimes

A Japanese business group has expressed interest in buying a train for Laos , to help the landlocked country overcome transport barriers to world markets in the future, according to a senior railway official.

The Deputy Director of the Lao Railway Authority, Mr Sonesack N. Ngansana, said yesterday that Tezuka Rolling Stock of Japan had announced it would buy a two-carriage train, for goods and passengers, from Thailand , as a gift for the Lao government once it opens the first railway early next year.

“The Japanese group informed us recently that they would like to give us the train we need,” he told Vientiane Times, adding that the group recognised the importance of a railway link for a landlocked country like Laos .

The group holds major investment shares in a railway business in Tokyo , Japan , according to Mr Sonesack.

He said the Japanese entrepreneurs would also provide financial support to ensure Lao officials received the proper training in how to operate and maintain the train, to ensure it would run smoothly once the railway link to Thailand is completed.

A Lao business owner, Mr Hom Songpadith, speaking on behalf of the Japanese entrepreneurs, confirmed they were negotiating with Thai authorities to buy the train, and said Thai trains had compatible wheel types.

He explained that at, first, the Japanese wanted to present Laos with a Japanese-built train, but it had the wrong wheel design, and this would have meant extra costs in having it modified for the Lao track.

He also said he could not confirm how much the train would cost, because the price was subject to negotiation.

Mr Sonesack said the Japanese entrepreneurs had initiated the train purchasing project earlier this year, during the inauguration ceremony of the Lao railway link to Thailand .

He said he hoped the negotiations could be expedited so that there would be a train in place as soon as possible after the railway is completed.

“We won't be part of the purchasing process, because it's a negotiation that doesn't involve us, but we will do whatever we can to facilitate the agreement,” he said.

Mr Sonesack said that once Laos has a railway, it will be much easier to transport goods across the Thai border, and that the Lao and Thai governments had agreed to allow their trains to cross the border.

The construction of the 3.5 km-long railway from the centre of the Vientiane-Nong Khai Friendship Bridge to Dongphosy Train Station began in January this year and will take 18 months to complete, according to the project schedule.

The French government has provided 1.8 billion kip (150,000 euros) to carry out surveys for the construction of a further 9 kilometres of track to Sokham village, which is the planned location of the Vientiane Train Station.

By vientiane times

Dokked Publishing Company on Friday held a ceremony to launch a new magazine, Lankham , at the Dokked Bookshop in Vientiane.

It is the first magazine to be produced by the company and has 64 pages with features and articles suitable for all the family.

The ceremony featured the reading of several verses from the well-known poem, Sangsinxay , about the birth of the hero Sinxay, by girls from the Children's Education Centre...more info>>

The Director of the company, Ms Douangdeuane Bounyavong, said “People may wonder why we've decided to use this legendary name for our new magazine; we wanted to use a Lao name that had a strong association and we found that Lankham caught the interest of the founding members of the magazine”.

She said the word originated from the poem and was used in connection with the birth of Sinxay. It has two main meanings.

First, lankham refers to palm frond-shaped gold leaf sheets, very thin and around 40 centimetres in length.

In the past these leaves were used to record the teachings of Buddha and were kept buried under 30 small stupas around That Luang which the late King Xaysettha built in the Buddhist calendar year 2109.

The word lan also means a large place or yard that Lao people used in the past to dry rice after the harvest, and the word kham means a verse. So the word lankham in this context means a place or stage to show off good writing and good stories.

“We also see our magazine as supporting the government's ongoing development plans for human resources,” Ms Douangdeuane said.

“Even though we feel our intentions are in the right place we don't know yet if readers will take to the magazine; I think only time and the nature of the content will decide our success,” she said.

This magazine differs from most as it contains only six pages of advertising. The other 58 pages consist of news about social events, short and long stories, tales, cartoons and other articles about cooking, health and entertainment. There will also be some games to test your IQ, and tips about writing poetry.

Young people and older writers contribute to the magazine, with the youngest aged only 10 years old.

A committee of consultants includes well-known writers such as Mrs Dara Kanlaya, Dr Sisaleiw Savengsuksa and Mr Chanthason Inthavong.

By PHOONSAB THEVONGSA
Vientianetimes

China Southern to launch Guangzhou-Vientiane flight

China Southern Airlines will launch direct flight service between Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, and Vientiane of Laos from November 6.

This will be the only flight linking Guangzhou and Laos.

With the flight dubbed CZ3057, Airbus A319 aircraft will take off from Guangzhou at 8:50 a.m. every Tuesday and Friday, and reach Vientiane at 10:20 a.m. The returning flight CZ3058 will take off at 11:20 a.m. from Vientiane and arrive in Guangzhou at 14:40.

China Southern is one of the top three airlines in China. The other two are Air China and China Eastern Airlines.

Xinhua

Asia Sounds announces song contest

Lao singers and songwriters who have been harbouring dreams of becoming a star may have a chance for their big break soon, through a new television talent quest.

A team from Asia Sounds, an Australia-based music and media company, is currently touring Southeast Asian countries to promote its 2008 Asian Song Contest.

The team, led by the company's Executive Vice President of Marketing, Ms Adrienne Smith, met Lao Information and Culture officials in Vientiane on Monday to discuss the contest.

“We're in Laos to seek permission to invite musicians here to enter our competition,” Ms Smith said during an interview...more info>>

“We want to invite everybody to apply for the contest, which is open to all,” another member of the team, Mr Biag Occhino, said. “I hope that maybe someone in Laos wins it.”

As part of the music project, entitled Sutasi , which stands for “Sources of Unsigned Talents in Asia”, the team is looking for exceptional musicians and artists from throughout Asia .


According to the organisation's press release, Sutasi is an “Asian-level platform for discovering quality music and talent, with the aim of launching new-found talent to the Asian market and beyond.”

Winners will receive more than US$1 million in cash and prizes.

“We cannot say who will be the winner. Maybe they'll like the Lao music style, and we might win the hearts of the judging panel,” said Lao graphic designer Mr Praseuth Banchongphakdy, who is coordinating the competition in Vientiane .

“This competition is a good opportunity for Lao songwriters and singers.”

Songs to be entered in the competition can be written in the contestant's native language or can be a mix of languages, including English. The important thing is that the lyrics and melody are modern and appealing to listeners, Mr Praseuth said.

The company will choose 12 singers and 12 performers from the 11 countries in Southeast Asia , but those chosen will not be distributed evenly across the region.

“We might end up with five contestants from Laos or two from Singapore ,” Ms Smith said, adding that “the main criterion for success is quality,” and that she wanted as many people as possible to apply for the contest.

“It is not too late, and it's not important to us which country the contestants come from. It's more about the quality of singing and the performance,” she said.

The contest will begin in February in Southeast Asia, followed by East Asia in April and South Asia in August.

The contest is divided into two sections: a talent show in search of a star performer, and a song contest, to find an outstanding songwriter. For the final performance, songs written by songwriters who are not themselves singers will be given to skilled vocalists to perform.

According to the news release, the grand finale, scheduled for October next year will bring together the winning songwriter and singer from each region. The winners will be judged by a new panel of music professionals and via public votes throughout Asia .

Applications have been open since September 14; more people can apply by downloading the forms from www.sutasi.com. The closing date is November 1, but places are limited.

By MK. Vongsam-ang
Vientianetimes

Rising pop star hopes to inspire fans

Vientiane music lovers will soon be treated to a taste of cutting edge pop performed by the characteristic new voice of the SD Studios recording company.

Ms Vanmany Phalakhone, known as Pou, showcased her brand new single Yom Poy Pai (Surrender to Let Him Go) at the Angkham Hotel last weekend to a rapturous response.

Ms Vanmany Phalakhone greets fans during her concert at the Angkham Hotel.
The 20-year-old solo songstress recently signed a contract with SD Studios and is now hard at work on finishing her first album.

“I'm happy to be given this opportunity to make a record since I spend all of my spare time practising my singing, and I have dreamt of being a popular singer since I was five years old. I'm so excited that my dream has come true,” she said.

Her first album, set for release at the beginning of next year, will take the same title as the new single and has a mixture of slow and fast tracks.

“In this initial album I contributed to the writing of six of the songs. I think they will appeal to listeners because I wrote them based on the true stories of my friends, mostly about love,” she said.

“The title track, Yom Poy Pai , describes a young woman who has her heart broken by a guy who takes another lover, and she has to let him go even though she still loves him,” she explained.

“We still have about 30 percent of the album to finish, mostly video shooting; we want to release the CD and VCD at the same time,” said the Director of SD Studios Inc, Mr Air Savan, adding that he hoped to complete the album towards the end of this year and spend several months on promotion .

“I'm not sure how well it will be accepted because it's my first album, and of course there will be difficulties, but I will do the best I can to use my voice to capture the listeners' hearts,” said Ms Vanmany.

The singer currently lives in Khualuang village, Sikhottabong district and studies business administration at the Inspire Centre of Higher Development in Beungkhayong village, Vientiane .

Source: vientianetimes

:: During the nine years we have improved our
businesses.
:: Being honest to customers is important to us.

:: The Party and State policy and rich natural
resources of the country are potential for attracting tourist investment.

Inthy Deuansavanh, former student of the statistics faculty in the former Soviet Union, former salesman of Marlboro Company, shifted from being an employee to run a small barbeque business in Namphou, Chathabouly district, Vientiane Capital. Eventually, he becomes a young businessman well known as manager of Khop Chai Deu Restaurant, which gives birth to many businesses with total investment of USD 1,000,000...more info >>

In last September 2007 Inthy disclosed to Target Magazine team, saying: ”I used to study the statistics in the Soviet Union for three years at the time, when the Soviet Union experienced the political change. Therefore, I could not finish my study and returned home. After I arrived in the country, I worked for the Finance Office of Kenthao district, Sayaboury province for six months. I wanted to study for Bachelor Degree so I came back to my family in Vientiane Capital.

When I waited for further study, I worked for Marlboro Company for six months in order to get some earnings for relieving the burden of the family and for school fees and textbooks. The company saw that I gained good achievements so it assigned important work to me more. Now, I think that working there had many advantages, It helped me meet with many businessmen, learn business operation and experiences, which can be used. If I study, I will get only theory, therefore, I decided to work. After I worked for five years, in 1997 the economic crisis so called bubble economy occurred in this region and put negative impact on our country.

In 1998 I requested to quit the job in the company and started running a small barbeque restaurant and at that time the Government laid down the policy on tourism promotion. I noticed that a number of foreign tourists visiting Laos increases consistently. My house is located on Khoum Namphou (Khoum - residential area of a city), which is a tourist area surrounding by government department buildings, including many banks. When I saw that, I thought if I run barbeque business, it will not be profitable. Therefore, I discussed with parents and family to renovate the house, an old building that was built in 1923 in the French colonial era to be a small-30-seat restaurant with order and barbeque service to serve foreign tourists. Beginning from a few dishes, the restaurant expands consistently. It is lucky that the business is accepted by customers, who come to use the service. The number of clients of the restaurant increases consistently.”

Inthy added that 18 July 2007 is the ninth founding anniversary of Khop Chai Deu Restaurant. If you are our clients, you may notice that during the nine years we have restored, expanded and improved the Khop Chai Deu restaurant. The business profits have been used to expand the business from the small-30-seat restaurant to be able now to serve over 200 customers.

Question: Why is Khop Chai Deu named?

Inthy smiled and answered that it is thought about many names, however, Khop Chai is a Lao word or foreign tourists know what its meaning is. This word is widely used in daily life so Deu was put in the end of this world in order to make this word more informal. It is also lucky that the name “Khop Chai Deu” becomes a selling point, which helps foreign tourists remember and can say it.

Question: What point can attract customers to the restaurant, in addition to the suitable location, attractive name, interior and exterior decoration with harmonious combination of Lao traditional and modern styles?

Inthy thought shortly and answered confidently that our honesty to customers means those who come to use our service feel that they obtain justice. Even though our restaurant is not cheapest or not the most expensive, customers will understand that what they pay for the presented service plus location and taste of foods is profitable. This helps customers satisfy Khop Chai Deu.

Question: What other businesses do you have, besides the restaurant?

Inthy smiled one more time and answered that after we opened Khop Chai Deu restaurant for two years, we established Sayo restaurant in Vang Vieng. After this business was opened a year half, it was noticed that foreign tourists were interested in the tourism of Vang Vieng with beautiful nature. Therefore, tourist service unit was opened there to carry out main tourist service activity, adventure rafting along Song River for watching nature. This activity is accepted by customers and expands. To date, we have had six tourism branches in Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, Thakhek and Pakse. Tourism conservation program was added to the activities.

In particular, we are currently carry out this program in Luang Namtha for nearly two years, aiming at local participatory development and helping the locals generate incomes and protect environment. Since then, we have named the company as Green Discovery, which guides tourists to villages and reach people living in remote areas. It helps the people shift from the occupation destroying wildlife, forests and environment as before to occupy stable jobs.

Inthy showed that before people living in Namlay village, Luang Namtha province had only income of 500,000 kip per a family per year. After we started the programme, bringing tourists to this area for less than 16 months, it is noticed that the income of the people multiplies. Sometimes, they work as guide to lead tourists to watch birds and wildlife and they can earn 100,000 kip per day. The bank of the village has 54 million kip.

Question: Is this kind of tourism good? What do you think?

Answer: On my opinion, this kind of tourism has advantages, if we have a good plan to cope with it. But if we have no programme and do not arrange and determine a detailed goal, the flow of too many tourists will surely cause losses to environment as well as culture, he said.

In 2003 Inthy built a resort with 13 rooms in Sisavang village, Vang Vieng district, Vientiane province and in 2006 also constructed a hotel with 13 rooms in Thakhek, Khammouan province. It is projected this hotel will open in November 2007.

In the future Inthy sets up the target for expanding businesses in the tourism network, particularly tourist sites and hotels.

Inthy Duanesavanh concluded that tourism investment in our country has bright future and many conveniences such as the government policy on widening tourism investment, rich tourist destinations plus hospitality of Lao people. This is reason, which investors are interested in.

The last question about the current investment value made Inthy to think for a little while and he gave a simple answer: “about one million U.S dollars.”

Source: kpl.net.la

Mr Vilasith Savath or Sith, 22, was announced as the first winner of the Mr Clear 2007 contest at Romeo nightclub in Vientiane on Sunday.

The event was held by the Unilever Thai Trading Ltd, a distributor of Clinic Clear Shampoo which held this event to select presenters and advertising models.

“I did not think I would win as there were so many smart-looking guys on the stage with me, but I just did my best,” Mr Sith said....more info >>

Vilasith, originally from Luang Prabang province, received a prize of 2.5 million kip, the Clinic Clear trophy 2007, a Clinic Clear gift set, and will become a promoter for the company for one year.



The runner up, Mr Santi Luangkhot or Dono, 17, was voted the Sexiest Man and received prizes worth 1.5million kip plus a Clinic Clear gift set.

The third place prize for the Most Active Man went to Mr Inthanousin Sivilaisak or Ai, 18, who received 1 million kip and a Clinic Clear gift set.



The Most Charming Guy was Mr Phongsathon Vongthavon or Billy, 20, while the Healthiest Man was Mr Vixayaphone Phoneseua or Gig, 22, and the Best Sportsman was Mr Phouttakon Bouttaveht or Ae, 25, each of whom received 600,000 kip and a Clinic Clear gift set.

The Manager of Clinic Clear Thailand, Ms Alounny Atsavalerthsak said, “The contest, entitled Mr Clear 2007 , represents the first time that we have held such a competition in Laos . The idea was to choose well-presented young men to appear in newspapers, magazines and on billboards advertising our products here.”




The organiser opened applications last month, over 50 people participated and six contestants were chosen to compete on Sunday.

The event opened with a showcase of breakdancing skills by dancers from the Lao Bangfai Breakdancing Club and was followed by a fashion show where six young men modeled sportswear and casual clothes.

During the evening there were many games, with the winners receiving company products as prizes.

The event also featured a mini-concert by artists from Indee Records including Modern Dance, Princess and LOG, who entertained the audience before the announcement of the winner.

The votes that decided the winner were 50 percent from the judging panel and 50 percent from the audience.

MORE PHOTOS*

By PHOONSAB THEVONGSA
September 04, 2007
Vientianetimes

Ms Tunee Lasasombath from Vientiane was crowned the winner of this year's Miss Apone Lao pageant on Saturday night, delighting her local fans.

The 18-year-old finalist received a crown worth 14 million kip, cash worth 30 million kip and other gifts after being named the winner...more info

In choosing the winner, the judging panel considered the attitude of the contestants, looking to see if they were true Lao women, how well they answered the questions put to them and how they had behaved in the run-up to the contest.

The 169-cm-tall Ms Tunee gave what the judges considered to be the best answers to the final question of what the ideal Miss Apone Lao winner should be - that real Lao women should be polite, well-behaved, but by no means weak.

“When they called my name, I kept asking myself whether this was really happening,” she told Vientiane Times yesterday.

“I was so happy just to be one of the 18 finalists, and this is just so much more than I had expected!”

“I plan to keep my crown, so that I can wear it on special occasions, and the money I've won will go towards my education,” she said.

The runner-up was Khoutthavon Akkhalath, 19, from Vientiane province, who received 15 million kip in cash, as well as a cash and other gifts.

Four finalists shared second place as runners-up - Manivan Phomsavath, 19, from Luang Prabang province, Souphavadee Phongsavanh, 18, from Savannakhet province, Anoulack Vongsoulee, 20, from Vientiane , and Sithameena Bouapha, 18, from Savannakhet province.

Ms Sithameena was also voted the most beautiful contestant by the local media, and received a separate prize worth 5 million kip.

Miss Souphavadee was voted by the public as the most beautiful contestant, with the highest number of votes received via SMS on a system set up by mobile phone company tigo.

Originally, 18 finalists were chosen to take part in Saturday's contest, but one of them, Ms Phoulatsamee Lattanavong, withdrew from the event.

Ms Tunee, as the 2007 Miss Apone Lao, will be considered a representative of Laos, and will act as an ambassador for Lao culture and traditions, both locally and internationally.

This is the largest beauty contest in the country, and the first that the government has been involved in.

The hosts, the Lao Women's Union and K&C Company Ltd, selected nine out of 350 Vientiane applicants for the final round. In Savannakhet and Champassak provinces, about 140 women applied and three from each province were selected to compete in the final. In Luang Prabang province, 55 women applied, and three were chosen.

The Lao Women's Union and K&C Company Ltd plan to hold this contest each year until 2010.

Source: vientianetimes newspaper via laosmile

Photo: Ting Phylavanh and Ardsana Jantarsi, member of OVerdance.

The queen of Lao pop star: Ting Phylavanh and Ardsana Jantarsi, the member of Overdance, became the highlight of the 1st Laos Festival in Japan 2007.

This is the first ever Laos Festival 2007 in JAPAN and it is an ideal occasion to further promote Lao culture and tradition in Japan and strengthen the friendly relations between Japan and Lao PDR as a member of ASEAN.

　The Laos Festival2007 is a part of the series of the events to mark the commemoration of the 40th Founding Anniversary of ASEAN in Japan. Tokyo Kokusai Gakuen High School is also the fifteenth anniversary.



As expected, the event will feature Lao food, music, dance, products and a flea market. Proceeds will go to funding being raised by the Tokyo Kokusai Gakuen High School to build a school in a rural area in Laos.

To watch video clips from this event, click at the link below

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=98894&p=3&topicID=13614941

Planeta.com announces the winner of the 2007 Ecotourism Spotlight Award: Ecotourism Laos funded by the Laos National Tourism Administration.

The award is announced in advance of World Tourism Day (September 27) as way of pointing out best practice in sustainable travel and ecotourism...more info

There were two other nominees for the Ecotourism Spotlight Award. Runners-up were Quito Visitors' Bureau and US Agency for International Development / FRAME Program.

LAOS
The original nomination for the Ecotourism Laos gave kudos to this " clearinghouse for just about every local tourism related business and ecotourism product in the country." Planeta.com readers agreed, casting the majority of votes for this nominee.

Supporters called attention to the ecotourism resources section with its maps, manuals and brochures.

ACCEPTANCE
Mr. Sounh Manivong, Director-General of the Lao National Tourism Administration's Department of Planning and Cooperation said, "We are very happy and proud to receive Planeta.com's Ecotourism Spotlight Award in recognition of the Lao Government's effort to promote sustainable ecotourism in the Lao PDR.."

Mr. Soun added, "I would like to extend a special thanks to the team responsible for creating and maintaining Ecotourism Laos and also thank Planeta.com for acknowledging the role government websites can play in promoting sustainable ecotourism products and services."

TESTIMONIALS
Comments from the voters:

The site focuses on the importance of including local communities and ethnic groups.

I liked the dos and don'ts!

This site makes it very easy to do research on ecotourism in Laos.

This site stresses the cultural diversity of the country and how travelers can visit in a responsible manner.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Nominations for the next Ecotourism Spotlight Award will be accepted at the start of 2008. Financial sponsorship is welcome in the development of this initiative.

KUDOS
Thanks in to everyone for assistance in developing this award. Special kudos to Green-travel, Travelmole, DestiNet, Tony Charter, Practical Environmentalist and StepUp Travel.


Q&A: ECOTOURISM SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Q - What is the objective of the Ecotourism Spotlight Award?
A - Simply put, we wanted to create an incentive for improved communication from government portals. This award allows us to highlight best practices and hopefully show other managers of government websites how to showcase operations striving toward sustainability and ecotourism.

Q - What is the origin of this award?
A - We suggested the award during the 2007 Communication and Sustainable Tourism E-Conference: "there could be an award for National Tourism Boards websites that illustrate a country's sustainable tourism practices. National tourism portals could be rated not only by what they have online, but also by how they participate in independent groups (ECOCLUB, green-travel, and Planeta) and whether or not they link to independent sites, including blogs (internet logbooks) and flickr galleries."

Q - Who voted?
A - Voting was open to the public. We asked that individuals review the finalists and make one vote in each category.

Q - What is story behind Planeta.com?
A - Planeta.com is an award-winning website that conducts seminars and features tips for all stakeholders about eco-friendly, people-friendly travel. Our fortee is linking environmental conservation and tourism, particularly the development of ecotourism which is highlighted in the popular Exploring Ecotourism Resource Guide.

Q - What other awards has Planeta.com created?
A - We have created two other awards. The Colibri Ecotourism Award was launched in 2000 and highlights the leaders developing ecotourism in Mexico. We also have established a 'readers' choice' award to select the book of the year.

Q - Can I link to the award from my blog/website?
A - Yes! Please add a link to the Ecotourism Spotlight Award page. You can use the logo.

Q - Why does this award spotlight government websites?
A - There are many tourism awards for individuals, places and operations. That said, there are no awards for government portals. If we want to create incentives for communication from government officials, an award is a sound place to start!

Source: http://www.planeta.com/planeta/07/0709spotlightaward.html