Local authorities will beef up village security forces to protect wild elephants from poaching in Phou Khaokhouay, or ‘ Buffalo Horn Mountain ', National Protected Area after five elephants were shot dead a few weeks ago.
Villagers said two of the five elephants died in Ban Na in Thaphabath district of Borikhamxay province.
The remainder, including a juvenile, were found in Ban Yangkheua in the same district...more >>
Ban Na, located 82km south of Vientiane , relies heavily on tourism income derived from its pachyderms.
The town boasts an elephant observation tower which has proven popular with visitors wanting to see elephants in their natural environment.
While the motivation for the killing has yet to be proven, officials suspect commercial motives.
Poachers usually kill elephants for their valuable body parts, namely tusks, trunks, teeth and tails.
Deputy Head of Phou Khaokhuay National Protected Area, Mr That Keothone, said authorities were still analysing the bullets for clues.
“We are encouraging people in the 10 villages living nearby the protected area to be our ‘eyes and ears', as well as to report strange sightings or incidents to authorities immediately,” he said.
Yesterday, district authorities met with residents of the 10 villages to discuss preventive measures as well as how to boost villagers' participation in the protection of elephants from poaching.
Head of tour guides at Ban Na, Mr Bounthanom Inthilath, said Thaphabath district's Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism Office had issued a notice barring villagers from interfering with the elephant remains.
“Those who interfere with the dead elephants will be considered to have been associated with the crime,” he said.
“At the meeting we agreed to add extra village security force patrols to protect the conservation area. The reason is because village security men know a lot about the protected area.”
People in Ban Na say the elephants are their most important source of income, and losing them would mean hardship for many.
Mr Bounthanom said the villagers had been earning income from tourists coming to watch wild elephants since the opening of the elephant observation tower in April, 2005.
Villagers benefited from domestic and overseas visitors who spent money on home-stay accommodation, tower entry fees, village tour guides, food and the purchase of hand-made products and souvenirs from the village.
Mr Bounthanom said last year the village earned about 100 million kip from tourists coming to see the elephants.
“More tourists now want to see the elephants, but my concern is that if elephants are scared of poachers, they won't come to the tower and finally no tourists will come here. All of us will be affected,” he said.
It was unclear how many wild elephants there are in Phou Khaokhouay, but Mr Bounthanom said about 40 elephants were reported in 2005.
Meanwhile, officials said one elephant was also reported killed in Phou Phanang National Protected Area. They called for urgent attention from the relevant sectors to address the issue.
Miss Aphone Lao beauty contest 2008 was held on 20 December, at the National Cultural Hall, Vientiane Capital, Laos.
18 women selected across the country are attended at the Miss Aphone contest 2008 last night and the final results for this beauty contest is as follow:
Miss Apone Lao 2008 is A10 from Champasack The frist runner up is A9 from Champasack The second runner up is A2 from Vientiane The 4 & 5th is A8 & A16 from Vientiane
Miss Congeniality is A7 from Luang Prabang Miss Photogenic is A8 from Vientiane Miss Popular vote is A4 from Vientiane
All the competitors had learnt many kinds of activities before the contest for examples: the Lao Traditional, food cooking and other traditional culture of Laos. The Miss Aphone contest is aiming at promoting fine traditional culture of Laos.
With little movement among the world's top teams in November's FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, little Laos stole the show by soaring up 28 places to 162nd in the global pecking order.
In doing so, the tiny South-East Asian nation became the second-best movers after Jamaica, who made an incredible 33-place leap to 83rd courtesy of their solitary-goal victories over Mexico and Honduras in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Laos, for their part, made the best climb in their history due to a streak of brilliant displays in qualifying for December's AFF Suzuki Cup, previously known as the Tiger Cup...more info>>
Although qualifying for a major international or continental competition remains merely a dream for Laos, they are by no means strangers on the regional stage, having figured in each of the past six editions of the Tiger Cup, starting in 1996. Under Russian boss Valeri Vdovin, they took October's qualifying campaign by storm to book their seventh consecutive appearance at the regional showpiece.
A narrow 3-2 loss to hosts Cambodia was not what Vdovin's young charges had hoped for in their opening qualifying game on 17 October, but they staged a major comeback four days later, pulling off a 2-1 win over the Philippines to set their campaign back on track. From there, they went on to dispatch Brunei 3-2 before rounding off with a 2-1 victory over Timor Leste, a result which earned them the first qualifying spot.
Laos' impressive run didn't go unnoticed by Cambodia coach Prak Sovannara, who was full of praise for Vdovin's dynamic outfit. "Laos are a very strong team, perhaps the best team in this tournament," said the hosts' manager.
One team, two tasks The qualifying success was a testament to the nation's recent development program, which has included the signing of Vdovin in July and the launching of a training camp based in Hong Anh Gia Lai, a hotbed of football in neighbouring Vietnam. And the Suzuki Cup qualifying achievement is even more impressive when one considers that Vdovin's troops in Cambodia were an U-23 side, who are currently preparing intensely for next year's South-East Asian (SEA) Games.
In a long run, the major task for Vdovin and his team is to break new ground at the 2009 SEA Games, of which they are hosts for the first time. But with their AFF Suzuki Cup campaign kicking off on 5 December in Thailand's Phuket, the Russian tactician is aware that they have some urgent expectations to live up to.
Laos have been drawn in Group B, which also features Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, strong teams who are all capable of mounting a serious challenge for the tournament. As if this were not daunting enough, Vdovin's major concern is that he will have to stick with the same U-23 side against opponents who will all field senior national teams.
"The boys have been working very hard, it's worth considering how much progress we have made," Vdovin said to the media prior to their first game against Malaysia this weekend.
Laos have rarely been considered more than whipping boys at this level, and they had a forgettable campaign in the last edition of the tournament two years ago, when they conceded 23 goals in three group games to crash out. Vdovin, however, has higher ambitions this time around.
"It is crucial that we tighten up the defense and sharpen the finishing," he explained. "We are a young team, so we need to concentrate on keeping our shape and minimizing mistakes, now that we are competing at a higher level."
Lao pop star Nalin Daravong, who sings Vao Ba Ba (Why Do You Say That?), will feature at the first Asia Pop Concert in Japan on May 25.
Nalin's performance in Japan has been made possible by the concert's organisers, who have invited one artist from each of seven Asian countries: Laos , Thailand , Myanmar , Japan , Republic of Korea , Cambodia and Vietnam .
Each year, the concert will be hosted by one of the countries on the list and next year it will be the turn of Thailand . Only the hottest pop star from each country will be invited to appear on stage.
Ms Nalin said she was very proud and excited to have been chosen to perform at this event...more info>>
“The concert's organisers chose me because when they came to research the music market in Laos in February, my song Vao Ba Ba was top of the charts and was often being played on radio and television,” she said.
“I'm going to perform three Lao songs, Vao Ba Ba , Lom Pak Pao (Lip Service) and Hak Kheu... (Love is…), and one Japanese song,” she said.
The event consist of two performances – the first in Yokohama and the second in Kibuya.
In February Nalin gave an interview to an entertainment programme on Tokyo TV channel NHK, about both her work and entertainment in Laos in general.
The programme, which is unrelated to the Asia Pop Concert, interviews artists in Asian countries on entertainment issues and focuses on the popular artists in each country, and will broadcast live.
Director of Indee Records Anouluck Pathammavong said “During Nalin's visit to Japan we plan for her to make some music videos in cooperation with a video production team here. They are my partners and distribute Lao songs in Japan .”
Nalin's breakthrough came in 2006, when she won the Close Up Music Award; her winnings included a contract with Indee Records.
She first appeared as a backing vocalist on the song Khon Meu Song (Second-Hand Person) by local hard-rock favourites, The Cells.
Indee was impressed enough with her work to hold on to her the following year. This led to her debut album being produced by a line-up including Alouna, Tou, Silvia and Cells' vocalist Sak.
According to the Lao development newspaper, the Lao archeologists discovered a 2000-year old drum on Januaray, 30th 2008 in Savannakhet province, central Laos. This drum is the 4th drum that has been unearthed in Savannakhet province and the 7th drum that has been found in Laos. This drum is believed to be used in the sacred events of people in the old times such as to ask for rain and to motivate soldiers in the fighting field. This drum is 79 cm in height and 1 meter in width. It took 2 days to fish digging up this drum from the earth.
Eric B, whose song Jop Jop Kan Pai (The End of Love) is now popular on the radio waves in Vientiane, has set back the launch of their self-titled album from March to April.
Managing Director of Modern Music Company, Mr Oudalai Nusyhalad, said that the change of plans was because the album is not completed yet and half of the group, Mr Eric, or Air, is in the US and unable to return for a concert.
“Eric B is the newest hip hop act from our company. There are two lyricists - Mr Eric and Ms Phouvilai Seng-akhom, also known as Noy. The forthcoming album also features a performance from rapper Lair who is in the band Laoster,” Mr Oudalai said...more >>
“The two main reasons for the delay in the album and concert are that we want to launch the audio CD and VCD at the same time, and we have had some problems during our work, which has wasted time. Another problem is that Eric, and also Lair, are unavailable due to work commitments and they asked to move the launch back so they can be here,” he said.
“We are still working hard on the album, with only about 5-10 percent to go. So now we can plan for a special event with a launch concert in April to coincide with the Pi Mai Lao celebrations,” he said.
The album features 12 songs, all of them recorded and produced in Vientiane . Many of the songs reflect the social lives of young people and mix both Lao and English lyrics.
The rappers have already released two singles, You My Girl and Jop Jop Kan Pai, both currently hitting the airwaves in Vientiane.
Eric B and the company started work on the album in 2006 with extensive song production from Sam and Mee, who helped in the writing and creating of the album and videos.
Sithpraseuth Keojarat or "Lang" is a new artist from Laos and is now preparing his full album in Thailand under the new music industry called: "Sea-Art" or Southeast Asia-Art Ltd.
Lang is a forth year student from the National University of Laos. He is very new and doesn't have any works related to the music and entertainment. His first appearance was the time when he won the title of the "Noum Dee Sao Den" contest organized by the National University of Laos... more >>
Lang had a chance to meet the president of Sea-Art, Mr. Ritthirong Kotaphan in Vientiane. For the first time they met, the president saw many talents hidden behind Lang and He finally invited Lang to join his company and to have trained in Bangkok for the quality of his album.
Sea-Art company Ltd is a new music company, doing a business mainly in Indochina by importing artists from the neighboring countries in order to do a music marketing and to conduct both the television program and international business in Thailand.
With more than 10-year experience, the Sea Art company has maintained a good relationship and sincerity from the neighboring countries. The president of Sea Art always wants to support and promote the youth from these countries who have a lot of abilities, but lack of oppotunities. The album "Lang motion I" is the first high grade piece of work from this company.
This photo, published on Wednesday, February 20, 2008, shows Hong Kong singer and actress Gigi Leung (L) and Sammi Cheung at a Hong Kong airport, waiting to set off on their charity journey to Laos.
BEIJING, Feb. 20 -- Hong Kong singer and actress Gigi Leung and Sammi Cheung embarked on a charity trip to Laos on Tuesday, on a mission to draw attention to the nation's malnourished children through a 30-hour outdoor experience.
The Hong Kong-based publication Tungstar reports that the pair will live a primitive life during the campaign, camping in the fields and eating wild game for food...more info>>
"I have brought everything that may help me, including a pillow and a nightgown," Leung said nervously of the potential survival challenges.
Photo: Gigi Leung
As part of the 30-Hour Famine campaign launched by the international organization World Vision aimed at fighting hunger, the trip is expected to draw more celebrities eager to use their star power to enact change.
Photo: Sammi Cheung
Leung and Cheung are two of the project's three ambassadors in Hong Kong.
Photo: An artist's 3D depiction of the Lao Music Awards prize.
The first ever Lao Music Awards will be held this summer in the capital, to promote the work of the local music industry and to acknowledge the wealth of quality Lao songs, singers and songwriters.
Sengdara Communications will work closely with the Ministry of Information and Culture to organise the first ever Lao Music Awards.
“We will present awards for our best songs and artists, as well as those working behind the scenes, during this, the first annual music awards in Laos,” Sengdara Communications Creator, Mr Vannasy Phonchanheuang, said yesterday...read more
“Winners will each receive a unique prize combining traditional design with an international flair – a vintage record player or gramophone, combined with a dok champa (the Lao national flower),” Mr Vannasy explained.
The Lao music industry has grown significantly in recent years. While just a decade ago listeners could hear only traditional folk songs and country music, today the burgeoning industry has given birth to many other genres, including pop, rock, r&b, hip-hop and dance.
“The award will be a catalyst for further development of the Lao music scene, because it will encourage artists and record companies to produce quality music, both in traditional genres and more contemporary styles,” the Acting Director General of the Fine Art Department, Mr Xaysavath Singnamvong, said.
Through the continued support of the government and private sectors, the local music industry continues to grow in leaps and bounds, he noted.
“There are still, however, only a few people who consider music to be their main career. This is due to a lack of support and national acknowledgement. The announcement of the 2008 Lao Music Awards is therefore an historic event,” he said.
Mr Vannasy added that the event aims to target all Lao singers, artists and composers, to encourage the development of musical talent to its fullest degree and raise the stature of musicians as valuable assets, and very real stars.
It is hoped the awards will not only encourage those already in the business to strive to produce the highest quality music for the enjoyment of fans, but also inspire anyone with the talent and aspirations to aim for stardom.
Awards will be given in 13 categories, including best album of the year; best song of the year; best male and female artists; best group or band; best traditional Lao song; best country, folk, pop, rock and hip-hop songs; and best producer and composer.
“We will have a press conference soon to announce further details, and to request that all recording companies send nominations for the awards,” Mr Vannasy said.
(KPL) The Vice President of the Lao National Assemble, Dr. Xaysomphone Phomvihane, representing the Lao PDR, has announced the acception of Laos to host the 17th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum in 2009.
Dr. Xaysomphone made his announcement at the recently ended 16th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), held on 20-24 January, in Oakland, New Zealand. The participation of Lao National Assembly was in response to the inviation of the President of New Zealand Parliament and APPF, Ms. Margaret Wilson. The forum drew representatives from 21 APPF member countries and nine observation countries...more info>>
The meeting adopted join-statement and 23 resolutions on politics, socio-economic affairs, and the c-operation between APPF member countries in the future. The meeting also raised Korean penilsular, mines, and the situation in Middle-East, Iraq and South Asia.
Discussed at the meeting were also the negative impacts of climate change to the sustainable development, the impacts of energy sortage to both international and regional trade development.
Resolutions on preparing for response to the threats of natural disaster, epedemic diseases and the promotion of women’s participation in economic and politic areas, the management of fisheries in south Asia, water resource management, and human rights were also approved at the meeting.
Dr. Xaysomphone also paid a courtesy visit to the President of New Zealand Parliament and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. The Lao delegation also met foreigners to promote culture, tourism and investment in Laos.
LUANG PRABANG, LAOS: Visitors to Luang Prabang will no longer be able to rent bicycles and motorbikes in the main town, following a ban by local authorities on these rental businesses.
The ban has been put in place despite complaints by some local residents that it will present a negative image of the town to tourists.
The Head of the Luang Prabang Tourism Office, Khamphui Phommavong, said Monday (21 Jan) that motorbikes and bicycles were a major cause of road accidents, as visitors often were not experienced at riding or did not understand the local road rules and caused confusion among other road users...more info
He added that the problems also included an increase in thefts of rental bikes from tourists, further tarnishing the image of the World Heritage-listed town.
“We want to encourage people to walk around the city,” he said. “Those who don't want to walk can always take tuk-tuks and vans to get around.”
However, local people will still be allowed to ride their motorbikes and bicycles, but should observe the traffic regulations.
A local tour guide, Champou, said the former owners of bikes for rent were now selling them to locals who wanted them for their children to ride to school.
Officials said tourists could still ride bicycles and motorbikes if they were part of a group tour with a guide as this would avoid problems.
Specific parking spaces would be arranged for tuk-tuks and vans, which would leave more walking space and cut down on traffic congestion.
Luang Prabang authorities are also discussing how to ease traffic flow by installing more signs and increasing awareness amongst local people of the regulations.
“Only after we have our traffic problems sorted out can we consider allowing rentals again. We expect this to be some time in 2010,” said Khamphui.
A senior official from the Lao National Tourism Administration, Saly Phimphinith, stated that the administration was aware of the issues and believed that improving the regulations would create a more ordered city and attract more tourists.
But critics say bicycles, at least, should be allowed in central Luang Prabang, as they do not cause pollution and the city is small enough to be suitable for bike riding.
In addition, they say more traffic police could be deployed to tell people when they are riding in the wrong direction or breaking any other rules.
Two years ago, Luang Prabang's governor issued an order banning bicycle and motorbike rentals in the town, but the order was not strictly enforced.
Authorities also banned buses in the central town area two years ago to help improve the traffic flow.
Luang Prabang became a UNESCO World Heritage town in 1995, on the condition that it attempts to preserve its urban environment.
However, the town centre has changed as hotels, restaurants and other businesses have been established to cater to the tourist trade, with visitors numbering more than 300,000 in 2007. Authorities are anticipating a further increase this year to 400,000. (By SOMSACK PONGKHAO/ The Vientiane Times/ ANN)
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
CITIZENS of Mongolia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic can now travel to each other’s country without a visa. This was among the decisions taken during the three-day visit by President Choummaly Sayasone to Mongolia.
The Lao President arrived in Ulaanbaatar on Monday. His visit marks 45 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Laos.
The two countries signed cooperation protocols on education, culture, science, technology and sports. Side protocols on cooperation between the two countries’ Presidential Offices, foreign ministries and chambers of commerce were also signed.
An Italian Reality Show Programme, Donnavventura , sent a caravan driving through Vientiane yesterday to promote Lao traditions, culture and tourism.
The caravan arrived in Vientiane last Sunday with four Mitsubishi Tritons, driven by six Italian models from Donnavventura , who are here to promote Lao tourism.
“ Donnavventura is a famous programme in Italy , so the caravan will promote our tourism resources in the country when it is broadcast overseas,” President of Mitsubishi Motors in Vientiane , Mr Thinnakone Thongkham, said at the caravan press conference yesterday in Vientiane...more info and photos here...
He added that those six women had been selected from 40,000 hopefuls in Italy for the Donnavventura caravan. “It was a great opportunity to promote our country in Europe ,” he said.
The caravan started at Vientiane tourism resources in the centre of the city, such as the Patouxay monument and the That Luang stupa, before moving on to the Lao National Tourism Administration. The Mitsubishi Motor Company in Vientiane organised a special baci ceremony to welcome them.
“We started the caravan in early July, driving through Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar , then here to Laos . We will continue on through Vietnam , Cambodia , Singapore , Indonesia , the Philippines and Brunei , ending the trip around October,” the Donnavventura caravan team leader, Mr Maurizio Rossi, explained.
Today the caravan is heading to the north of Laos to visit Luang Prabang province, then stopping in Oudomxay and Phongsaly provinces before driving into Vietnam .
“They will spend six days travelling in the north of Laos along road number 13, to record beautiful images of Laos for the reality show programme in Italy,” the Director General of the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yong Chanthalangsy, said yesterday.
“We cooperated with the Lao National Tourism Administration to support the caravan because it will promote our tourism resources, especially making viewers aware that travelling in Laos is safe,” he explained.
BySouknilundon Southivongnorath Vientianetimes More photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkj_pdr/
The Australian, Irish and Welsh backpackers I met at the Hive bar in Luang Prabang, Laos, invited me 10 pin bowling.
It's not the sort of thing you'd expect to do in a UNESCO-protected town high up in the mountains of northern Laos.
But not surprisingly this town has few western night clubs or late night bars. And the only place to drink late at night in town is at the bowling alley...more
But, by the time we'd had a few drinks of beer Lao, a deliciously spicy dinner at one of the many restaurants in town, then nightcaps of Lao Lao (or locally-made whiskey) with local Diet Coke (I'm not sure what was worse) we never got there.
I was lucky to find a tuk tuk driver to take me back to my hotel.
It was a fairly active night for what could be one of the most languid places I've ever been to.
It's almost as if time stands still in this French colonial town known more for its spirituality than bowling.
Even the Buddhist monks seem to move slower than normal.
And walking around town in 38 degree heat, I'm reminded that only mad dogs, Englishmen and then maybe tourists go out in the midday sun. It's so hot you can almost feel the air swallowing you. Everybody else seems to be lying inside or in the shade using as little energy as possible.
It's low season and local school holidays. They say Christmas time is better for visiting and can even get chilly at night.
I visit the 16th century Wat Xieng Thong, known as a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture with a tiered roof, glittering golden facades and richly coloured mural painting. It's a working temple and monks have hung their orange robes out to dry after doing their laundry.
I stop for an iced lemon tea and lunch at one of the riverside cafes overlooking the murky brown waters of the Mekong. The son of the restaurant owner is painting pictures of monks with pen and ink on saa paper made from the mulberry tree and its bark.
He tells me he's an art student. The town seems to be full of them, if you go by the number of art shops and galleries.
In the late afternoon, men play boule along the river front, on even the smallest patch of dirt.
In his book The Mekong: Turbulent Past, Uncertain Future (Allen and Unwin, 2006), former Australian diplomat Milton Osborne says the Mekong has ``always been a river for work, for travel and for fishing, and, not infrequently, for war''.
Luang Prabang was once known as Asia's sleeping beauty. The former capital of the ancient Lam Xang kingdom, with around 32 pagodas along with religious and historical monuments, was made a World Heritage town by UNESCO in 1995.
It has especially strong ties with Buddhism, being a traditional destination for novices and students of the faith.
Flying over the mountains on the way in, you can't imagine anybody living in such rugged land. This is the country where what became known as The Secret War was played out - US bombings including attacks on what came to be known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a North Vietnamese supply route through East Laos and the Cambodian-Vietnam border.
The Communist Pathet Lao took over in 1975; they've only opened the place to tourism in the past 10 years. Now, around 140,000 people or seven times the city's estimated population visit the place over a one-year period.
UNESCO's role is partly to try to support the town's growth within the framework of strict controls so the historic buildings are preserved.
Development must take into account ancient Laotian social, architectural and religious mores.
Buddhism is a force that underpins every aspect of life here. Around 6am every day, hundreds of monks and novices attend the alms-giving ceremony, where locals give them sticky rice, fruit and sweets.
Tourists are asked not to be obtrusive.
The Pathet Lao forced the last king of Laos, Savang Vathana, to abdicate, snuffing out a 600-year-old monarchy. Twenty years later, Christopher Kremmer, an Australian foreign correspondent, tried unsuccessfully to crack the mystery behind the fate of the royals - as outlined in his book, Stalking the Elephant Kings: In Search of Laos.
The former Royal Palace is now a National Museum, which is worth visiting for its rooms that give a glimpse of what life was once like for the royals. There's an eclectic mix of exhibits, including gifts from other countries, among them a boomerang from Australia.
It's where the Pha Bang Buddha is kept, which gives the town its name.
It's said to be have been cast in Sri Lanka in the first century AD and twice stolen by the Thais. But, it has been back in Laos since the mid 19th century.
A beautiful exhibition known as The Quiet in the Land of Buddhism-inspired images, including photographs, was on display in an outer building. Luang Prabang is now on the backpacker route. My new friends had made their way across country after doing an elephant trek near Chiang Mai in northern Thailand then crossed the border and came by boat up the river, taking two days to get there. Others come down the river from Vietnam.
And it's also a town with a growing number of more well-heeled visitors.
Many fly in to what is considered one of the most difficult airports to land in in South-East Asia.
The hotel where I'm staying, La Residence Phuo Voa, has a spa which overlooks the mountains with its own small swimming pool - lazing in it after a massage is like having a huge bath to yourself.
At night, staff place candles in the main swimming pool overlooked by the floodlit shrine on top of Mount Phou Si. The food at its Phou Vao restaurant is traditional Laotian cuisine alongside European dishes with local influences.
The walk up Mount Phou Si from the town gives spectacular views and is popular at sunrise and sunset.
Apart from exploring the town and its wonderfully photogenic architecture and temples, shops and galleries there's also the night markets full of traditional clothes, woven cloth, scarfs, jewellery and souvenirs.
The only two relatively close excursions out of town are the Pak Ou caves and the Kuang si waterfall. Many agencies run half-day tours. But then there's also bowling.
IF YOU GO: La Residence Phou Vao is from $141 per room per night for a garden view room. To book/query call Orient-Express Hotels (02) 8248-5200 or email: charlie.turnbullorient-express.com Also visit www.residencephouvao.com. Bangkok Airways flies daily and sometimes twice daily between Bangkok and Luang Prabang. Details: visit www.bangkokair.com Qantas flies to Bangkok. Visit www.qantas.com.
(KPL) The Tourism Office of Xay district has prepared to open its natural tourism site, Chom Ong Cave, believed to be the largest cave of the country. A guesthouse to cope with the flow of both domestic and foreign visitors has also been constructed since November last year.
According to data correction conducted by the tourism office of the district, there are 52 caves across the district and eight of them have already been exploited.
The government has earmarked 20 million kip for constructing facilities to deal with tourists.
Locals have contributed 20 million kip to the construction of such infrastructure, aimed to complete at the end of this year.
Chom Ong cave is a recently rediscovered natural attraction located about 45 km from Oudomxay town near the Khamu Lu village of Chom Ongthai. In the village you can see traditional handicraft production. From the village it is a one-hour walk, to the cave up the creak through rice fields and lovely forest with various animals, insects and small birds. The cave is the source of the Nam Kaang River. Entering the cave you can follow the spring for 1600 m passing through large halls with heights of 35 m and 20 m wide. The exploration of Chom Ong Cave takes about four hours and is a real adventure as the cave is still in its natural state.
