Vientiane residents will have another exciting shopping option when a new mall open its door in a few years time.

Construction of the seven-storey mall on a 2.4 hectar site will begin this year and will complete within 3 years.

The new complex will be located in Shikay village on Souphanouvong avenue in Sikhottabong district.

This mall is being developed by Singaporean and Taiwanese group at a cost of 50 million dollars.

The plans and blueprints of the new “Regal MegaMall City”; a 5 storey mega-mall which will include over 1000 shops. Regal MegaMall City will also host restaurants, a children’s playground, a video game arcade, a huge cinema complex and of course a hypermart (like Tesco, Big C, Carrefour or similar). Later, in a second phase, property development around the site has been planned which will include modern private residences for rent or sale.



According to Raymond Wong, General Manager of Regal Global Investment Development Group, construction of the Regal MegaMall City will start in July 2011 and should be completed by 2013. “It will be a shopping destination and every Laotian’s dream to have a mall to call their own” Mr Wong further explains.

The Regal Global Group intends to sell the 1000 retail spaces to local investors, providing special conditions for the first 500 investors. According to Mr. Wong the land has been leased from the Lao Government for a period of 50 years.



Source: VTEtimes

(KPL) The national flagship Lao Airlines is preparing to open two new international routes connecting Laos with Singapore and Guangzhou to meet an increasing demand of air transport by the end of this year.

The two international routes to be available three times per week are Vientiane-Singapore and Vientiane-Guangzhou, where passengers can continue their journeys to Europe and America, with Airbus 320 aircraft.

The Airlines said its opening of two more international routes was to facilitate the visit to Laos of foreign visitors and passengers.

In the first quarter of this year, the Lao Airlines has flown 288 flights increased by 8.22 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

The first train travelling from Singapore to Laos has arrived in Vientiane , marking an important milestone for Laos in its quest to convert itself from landlocked to land-linked nation.

The Eastern and Oriental Express, carrying about 100 tourists, arrived at Thanalaeng station in Dongphosy village, Hadxaifong district, at 9:15am yesterday. The train had travelled through Malaysia and Thailand , a distance of about 2,000km.

An official ceremony to welcome the train and its passengers was held at the station.

Lao National Tourism Administration Vice President, Mr Soukaseum Bhodhisane, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Sithong Thongkeo, and Singaporean Ambassador to Laos , Mr Jeyaraj Benjamin William, and government officials attended the event.

The tourists, from the US , Great Britain , Germany , Thailand , the Philippines , and Australia , spent the day touring Vientiane before departing for Bangkok , Thailand , in the evening.

Mr Soukaseum welcomed the group and said their arrival is the beginning of a new age of tourism in Laos .

“The event is historic and I think there'll be many more such tourist trains visiting Laos in the future.”

He said increasing arrivals of tourists by train would not only boost the Lao economy but also provide opportunities for Laos to further promote its tourism industry.

“Visitors like these are willing to spend a lot of money while travelling,” he said, adding the government would like to encourage such tourists to visit Laos .

Mr Soukaseum said the government helped the group to obtain visas on arrival and took them to various tourist attractions in Vientiane to ensure they had a memorable experience.



It is hoped arrivals of more passenger trains will open Laos up to increased tourism and further connect it to neighbouring countries and the region.

At present, trains only run between Laos and Thailand .

Asean is planning to establish a trans-national railway system to improve land transportation in the region in the lead-up to the establishment of the Asean Community in 2015.

The government plans to build a further 9km of railway from the Thanalaeng station to the planned Vientiane station in Khamsavat village, some 10km from downtown Vientiane .

The Thai government has promised to provide Laos with financial support for the project. Both the Chinese and Vietnamese governments have helped Laos to research the feasibility of a national railway system over the past few years. The Lao government plans to set in motion the building of a national railway grid within the next five years, as part of efforts to connect Laos with other countries in the region.

The national railway sys tem would facilitate the transportation of goods from China to Cambodia and from Vietnam and Thailand via Laos .



By Times Reporters

(KPL) Thailand tops the foreign investment in Laos with 1.5 billion US dollars invested in various projects in the last eight years, has said the Investment Promotion Department, Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The department said in its recently released report that the investment from Thailand made Vietnam and China the second and third largest foreign investment in Laos although they ranked first and third largest in the first nine months of 2008, in which Vietnam contributed 181 million US dollars and China did 111 million US dollars to the investment environment of Laos.

Thailand, also the first largest trade partner of Laos, ranked second in the list of foreign investment in the first nine months of 2008, which invested 173 US dollars in various projects across the country.

Top ten largest foreign investors in Laos in the last eight years include
1. Thailand, 2. China,
3. Vietnam, 4. France,
5. Japan, 6. The Republic of Korea,
7. India, 8. Australia,
9. Malaysia and 10. Singapore.

Officials from Laos and Japan will conduct a feasibility study of direct flights between Nagoya Airport in Japan and Wattay International Airport in Vientiane.

The Director General of the Civil Aviation Department, Mr Yakua Lopangkao, told Vientiane Times yesterday that Lao officials will first collect basic information regarding potential passenger demand.

“We expect to collect the information within the next two months and then we will send it to Japan,” he said. “We will meet with Japanese officials a month later.”

Mr Yakua observed that more people are flying from America and Japan to Indochina, especially to Laos...more info>>

Mr Yakua said that last year Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh visited Japan and met with his Japanese counterpart to discuss various areas of cooperation. One of the issues discussed was the possibility of a direct flight from Nagoya to Vientiane.

Laos has direct flights to several countries, including Thailand, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. Air Asia started direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , late last year.

A flight between Laos and Singapore is also under consideration, Mr Yakua said.

“Last month, we had meetings with representatives from airlines in Singapore who told us they needed a more detailed survey before any developments could take place,” he added.

A direct flight to Myanmar is also under discussion, as officials believe such a move could boost tourism in the region.

“Our government has an open policy concerning flight connections with any foreign country to encourage tourism in Laos ,” Mr Yakua said.

Earlier last year, the Lao government granted visa exemptions to Japanese tourists to strengthen relations between the two countries.

This has led to an increasing number of Japanese visitors to Laos.

According to the Lao National Tourism Administration, in 2005 around 23,000 Japanese visited Laos and in 2006 this figure increased by just two percent.

But in 2007 the figure jumped by 34 percent as a result of the visa exemption.

Tourism officials confirmed that the number of Japanese tourists was increasing, contributing to economic growth.

By Somsack Pongkhao
Vientiane Times

The total foreign investment in Laos has reached 6 billion USD, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Laos reported.

Top 10 list of foreign investors in Laos is as follows:
1. Thailand, (1.355 billion USD in 169 projects)
2. China, (1.138 billion USD in 237 projects)
3. Viet Nam (535.7 million USD in 120 projects)
4. France (428.2 million USD in 58 projects)
5. Japan (420.3 million USD in 33 projects)
6. India (350.2 million USD in 3 projects)
7. Australia (330.8 million USD in 27 projects)
8. South Korea (294.4 million USD in 105 projects)
9. Malaysia (135.2 million USD in 33 projects)
10. Singapore (101.1 million USD in 22 projects)

Other countries that showed high foreign investment in Laos include Canada (ranking 11), Swizerland (ranking 12), England (ranking 13), Russia (ranking 14), Norway (ranking 15), Taiwan (ranking 16), United State (ranking 17), Germany (ranking 18), Poland (ranking 19), Italy (ranking 20)

Lao agencies attributed increases in foreign investment to the country’s open policy and political stability.

According to the Department of Foreign Investment Promotion and Management under the above ministry, investors from 37 countries and territories have invested in 1,031 projects in Laos.

Source: kpl and ecom

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

The Lao National Tourism Administration will host an Asean tourism forum next month, with the aim of promoting eco-tourism in Laos and in other Asean member countries.

The 2007 Lao Ecotourism Forum will bring together and display the highest quality and most innovative ecotourism products and services on offer in the Mekong Region.

Lao Ecotourism Forum, which comes alive from 26 to 29 July in Laos will be one of the biggest Ecotourism based travel Mart in Asia. ‘Laos is one of the leading Asian countries that practises Eco Tourism in to its true colours... more info>>

2007 Lao Ecotourism Forum will come alive under the theme 'Bridging the Mekong Region'. The main stake holders of the Forum would be tour operators, travel agents, accommodation providers, development agencies, government authorities and indigenous communities from throughout the Asia Region. They will gather under the same roof to network and expand ecotourism opportunities in their respective countries. This event is a must for anyone interested in shaping the course of ecotourism development.

Objectives of the Forum

*To promote high quality ecotourism-related products and services that showcase the natural and cultural heritage of Laos and the Mekong Region

*Increase business opportunities and networking between ecotourism providers and consumers, with an aim to increase knowledge of the Mekong Region around the world

*To facilitate discussions and an exchange of ideas about the successes and potential for developing ecotourism programs that support poverty alleviation and the protection of natural and cultural heritage in the Mekong Region

*To build the links with the Asian Eco Tourism operators and buyers.

A Singaporean student who believes that Asean schools should offer safe sex education as part of their teaching curriculum has won first place in the Young Speakers Contest in Vientiane .

According to an announcement of the judging committee of the contest, released on Tuesday at the Farewell Dinner for the Participants of the 9 th Educational Forum and Young Speakers Contest at the Cosmo Hotel in Vientiane , Ms Crystella Prathap, a Singaporean university student, took first place in the competition, receiving a cash prize of US$ 1,000.

Ms Prathap is a young student who strongly expressed her opinion that safe sex education would be the best way to reduce numbers of people in the region infected with HIV/AIDS.

She explained that when people know the way to prevent the disease, they apply that knowledge and avoid becoming infected with incurable diseases, according to a member of judging committee, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Letters, Associate Prof. Dr Buasavanh Keovilay, one of the judges.

The judge said the first winner argued that Asian students should never be shy about talk about HIV/AIDS prevention....read more >>

“I asked the winner to talk about the fact that some people in Asean nations consider HIV/AIDS prevention a taboo issue in society. Does she think the introduction of such curriculum would encourage young people to have more love affairs?” she recalled.

The winner responded well, saying that since it was impossible to prevent young people from engaging in love affairs, the only way to is to tell them how to protect themselves, according to Dr Buasavanh.

“She answered that the curriculum will not encourage students to have love affairs but will tell them how to protect themselves from infection with HIV/AIDS,” she added, quoting the winner's answer.

The second and third places in the annual contest went to Filipino university student Mr Kikko Angelo Ramos, who received an award of US$500 and Singaporean university student Ms Ling Pei Shan, who received US$250.

The topic of the contest was “One Asean at the Heart of Dynamic Asia”. In the second round, contestants were given a different topic. Each had some time to prepare their presentation before they spoke in front of the judging committee.

Dr Buasavanh said that the Singaporean and Philippine contestants were advantaged among the students from other Asean nations because as they speak English as their official language, while students from other nations speak English as a foreign language.

“These students do not only speak English well but they also come up with critical thinking and vision,” she said.

Dr Buasavanh said that the Lao contestant was selected from among the best students in the English Department of the Faculty of Letters, but was shy about presenting her ideas in public and did not have a str ong vision.

She said Lao students needed to learn a lot about how to speak in public and how to present logical reasons to convince the public about what they believed in.

A member of the contest's organising committee, Dr Alongkone Saignaleuth said the National University of Laos had been a competitor in the contest since it began in 1997. A Lao student took second place in the contest two years ago in the Philippines , he said.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy

Talat Sao shopping mall, situated in the heart of capital, opened its door last Friday after 15 months of construction work.

The grand opening ceremony of this shopping mall was organized solemnly and with the presence of Mr. Sintlavong Khoutpaythoun, Mayor of Vientiane municipality and the ambassador of Singapore, the founder of new Talat sao, shopping mall...more

In the grand opening, there was a big concert with famous singers Lao and Thai and a great play equipped with many gifts.

Talat Sao shopping mall, built on five storeys, this first building adds up 160 shops: 138 shops for the tradesmen lao and 22 shops for the foreign tradesmen (China, Thailand, Hongkong, Japan and Malaysia).

The first building of Talat Sao includes/understands five large entrance doors; on the third floor 24 restaurants are who can receive 500 consumers; the fourth and last stage are occupied by Carparks.

This first building represents only the first phrase of the commercial complex which will completely finished by 2009. Other buildings will be continue to be built, in particular on the western zone of the old market of the morning.

The investment for this mall is more than 259,3 million dollars brought by the Singaporean company of BTP Excalibur. The contract signed with Lao government up to 40 years plus five years for construction.

source: Le renovateur
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