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

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

Booyoung Co Ltd donates US$2.5 million for the construction of 100 primary schools.

A South Korean company presented more than US$2.5 million to the Foundation for Promoting Education on Monday for the construction of 100 primary schools nationwide.

The Booyoung Co Ltd wants to help raise the standard of education in Laos as well as encourage the development of Lao children...more

The donation was handed over by the company's adviser, Mr Chang Myung-Kwan, and received by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, witnessed by officials, the Minister of Education Dr Somkot Mangnomek, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Laos , Mr Park Jae-hyun.

It is anticipated that the first 50 schools will be completed by the start of the next academic year in September, and the remainder should be constructed by March 2008.

The first primary school will be built in Thami village, Hinboun district, Khammuan province, by the DM Construction Company.

In addition, a number of other construction companies are also preparing the groundwork for school buildings in other provinces. Each school will have five classrooms, a teachers' room, and a toilet.

During the presentation ceremony, Mr Chang Myung-Kwan took the opportunity to read out a greeting from the Chairman of Booyoung Co Ltd, Mr Lee Joong-keun, who unfortunately was unable to be in Laos on this occasion.

The message said: “The company's present donation is a follow-up to the past donation of 28,000 blackboards aimed at promoting Lao children's education across the country.”

The Booyoung Co Ltd reaffirmed the provision of future assistance for education related activities in Laos . The company has also expressed its willingness to explore investment opportunities in various economic sectors of the country.

Mr Chang Myung-Kwan said this kind of effort would help to strengthen relations between Laos and the Republic of Korea .

Mr Somsavat expressed his profound appreciation for the generous donation and hoped that the company would continue assisting Laos , not only in the field of education, but also in rural development and poverty reduction.

He said Mr Lee was a generous man who wanted to help poor children get access to education. The government would create favourable conditions for the company to invest in Laos in various sectors.

The company pledged its assistance in building 100 primary schools during a visit by Mr Somsavat to the Republic of Korea in March.

So far, the company has donated more than US$20 million to buy blackboards for primary schools in Laos , Vietnam and Cambodia , and an additional US$2 million to develop various public facilities.

During the ceremony, Mr Somsavat, who is also the Honorary Chairman of the Foundation for Promoting Education, handed over a cheque worth US$7,500, the equivalent of 30 percent of the total construction cost of US$25,000 to the General Manager of the DM Construction Company, Mrs Douangta Matmanisone, who was awarded the contract to build the first primary school in Khammuan province.

By vientiane times

Foreign investment on the rise in Laos
(KPL) 440 million USD of foreign investment was pumped into Laos over the first six months of the 2006-2007 fiscal year which began from October 2006. The Lao government granted licences to 122 foreign investment projects over the period, accounting for 70 percent of the government’s target of 171 for the whole year. The majority of investments were made in the areas of agriculture, garment and textiles, industry, handicraft, mining, energy, trade, hotels, restaurants and services.

For the period, the biggest investors into the country are as follow:
1. China
2. France
3. Japan
4. The Republic of Korea
5. Myanmar
6. Poland
7. Sweden
8. Thailand
9. The US
10.Viet Nam

Source: kpl.net.la