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

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

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

The thai TV dramma entitled "Mon Ruk Rim Fang Kong" was finally on air last month on Thai TV channel 7, after many editions to make the story not to affect the relationship between the people of the two countries: Laos and Thailand. Follow are feedback from Lao people via Kaosan Pathetlao...more in lao language, click here


ໃນທີ່ສຸດ ລະຄອນ “ເພງຣັກລີມຝັ່ງໂຂງ” ຫລື “ເພງຮັກແຄມຝັ່ງຂອງ” ກໍໄດ້ລົງຈໍທາງໂທລະພາບຊ່ອງ 7 ຂອງໄທ, ພາຍຫລັງມີການນຳກັບໄປດັດແກ້ ແລະ ປ່ຽນແປງຫລາຍເທື່ອ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ຜົນງານທີ່ອອກມາບໍ່ກະທົບກະເທືອນມິດຕະພາບ ຫລື ຄວາມຮູ້ສຶກຂອງຄົນລະຫວ່າງສອງປະເທດລາວ-ໄທ.

ລະຄອນດັ່ງກ່າວ ມີເນື້ອໃນກ່ຽວກັບຄວາມຮັກຂອງຄົນສອງຊາດ, ພ້ອມນັ້ນ ນັກສະແດງນຳຂອງເລື່ອງຍັງເປັນສິລະປິນ-ນັກສະແດງຊື່ດັງຂອງທັງສອງປະເທດເຊັ່ນ ນາງ ຈຳປາ ເປັນນາງເອກຮັບບົດໂດຍ ອາເລັກຊານດຣາ ບຸນຊ່ວຍ, ສ່ວນພະເອກ ຊື່ ພິນ ນະຄອນພະນົມ ຮັບບົດໂດຍ ເວຍ ສຸກົນລະວັດ, ຈຶ່ງເຮັດໃຫ້ລະຄອນດັ່ງກ່າວ ເປັນທີ່ຈັບຕາເບິ່ງທີ່ສຸດ ຕັ້ງແຕ່ຕອນຖ່າຍທຳຍັງບໍ່ທັນແລ້ວ ຈົນຮອດຂັ້ນຕອນດັດແກ້ຂອດສຸດທ້າຍ ແລະ ໄດ້ແຜ່ພາບອອກອາກາດໃນຂະນະນີ້.



ເຖິງວ່າ ລະຄອນໄດ້ສາຍໃຫ້ເບິ່ງພຽງ 2-3 ຄືນທຸກໆວັນຈັນ ແລະ ອັງຄານ, ແຕ່ບັນດາແມ່ຄ້າ ຊາວຂາຍຊາວລາວ ກໍ່ເວົ້າເຖິງເລື່ອງນີ້ບໍ່ຂາດປາກ, ພວກເຂົາບອກວ່າ: “ລໍຖ້າເບິ່ງ ເພາະ ຢາກຮູ້ວ່າຊິເປັນແນວໃດທີ່ ລາວ-ໄທສະແດງນຳກັນ, ແຕ່ເມື່ອໄດ້ເບິ່ງແລ້ວຮູ້ສຶກວ່າມ່ວນ ຍ້ອນການປາກເວົ້າ, ການແຕ່ງກາຍ ແລະ ກິລິຍາທ່າທາງຂອງຕົວລະຄອນ ເປັນພື້ນບ້ານດີ. ຕອນນີ້ ຍັງບໍ່ມີຈຸດໃດທີ່ຈະຕຳນິ ເພາະເນື້ອເລື່ອງພວມຕະຫລົກ, ເຖິງວ່າ ຈະເວົ້າພາສາລາວ-ອີສານແຂງໆ ແຕ່ນັກສະແດງກໍ່ມີຄວາມພະຍາຍາມດີ. ຫລື ອາດເປັນຍ້ອນມັນຫາກໍ່ສາຍ ຈຶ່ງສະຫລຸບຫຍັງຫລາຍບໍ່ທັນໄດ້, ກາງເລື່ອງມັນຊິອອກມາແນວໃດນັ້ນ ລໍຖ້າເບິ່ງກ່ອນ...”.

ພາກສ່ວນພະນັກງານຍິງ ອາຍຸ ລະຫວ່າງ 38-50 ປີ ກໍ່ມີທັດສະນະຄະຕິຕໍ່ກັບເລື່ອງນີ້ວ່າ: “ເບິ່ງລະຄອນເລື່ອງນີ້ ມີ 2 ທັດສະນະຄື ເບິ່ງໃຫ້ເປັນລະຄອນປະກອບເພງ ຫລື ເພງປະກອບລະຄອນ ມັນກໍ່ຈະມ່ວນ, ແຕ່ຖ້າໃຫ້ເບິ່ງຖືກຕາມຄວາມຈິງ ແມ່ນບໍ່ຖືກຕ້ອງ ບໍ່ຊັດເຈນເຊັ່ນ: ການແຕ່ງກາຍຢູ່ໃນຍຸກສະໄຫມໃດ, ຊາວບ້ານທຳມະດາ ແຕ່ແຕ່ງຫນ້າແກ່ ໂດຍສະເພາະນາງເອກ ເພາະ ຊານດຣາ ງາມຢູ່ແລ້ວ ບໍ່ຈຳເປັນຕ້ອງແຕ່ງຫນ້າຫນາ. ຂໍ້ທ​ີ່ສຳຄັນຄື ນິໃສໃຈຄໍ ແລະ ປະເພນີ ທີ່ຕົວລະຄອນຖ່າຍທອດອອກມາ ບໍ່ມີສ່ວນໃດທີ່ເປັນລາວເລີຍ, ພາສາປາກເວົ້າ ຈະອອກ ອີສານຫມົດ, ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຖ້າສະເຫນີວ່າ ລະຄອນດັ່ງກ່າວ ເປັນເລື່ອງກ່ຽວກັບຄົນໄທທີ່ອາໃສຢູ່ແຄມຝັ່ງຂອງ ມັນຖືກຕ້ອງກວ່າ ໂດຍທີ່ບໍ່ມີຄຳວ່າ “ລາວ” ໄປກ່ຽວຂ້ອງ”.



“ເພງຮັກແຄມຝັ່ງຂອງ” ເປີດສາກຂຶ້ນດ້ວຍການພໍ້ຫນ້າກັນເທື່ອທຳອິດຂອງສາວລາວ-ບ່າວໄທ ໃນງານປະເພນີໄຫລເຮືອໄຟ. ນາງ ຈຳປາ ເປັນຄົນນຳທ່ຽວ ແລະ ຊອກຫາລູກທົວຕ່າງຊາດທີ່ຫລົງກັນ ຍ້ອນມົວແຕ່ຟັງສຽງດົນຕີອີສານຂອງວົງ “ສຽງສະຫວັນ” ເຊິ່ງມີທ້າວ ພິນ ເປັນນັກດົນຕີດາວເດັ່ນ. ໃນທີ່ສຸດ ຈຳປາ ກໍ່ພໍ້ລູກທົວ ແລະ ໄດ້ພົບກັບ ພິນ, ຈາກນັ້ນ ພະເອກກໍ່ຫລົງມັກ ຈຳປາ ຈຶ່ງມີສາກຈີບນາງເອກແບບຕະຫລົກໆ ເພາະພະເອກຄິດວ່າ ຈຳປາ ເປັນຄົນຕ່າງຊາດ ຈຶ່ງອາໄສ ຫມູ່ທີ່ເປັນຕ່າງປະເທດເວົ້າອີສານໄດ້ ຊ່ວຍເປັນລ່າມ. ຄວາມບັງເອີນ ເຫມືອນພົມລິຂິດ ເຮັດໃຫ້ທັງສອງໄດ້ຮັກກັນ ແຕ່ວ່າເນື້ອເລື່ອງຈະເປັນແນວໃດຕໍ່ນັ້ນ ຕ້ອງໄດ້ຕິດຕາມຕໍ່ໄປ ເພາະຜູ້ກຳກັບຊາວໄທ ທ່ານ ທົງໄຊ ປຣະສົສັນ ເປັນຄົນຂຽນບົດເອງ ໂດຍຕັ້ງໃຈໃຫ້ເລື່ອງດັ່ງກ່າວ ຊ່ວຍສົ່ງເສີມຄວາມເຂົ້າໃຈອັນດີລະຫວ່າງປະຊາຊົນສອງຝັ່ງ ໂດຍຖ່າຍທອດຄວາມຮູ້ສຶກ ແລະ ເຂົ້າໃຈງ່າຍໆ ຜ່ານຄວາມຮັກຂອງສອງບ່າວສາວ.

ຂໍ້ມູນຈາກ ຫນັງສືພິມຂ່າວສານປະເທດລາວ

ທ່ານສາມາດຮັບຊົມລະຄອນເລື້ອງນີ້ຍ້ອນຫຼັງໄດ້ທີ່
1. http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=98894&p=3&topicID=11426637

2. http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=98894&p=3&topicID=11525741

http://samakomlao.blogspot.com

(KPL) A new edition of modified Lao dictionary was just officially approved by Ministry of Education, to respond social demand after lacking an officially Lao dictionary for years.

The new Lao dictionary for 2549 B.C (Buddhist Calendar) has been published more than 10,000 copies for public use officially.

The dictionary was displayed at an exhibition for celebrating this new publishing at the Public Library at the end of April, which was the third issue, pioneered by Maha Sila Viravong... read more

This dictionary consists of 10,000 words and grammar, which was collected and composed by Maha Sila Viravong. Most of vocabularies are collected from philosophies, religious and literature and some mistakes have been adjusted and were copied from the original copy.

The special character of this book was to maintain old style spelling based on religious, Bali and Sanskrit languages.

In 1951, the Ministry of Education has appointed the Literature Committee to do a Lao dictionary to serve education work and then the Committee assigned Maha Sila Viravong to edit and collect words.
The collection of Maha Sila Viravong has been conduct till 1954 to 1959, his mission seeing that has had enough words considerably and then the first master dictionary of Laos was issued.

In order to be a reference for this dictionary since 1951, he also composed grammar consists of four chapters, which had had completed by 1961.
The new copies are now being availed at libraries for research and study and distribute for people who interested to learn Lao language.

Source: kpl.net.la