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

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

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

:: 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

Located right at the crossroads of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the rapidly growing tourism industry of landlocked Laos is at the same juncture at which the Thai tourism industry found itself in the 1980s _ the face-off between ''quantity'' vs ''quality'' of visitor arrivals and boosting its ability to manage the growth.

Exactly 15 years after the GMS tourism-development plans took off with the formation of the first subregional tourism working group at an international travel conference in Pattaya, all the key drivers of growth are in place. Laos is ''now more connected to the GMS by air and road links than any time in history,'' Sounh Manivong, director-general of Lao National Tourism Administration's Department of Planning and Cooperation, told an ecotourism conference here last week...more

Visitor arrivals have crossed the one-million mark to 1.2 million last year and are targeted at two million by 2010. Airports in Vientiane, Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang and Pakse have been upgraded or are in the process of being so. Lao Airlines and other carriers are linking Laos to the GMS and beyond, with AirAsia expected to be first low-cost carrier to launch a Vientiane-Kuala Lumpur service later this year.

The North-South road linking Yunnan to North Thailand via Luang Namtha and Bokeo provinces is nearly complete. The Savannakhet-Mukdaharn Thai-Lao Mekong Bridge is complete and Highway Routes 8, 9 and 12 will link Vietnam and Thailand via Laos. New roads have been built to Konglor Cave in Khammouane and to Kuangsi Waterfall in Luang Prabang.

Asean citizens receive visa-free access and a 30-day visa-on-arrival upon payment of US$30-40 at international border checkpoints in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, Bokeo, Luang Namtha, Champasak, Bolikhamxay, Xieng Khouang and Khammouane. Visa extensions are possible and border-pass travel facilities are available for neighbouring countries.

The range of emerging accommodation reflects the profile of visitor arrivals, from ecolodges to family-run guesthouses and five-star hotels. Mr Sounh said there are now 5,300 rooms in Vientiane, 3,200 rooms in Luang Prabang, 2,400 rooms in Champasak and 900 Rooms in Luang Namtha.

Positioning itself as the ''Ecotourism Centre of GMS'', Mr Sounh said the national policy goal is to alleviate poverty in the countryside by dispersing tourists to the provincial regions, where Laos' unique cultural and natural attractions exist.

Dozens of foreign development and aid agencies are involved in tourism projects all over the place. Mr Sounh identified the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Khammouane and Champasak; the Dutch agency SNV in Vientiane, Houaphanh, Luang Prabang, Khammouane and Savannakhet; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Luang Namtha, Xieng Khouang, Luang Prabang and Champasak, the aid agency German Development Service (DED) in Bolikhamxay, Oudomxay and Xieng Khouang; the Deutsche Gesellschaft f adi?r Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), another German agency focusing specifically on sustainable development, in Muang Sing; the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) in Savannakhet; the European Union in Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang; WWF, the global conservation organisation, in Champasak, and the governments of New Zealand and Luxembourg in various other projects.

The Americans want to join in _ the Kenan Institute sent a representative to this year's ecotourism conference to seek potential projects.

Although the environmental and ecotourism focus is a perfectly suited objective in view of the growing apprehensions over climate change, deforestation is continuing unabated, and the levels of the Mekong River are visibly declining. Interestingly, neither problem was mentioned by any of the speakers throughout the conference.

The ADB representative who is at the hub of the bank's tourism coordinating effort, Alfredo Perdiguero, said that the ADB sees the GMS tourism exercise as being successful enough to replicate in both South Asia and Central Asia. But he identified a number of concerns.

He said the projected rapid growth in arrivals over the next decade due to improved connectivity could lead to more ''border tourism'' that would see it being highly concentrated near the urban areas, especially in the direct vicinity of international border checkpoints, which would lead to a limited poverty reduction impact.

He said there was still a ''lack of a logical spatial framework'' guiding regional investment in tourism-related infrastructure and the human resource development capacities in both the public and private sectors were still weak.

Mr Perdiguero read the ''insufficient attention'' being paid to the sustainable management of key cultural, natural and urban tourism resources, as well as the ''uncoordinated approach and industry indifference to managing potential negative social impacts of tourism''.

As these problems are identical to those Thailand has faced over the years, it was no surprise for the conference to hear a stark warning from Sasithara Pichaichannarong, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, for the Lao tourism industry not tLaotian tourism at the crossroads
IMTIAZ MUQBIL

Located right at the crossroads of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the rapidly growing tourism industry of landlocked Laos is at the same juncture at which the Thai tourism industry found itself in the 1980s _ the face-off between ''quantity'' vs ''quality'' of visitor arrivals and boosting its ability to manage the growth.

Exactly 15 years after the GMS tourism-development plans took off with the formation of the first subregional tourism working group at an international travel conference in Pattaya, all the key drivers of growth are in place. Laos is ''now more connected to the GMS by air and road links than any time in history,'' Sounh Manivong, director-general of Lao National Tourism Administration's Department of Planning and Cooperation, told an ecotourism conference here last week.

Visitor arrivals have crossed the one-million mark to 1.2 million last year and are targeted at two million by 2010. Airports in Vientiane, Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang and Pakse have been upgraded or are in the process of being so. Lao Airlines and other carriers are linking Laos to the GMS and beyond, with AirAsia expected to be first low-cost carrier to launch a Vientiane-Kuala Lumpur service later this year.

The North-South road linking Yunnan to North Thailand via Luang Namtha and Bokeo provinces is nearly complete. The Savannakhet-Mukdaharn Thai-Lao Mekong Bridge is complete and Highway Routes 8, 9 and 12 will link Vietnam and Thailand via Laos. New roads have been built to Konglor Cave in Khammouane and to Kuangsi Waterfall in Luang Prabang.

Asean citizens receive visa-free access and a 30-day visa-on-arrival upon payment of US$30-40 at international border checkpoints in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, Bokeo, Luang Namtha, Champasak, Bolikhamxay, Xieng Khouang and Khammouane. Visa extensions are possible and border-pass travel facilities are available for neighbouring countries.

The range of emerging accommodation reflects the profile of visitor arrivals, from ecolodges to family-run guesthouses and five-star hotels. Mr Sounh said there are now 5,300 rooms in Vientiane, 3,200 rooms in Luang Prabang, 2,400 rooms in Champasak and 900 Rooms in Luang Namtha.

Positioning itself as the ''Ecotourism Centre of GMS'', Mr Sounh said the national policy goal is to alleviate poverty in the countryside by dispersing tourists to the provincial regions, where Laos' unique cultural and natural attractions exist.

Dozens of foreign development and aid agencies are involved in tourism projects all over the place. Mr Sounh identified the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Khammouane and Champasak; the Dutch agency SNV in Vientiane, Houaphanh, Luang Prabang, Khammouane and Savannakhet; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Luang Namtha, Xieng Khouang, Luang Prabang and Champasak, the aid agency German Development Service (DED) in Bolikhamxay, Oudomxay and Xieng Khouang; the Deutsche Gesellschaft f adi?r Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), another German agency focusing specifically on sustainable development, in Muang Sing; the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) in Savannakhet; the European Union in Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang; WWF, the global conservation organisation, in Champasak, and the governments of New Zealand and Luxembourg in various other projects.

The Americans want to join in _ the Kenan Institute sent a representative to this year's ecotourism conference to seek potential projects.

Although the environmental and ecotourism focus is a perfectly suited objective in view of the growing apprehensions over climate change, deforestation is continuing unabated, and the levels of the Mekong River are visibly declining. Interestingly, neither problem was mentioned by any of the speakers throughout the conference.

The ADB representative who is at the hub of the bank's tourism coordinating effort, Alfredo Perdiguero, said that the ADB sees the GMS tourism exercise as being successful enough to replicate in both South Asia and Central Asia. But he identified a number of concerns.

He said the projected rapid growth in arrivals over the next decade due to improved connectivity could lead to more ''border tourism'' that would see it being highly concentrated near the urban areas, especially in the direct vicinity of international border checkpoints, which would lead to a limited poverty reduction impact.

He said there was still a ''lack of a logical spatial framework'' guiding regional investment in tourism-related infrastructure and the human resource development capacities in both the public and private sectors were still weak.

Mr Perdiguero read the ''insufficient attention'' being paid to the sustainable management of key cultural, natural and urban tourism resources, as well as the ''uncoordinated approach and industry indifference to managing potential negative social impacts of tourism''.

As these problems are identical to those Thailand has faced over the years, it was no surprise for the conference to hear a stark warning from Sasithara Pichaichannarong, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, for the Lao tourism industry not to repeat Thailand's mistakes.

''I really mean that,'' Dr Sasithara said, noting that the realisation of these mistakes was itself one of the factors driving Thailand's policy shift towards promoting ''quality'' tourism.

Imtiaz Muqbil is executive editor of Travel Impact Newswire, an e-mailed feature and analysis service focusing on the Asia-Pacific travel industry.

o repeat Thailand's mistakes.

''I really mean that,'' Dr Sasithara said, noting that the realisation of these mistakes was itself one of the factors driving Thailand's policy shift towards promoting ''quality'' tourism.

Imtiaz Muqbil is executive editor of Travel Impact Newswire, an e-mailed feature and analysis service focusing on the Asia-Pacific travel industry.

by IMTIAZ MUQBIL
Source: Bangkok post

(KPL) Lao Airlines is to implement e-ticketing and has signed up to Amadeus’ e-Retail system, an e-commerce global booking solution, according to Asiatravel.com

Scheduled to take place in stages, the first phase of the e-ticketing implementation will enable Lao Airlines to issue e-tickets to selected travel agents in Thailand. Subsequently, the access will be widened to include all agents in Laos, and all markets in Asia Pacific including their major markets in other regions. The move sees Lao Airlines conforming to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) January 2008 deadline for 100% paperless ticketing for airlines, which is anticipated to save the industry up to US$3 billion per annum when in full effect.
A separate agreement has also been signed by Lao Airlines to adopt the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite solution, which will allow travellers to make their reservations online from the convenience of home or an internet cafe. Available in 23 languages, the solution currently powers more than 120 websites and over 70 airlines in at least 75 markets around the world.

Mr. Saleum Tayarath, Deputy Commercial Director, Lao Airlines, “With the promise of substantial savings, the move to paperless ticketing became a clear route for Lao Airlines. Naturally, the challenge was to locate a dependable partner who could ensure a smooth and seamless transition from paper tickets to electronic ones.”
“At the same time, there was also a need for an online platform to help broaden the access of our tickets to travellers, so as to better align ourselves with the big industry players. Being the market leader for both the e-ticketing and e-commerce sectors, Amadeus became our obvious choice as technology partner,” Mr. Tayarath added. Lao Airlines currently flies to major Asian cities including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Kunming, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Vientiane.

Source: kpl

Vientiane to develop its public transport system

(KPL) Vientiane has started a survey on setting up a pilot project on public transportation across Vientiane. Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has shown its determination to support the survey through providing technical assistance.

Last week, technical officials of Vientiane and JICA’s experts held a meeting to discuss the development project’s survey in Vientiane. The meeting was chaired by Mr Bounchan Sinthavong, Deputy Governor of Vien-tiane.

This project will be implemented in seven districts across Vientiane.
Its survey was carried out in 15 months from April this year by Japanese experts.
The project will be developed till 2025 to modernize the public transportation of Vientiane.

Source: kpl.net.la

Three former Nangsangkhan (Miss Pi Mai Lao) girls have just released their exciting first album, and are expecting huge successes after its release on Monday.

The three young singers from the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang have spent over a year preparing themselves to record and perform for their very first video CD release.


“It is all over for our production. The first album of my life has been released and I can say I gave it my al l,” 19-year-old singer, Phouthaly Keona, said... read more >>

“I can't tell you right now how much success this album will gain, but for me it's already been a gr eat journey.”

The band, called Spikes Girls, is made up of three glamorous young singers lead by Phouthaly Keona, 19, with Vichitra Phithanong, 17, and Chintana Soupadith, 19.

Their first self-titled album has 12 songs, which are no doubt going to be hits throughout the country.

Formerly Fleshy Girls, the band released an album in 2004, but after two of the three band members moved on to study, their producer decided to form a new group, and Vichitra and Chintana were found after participating in the Miss Lao New Year (Nangsangkhan) contest.

The girls began their training in 2004, but they also needed a new catchy name, and Spikes Girls was chosen.

When hearing the name, some people may remember British pop group the Spice Girls, who still hold a special place in people's hearts throughout the world. But these three spunky young women are soon to be regarded as the new Spice Girls of Luang Prabang, and with a little more local zest than their English counterparts, the Spikes Girls also aim to retain some of their cultures and traditions.

Can you tell us a bit about your lives before joining the group, and what its like to be a Spikes Girl?

Phouthaly Keona:

I was one of the seven of Miss Sangkhan's of Luang Prabang, in 2003 before I joined.

Vichitra:

I sang lots of karaoke with my friends before joining the band. I applied to the Miss Pi Mai Lao contest in Luang Prabang in 2004, and there the boss from Fanfam Music Company heard my voice and after being a Nangsangkhan finalist, and perhaps from my heart touching song, he invited me to be one of the Spikes Girls.

Chintana:

After school we usually spend our free time doing singing training and having dan cing lessons. It hasn't been a really hard album to produce, and the video was great fun to make, because we shot most of it in the nice places around our hometown of Luang Prabang.

We have tried to fit our own style into our music, which is quite modern, and now have done one show at the National Culture Hall and the Lao-ITECC in Vientiane , as well as some performances in our province. It's all been really fun.

By vientiane times
(Latest Update May 16, 2007)

MORE than 300 people around the country have been telephoning the offices of the Lao Star Channel in Vientiane each day with their comments, according to its manager.

Since early April the channel has been broadcasting experimentally via the Thaicom satellite, and has proved popular so far among local and foreign viewers, especially those living outside Vientiane, said Mr Soulaphet Keoviengkham.

“Most people around the country can access various channels through the Thaicom satellite and the Lao Star Channel is one of them,” he said.

“We feature entertainment such as music videos, game shows, musical drama and information in the Lao language. We have been giving our phone number on-screen for feedback from viewers,” Mr Soulaphet, said yesterday... read more

After the channel went to air on April 1, staff got letters from viewers, most of which offered congratulations. Some asked about what would go on screen after the experimental period, which has not included advertising.

“At first we thought there wouldn’t be much feedback but actually there are a lot of viewers both here and in neighbouring countries who have expressed an interest,” he said.

The channel was first established in December through cooperation between Lao National Television and the Lao Ethnic Art and Cultural Promotion (LEACP) group, with investment from members of the LEACP.

“I’m the vice-president of the LEACP, and I have invested more than US$1 million (about 9,6 billion kip) in the channel to promote information on Laos throughout the country and in other countries,” Mr Soulaphet said.

The channel will begin full time broadcasting in June, with advertising. It will feature information about Laos, focusing on Lao culture and traditions – and a range of issues covering health, education, development, economics, entertainment, sports and politics.

“I did research all around the country last year,” Mr Soulaphet said. “I spent six months interviewing viewers and found that most of them were interested in watching channels from neighbouring countries.”

“We believe the Lao Star Channel will entertain viewers every bit as well as the foreign channels they can see today,” he said.

Foreign channels have more experience and presented better quality programming than local channels, and have attracted Lao viewers. He believes viewers will be pleased to tune into a high-quality local station.

“I asked myself why we can’t have better programming to attract local viewers to the information we provide. After doing my research and getting the Lao Star Channel to air at last, many viewers have been calling to encourage me to keep going,” Mr Soulaphet said.

By SOUKNILUNDON SOUTHIVONGNORATH
(Latest Update May 15, 2007)

The saying goes that if the hard-working Vietnamese sew the rice, Cambodia's creative types would plant it in pretty rows, while their relaxed Laotian neighbours watch it grow. And nowhere is this south-east Asian stereotype truer than in Laos.

From lazy trips down the Mekong to sipping green tea against the backdrop of crumbling post-French grandeur in Luang Prabang, this rural gem of a country offers you the chance to step back and unwind on an active holiday with a supremely laid-back twist... more

Cross the Mekong from Chiang Khong in northern Thailand to Huay Xai and you can get a two-week visa on arrival, or you can arrange a month's stay before you leave Thailand. It will be two days on the slow boat with an overnight stop before you reach Luang Prabang, but well worth the effort. What this journey lacks in comfort - more than you can imagine - it certainly makes up for in scenery. Moody grey-brown waters carry you relentlessly forward through Laos' green hills.

However, if you would rather reach Laos in more comfort, a flight from Bangkok is the easiest way. Thai Airways and Lao Airlines will get you to the capital Vientiane in little over an hour.

It is hard to imagine a town more perfect than Luang Prabang. The elegant simplicity of the Buddhist temples stand in stark contrast to their golden counterparts in Thailand or India, and the crumbling opulence of the French era leaves a stylish atmosphere you will struggle to find elsewhere in Asia. Foodies should head down to the river where there is a great BBQ joint. Be bold, for this is the place to try buffalo, chicken's feet and all manner of insect-related delicacies.

The breathtaking Kuang Si waterfalls are about 40 minutes drive south of town and you can get a lift with a tour guide. Threeland Travel are most helpful, or alternatively you can take a local tuk-tuk at break-neck speed down a dirt track road to this postcard from paradise.

After a surreal walk through a mini zoo, you will find perfect blue-green lagoons for swimming and several tiers of waterfalls to play with. If you fancy yourself as a Herbal Essences lady, then test your endurance under one of the falls - you will not last long.

From Luang Prabang let the adventure take you to Phonsavanh and the plain of jars. The clue is in the name here and you can expect hundreds and hundreds of huge stone jars of disputed origin. Some believe they were used as burial sites, others that they were used to store rice wine - something of a national obsession.

Having tried this potent spirit, you may not want to imagine a container this size full of it, particularly since your guide is likely to have offered up a swig at breakfast time. You should note that a tour guide is needed for this trip and you should not stray from marked paths as Uncle Sam bombed the area heavily during the Vietnam War leaving a disastrous amount of unexploded ordnance as his legacy. Stone Henge this is not, but it is well worth a look.

From Phonsavanh, whether your active holiday takes you south to the 4,000 islands of Si Phan Don or west to the limestone peaks of Vang Vieng, count on two things: the omnipresent Mekong and natural treasures untold.

For more information on visiting Laos see the official Laos tourism website and the travelbite country guide.

Amy Morris
Source: www.travelbite.co.uk

THE Tourism Ministry wants either Malaysia Airlines (MAS) or budget carrier, AirAsia, to operate Kuala Lumpur-Vientiane direct flights to woo more Laotian tourists to Malaysia.

In the absence of such flights to Kuala Lumpur, Laotian tourists had to transit either in Bangkok, Phnom Penh or Hanoi, which was time-consuming and costly, Deputy Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said today.
“This inconvenience has led to many Laotians to skip Malaysia in their travel,” he said.
“Laos is the only Asean country without direct flight links from Kuala Lumpur. This has hampered Laotian tourist arrivals to Malaysia, more so this year being Visit Malaysia Year (VMY),” he told Malaysian journalists covering his two-day visit to Laos to promote VMY 2007.

Lim said the ministry would discuss with the Transport Ministry to order MAS or AirAsia to start KL-Vientiane and Vientiane-KL flights in the next six months.

Source: www.nst.com.my

Vientiane sees higher tourist arrivals

(KPL) This year, Vientiane Capital expects to welcome more than 700,000 tourists, said Deputy-Head of Vientiane Tourism Administration Office, Mr. Khamkhoun Bailatri.
Nowadays, accommodations and other tourist facilities in Vientiane Capital are being developed and improved, such as tourism information, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, road communications and tourism sites. Mr. Khamkhoun continued that the Vientiane Capital tourist office expected that almost 800,000 tourists would visit the Capital, a rise of 4 per cent over the previous year. This will generate over USD70 million for the capital.

In 2007 there will be 249 accommodations compared to last year increased to seven places, 67 restaurants increased to three places and four cruise ships.
Next year, the Vientiane Tourism Administration forecasts more than 800,000 tourists will visit Vientiane Capital and money will flow USD75 million and Vientiane Tourism Administrative will prompt local businessmen to invest in the construction of accommodations to cope with the increase of tourists seems a risen every year.

On the occasion of Lao New Year celebration falling on 13 to 16 April, the National Tourism Administration will organise an international skydiving at Don Chan beach, it expects to draw about 80 -100 foreign parachutists and 20 Lao volunteer parachutists.