(KPL) The Lao girls’ dream of walking on Miss Universe’s stage may become true by selecting at the National Beauty Contest before going to international stage, said an official.

Mrs Soudala Chanthavithong, Deputy Chief of Media and Culture Department, Lao Women’s Union, spoke at a press conference on 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Selection Contest last Friday.

The 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Contest Project is a part of disseminating the Lao culture to outdoor and promoting valuable culture as much as possible...more

The previous contest has been held by the Lao Women’s Union and the K & C Company.

The project is running till 2010.More than 50 people from Lao Media, representatives of Lao Brewery Company, K&C Company, Lao Women’s Union took place at the press conference on 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Selection Contest, under the sponsorship of the Lao Brewery Company.“

Once day we do hope that Lao girls’ dream may become true if all of them are supported by society, however they must be self-confident with knowledge, ability of performances and talent, all of them should be the first thing before reaching achievement,” said Mrs Soudala.

Meanwhile observers believed that Miss Apone Lao Contest Project is very important to the economic and social development involve in entertainment, fashion or even dressing style and to raise the reputation of country to overseas.

The 2nd round of 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Selection held in early this month, as a result has already got 50 girls out of 350 candidates across the country.

The 2007 Miss Apone Lao Selection Contest was co-hosted by four provinces of Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces to search the most beautiful Lao girls.

Source: kpl.net.la

In Luang Prabang's main street, Xiang Thong, this deeply spiritual ritual has veered into a tourist circus, with visitors from all over the world barring the way to the procession. The tourists outnumber the faithful. To view photos in series, click here:.

Source: travel.guardian.co.uk

Lao Airlines will add extra round-trip flights from Vientiane to Luang Prabang and Pakxe from April 10-19 to meet the needs of passengers travelling to celebrate the Lao New Year.

According to the Commercial Director of Lao Airlines, Mr Rada Sunthorn, the airline will increase the number of return flights from Vientiane to Luang Prabang from three to seven daily.

Return flights from Vientiane to Pakxe will increase from three a week at present to five times weekly... more info

“If we find demand increases even further, we will add more flights. Every year, more and more people travel to Luang Prabang at this time of the year,” he said.

“Not only is it well known as a World Heritage Site, it is a very popular destination for local people and foreign residents of Laos , who like to go there to celebrate the traditional activities staged at New Year.”

Mr Rada said that over New Year, this group constituted 60 percent of visitors to the city whereas, normally, overseas tourists formed 70 percent of the total number of visitors.

The second most popular destination in Laos was Champassak province, which is home to the World Heritage Site of Vat Phou.

Overseas visitors usually go there by plane during the New Year, whereas most local people drive there.

He said that the prices of these flights would remain unchanged, with people of Lao nationality paying 470,000 kip and foreigners paying US$63 for a one-way ticket from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. From Vientiane to Champassak, the cost was 750,000kip for Lao people and US$95 for foreigners.

“We have cancelled flights from Vientiane to Houaxai airport in Bokeo province for a further two weeks because of poor visibility due to smoke from forest fires and slash and burn farming. We are waiting for the skies to clear before we resume flights on this sector,” he said.


By Panyasith Thammavongsa
vientianetimes