[Tlc] L-Lao news summary

[justinm at ucr.edu]

FYI.
Thanks,
justin



2008-0125 - KPL News

http://www.kpl.net.la/

Laos to receive World Peace Gong for efforts for regional and
world peace

(KPL) The World Peace Committee of Indonesia has agreed to
present the World Peace Gong to Laos as a country of peace,
security and political stability for a long period of time.
The intention was made during the President of the World Peace
Committee of Indonesia, Mr Juyoto Santany, visited in Laos and
called on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith on 22 January.
The world peace gong was found and originated in Moria
mountain in Central Java (locally called as “peace”), the
Republic of Indonesia. It is assumed to date back to 450 years.
The world peace gong was first struck on 31 December, 2002, by
an Indonesian president in Bali. The second ring was made in
Geneva, Switzerland, on February 5, 2003, by the United
Nations Secretary General to mark the opening of the Second
Global Summit on Peace. The gong has also been used at the
opening of important international events around the world.
Laos is the third country to receive the replica of the world
peace gong from the World Peace Committee of Indonesia after
China in 2004 and India in 2006.
The gong is two metres in diametre, made of bronze, weighing
150 kilogrammes. It is expected to be presented to Laos in a
formal ceremony in March.
At the cordial talks, Mr Santany said that the presentation of
the World Peace Gong was to appreciate Laos’ contribution to
the safeguarding of political stability and security in the
region by promoting and strengthening friendly ties with
neighbouring countries. At the same time, Laos has also
accomplished the national defence and construction, which
ensures peace, security, political socio-economic stability in
the country, and also strengthens the unity among its ethnic
people and ensures the national development in the future.
Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun expressed thanks to Mr Santany
and highly valued the delegation of the World Peace Committee
of Indonesia that saw the Laos’ advance and significant
national development of the Lao Government over the past 30 years.
“Peace and stability may not be achieved if a country does not
enjoy national unity and has no correct and fair foreign
policy based on the five principles of peaceful co-existence,”
added the Lao Deputy Prime Minister.
Now Laos has maintained diplomatic relations with 126
countries worldwide, been members of various international
organisations, and signed many international treaties
considered as a great contribution to the maintenance of world
peace.

Interpreting regional trade integration

(KPL) The Ministry of Commerce and Industry organised the
Enhance-integrated Framework (IF) Regional Workshop for Asian
Least Developed Countries on 22-24 January in Vientiane.
The workshop was chaired by Vice Minister of Commerce and
Industry Khemmany Pholsena. Attending the function were also
Australian Ambassador to Laos Michelle Foster and the
representatives from 10 ASEAN member countries and
international donors.
Laos joined the IF family in 2004 and over a four-year period
we have made tremendous efforts in raising profile of trade
and mainstreaming trade in our National Socio-Economic
Development Plan, said Mrs Khemmany.
“Trade has been indicated in our six National socio-economic
development plan as a key channel for Laos to combat poverty
and stimulate its economic growth,” Mrs Khemmany.
The government of Laos’ Diagnostic Trade Integrated Study
(DTIS) was validated in September 2006. The study identifies
key obstacles challenging Laos in expanding trade and export
opportunities to international markets.

Japan backs UXO Laos

(KPL) The Government of Japan has agreed to provide 2.6
billion kip to the UXO Laos for its unexploded ordnance
clearance activities in the southern provinces of Saravane,
Sekong and Attopeu.
The signing ceremony on financial assistance was held here on
24 January between the Director of UXO Laos Bounpone Sayasen
and Japanese Ambassador to Laos Massaaki Miyashita.
The signing was witnessed by Minister of Labour and Social
Welfare Mrs. Onechanh Thammavong and officials concerned.
The minister highly valued the Japan’s assistance over the
past years, constituting significant contribution to the UXO
clearance plan of the Lao PDR to improve the living conditions
of ethnic Lao people.
Japan is one of the most significant donors for the UXO
clearance in Laos.
Since 1997, Japan has provided financial assistance of 4.3
million US dollars to Laos for its efforts of UXO clearance in
Xiengkhouang, Saravane, Xekong and Attopeu provinces.
UXO Laos was established in 1996 with assistance from the
United Nations, international organisations and other friendly
countries.
So far UXOs have been cleared from 11,865 ha.

Sekong satisfied with diarrhoea control measure

(KPL) 80 % of health related activities have been achieved to
ease diarrhoea outbreak, which has killed three and suffered
362 people, according to the deputy governor of Sekong
Phonephet Khiewlavong.
Mr Phonephet said on Tuesday the outbreak of diarrhoea took
place in mid December last year and has been suffering 30
villages of two districts Lamam and Thataeng.
The people have been suffered from diarrhoea due to consuming
dirty water, said Mr. Phonephet.
Early this month, the National Assembly represented by its
members Dr. Thongphanh Chanthalanon and Dr. Phonethep Pholsena
also presented relief package to the victims of the disease,
including money, medicines, clothes and nutrition.
The delegation also urged the local people to pay their
attention to sanitation activities and be aware of the danger
of diseases.

Over 100 cubic metres of illegal logs seized

(KPL) Lao economic police in collaboration with the Vientiane
Commerce Department have cracked down some illegal timber
traders with some number of illegal logs and wood processing
about 100 cubic meters.
The operation has been conducted over six months of last
years, quoted by the Vientiane Commerce Department.
Illegal logging still remains a serious problem in Laos, even
though the government issued a measure to ban logs export for
the past years. But some of disobedient traders ignore the
measure, said unnamed Lao economic police.
The Vientiane Commerce Department has recently revealed that
since half of last years, Lao economic police and commercial
officials had seized more than 100 cubic meters, mostly are
rare woods such as Dalbergia cultrate (locally known as
doulai), agar-woods worth around 10 billion kip, which were
brought from rural areas.
Mr Leuansay Sitthideth, head of Vientiane Domestic Commerce
Department said that some 32 people who involved in illegal
log trade were charged they were fined for almost 449 million
kip under the law of Lao PDR. In addition wrongdoers are still
also educated and signed in behavioral-controlling document to
guarantee themselves that next time they may not do again.
The density of Lao forests has fallen to 35 per cent in 2008
from 70 per cent in 1860 and 47 per cent in 1992.

Drafting of water supply law under way

(KPL) The Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Laos held
here on 22-23 January a meeting to discuss drafting the first
water supply law under the chairmanship of Dr Somphone
Dethoudom, Vice President of Science and Technique Council of
the said ministry.
Water supply is very necessary and related to daily living
condition of ethnic people in both urban and rural areas, and
legal instruments to control, develop and expand water supply
system is needed, said Dr Somphone.
The water supply, which is being drafted, is also to promote
the investment of both domestic and foreign businesses to
ensure sufficient water supply nation-wide reducing the
poverty of Lao ethnic people according to the policies and
directions of the party and government of the Lao PDR.

Second Environment Ministerial Meeting planned in Vientiane

(KPL) The Second Environment Ministerial Meeting will be
scheduled between 28-30 January in Vientiane Capital, to
centre on how ongoing cooperation under the Greater Mekong
Sub-region (GMS) Economic Cooperation Programme can more
effectively address environmental issues in the GMS.
The event will be attended by the Environment Minister from
Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
The meeting is being facilitated by the Asia Development Bank
under the theme of “Sustainable Natural Resource Use for
Economic Development” and will focus on joint efforts to
tackle rural poverty, protect shared natural resources and the
issue of climate change.
The meeting will review progress under the USD 24,97 million
GMS Core Environment Programme (CEP) and its flagship
component the Bio diversity Conservation Corridors initiative
(BCI). The CEP is one of the largest and most ambitious
transboundary environmental programmes in the region and was
initiated in early 2006.The full three-day programme comprises
three major sections. These include the actual meeting of the
Environment Minister, and Environment Forum with a
presentation and discussions on the topic of “Good Environment
for Good Business”, and an Eco-Exhibition running concurrently
over the three days. This Exhibition will showcase
environmental friendly equipment, technologies, systems, and
procedures from the public and private sectors from around the
world.
The Asian Development Bank is headquartered in Manila, the
Philippines and is a multilateral development finance
institution owned by 67 members with 48 being from the region
and 19 from other parts of the world. ADB’s vision is a region
free of poverty and mission is to help its developing member
countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life.
The Core Environment Program is a long-term programme, funded
through the ADB and being implemented under the GMS Economic
Cooperation Programme with a long-term goal of poverty free
and ecologically rich GMS. Its implementation is coordinated
by the Environment Operation Centre Located in Bangkok,
Thailand. .

Director General of Irrigation Department boosts dry season
cultivation in Sayaboury province

(KPL) Dr. Khamphat Soulinphoumy, Director General of the
Irrigation Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,
and his team visited on 18 January the northern province of
Sayaboury to boost the agricultural production and dry season
cultivation.
During the visit, Dr. Khamphat made the guidance visit to the
30ha agricultural production station, the information center
on agriculture and forestry of the Sayaboury province.
The center established in 1992 to produce and demonstrate the
planting of 300 species of rice.
The most outstanding rice seeds planted in this center
included Thadokkham 1, Namtan 1 and Kokor 10 which is able to
yield 5 tone a hectare.
The 30 hectare agricultural production station has more than
39ha of cultivation areas in which 15 ha is rice field, 2
hectare of fish pond, 3 hectare of building areas.
Dr. Khamphat also visited and inspected the Namtan irrigation
construction project of Phieng district, and Ban Houydone
irrigation construction project of Sayaboury district.

Xiengkhouang gains 20 billion kip from tourism

(KPL) Xiengkhouang province raked in around 20 billion kip
from tourism last year, increased by 10% over the year before,
has said the director of the tourism service of the province
Khampheth Phommaduangkaysone.
Xiengkhouang welcomed over 25,000 visitors last year, said Mr
Khampheth.
This year, the province aims to attract as much as 28,000
tourists, increased by 10% over last year’s figure.
Although the province has 93 tourist sites, only 34 of them
have been developed and introduced to visitors and the
province still lacks money to tap the rest tourist potentials,
especially by building roads accessing them, said Mr Khampheth.
Some 5,900 ancient jars have been discovered in seven villages
and these ancient articles are being considered by UNESCO for
announced them as the world heritage of Laos.

Nane’s export to reach 5 bln kip this year

(KPL) Nane district, Luang Prabang province, aims to increase
the value of exports to 5.5 billion kip this 2007-2008 fiscal
year, said the Head of Commerce and Industry Office of Nane
district, Mr. Bounthanh Sisombath.
The official said its exports would be mainly composed of
agricultural produces, including maize, Job’s tears, rice,
animals and non-timber forest produces.
In the first quarter of this fiscal year, the district has
earned 3.57 billion kip from the export of two tonnes of Job’s
tears, 737 tonnes of maize, four tonnes of sesame, 83 tonnes
of rice and 69 cattle.
Last year the district raked in over 5.14 billion kip from
exports and spent almost 1.95 billion kip on imports of
construction materials, agricultural machinery and household
utensils.

Thai National Olympic Committee donates fitness equipment to Laos

(KPL) The Thai National Olympic Committee on 22 January
presented fitness equipment to the Lao National Olympic Committee.
The equipment will be fixed in the National Sports Training
Centre for strengthening Lao athletes in preparation for the
25th South East ASEAN Games, 2009 which will be hosted by Laos.
The centre, which is under construction with an investment of
650 million kip, is located at Sikeuth village, Nasaithong
district, Vientiane capital.
The equipment was presented by the President of the Thai
National Olympic Committee Gen. Yudthasack Sasipapha to the
minister to Prime Minister’s Office and also president of the
Lao National Sports Committee Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom. The
presentation was witnessed by officials concerned of both sides.

Nan and Kasy Road to be renovated in four years

(KPL) District of Nan, Luang Prabang province, has announced
its improvement of road connecting Kasy district, Vientiane
province, which will be carried out by the Triangle Economic
Development Co,. with an investment of 28 million dollars,
will complete in the next four years.
The signing an agreement on the improvement project between
the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and The Triangle
Economic Development Co,. signatories to the agreement were Mr
Inpong Sudkhavong from the Ministry of Public Works and
Transport, and Mr Bounthan Sithsouvong the director of the
company among the witness of concerned officials of both sides.
The 68-km road is to be built with asphalt-double-surface to
facilitate the transportation between the provinces Vientiane
Capital, Sayaboury and Luang Prabang.
__._,_.___

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu