1. Hinboune Bridge To Be Completed Soon  
2. Laos, FAO Agree On Food Security Program  
3. Maize Growth Market    
4. The Wait For Projected Benefits  
5. Lao Exports Go Up A Level 
6. Rehabilitation For Nam Ngum-I Hydropower Station 
7. Road Renovation In Xieng Khouang 
8. Thai Prime Minister Visited Laos 
9. Laos, Vietnam Promote Trade Relations
10. Relation With Thailand Still Hampered By Border Demarcation Issues 
11. Mennonites Support Primary Health Care 
12. JICA PIDP Team Flies In From Japan 
13. German Aid Saves Ancient Lao Manuscripts 
14. ADB To Help Alleviate Lao Poverty  
15. South Korean Contribution To Lao Education 
16. Three Billion Yen Aid Package 
17. SFL Decks Out Mahosot 
18. French Aid Goes To Urban Development And Teacher Training  
19. UXO Clearing Deemed Viable  
20. “Affections”, Enlightening Lamps And Paintings At Tshop Lai Gallery 
21. Savannakhet Reviews UXO Operation 
22. Fiberglass Riverboats Set To Make Waves 
23. Expats Moved By Pace Of Progress 
24. Lao Taekwondo Kicks Out In Thailand 

LAOS, FAO AGREE ON FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry signed an agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for two special programs entitled “ Food Security” and “ Cooperation between Laos, Vietnam and Japan.”

The agreement was signed by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sithaheng Lasaphon and Mr. Tsukasa Kimoto, Representative of FAO. The two projects will operate on 12 sites, in 12 districts in five provinces, targeting about 1,750 families, which have been identified as key production units in Laos.

The project started this year and will finish in 2005 at a cost of more than US$2.5 million, funded by the Japanese government and FAO. The project aims to bolster government policies relating to food security and to reduce the dire poverty faced by many in Laos.

The project aims to improve water systems, farming areas, permanent settlements and other social and economic challenges faced by Laos. 

The components of the project are improved water systems and improved farming areas, and focus on permanent employment. Also discussed were improving the promotion of integrated farming, and studying difficulties of socio-economic development in this sector.
 

MAIZE GROWTH MARKET 

Ban Konkan, Bolikhamsay province is populated by 1,057 people and as 75,000 ha of land suitable for cultivation. Of this area, over 34,000 ha is used for planting maize. An average hectare can produce six tones of maize per year. People in the province are experiencing a rapid increase in income.

Land in Ban Konkan is very useful so it is important for people in the province to practice cultivation, especially by planting maize. Besides this Huay Yang is suitable for building irrigation systems that can supply water to more than 300 ha. The province also has a road to Thailand and economic production areas in Paklay district and Konkan district.

The villagers of Ban Konkan about 568 people cultivate maize and rice as permanent jobs. This year they focus on planting maize on 34,239 ha over which one hectare can harvest six tones. The province could plant maize amounting to a massive 1,695 tones if everything went according to plan.
 
 

THE WAIT FOR PROJECTED BENEFITS 

The people of Khammuan province are currently waiting to reap the benefits from two big projects, namely Road No 12 and the Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project.
The people expect that both projects will bring wonderful benefits to their businesses and to the country's economic development. The projects are very important contributions in the struggle to upgrade the quality of life of people in urban and rural areas. They have also created many favorable conditions, which facilitate progress in developing villages.

Construction on the new Road No 12 is well underway. The road will become a vital artery in the province linking rural and urban areas. After the completion remote communities will be able to trade with urban people and other provinces.  Agricultural produce will be more easily transportable and various commodities will be also possible after the construction of this road. 

 The people will not only the advantages of comfortable transportation and communication from the new road but the artery will be an important part of the push for development many economic sectors including agriculture, handicrafts and industrial production. Commercial production on the family level will boom and the roadsides will become the hubs of trade and social life.

Building important pieces of infrastructure such as hydropower dams will contribute to the development of villages bring improvements to remote areas in order to reduce the poverty problem. This is the strategic plan of the Government. The Nam Theun 2  (NT2) hydropower project has so far been unable to start construction. Provincial authorities and experts have conducted environmental impact surveys and are currently moving villagers out of the planned flood area. The project awaits a final agreement between the Thai  and Lao governments. This project is something that local people have been waiting for in recent years. 
 
 

LAO EXPORTS GO UP A LEVEL 

At present the number of goods made in Laos for export is increase especially in the coffee industry, which is presently exporting to more than ten countries. Laos is lucky in that its temperate climate makes it an ideal coffee production area and the popularity of Lao coffee is quickly catching on overseas.

Agricultural products in Houaphanh, Sayaboury and Luang Prabang provinces including soybean, maize, cotton, sesame, sweet tamarind and other kinds of beans are being exported for sale in Thailand and Vietnam.

Cotton is also being export to China and Japan.

Other goods including bananas and  cardamoms have growing export potential but as yet have not broken into international markets. Goods in the handicraft industry have also displayed their importance for internal markets in recent years. Tourists and fans of Lao culture and tradition have contributed to the growth of the handicrafts industry in the recent past. Tourists and foreign expatriates living in Laos love to dress up in local cultural garments and adorn their houses with traditional Lao items. At Lao ceremonies such as weddings and Bacis one will always see a number
of foreigners doing their best to fit in by wearing local clothes and trying out the local language. The contributions, both economic and cultural, made by these people are invaluable for the development of Lao social life.

 The push is still on to increase Lao exports and to reduce the need for imported goods. Once adequate levels of exportation have been reached inflation will stabilize the kip will become a strong international currency. The Government is currently propping up the agricultural sector with its buy-back policy in an attempt to support the growth of the industry.
 
 
 

REHABILITATION FOR NAM NGUM-I HYDROPOWER STATION 

A study team from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Electric Du Laos (EDL) have recently agreed to go ahead with the Nam-Ngum I hydropower station rehabilitation project.

The minutes of discussion were signed by the General Director of the Electricity Department, General Director of EDL and JICA team leader. 

The Nam-Ngum I hydropower station, supplying electricity to Vientiane and the central region, was first constructed in 1971 with two units. The internals of water turbines have been damaged, various parts of the turbines have been deteriorated and generator starter windings have showed some indications of their looseness due to thirty years of aging.

According to the minutes of discussion agreed between JICA and the EDL, this year, JICA is conducting a basic study with the aim of future long term operation of the units No l and 2, by making restorations of their technical performance, reliability and safety.
 
 

ROAD RENOVATION IN XIENG KHOUANG

The mountainous province of Xieng Khouang is busy with road renovation projects to facilitate road communication within the province and between it and the rest of the country. The work is expected to be completed next year.

The ongoing US$ 64.5 million projects include the 87km Sala Phou Khune-Meuang Soui Road, the 49 km Meuang Soui-Phonsavanh town Road, the 131km road between the provincial capital of Phonsavanh and the Lao-Vietnamese border, and the 31 km road between the new and old capitals of this mountainous province, Phonsavanh and Khoune. Of the funding for the projects, US$ 50 million are loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

This was disclosed on June 8 by the chief of the Communication, Transport, Post and Construction Service of Xieng Khouang province.

The official stated that these projects started in 1998 and now 70-75 percent achieved. The third project was won by a Vietnamese contractor
CEI while the rest are being undertaken by two Chinese contractors.

Apart from these strategic roads, this northern province is concentrating on building secondary roads in the township of Phonsavanh, totaling more than 100 km. And two other projects are in the process of bidder selection. These roads, to be valued at US$ 1million, include the 53 km secondary road between Meaung Khoune and Ngane area, and a road between Meuang Khoune and Nathome. The construction of the last two roads is expected to commence by the end of this year. The chief of the road renovation projects expressed satisfaction over the smooth progress of the construction, both in terms of engineers and personnel, and the close care over the construction by the higher authorities.

Xieng Khouang has more than 200 km of paved roads and almost every district in the province is accessible via year-round roads. Mork district is the only exception. It is accessible by road only in the dry season.
 
 

THAI PRIME MINISTER VISITED LAOS

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra promised Laos that Thailand would not allow unruly groups to use its territory to ignite unrest in neighboring countries. He promised that Thailand would also cooperate with Laos by returning 28 bandits, who escaped to Thailand after attacking and robbing Champassak's Vang Tao-Chong Mek border checkpoint in July last year. In addition, border demarcation procedures will be accelerated and completed during his term in government.

The Thai Prime Minister arrived in Vientiane on June 13 for a two-day official visit to Laos. During his visit the Thai Prime Minister and his delegation met with Lao Prime Minister Bounyang Vorachit During the ensuing meeting between the two leaders many issues were discussed, including cooperation on political security, economic cooperation, communication, border demarcation and drug issues. Cooperation in these areas is aimed at strengthening the relationship of cooperation between the two countries.

Concerning the return of the Vang Tao Chong Mek bandits, the Thai Prime Minister said: "Now that the matter of the checkpoint bandits is making its way through the legal process, we can cooperate with Laos on this issue. If the legal process allows us to, we will implement various strategies in order to show our intent to cooperate in efforts to rid the region of bad groups".

He added that both sides should cooperate by receiving and providing information to disrupt the activities of these destructive groups. Besides talking about security issues, the Thai Prime Minister also confirmed that his country would accelerate the process of border demarcation between the two countries. The demarcation of the land border should be completed in 2002 and the river border by 2003.

At the meeting, Lao leaders also proposed that Thailand accept Lao goods to sell in Thailand, because Thailand had already agreed to accept 23 types of Lao agricultural goods to sell in Thailand, but has not yet implemented the agreement. Thailand has subsequently asked Laos to submit the proposed goods to the upcoming meeting of finance ministers of ASEAN. The old ASEAN member countries will give preferences and tax exemptions to the exports of the new ASEAN Members including Laos. The meeting will be held in Thailand soon.
In the area of communications cooperation, Thailand is also interested in aiding the construction of road No 9 from the second Mekong Friendship bridge in Savannakhet province providing access to Vietnam and the road running through the northern part of Laos from Thailand to China. This road is currently being developed with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Thailand and China have also agreed to help in the completion of this project

Thai electricity purchases from Laos were also brought up for discussion at the meeting. The two sides agreed to continue implementing their current agreement together by giving responsibility to the concerned sectors of  the two countries. In addition, the two Prime Ministers also agreed to cooperate on drug prevention and elimination  Lao Prime Minister Bounyang Vorichit accepted an invitation to attend a high-level meeting among China, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand to be hosted by China. Laos also expressed its intent to solve the drug issue by cooperating with Thailand and other regional neighbors. The Lao government plans to eliminate the production of opium by the year 2005.

After the meeting Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called on President Khamtay Siphandone. President Khamtay Siphandone said that he appreciated the official visit of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and told the Thai Premier that he wanted the two governments to cooperate to the profit of both the peoples of Laos and Thailand. He said that there is no reason why the two countries cannot understand each other, because Laos and Thailand share similar languages, religions and cultures. Consequently the relationship between Laos and Thailand should be a model for other countries.
 
 

LAOS, VIETNAM PROMOTE TRADE RELATIONS 

Laos and Vietnam have agreed to reduce import-export duties to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The agreement came after talks held in Vientiane by a visiting Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Trade and his Lao counterpart.

The two sides agreed to reduce import and export taxes for goods traded between the two countries, set up a Vietnam-Laos joint venture on trading fuel, promote the building of a Vietnamese trade center in Vientiane, and open the doors wider for Lao items to be introduced and sold in Hanoi. Vietnam also agreed to help train Lao personnel in international trade.
 
 

RELATION WITH THAILAND STILL HAMPERED BY BORDER DEMARCATION ISSUES

Apart from the port extension project in Chiang Rai, Laos and Thailand are still at odds concerning border problems at different places, particularly due to the non-conformity between the Franco- Siamese maps and the real border. This is owing to the fact that Thailand has caused a number of problems along the border."
This statement was made on June 15 by Colonel Bouasieng Champaphanh, Director of the Military Science Department, Ministry of National Defense, and President of the Lao-Thai General Border Security Sub-Committee.

The Colonel pointed to the construction of a large Buddha image on a ridge on the borderline in the area between the Phabong cliff, Parktha district in Bokeo province, and Wiang Kaen district in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province. He noted the land clearance and construction of a tourist attraction called the "Phu Chee Fah" Park on a mountain. This area serves as a watershed between the Nam Ngeun Border Checkpoint in Sayaboury's Ngeun district, and Thailand's Houai Konh province. The park is being constructed by the Phu Chee Fah Lignite Company.

The officer mentioned another case in the area of the Vang Tao-Chong Mek Border Checkpoint between Champassak province, and Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province, where a settlement has been built, stretching into Lao territory near Thong Nongboua village. The activities at the site include land clearance for the construction of a reservoir and the bulldozing of a ridge, which causes flooding in the area and presents many difficulties for inspection teams, added the officer.

These were some problems raised by Colonel Bouasieng Champaphanh in an interview with local media.

After touching on the suspension to the river port extension in Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand, Colonel Bouasieng Chardpaphanh concluded that he hoped to see a constructive act from Thailand to meet the aspirations of the leaders of the two countries. Both countries wish to mark out a borderline along the Mekong River, a river of peace, friendship and cooperation.
 
 
 
 

MENNONITES SUPPORT PRIMARY HEALTH CARE 

The Mennonite Central Committee has agreed to provide assistance for a primary health care project in Sangthong district, Vientiane municipality.

A Memorandum of Understanding to implement the project was signed on May at the Health Service of Vientiane municipality by the Menonite representative and Health Service Head of Vientiane municipality. 

The project aims to provide wide and effective primary health care services for the poor in this district, covering 19 villages in remote areas. The total amount of US$ 105,400 will be spent in the 2001-2004 period. 
 
 
 

JICA PIDP TEAM FLIES IN FROM JAPAN

A terminal Evaluation Team forming part of the long-running JICA Pediatric Infectious Disease Prevention Project PIDP visits Laos in order to report on the activities of Japanese experts who have been supporting the project in-country. The team hopes to learn lessons for future activities by evaluating PIDP project activities that have been running for the past two and a half-year period.

The team, headed by General Director of the Bureau of International Cooperation, International Medical Center of Japan, consists of four evaluation experts. The team conducted evaluation and research activities with a JICA Project Cycle Management (JPMC) framework.

After their arrival, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Health to see Minister Dr Ponmek Dalaloy, and discussed and exchanged opinions with him about the current state of health care in Laos. During the meeting, the Minister mentioned the activities of the PIDP project saying that the JICA PIDP project has made a huge contribution to the eradication of Polio, and the improvement of mother and child health care.

The evaluation team conducted its research activities by visiting several counterpart organizations and institutes such as the National Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Department, the Central Surveillance Unit, the Center for Mother and Child Health, and the Center for Health Information and Education. The team aims to discuss progress directly with Lao counterparts before measuring the input, activities, and overall goals of both quantitative and qualitative research activities.

The team held an evaluation workshop and a joint Coordinating Committee Meeting was also held. At this meeting Lao medical experts gave a self-evaluation of the project activities and achievements together with JICA PIDP experts, and WHO and UNICEF representatives.

.
 

GERMAN AID SAVES ANCIENT LAO MANUSCRIPTS

The Embassy of Germany and the Ministry of Information and Culture made the much talked about Manuscript Preservation Program a continuing reality when German Ambassador Christian Berger and Head of the Office of the Ministry of Information and Culture signed an agreement to grant funds totaling DM 239,000 in support of the Program.

The Lao Manuscript Preservation Program will continue for a period of eight to ten years, and this new donation will be used to organize a training course on manuscript preservation. 

Every year the Lao Manuscript Preservation Program holds a seminar to give local cultural and archeological workers the chance to understand survey work, and cultural encouragement. The program also promotes the role of Buddhist organizations in the preservation of the nation’s literary history.

The seminar is a place where those concerned with cultural preservation can exchange ideas and ask the Ministry of Information and Culture questions about this valuable area of national development. 

The Lao Manuscript Preservation Program has been running for nine years and survey work related to the program has been conducted in two provinces every year. The program runs into many difficulties, especially in the rainy season when road conditions are bad, moisture is high and the program itself slows down significantly. 

After the ten-year manuscript preservation program is completed working results and continued areas of investigation will be handed over to the national library under the auspices of the Ministry of Information and Culture. In the future the program will focus on the developmental state of national information and culture services and strive to turn them into modern services for all provinces in the country. 
 

ADB TO HELP ALLEVIATE LAO POVERTY 
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has greed to further provide funding assistance to Laos.

This was confirmed by the ADB President during his meeting with a Lao delegation of finance and banking headed by Deputy Finance Minister. The Deputy Minister led the delegation to participate in the annual conference of ADB Governor held in Honolulu in the USA. 

The conference looked at the implementation of the ADB assistance policy to member countries. It endorsed the ADB’s activities over the last year. In addition, the conference touched upon the basic strategy for poverty alleviation of member countries from now until 2015.

The Lao delegation presented its report to the conference on government efforts to alleviate poverty, which have so far received financial support from international agencies. 

The Lao delegation met with the ADB president and submitted a request for funding for development in the future.

The ADB President said that his organization would continue to provide assistance to Laos, and that he planned to visit Laos in the near future
 
 

SOUTH KOREAN CONTRIBUTION TO LAO EDUCATION

The assistance of South Korean investment company, the YJ Corporation, has helped usher in a new era for students in Ban Phonsavad Neua. 

The construction of Ban Phonsavad Neua Primary School offers hope for students who require only the means to attend a quality education. 

The construction project will facilitate the progress of public education, assisting both teachers and students who wish to gain knowledge. 

The corporation will invest a fund of US$ 40,000 and the construction will run for 150 days, ending in August. This school building will have five rooms containing facilities and equipment. The experienced Sichaleuan Construction Company has responded to the construction contract.

In traditional Lao style, a Baci ceremony was held for both the donator, YJC, and the receiver. Miraculously, during the ceremony local people found a small snake in the construction site. The discovery is believed to be good luck for the construction and locals look forward to a quality education. 

The YJ has an export license for forestry, agriculture and wood products and looks forward to expanding its transport business sooner or later. It is participating in a cooperative project with the Lao Government. 
The company has shown its interest in the development of Lao education and proven that assistance does not only come from the NGO sector, but from the private sector as well. 

The company is based in the South Korean capital, Seoul and its activities include a sizable distribution business. It has experience in the fields of installation and works hard to promote and develop local Lao businesses. Moreover, the company was quick to make the move to Laos because it was sure that the future of the Lao economy will be bright. The company is a model example of the attractive business prospects in Laos currently being realized by foreign investors.
 
 

THREE BILLION YEN AID PACKAGE 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a signing ceremony for two aid projects provided by the Government of Japan.

The first project was for the improvement of the National Road No.9 (Phase 2) worth over three billion yen. The second was a project for Cultural Aid worth over 43 million yen.

The total amount of the aid granted by the Japanese Government amounted to over three billion yen, roughly the same as US$ 27 million.

The Project for the improvement of the National Road No.9 (Phase 2) involves the reconstruction of 60 kms of the National Road No.9 from Phalan District to Phinh District. According to the planning process, this project will be completed in March 2004.

The project for Cultural Aid aims to improve National Television programs. 

These two projects have been extended to the Lao Government and people by Japan as a contribution to the construction of infrastructure for the improvement of the socio-economic development of Laos.

Signatories to the agreement were Mr. Phongsavath Boupha Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and on behalf of the Government of Japan His Excellency Mr. Yoshinori Miyamoto, Ambassador of Japan to Laos. 
 
 
 

SFL DECKS OUT MAHOSOT 

The Sante France-Laos (SFL) has recently donated medical equipment worth about US$ 430,000 to Mahosot Hospital to be used for various departmental purposes. Among the extensive haul of medical hardware were electrocardiograms, fibroscopes and other state-of-the art equipment, which will go to various departments in the hospital.

The medical equipment was handed over to Hospital Director Dr. Chanpheng Thammavong by Chairman of the SFL Dr. Alphonse Pluquailec. This is the fourth time that SFL has been good enough to grant the hospital equipment. The Director said that SLF and Mahosot Hospital have been cooperating since the founding of the SLF three years ago. The SLF is the local arm of the French-based Lao Doctors’ Association. 

The Chairman also noted that the SLF is not only an organization for Lao doctors but for many years has included some of the most prestigious French surgeons in its ranks. The organization has 300 members and strives for excellency and good health. 

The equipment comes in very handy for local surgeons trying to conducts extensive operations on mangled patients without the benefits of modern sedatives or the ability to make neat, good quality incisions. The SFL also conducts various nurse-training courses for local Lao medical workers keen to upgrade their skills.
 
 
 

FRENCH AID GOES TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHER TRAINING

The Nabong Faculty, part of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, along with Luang Prabang province's protected zones, will receive a healthy assistance package thanks to the wonderful people at the French Development Agency.

Mrs. Khempheng Pholsena, Deputy Minister to the PM's Office, signed two agreements with Mr. Jean-Luc Bordin, Director of the French Development Agency in Vientiane (FDA). The two agreements are worth approximately US$ 7.5 million.

These two grants have raised the FDA’s commitments in Laos to US$ 35.7 million. Of this money, euro 5.5 million will help the financing of the urban development project in the Luang Prabang protected sector. The project will include the development of 10 urban villages in three priority areas of the protected sector. Contracts will be negotiated between the villages and the urban development authorities.

The money will also help rehabilitate and promote public buildings, urban markets and remarkable sites with the aim of protecting world heritage and developing economic activities. The project also hopes to improve drainage and sanitation, electricity and public lighting, and road and traffic networks. It will also support the capacity building of local institutions including villages, urban development administrative authorities, and the heritage house.

The financing of the assistance to the Nabong Faculty, at over euro 3 million, will allow 
the complementary training of teachers, especially for the “Bachelor of Sciences" degree.

The fund will also help set up new pedagogical tools in Lao language and the expansion of documents in the library. It will support the harmonization of all the agricultural courses in the country. It will provide new buildings to face up to the numbers of students and supply pedagogical and laboratory equipment. 
 
 
 

UXO CLEARING DEEMED VIABLE

A recent UN-commissioned report has singled out Laos’ national de-mining agency UXO Lao for its cost effectiveness and social viability amongst mine action programs around the world. The study released on May 8 in Geneva by the International Center for Humanitarian Demining, found that the clearance of unexploded ordinance in Laos was justified on economic grounds alone, an that the future social benefits of clearing bomb-ridden land already justify the heavy costs of initiating the program.

Last year, the cost of clearing one hectare of UXO contaminated land in Laos was US$3400, well below the accepted break-even point of US$4000. Until now, most demining programs have been concerned with the numbers of mines destroyed, and the area in square meters cleared. This study shows that the impact on people’s lives, rather than the sheer number of bombs, should decide the viability of mine action programs.

UXO Lao was established in 1996 to conduct humanitarian demining operations in what is one of the world’s most heavily bombed countries. During the Indochina War from 1964 to 1973, the United States launched 580,224 bombing missions over Laos, dropping more than 2 million tons of ordinance. Experts estimate that 30 percent of those bombs failed to detonate and today remain scattered throughout the country. To date, UXO Lao has cleared 1,840 hectares of land for agriculture and development purposes.  The recent positive news gives a boost to UXO Lao’s efforts to secure international donor funding. UXO Lao’s management structure has been applauded for its effectiveness.
 
 
 

“AFFECTIONS”, ENLIGHTENING LAMPS AND INSPIRING PAINTINGS AT TSHOP LAI GALLERY

Inspired by the wealth of local architecture, Sean Ramsay, an American sculptor moved to Luang Prabang in early 1999. After months of experimentation with self taught techniques, he began focusing solely on lamp art, and using Sa paper as the primary material. This is a durable, handmade paper which is produce throughout Asia and made from the bark of mulberry trees.

For the structural ideas of his pieces, Sean incorporates the large variety of architectural styles found in Laos including Chinese, French, Portugese, and Thai.

All of his pieces are made with an original collapsible design, which is inspired by the old wooden Lao houses making his work smaller and safer for transport. Each piece also includes its own custom built box.

While in Luang Prabang, Sean voluntarily taught various art skills to several local residents and also aided in the opening of two Lao owned galleries. Though he has finally moved from the city, he hopes to have left behind a legacy of creativity in a place which so greatly inspired him.
Though he has previously shown his work in various places, “Affections” is his first comprehensive exhibition and includes a full range of the influence and techniques he derived in Laos. 

Kagets, a Japanese artist, first came to Laos in 1999 to prepare for an exhibition of drawing, she was having in Tokyo. Feeling that the drawings couldn’t completely express the emotions Laos created in her, she returned to Luang Prabang a few weeks later and set up a small painting studio.

In order to fully understand her subject, Kagets spent much of her time learning Lao customs and beliefs. She always participated in Luang Prabang’s various celebrations and rituals, and tried to become an accepted member of the community. It was until she had completed understanding of Lao culture, could she properly convey her emotion on to canvas? Having been brought up with Buddhism in rural Japan, she expresses many parallels in her painting between local beliefs and her own childhood.

In the two years she spent in Laos, Kagets has painted and drawn dozens of pictures, however, the works in “Affections” represent her closet connections with the Lao culture and lifestyle. This is also her first major exhibition in South East Asia
 
 
 

SAVANNAKHET REVIEWS UXO OPERATION

Savannakhet province held a conference to review and draw lessons from the operation of its unexploded ordinance clearance projects. 

The meeting drew the attendance of representatives of the Lao National UXO Program (UXO LAO), coordinating officials of the provincial UXO project, technical officials, and UXO operation teams from the four districts of Phine, Sepone, Nong and Viraboury.

The meeting reviewed the past UXO operations and planned for future operations in this central province. The review covered organizational aspects, team responsibility, and the technical application of instruments and tools.

According to a UXO LAO report, from 1964 to 1973, Laos suffered from the heaviest aerial bombardment in world history. During this period, over 500,000 bombing missions were launched. In the course of the bombings, more than two million tons of ordinance were dropped on Lao territory.

More than 20 years after the end of the war in 1975, UXO still affects the provinces of Attopeu, Borikhamsay, Champassak, Houaphanh, Khammouane, Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha, Phongsaly, Saravane, Savannakhet, Sekong, Vientiane, and Xieng Khouang. According to a survey on the socio-economic impact of UXO in Laos, 86 out of the 133 districts of the whole country are reportedly continuing to experience UXO contamination. 
 
 
 

FIBERGLASS RIVERBOATS SET TO MAKE WAVES 

The Laha Company has built two new fiberglass boats equipped with powerful "Mercury" engines. The new high quality boats have been built to international standards while their price stands at half that of imported boats. All investors and engineering staff involved in the project are Lao while the design engineer has extensive ship building experience with US yacht company.

The Laha Company manufactures and sells speedboats, showers and bathtubs to customers in Savannakhet province. Recently, the company completed building two sports boats and two travel yachts. One of the sports boats was exhibited for the citizens of Vientiane municipality.

Director Bounthong who is also the owner of Thongsavanxay garment factory and Lahasinh textile company collaborated with a Lao expatriate living in the US to create this company. Design Engineer Song Phonsana has worked for more than ten years with the US boat company S2 Yachts. Both were born in Lahanam village, Songkhone district, Savannakhet province. In a show of patriotism for the homeland the company has named its products “Laha.”

During a boat exhibition at Km 4, Thadeua road, Song Phonsana explained that the new "Laha Sport' yacht had been transported to Vientiane for the viewing pleasure of national leaders and local citizens considering a purchase but having no time to go to Savannakhet. The boat was fixed with a US brand "Mercury” engine. The vessel can carry at seven people. The engine is a stout 90 horsepower piece of equipment, which can propel the vessel a gutsy 75 kilometers per hour. The fuel tank can carry 100 liters of oil.

The Laha Sport is equipped with a radar, which can view objects in front of the vessel at a range of 50 meters. The radar can decipher the position of rocks, the water depth and even pick up schools of fish. Also included in the boat's hardware are indexes to indicate the battery level, counter, rate of rounds of the engine and the running balance. The boat has automatic water drainage to prevent flooding from rain and its flexible shape can prevent damage from large Mekong waves. The driver simply presses the ignition button and the engine fires up. The boat's circuit network will be cut automatically in case of a power surge.

Mr. Song said, "the boat has a spotlight for running at night-and an alarm light for use as a police patrol vehicle or for indicating a distress signal. The sports boats are multi-purpose vessels. Rifles can be fixed on the sides and the vessel can be used as a border patrol boat. This hardware also makes a good cruise boat for tourism. The vessel has many places to stand bottles and glasses of beer. The boat comes with a 20-year guarantee. Fiberglass boats are more durable than locally made wooden boats. They don't need cement, or stressful bending process. Their structure doesn't need ladders to join individual pieces of wood."

"We imported the raw materials used for the boats from the US, Taiwan, Italy and Germany. In the past four to five months we worked on the design of our own brand name and completed the construction of a melting furnace to shape the model. The melting technique requires skill as well as a very precise calculation of heat and material stress limits. It is much the same as developing a good photo. In the future we expect to experiment by using local raw materials. Fiberglass can be made with local products and then brushed with sand paper. We are also looking at Gnew wood, which is liked sponge or foam rubber."

"I come to Laos every two years and would like this country to produce international level boats. I am an American citizen but still I have Lao blood and hope to come back to my native land to contribute to my country's development building quality boats and making use of the skills I have acquired overseas is one way of doing this," said Mr. Song.

Mr. Bounthong said "Laha is the brand name and it won't affect the copyright of other countries especially the S-2 Yatch's USA company. Instead I expect to be the agency for their products and spare parts. We create our products with our own styles by mixing different Lao artistic tastes. Our country has been producing boats for centuries because of the necessity of river travel. The Mekong is our natural highway and we need to keep it alive. We have 30 engineering staff and we expect to train many more people in the art of modem fiberglass boat construction. Despite the low education we can improve local skills and draw on traditional methods to turn our boat company into the beginning of a very profitable industry."

A stylish new "Laha Sport" sells for the low price of US$ 17,000 instead of US$ 32,000 for a similar one made in the US. The products are competitive due to die local technique and the cheaper price of the boats than in neighboring countries. The Laha Company is currently constructing three kinds of international boats including sports, transport and taxi boats.
 
 
 

EXPATS MOVED BY PACE OF PROGRESS 

Lao expatriates are responding to the policies of the Lao Party and making their contribution to the development of the country. These expatriates are doing their best to unify Lao people living abroad with the mother country in an attempt to inspire a pan-national Lao development effort.

"The main objective of our visit here is to observe the progress of the development of our home country over the last 25 years and to discover new ways to cooperate in Lao national development in the future. After visiting several places and meeting with various national leaders, we have become steadily more aware of the many improvements made over the last 25 years.

We have achieved a greater understanding of the efforts of the Government to lead Laos out of underdevelopment and raise the living conditions of the people. I can confirm that Laos has developed in so many ways since the 1975 revolution, especially in the rural areas," said the Director of the Lao- American Institute for Cooperation and Exchange, Soulivanh Khamvongsay.

According to the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the plan to erase Laos from the list of undeveloped countries by 2020 is the ultimate national goal. To achieve this goal, development requires the participation of all Lao people including Lao people living abroad. Recently the government has been keen to learn from the experiences of people living abroad. Last month the Lao Front for National Construction invited Lao expatriates living in France and Australia to attend its Seventh Congress to increase their understanding of the policies of the Party and to contribute their ideas to the struggle for national development. Last week the government also invited the Lao-American Institute for Cooperation and Exchange to Laos to strengthen the solidarity among Lao people everywhere.

"This is the first visit to Laos for me after more than 20 years living in the US. Now I am here I have seen many developments. When I was living in the US, I always heard bad news about Laos. They said that Laos can do nothing to help itself and that Lao people have no human rights and do not enjoy a democracy. I can now return to the US with a fresh mind and a host of new insights and confirm to my people in America that Lao people have full human rights and enjoy and wonderful participatory democracy. People here can do anything they like as long as it is in the confines of the laws of the country. All of the rights of the people are protected under law as in other countries. Before we came here, some people said that we would be put in jail after arriving in Laos. Instead we realized that the opposite was the case. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the Lao Government and the Lao people. In addition, we had a chance to visit national leaders who explained to us the strenuous character of the efforts of the government to eradicate poverty. Throughout this visit we have attempted to increase the understanding between Lao people living here and Lao people living in USA. I thing Lao people living abroad are ready to help develop their motherland. I know they will do everything they can in terms of technical support and advice," he added.

It is widely known that the Party has taken the struggle to increase the unity and solidarity of the Lao people as its strategic task. This task is central to the implementation of the renovation policy. At the Seventh Congress, the Party called for an increase in unity among all Lao people, including Lao expatriates, in an attempt to get them to contribute to the development of the country. Today more and more Lao expatriates are coming to visit the country and run their businesses in Laos.

"Now Lao people in the US understand more about the Lao government. The aim of our institute for exchange and cooperation is to increase the flow of information between Lao people here and in the US. Before coming, we received information about Laos from the Lao Embassy and also from the disruptive web site “vientianetimes.com." This site is not set up by Lao people who have any understanding of the reality of life in Laos. They try to confuse people in the US in an attempt to destabilize the government. We decided to remedy this situation and report them to the Lao government when we arrived in the country. When we return to the US we hope to try to explain the errors that these people are making and to persuade them that the Government has the best interests of the Lao people at heart. We also hope to ask the US Government for opening its markets for Lao products more," Mr. Soulivanh Khamvongsay stressed.

Some 30 delegates from the Lao-American Institute visited Laos. The delegates came from a variety of different backgrounds and saw their trip as a good opportunity for them to study the prospects for investment in Laos in the future. Mr. Chomchai Khotpanya, member of the Lao-American Institute, said that his intention in coming to Laos was to contribute to national development in the motherland and that he was planning to invest in the entertainment field in the future. He hopes to protect and expand the symbols of Lao culture. 

"I am an artist. Until now I have seen only foreign literature on the international art scene. While Laos has plenty of culture, every group has its traditional music, dancing and songs, none of this gets any exposure in the international cultural markets. I want to preserve and expand Lao culture to let the world know the value of Lao culture. This is a suitable time to think about expanding Lao culture. At present the Government is strongly supporting the traditions and culture of Laos. In the future I want to set up a studio in Vientiane to record Lao folk songs and make DVDs to sell to a Lao audience both at home and also in US," Mr. Chomchai added.
 
 
 

LAO TAEKWONDO KICKS OUT IN THAILAND 

The Vientiane Taekwondo Club recently gained a hard-fought victory over opponent clubs in the Fourth Taekwondo Championships in the southern province of Trang, Thailand.

The Club made the trip across the Mekong to participate in this competition with over 40 staff, coaches and players. The competition was held for the eight-year, ten-year, twelve-year, sixteen-year and adult classes and ran from May 28 to 30. As a result, the Lao Club bagged a record haul of 28 medals, with 15 gold, 5 silver, and 8 bronze.

In addition, the Club won prizes in all classes at the competition. This is the first time the Vientiane Club has won the Cup sponsored by Dr. Un Young Kim, President of the World Taekwondo Federation. The result testifies to the popularity and importance of the Taekwondo scene at the club and national level in Laos.

Of course, the victory snatched from Trang province was not easy. The Vientiane Club took eight months in preparation for the championships at the Vientiane Sports Center. Coaches had to work hard to train the players to overcome the challenges associated with competing against experienced Thai martial artists.

The success they met may not be followed by money, but it has boosted their recognition and prestige among the Lao people. The Club hopes to improve the standard of Lao Taekwondo to elevate it to a position where it can compete successfully on the International Championship circuit at all levels. To achieve this goal the Club needs to garner the support of the Lao people and the private and public sectors.

Taekwondo fans around the nation wait in anticipation and are encouraged by the prospect of winning medals at the upcoming SEA Games. Vientiane Club, established in 1998, is in its infancy and its recent win was a significant boost for the future of the sport in Laos. People say that martial combat is in the Lao people's blood and is a tradition that has been carried on throughout the ages.

The Vientiane Taekwondo Club's recent victory in Thailand can not be measured by money. Regardless of victory or loss, martial arts are an ancient tradition that contribute to the mentality of whole communities and their success in Laos could spur on a new generation of strong minded and resolute Lao sports people.