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PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY2222 S. Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20008 Tel: (202) 332-6416 Fax: (202) 332-4923 |
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PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY2222 S. Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20008 Tel: (202) 332-6416 Fax: (202) 332-4923 |
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CONTENTS
PRESIDENT KHAMTAY SENDS CONDOLENCES TO PRESIDENT BUSH September 12, President Khamtay Siphandone has sent a message of condolences to President George W. Bush expressing his deep shock and sympathies to the American people over acts of terrorism that occurred on September 11. The message reads: "The government and people of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and myself have learned about the unprecedented terrorist attack against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the United States of America, which has caused tremendous loss of lives and assets. In the wake of this tragic event, the Lao government and myself would
like to express our profound sorrow to the US government and families of
the victims.
On September 14, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Somsavat
Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad also expressed his deep sorrow to families and
friends of the victims. He categorically denounced the terrorists, and
said that Laos stood ready to cooperate with the international community
to fight against terrorism.
The 3rd Plenary Session of the Executive Committee of the Party Central Committee opened on September 10 under the chairmanship of Party President Khamtay Siphandone and end up on September 19. The session reviewed the overall situation in the country, particularly since the Seventh Party Congress. Deliberation dwelt on future guidelines for policies and programs for alleviating poverty in the country, the socio-economic development plan, and the budget for the next fiscal year. In addition, the session also addressed what is known as the “political life" of Party members, reviewing responsibilities of members and their work regime. This was an exercise whose purpose was to consolidate internal unity in the state. The session assessed the situation in the country as being one of political stability, social tranquility and good order. It was of a view that economic growth remained positive, the material and spiritual living conditions of the people of all ethnic groups were ensured. It was agreed that decentralization efforts, including the streamlining of state organizations, saw some positive results. Among the shortcomings, the session identified that problems derived from drug issues have not yet been settled, and work regimes and efficiency in state management needed to be improved. Among the tasks to be focused on were the mobilization of the general public to exert more effort to tap their potential in terms of production for marketing. Other activities will be the on going tasks of stabilizing slash-and-burn production and eliminating opium poppy cultivation. The Third Plenum also saw the need to further increase internal unity
and rally around the party in the fulfillment of the tasks of national
defense and construction.
The National Assembly (NA) opened the 8th Ordinary Session (Fourth Legislature) on September 24 to consider and approve plans for socio-economic development and the budget for 2002. After opening remarks by the President of the National Assembly, Mr. Samane Viyakhet, Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachit reported on the implementation of the socio-economic development plan for 2000-2001 and, the plan for 2001-2002. "In 2000-2001 our economy was stable. The investments were also in a good condition. Related to the financial crisis of the past two years, we have used the government budget to invest on 5,000 projects valued at 2,000 billion kip. The national economic growth rate reached 6.4 percent. The inflation rate was lower than 10 percent. The national income for 2000-2001 achieved 95 percent of the plan. This year we have received assistance and loans from foreign countries worth more than US$ 378 million," said the Prime Minister. For the investments in the 2001-2002 period, the government will focus on using the government budget to mobilize both domestic and foreign investment as much as possible. Next year the government expects to use a 2.273 billion kip budget in various production areas. "The Government will pay attention to the industrialization and services related to agriculture and forestry sectors by rehabilitating the old state and private processing factories, preparing credit, markets, buying and creating a fund for protecting domestic production," said Prime Minister Bounnhang. This session will also consider and approve the socio-economic development plan from now to 2010, 2020 and the five year development plan for the 2001-2005 period. According to the report from the Prime Minister, the government will improve the rate of the taxes for domestic production. It will promote production in remote areas, promote exportation, services and tourism. The government will also continue to implement the one gate system on importation and exportation. For poverty reduction, the government will define the project to solve family poverty by making sure that they meet the standards that the government has set. The Party Central Committee has defined already the measure for poverty reduction, aiming to open chances to the people to exploit their potential and use their labor to produce for use in domestic markets and exports. The government has given responsibility for poverty reduction to all levels of authorities to help people with the allocation of permanent jobs and land. The government also advised all provinces, districts, and villages to create a fund for poverty reduction. The Government will also move technical staff to remote areas. “The government has set up different awards to praise and encourage
the authorities, officials and persons who contribute to the movement for
poverty reduction,"
For 2001-2002 the government will focus on researching a policy for industrialization in Laos. "We will create a Special Economic Zone, Industry zone and a zone for production for exports in some areas. We expect to conduct feasibility studies, in Vientiane municipality, Savannakhet and Champassack. In addition, the government also will allocate the production areas to the people," he added. During the 17 days of the NA meeting, attendees will hear reports on the implementation of the duties of the People's Supreme Court for 2000-2001, and the plan for 2001-2002. They will also consider and approve the state property law and the study for the Special Economic Zone. The meeting also improved the law on elections for National Assembly
members. The National Assembly will of course also hear reports on the
resolution to the leadership of the Party in NA election procedures.
Mr. Phongsavath Boupha, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, in an interview with KPL, categorically denied the allegation made by the Lao Human Rights Council that the Lao authorities had arrested Christian preachers simply because of their religious belief and practices, adding that this was an attempt to wrongly present the true picture of the country. The Deputy Foreign Minister said that religious practices in Laos were totally different from what Radio Free Asia erroneously described for whatever ulterior motive. Besides Buddhism, there are also other religions being practiced in the country. These include Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism), and other religions as well as animists. Among believers, 75 percent are Buddhists, and there are 17,090 monks and novices in the entire country. There are more Christian churches than before, in all 245 in the country. There are 194 registered priests, nuns and Christian teachers, and some 147,000 Christians. Mr. Phongsavath pointed out that there are also two Bahai worshipping houses, and 8,537 believers in the country. He added that perhaps Muslims are the minority, and there are only two worshipping places in the country for this religion. The Deputy Minister said, the policy of the Lao government, does not restrict religious practices, whatever religion that might be, and it has been confirmed on many occasions that measures taken against individuals strictly adhered to legal procedures. He added that there were cases that individuals, for personal interest or other ulterior motives, have made use of religion to obstruct economic and social development efforts. There have been cases where individuals acted against local authorities, and when the latter used measures to ensure social peace and tranquility, some of these individuals, particularly Christians, would unjustly accuse the government and make slanderous claims that the Lao government does not respect freedom of belief. He said that so far any arrests and detention of individuals had nothing to do with the religious beliefs of the persons concerned. All arrests are a matter of maintaining security and order in society. Whoever acts against the laws of the country will be arrested and detained as prescribed by the laws, Mr. Phongsavath added. These individuals include drug traffickers, illegal loggers, individuals who upset the state of peace and tranquility in the society, create division among the population and slander the government and local authorities’ economic and social development efforts. Mr. Phongsavath Boupha explained that before arrests are made, individuals concerned are advised not to act in a manner against the law and all appropriate explanations are given. However if these individuals refuse to change their behavior, they will be detained and arrested and legal procedures against them will be utilized. Deputy Minister Phongsavath Boupha said that if there had been cases where local administrations, in an attempt to settle religious conflict among the population, forced the sides to sign under duress documents stating that they had given up their religion, then these were certainly isolated cases. But, the deputy minister emphasized, this was not the policy of the Government of the Lao PDR. Mr. Phongsavath said that the Lao government reaffirmed that it has
respected and will respect the equal rights of its citizens to believe
or not to believe in any religion whatsoever as speculated in the country’s
Constitution, and will not allow briberies or forces to be used to have
citizens believe or relinquish their religious belief. The Constitution,
he said, respected and protected legal activities of religious institutions
and the followers of these religions. The government will not allow any
acts resulting in the nurturing of conflict among various religious believers
and acts to divide social solidarity.
Recently, the new strategy on the draft Second Country Cooperation Framework (CCF) for Laos for the period 2002-2006 was presented to contribute to the struggle to get Laos off the list of least developed countries (LDCs) by 2020. The CCF was prepared by the UNDP in close consultation with government counterparts, UN agencies and donors, for submission to the UNDP Executive Board in January 2002. The CCF is designed to be an instrument for achieving the global level goal to assist Laos to comply with international treaties, conventions and declarations, which it has signed. At the national level the plan aims to achieve certain goals included in national planning documents like the national socio-economic development plans, the report of the seventh round table meeting, and the poverty reduction strategy. At the UN level the plan aims to is to become a part of the United Nations development assistance framework (UNDAF); and at the UNDP level it will help implement certain UNDP corporate goals. The estimated funding for the five-year period is about US$ 52 million. The fund is proposed to strengthen the national capacity to reduce poverty and to promote sustainable economic growth to help the country reach its targets for the years 2005-2010, ultimately leading to its graduation from the status of least developed country (LDC) by 2020. UNDP activities will focus on three main multi-sectoral and crosscutting objectives such as policy development and monitoring, institutional development and the third area of support to the selected national programs. The policy development will provide support for the preparation of national human development reports on Laos, and the poverty reduction strategy preparation and monitoring process. The round table meeting process and its follow-up aims at the improvement in the coordination of environment policy and management rural development planning, monitoring and evaluation, the advancement of women and gender equity and regional and international integration and trade promotion. The institutional development will include supporting the rule of law through a series of capacity-building activities. These include public administration, particularly in Luang Prabang, Oudomsay and Sayaboury. The establishment of a framework for the promotion of information communication and technology (ICT), the establishment of an appropriate micro-finance institution and support for the strengthening of water users associations in the rural areas are also on the cards. Selected national programs will support the Lao UXO decontamination program for the removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO), the HIV/ AIDS prevention and control program and community development program in Sekong. The meeting was a multi-agency and multi-donor processor consultation
of about 80 representatives from UN agencies, bilateral donors and NGOs,
in Vientiane on September 12. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice President
of the Committee for Planning and Cooperation Khempheng Pholsena and UNDP
Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator Kari Nordheinm-Larsen.
The Ministry of Finance told the press recently that the government is focussing on several crucial measures for immediate and long-term economic stability and growth. First, the Ministry of Finance has to insure a steady income for the
budget, the government should control expenditures, ensure that goods imported
are necessary, and prevent banks from making unnecessary credit releases
in accordance with the priority projects of the government. In addition
the Ministry of Finance has issued a bank bond incentive interest rate
in order to stimulate public cash flow. This is a new measure, which has
proved to be effective in the short term and a necessary economic measure
in the long term. A decrease in the volume of goods has meant that income
from foreign currencies has reached unusual levels and produced trade deficit
conditions.
Luang Prabang province this year has made a 7 billion kip profit from
its export of 75,000 pieces of Sa paper, according to the provincial Trade
and Tourism Service.
During the first six months of 2001, Luang Prabang province has exported a massive 13,627 billion kip worth of products. Products exported to other provinces were worth 5,849 billion kip, while overseas exports totaled 7,771 billion kip. Other products exported by Luang Prabang province this year include
24 tones of cardamon, 307,25 tones of sesame, 230 tones of jute, 24 tones
of red beans, 189 tones of resin, 108 tones of rice bran and many others.
The export sector of Luang Prabang province should gain 10 billion kip.
Representatives of Lao government organizations gathered to review their achievements, difficulties and solutions they have done in year 2001. The two-day meeting, organized by the Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowed the participants of about 40 people to discuss and exchange their point of views on the achievements in the field of economic cooperation between Lao PDR and other southeast Asian nations. The meeting is important since it is one of the measures to look back on the implementation of Hanoi Action Plan. Minister of Industry and Handicraft said that becoming ASEAN member,
Laos has both opportunities and challenges, thus finding difficulties and
solutions are an important task for the participants in the meeting.
The authorities in Sayaboury province confirmed that a road repair project has been completed, providing access to Senphom village in Paklay district. The project included an 1,800 meter-long road thanks to a grant worth 10 million kip from the Agriculture and Industry Development State Enterprise and Import-export Company. So far, the people in 8 villages have benefited from this project. Director General of the Agriculture and Industry Development State Enterprise
said that for over 10 years his company had served the political tasks
of the state and Party. His company activities in the area of socio-economic
development went together with the task of national defense and security.
The Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts recently cooperated with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to hold a second Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) Meeting to revise the work of the JICA Project on Electricity Power Technical Standard Establishment (EPTS), which commenced in May last year. Officials from both organizations reviewed the past year of operations and made further plans. They also signed and exchanged Agreed Minutes at the Department of Electricity in Vientiane. The First Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting was held in January this year enabling both Lao and Japanese officials to agree on a plan and a schedule for the project activities. The Second JCC was held to evaluate the progress of the project activities and to formulate project plans in the residual cooperation period. The project is currently in the middle of a three-year cooperation period stretching from May 2000 to April 2003. The mid-term evaluation looked back at the implementation of power standards under the JICA EPTS Project. The methodology of the Mid-term Evaluation was based on the JICA evaluation scheme that defines the methods to be carried out by means of five components: efficiency, effectiveness, impact, relevance and sustainability. Both sides agreed from the evaluation results that EPTS has been carried out smoothly in accordance with the work plan. They agreed that there was no need to change the principles agreed upon in the record of discussion for the EPTS Project. The formulation of the work plan in the residual period along with the
conclusions of the mid-term evaluation, have prompted further implementation
of the project. Further events of EPTS, include a technical exchange program
with the governments and power sectors in Vietnam and Thailand. A Workshop
will be held next February, where the draft Lao Electric Power Technical
Standard (LEPTS) will be presented for broad discussion and evaluation
by experts and authorities. The Third JCC Meeting will be held next March
and the final seminar to present the LEPTS draft will be held next May.
The Embankment Construction Project along the bank of the Khane River in the Tha Pafeuane area in Luang Prabang district is now 75 percent completed. The project has been made possible by a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), worth over US$ 333,600. The fund includes a 10 percent contribution from the Government. Commencing in February this year, the project is under the management of the second urban development project, and is being undertaken by the GEO China Company. The embankment 185 meters long and 9 meters wide, with a 1.5-meter pedestrian,
path on each side, is expected to be finished in October this year.
Borikhamsay province has invested in about 165 economic infrastructure development projects during this fiscal year. The investment was worth 24 billion kip. Contributions from foreign countries totaled 5.2 billion kip, currently the province has been able to implement 158 projects at a cost 20.8 billion kip or 86.7 percent of the plan. During the 11 months of this fiscal year Borikhamsay province has implemented its socio-economic development plan, which has lead to steady provincial economic expansion, of which food stuffs, rice stocks, and consumer goods have been put up for sale. The province cleared its debt on five projects worth 1.6 billion kip. It cleared irrigation debt on 13 projects worth 7.5 billion kip, and the province implemented 52 projects worth over 5 billion kip. The province will present the projects to six districts. A total of 37 projects have been completed in Paksane, Thaphabath, and Pakkading districts, 11 projects in Borikhanh, 15 projects in Khamkeuth, and 20 projects in Viengthong districts have also been completed. In addition the province will present 12 projects to focal areas. The
end of this fiscal year will complete all unfinished projects.
The Village Trade Fair, held at the Handicraft Center, provided proof of the increase in locally made products and the coming release of local markets from dependence upon imported goods. Furthermore, these products proved their export potential: The trade fair received a lot of interest from Lao and foreign shoppers. Consisting of more than 50 shops including 20 village shops displaying traditional products produced from raw materials available in each village, were of particular interest to shoppers. Around 30 of the shops were affiliated with handicraft groups and other products came from business sectors and, business families in the Vientiane Municipality area. Provincial shops also displayed their items at the fair including traders from Bokeo, Udomsay, Sekong and Houaphan. Some new Lao products were displayed including soaps and hair cleansing products. Such goods make up a sizeable amount of the imports flooding Laos at the moment. If local goods received recognition then Lao customers will change their consumption patterns from the imported goods, and give a chance to domestic products. Such a scenario offers the best solution for the rising national budget deficit. A shop owner of Hero brand daily goods like shampoo, dish washing liquid and clothes washing powder said that his products are quite good quality and mostly produced from natural materials and hence are free of chemicals. The highlight of the trade fair was the display of the products from local villages. This year, many trade fairs have been opened including the district trade fairs, which are famous for their displays of new Lao products. Not only do shopping, owners always make big sales during the trade fairs, but local products also achieve popularity among domestic consumers. Last trade fair here, some shops earned more than 60 million kip. Each year there are more visitors and number of shops is always increasing. The trade fair would be frequently held in order to promote Lao products to domestic customers. During the trade fair ideas and lessons are shared between producers themselves and between the producers and the customers. It is this process which provides the potential to improve Lao products to cater for the interests of the domestic consumer. The trade fair is organized by the Handicraft Center in Cooperation
with the Participatory Development Training Center. That is a research
Center dedicated to the improvement of product quality. The Center aims
to add valued to products and train villagers about the potential of raw
material use at the grass roots level. Such activities create many jobs
for the local villagers.
According to development and administrative information for water use in Laos, only 10 percent of the population, which includes around 50 percent of the citizens living in urban areas has the use of water supplies. Because of a lack of budget funding and assets to develop the project, water cannot be supplied to many rural areas and some areas in the city. Since the 1990s, the government has focused on the development of water
supplies in Laos. This has included state investment, joint investments
between the state and local people, and loans and donations from foreign
countries. Over the past twenty-five years, the total investment in the
development of water supplies has amounted to US$ 84 million dollars and
nowadays most of the main districts in every province have water supplies.
However, over 100 districts are still not being supplied with water. In
the future, the government plans to improve this project and 20 percent
of the population will have water supplies by 2005, and 30 percent by 2010.
The world Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Department of Intellectual Property of the Science, Technology and Environment Agency (STEA) jointly held a two day national seminar on enforcement of intellectual property rights. Among the themes of the seminar were enforcement of intellectual property
rights and development goals, international and national framework, obligations
under the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
Agreement, new challenges in enforcement of intellectual property rights,
and multi-agency approaches to effective enforcement.
76,000 hectares of a total 525,000 ha of rice fields throughout the country in Laos were damaged by flooding, and 241 ha of rice fields were destroyed by pests this wet season. This news came according to a report from the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. In the central provinces, a total of 39,530ha of rice fields were affected by flooding. Among the worst affected are 14,400 ha of rice fields in Khammouane province, and 11,500 ha of paddy fields in Savannakhet province. For the southern provinces, a total 85,000 ha of rice fields were damaged by flooding including 1l,790 ha of paddy fields in Champassak province. For the northern provinces about 100ha of paddy fields were destroyed by flooding. In Hadsaifong district, Vientiane municipality, 858ha of paddy fields and 20 orchards were damaged. Pakngum district had 887ha and seven ha of vegetable gardens, 10ha sugarcane and 3ha of fish pools damaged by flooding. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has a plan to compensate for
the affects of the flooding, and expects to conduct successful re-transplantation
projects where suitable and possible.
At present time, the irrigation systems in Sayaboury province are more than 2,100 places, 88 of which are rather permanent dams, than can supply water in the wet season to farms covering more than 17,000 ha and about 3,850 ha in the dry season. The irrigation sector is an important sector in expanding the farm area of the people in the province to increase their produce and help people stop slash and burn cultivation. The province has invested a lot of capital in these irrigation systems. The budget plan for the 2000-2001 period guaranteed that it could limit the poverty of the people. For this reason Sayaboury province must survey the suitable areas to build the irrigation canals and also to prepare the tools to repair the irrigation stations. This year the province has completed the construction of about 10 projects and has already handed over these irrigation stations to villagers to manage and use including 10 doping dam systems and 6 basins. Now Sayaboury province is focusing on the construction of a basin at
the Nam Tain river in Sayaboury district. If the construction was completed,
this system will supply water to rice areas of about 1,506 hectares. The
project is costing 44 billion kip. One project, which will be completed
this year, is the Nam Phito Dam project in Khone district, which is expected
to complete very soon, and the construction costs about 1,132 million kip.
According to a Foreign Ministry source, the Lao-American Technical Team has completed the recent survey and excavation mission for the remains of American MIAs in Laos. The surveys have been conducted in order to carry out the humanitarian policy of the Lao PDR for the relatives and families of US soldiers Missing In Action (MIA), and to observe the requests of the United States Government. The team included 50 American technicians, separated into four groups. Three groups excavated three important cases in Nong, Sepone district of Savannakhet province, and the other group survey and collected information on 23 cases in Savannakhet. Through the implementation process, the Lao-American team completed three excavation procedures including case 1385 in Nong district, case 1731 in Sepone district of Saravane province, and case 1751 in Samouai district of Saravane province. The mission was the 76th since Lao-American cooperation on MIAs began
in 1985, and it received good support from the local authorities.
Major General Khamphouang Chanthaphomma, Deputy Minister of Defense, Deputy Chief of the Lao Government implementing Committee, and Chief of the Lao Government Ad Hoc Committee and his delegation visited to Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnamese Government Ad Hoc Committee. The main objective of the visit was to attend the sixth meeting of the two countries' Ad Hoc Committees. At talks Major General Khamphouang and his Vietnamese counterpart Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Van Rinh, informed each other of the progress made in the search and removal of the remains of missing Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and Vietnamese experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos during the war. The meeting was discussed about the progress of the construction of the third Lao-Vietnamese Co-Fighting Spirit Monument in Oudomsay province. The monument will be completed at the end of this year. The meeting also aimed to strengthen the constant relationship between the two peoples and two countries, and consolidate all areas of cooperation. The Chief of the Lao Government Ad Hoc Committee invited the Chief of the Vietnamese Government Ad Hoc Committee to officially visit Laos early next year, and to participate in the opening of the third Lao-Vietnamese Co-Fighting Spirit Monument. Two years ago, the two countries collaborated to remove the remains
of 984 voluntary soldiers in fourteen provinces in Laos to their hometowns.
Recently, the US Government has granted aid for the Rural Development Project worth $US 3.7 million to continue its implementation intending to reduce opium production and drug trade in Phongsaly province and issue laws with increased penalties for criminals. An agreement was signed on September 5 at the Presidential Palace to continue this project. The implementation of this project will focus on road construction from Bountay district to Samphanh in Phongsaly province to serve as a transportation facility in the wet and dry seasons. Mr. Soubanh Srithirath, President of the National Committee for Drug Control and Supervision, said that the old project involved an agreement signed with the US government worth US$ 5.2 million. Those funds were intended to finish the road construction. We expect to continue this work in the dry season adding another 74 km. The signing agreement is being held to add funds to the project phase I and the funds this time will focus on small road construction for particular villages. This fund will focus on school construction, hospitals, building irrigation systems and agricultural production and raising livestock. The project intends to involve people in remote areas and mountainous areas to support their migration to more suitable places. He stressed further that “ this fund will focus on narcotics suppression authorities in each provinces and attempts to train them, providing them with knowledge and to enable them to implement their duties. This work is very important because of the serious spread of drugs especially in the city and narcotics suppression authorities have not expanded their operations to the countryside yet. For Vientiane municipality, we pay attention to drug control and drug suppression especially in schools, industries and other places where youth gather. Besides that the law has to increase levels of punishment as a deterrent. If people trade more than 3,000g of amphetamines and more than 500g of heroin they will receive the death penalty." This project is going well because of the cooperation between officials in the city and in grass roots areas. The implementation of the Rural Development Project has faced many difficulties in the wet season because of heavy rain and the renovation of small roads between villages has also run into difficulty. The implementation of this project is a great success. It is a milestone
in the struggle to upgrade people's living conditions to get them to stop
slash and burn cultivation, opium production and drug trade and to pluck
them out of underdevelopment.
The visit to Vientiane by a Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) delegation led by its President U Win Myint has resulted in the signing of a cooperation agreement between Laos and Myanmar intended to strengthen trade ties. The objective of this visit was to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and to seek a possible expansion in joint business ventures and investment between the two countries. During their visit, the Myanmar delegation met with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and local businesses. They also met with the Minister of Trade, Deputy Minister of industry and Handicrafts, and the Head of the Foreign Investment Committee who informed them of the government policy on business and investment in Laos. The delegation signed an agreement on cooperation with their Lao counterparts.
The agreement is intended to encourage and increase in cooperation for
economic development, trade and investment in order to tighten further
the friendship between the two countries and peoples.
Lao Interior Minister Asang Laoly and his Thai counterpart Purachai Piumsombun have signed a cooperation agreement on fighting drugs and ensuring the safety of their citizens while travelling across the border. The two ministers signed the pact at a meeting of the governors of 11 Thai border provinces and nine Lao provincial governors. The ministers were quoted as saying that steps would be taken to make sure Lao and Thai people strictly conform to immigration laws and cross the border only at official crossings. According to the pact, starting from October 15, the checkpoint at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge in Nongkhai would be open daily from 6 AM to 10 PM. The pact prescribed that officials and relatives of Lao and Thai nationals
jailed in the other country would be, allowed to visit them on the first
Thursday of every month.
Two Setthathirath Hospital medical staff returned from a three-month course on Gastrointestinal Fiberscope at Ryukyu University Hospital in Okinawa. The training course was supported by the Lao-Japan, Setthathirath Hospital Improvement Project (L-JSHIP), sponsored by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Gastritis and gastric ulcer are the major diseases in Laos, however, the diagnosis has usually been done by physical examination only. Gastrointestinal Fiberscope enables doctors to investigate the stomach, intestine and colon visually. Setthathirath Hospital, newly opened by the aid of Japan at Donkoy village, has a Fiberscope room and equipment. The training course improved the skill and knowledge of the Lao doctors on Fiberscope. The hospital can start the services soon. Thanks to JICA, L-J SHIP, and Ryukyu University Hospital, who give the valuable opportunity for the Lao doctors. Counterpart training in Japan is part of the 5-year L-J SHIP Program
to upgrade medical services add training capabilities at Setthathirath
Hospital. L-J SHIP is also involved in the dispatching of Japanese experts
to Laos and the provision of medical equipment.
A signing ceremony to exchange the documents on the Second Mekong River Friendship Bridge Construction Project was held on September 18 at the Foreign Ministry, in Vientiane. The project will link Savannakhet province of Laos with Mukdahanh province of Thailand. According to the project document, the Japanese government will provide a soft loan to the Lao PDR worth US$ 33,425,000 and the Thai government is also expected to get a soft loan from the Japanese government for its part in the project. Construction will commence at the beginning of 2002 and is expected to take three years to complete. The project will provide good opportunities for trade and travel between the people of Laos and Thailand as well as promote the socio-economic development of the country and the region. The document was signed between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Somsavat Lengsavad and Japanese Ambassador Yoshinori Miyamoto.
Savannakhet province has organized a signing ceremony with a United Nations Volunteer, to receive the Natural Tourist Project (NTP), to be put into operation in the Forest Conservation Area of Puozanhae Mountain to develop environmental tourism in the province. Head of the Savannakhet Tourism Office revealed that this project was in a trial period and requited a budget of US$ 20,000 for education, road surveys, and the preparation of the people living in the area. The project still has to run training for local people to inform them
of the importance of natural resources, and to set up working units responding
to other activities that are a part of the project.
Lao youths put on one last cultural performance at the National Culture Hall before heading off to Japan to spread Lao culture to 10 Asian countries as part of the Ship for Southeast Asia Youth Program. Viewing the performance was Deputy Secretary-General of the Lao Youth Union. People from around Vientiane municipality and some foreigners also came to watch the performance. The performance was held in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Constitution and the 26th anniversary of the people’s Uprising. The performers sought to encourage youths to take interest in this program and participate next year. Programs like this one are a good way to encourage youths to take an interest in Lao tradition and culture and escape from the temptations of drugs. The youths for the Ship for Southeast Asia Youth Program displayed 19 activities, which they will perform on their cruise through ten countries in September and October. These activities include traditional dances. The youths also made traditional and ethnic folk music performances to demonstrate the Hae Khue Lao wedding ceremony. They put on a Lao fashion show, and of course, danced the Lamvong. The youths will make these performances starting in Japan and finishing
at the end of the cruise, in Singapore.
The Lao squad to the SEA Games arrived home after experiencing success in various events at the tournament. The Lao team has brought back one gold, three silver, and seven bronze medals from Malaysia and fulfilled at least some of the expectations that they departed with. The gold at the SEA Games was a masterpiece of the Petanque team, which was able to move from last place in the competition to take the gold in an incredible comeback. Additionally, the Petanque team was able to win two silvers and one bronze in similar contests at the games. This is a big achievement in the history of the sport in Laos. Following the Petanque team, the Lao Amateur Boxing squad won one silver in the 71 kg class, and three bronzes in other categories. The martial arts including Wushu, Judo, and Taekwondo also each won bronze medals to contribute to the squad's results, and made the Lao team rank eighth, which is an improvement in their ranking from previous games. It was also noted that the Wushu team did not have to go through with its promise to walk home from the games if it failed to win any medals. The victory has been very great in the SEA Games and it is clear that
Lao participation in the games is improving. The total of 11 medals gained
by the Lao squad at the games is an indicator of Lao progress in the sports
arena.
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