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November 30, 2006


Laos: Socio-economic development strengthens (VT)
The GDP reached 5.8 million kip or US$553 per year per capita. The inflation rate should only be one digit or about 7.8%... Overall annual exports are expected to reach US$629.11 million, with a 38% increase compared to the same period last year, exceeding the annual plan by 20%. 
Rox outlines new high-grade soil anomalies and to commence drilling in Laos (Mine Box)
Rox Resources has outlined two large high-grade soil anomalies at the Pha Sod 1 prospect on its Pha Luang lead-zinc project in Laos. According to Rox, the first anomaly is outstanding, grading in excess of five percent combined
Lao PDR Artist Wants to Establish Cultural Connection Between Inside and Outside Laotians (VOA)
Talented Lao singer, songwriter, and musician Noi Sengsourigna, who is also an architect and English news announcer of the Lao National Television, is visiting Washington D.C. this week. She talks to VOA about her education
HONDA, STEA combat counterfeit (Laos NA)
The Government of Lao PDR is serious in the intellectual property rights (IPR) and upgrade the capacity for IP enforcement in Laos in order to boost the investment.  As Laos is in the process of accession to the WTO as well as respond to the issue of the violation of the IP rights of Honda Motor Company
Laos, Vietnam Leaders To Visit Thailand In Dec (Asia Pulse)
In a sign of strengthening relations with Thailand's Mekong neighbours, the leaders of Laos and Vietnam, will officially visit Bangkok next month as guests of the government, and will attend the opening of a new Mekong bridge at Mukdaharn, an official said Wednesday... both leaders would witness
Lao-Thai: Walking Back to Happiness (ScanAsia)
Nong Khai greets one with a windy and a slight cool climate Sitting near the riverbank belonging to the Mekong and looking over to the opposite side of almost dark Laos, Nong Khai is not only a northern frontier town of Thailand, but also the hometown of the Travel-To-Teach agency. An agency found
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Lecture marks National Day (VT)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA




November 29, 2006


Laos: In the arms of Buddha (News)
THE temperature is almost 30C & the sun has not yet risen as I drag myself out of bed and set off to "feed the monks". In the pre-dawn, the normally bustling streets of central Luang Prabang in northern Laos are silent except for the distant sounding of gongs from a number of Buddhist monasteries.
Vientiane seeks details of Lao-Hmong (The Nation)
Laos urged Thailand yesterday to provide identification details of the more than 7,000 Hmong refugees being sheltered in Phetchabun's Ban Huay Nam Khao - if Bangkok really wants Vientiane to take them back. The Lao Govt had already informed Thailand it was ready to take the Hmong back if they
Thailand to Relocate Lao-Hmongs within 60 Days (VOA)
Thai authorities have set up a special task force to relocate the Hmong refugees living in a makeshift camp along the road to Ban Huay Nam Khao in Thailand's Phetchaboun province within the next two months. Authorities said after that they will invite Lao officials to come to the new camp to screen
Laos: Govt stands firm against poverty (VientianeTimes)
Poverty reduction and achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals were the focus of yesterday's ninth roundtable meeting between the Govt and its development partners... Laos had received more than US$1 billion in international assistance. Grant aid had made up almost US$700 million and
Thai government approves 840 million baht to Laos (LNA)
The Lao government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Thai government under the bilateral co-operation framework involved the road construction project in northern provinces of Laos... Thai government has approved 840 million baht loan to Laos for a 52km-long road construction
Hun Sen to join top-level meeting with Laos, Vietnam (PD)
Prime Minister Hun Sen will join a top-level meeting among Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam on development cooperation, in Dalat, Vietnam, from Dec. 4 to 5, at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Women call for right to refuse marital sex (VT)
... Highway to pave path to prosperity (VT)
... ADB to Provide Laos with $100 Million of Loans and Grants (VOA)
... Hmong history to be discussed (PP)
... Hmong culture through the power of film (State Hornet)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 28, 2006


Laos says re-emergence of bird flu due to fund shortage(VOA)
Laos Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavat says the second outbreak of bird flu is a result of shortage of fund and inefficiency in carrying out preventive measures, especially sub-standard disinfection of the farms previously affected by the first outbreak. He says poultry farmers & workers
Japan designs new Hinheup bridge (VientianeTimes)
The Govt of Japan has granted funding for the design of a new bridge in Hinheup district in Vientiane province, totalling 35 million yen. The Ambassador of Japan to Laos , Mr Makoto Katsura, and Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, signed the agreement
Remittance of Lao workers contributes 5% of GDP (LNA)
The remittances of Lao workers have contributed to 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product. At least 200,000 Lao workers in Thailand, 55 percent of them women sending back as remittance as estimated US$100 million a year or estimated approximately 5 percent of GDP. Thailand now offers work
Latinos Help Elect First Hmong City Council Member in California (NAM)
In one of the greatest surprises of the Nov. 7 elections, a Hmong immigrant was elected to the City Council of Fresno in California’s Central Valley. Blong Xiong, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand 37 years ago, triumphed
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Highlands seek support for post-opium farmers (VT)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 27, 2006


No Hurry in Laos (Times Online or backup)
The Mekong is Southeast Asia’s greatest river, the world’s 10th longest, stretching nearly 3,000 miles from its source on the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea. It winds its way almost the full length of Laos, but my journey downriver covered just a short stretch, from the sultry border post of
South Korea helps plan riverbank erosion strategy (VT)
The Ministry of Communication, Transport, Post and Construction is planning to build an embankment along the Mekong in Vientiane from Kaoliew harbour to the Thatkhao area to protect against soil erosion and flooding. “We have plans to build an embankment along the river to prevent annual erosion and
ADB to Assist Lao PDR with $100 Million of Loans and Grants for 2007-2009 (Laos NA)
ADB's new assistance strategy for the Lao PDR in 2007-2011 follows the Govt's Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan and will focus on core priorities in the country, including agriculture, health, education and
Hmong in U.S.: Police looking for suspect in Thanksgiving attack (WCCO)
A bold and brutal Thanksgiving Day attack was caught on camera in Minneapolis. Clear, color images revealed a suspect threatening store clerk Joe Thao during a convenience store robbery last Thursday. Thao didn't have any warning. The suspect didn't even ask for money before attacking Thao
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Laos, Sri Lanka boost cooperation (VT)
... Ambassadors tour opium alternative project (VT)
... Hmong in U.S.: Police seek leads in attack on store clerk (PP)
... Five face charges in RiverCentre fight (Star Tribune)
... ASEAN official: Trans-Asia rail link completed by 2015 (XinhuaNet)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 26, 2006


Lao-Thai: Good rating boosts Khon Kaen Sugar (Nation)
TRIS Rating said Khon Kaen Sugar Industry had started to invest in sugarcane plantations and sugar plants in Laos and Cambodia this year due to constraints on cane supply in Thailand. The combined investment of these two projects is Bt3.9 billion. Khon Kaen Sugar Industry expects to export raw
Obituary in U.S.: Kathy Baccam (Hawk Eye)
Gnuan "Kathy" Baccam, 41, of Mount Pleasant died Thursday, Nov. 23, 2006, at Henry County Health Center after a short illness. Born Oct. 8, 1965, in Vientianne, Laos, she was the daughter of Ca Van Eu and Eune Khounlo. On Oct. 20, 1990, she married Khamheuang T. Baccam in Des Moines.
Hmong culture is steppin' out (SacBee)
raditional Hmong balladeers shared the stage with break dancers, folk singers and hardcore hip-hop acts at Saturday's Hmong New Year celebration at Cal Expo. The event, expected to draw 30,000 over the weekend, is one of the largest Hmong cultural events in the country and basically turns the Cal Expo
The politics of speed: An Asean Community by 2015? (Nation)
Laos, the only Asean member that has not yet joined the WTO, is likely to be the next "least developed" country to do so. Indeed, Vientiane began economic reforms, known as "Chintanakarn may" in 1984, two years before Hanoi. Due to domestic hindrances, these reforms have not been fully
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Hmong invoke fortunate season (Appleton PC)
... New year lets Hmong share culture (News-Leader)



November 25, 2006


Thailand helps develop drug rehab centres in Laos (TNA)
Thailand has planned to offer over Bt9 million to assist in developing accident/emergency services and drug rehabilitation centres in Laos. The assistance project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Public Health, is to honour HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The Princess is known as
Sri Lankan PM in Laos to strengthen bilateral ties (SO)
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake arrived in Laos, opening his ten-day South Asian official visit. He will also tour Vietnam and Cambodia. The PM arrived in Laos yesterday on the first leg of his tour. In Laos, he will promote regional understanding and the expansion of the agricultural
Hmong in U.S.: Family recovers body of boy, 17 (SacBee)
The body of a 17-year-old Marysville boy who had vanished into the Sutter Bypass amid gunfire this week was found Friday by his brother with a fishing pole, ending a desperate search among relatives who accused authorities of abandoning efforts to find him. "They said they were looking for him, I didn't
Hmong celebrate New Year with mingling of cultures (CO)
 Paul "L.P." Yang holds a microphone to his mouth and begins rapping, closing his eyes in concentration and waving his right hand in the air. The smell of cooking chicken, noodles, rice and sausage wafts, and a handful of Hmong teens, some dressed in baggy pants and tank tops and others in



November 24, 2006


Padaeng hopes to build off Laos mine (Bangkok Post)
Thailand-based Padaeng Industry Plc said it wants to continue exploring opportunities to win more mining concessions in the region after signing a new exploration contract in Laos. "Padaeng has a long-term strategy of exploration in neighbouring countries," Bernard Tonnon, the company's
'Laos: From Buffer State to Crossroads' (Bangkok Post)
One of Silkworm's lead titles next year will be Lao Royalty by Dr Grant Evans, one of the few experts on Laos, explaining why Lao royalty did not survive. The book contains in-depth information that the author collected from various archives around the world and from interviews with members of the royal
Thailand's Ex-Im Bank to Sell Laos Bonds (VOA)
The Lao government and Thailand's Export-Import Bank have reached an agreement to sell Lao bonds in Thailand to mobilize funds to finance the Nam Ngum 2 hydro-power project in Vientiane province. The Thai Ex-Im bank will guarantee and issue the bonds, worth 3,000 million Bahts or about 78 million
Hmong Natives, Descendants Celebrate New Year (MNH)
Millions of French coins drip from Hmong bodies, wrapped in authentic dress. The Laos natives clank across the Caldwell County fairgrounds, brimming with beads and bright embroidery. Their tongues speak a delicate language full of joy. Welcome to the Hmong New Year Celebration.
World Premiere of ‘Hunted Like Animals’ Set for Friday in St. Paul, MN (HNN)
The world premiere of the long awaited documentary Hunted like Animals - on the Hmong crisis in Thailand & Laos will be opened with a speech by Hmong leader Vang Pao, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2006 at 1 p.m. on Hmong New Years
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 23, 2006


Lao coffee perks up (VientianeTimes)
Using modern production methods, Lao coffee is known among connoisseurs as yielding one of the best-tasting brews in the world.  An advisor to the Jhai Coffee Farmers Cooperative, Mr Vorasone Dengkayaphichith, said that in tests conducted by the Thanksgiving Coffee Company in America this year,
US government assists Laos with US$ 1 million aid (Laos NA)
The US government provided US$ 1 million to strengthen The Avian Influenza Project and Prevention of Animal Diseases in Laos. The disease could affect people, in particular persons who work closely with poultry in the rural areas.The aid will also be used for other projects and many activities such as
Vietnam advocates Laos' joining APEC: President Triet (ND)
Vietnam will continue to give its support to Laos' integration process, including its joining of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum. State President Nguyen Minh Triet made the affirmation on November 22 while meeting with the visiting Lao National Assembly Chairman Thongsing
Lao govt allows to foreign company for exploration of gems in Laos (Laos NA)
The Sino Resort Mining Co. LTD and The Lao International Trade & Service Enterprise were allowed by the Lao government to explore gem mining in Bokeo province... The worth of survey & exploration is about US$ 10 millions.
Lao Veterans provide community with computers, Internet (Oroville Mercury Register)
While not traditionally a business, the association known as the Lao Veterans of America have recently completed a project in the historic downtown business district which brings computers & the Internet freely to
Mongolia in Laos (MW)
The Women's Union of Laos and the International Women's Society in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, jointly arranged a trade fair on November 19 in the Trade and Economic Cooperation Center. Officials of the Mongolian Embassy in Vientiane took part in the event, advertising Mongolia within
Hmong New Year festivities begins Friday at Armory (SB)
On Wednesday afternoon, as loud Hmong music blared from a boom box on the stage at the Sheboygan Armory, Patertsia Yang and Tiffany Yang rehearsed their parts in the Hmong New Year fashion show for one last time before their performance on Saturday. The fashion show is just one part of
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... ASEAN debates fuel crisis (VT)
... Sri Lankan PM arrives in Vientiane (VT)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 22, 2006


Visa waivers mean more tourists (VientianeTimes)
The number of visitors in the past eight months reached 780,643, up 10% from the same period last year, according to the Lao National Tourism Administration. This period also saw an increased number of visitors from neighbouring countries, with Thai visitors leading the way with 432,810, up
Luang Prabang University: 45 percent completed (Laos NA)
The Luang-Prabang University construction is located on a land area of 21,000 m2. The worth of the project is about US$ 28 million. The construction was launched in the beginning of this year. The project is now completed at 45 percents. Electricity installations, designing, road ways, and laying of pipe
Hmong New Year in U.S. (AAP)
Tens of thousands of Hmong community from around the country, France, Australia and elsewhere will converge on the Saint Paul River Centre for the Hmong New Year this weekend, Friday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Nov. 26, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. The event draws
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Lao, Chinese banks to cooperate (VT)
... French address Lao-Viet trafficking (VT)
... Sri Lankan PM to visit Laos (VT)
... Party leader affirms special relations with Laos (ND)
... Vang wants appeal; calls charges racist (RLC)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 21, 2006


Laos says it will need $6 Mil a year for UXO clearance (VOA)
UXO-Lao says it will need at least $6 million a year to carry on its task of clearing unexploded ordnances from Laos soil. That's $2 million more than what it has been receiving from foreign assistance. UXO-Lao Program Director Bounpone Sayasen says the additional money is needed to buy
Crackdown on the Hmong in Hiding Near Vietnam Border(HNN)
A Hmong Lao group hiding in a mountainous military training area in the Bolikhamxay province of Laos, near the border of Vietnam, was surrounded by Laotian military ground troops starting Nov. 10, 2006. 197 people -- mostly women and children -- of the ethnic Hmong group, known under the name of
Workers, employers debate wage increase (VientianeTimes)
Workers are demanding an increase to the minimum wage, upsetting employers who are afraid the increase could lead Laos to raise the price of exports and lose out in international competition. Speaking at yesterday's National Workshop on Globalisation, Regional Integration, New Technology
EDF pledges to develop Nam Thuen 2 as model energy project (Laos NA or backup)
The Electricite de France (EDF) has pledged to develop Nam Theun 2 as a model energy production in Laos, a senior official of EDF. "The EDF will actively join its Lao holding state enterprise and other shareholders to develop
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Dr. Sharma off to Laos (Rising Nepal)
... EDF sees Vietnam, Laos ops as springboard
    for entering China power mkt (AFX/Forbes)
... Chinese radio service forms bridge of friendship (VT)
... Joint statement of Lao, Chinese leaders (VT)
... Vietnam provides hi-tech assistance to Lao health service (ND)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 20, 2006


Oxiana's Sepon mine in Laos sets output record (Reuters/Y)
The Sepon copper mine operated by Australia's Oxiana Ltd. has set a daily production record of 306 tonnes of high-grade copper metal, mine officials said. Sepon operations manager Phil Dunstan told Reuters during a tour of the project in southern Laos that the mine had been steadily building towards
Chinese Co Inks Deal For Hydropower Plant In Laos (X/DJ)
China International Water & Electric Corp. has signed a deal with the Laotian government to build a hydropower station near Vientiane, the capital of Laos, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Monday. State-owned CWE will invest $142 million to build the hydropower station, which will have an installed
Crazed Laos National arrested after threatening Police with a knife and empty bottle (Pattaya City News)
An unusual case now from a small Soi off of Third Road in North Pattaya. Police were called to a small house after residents reported a crazed man on the roof of the house threatening people with a knife and an empty bottle.
Leaders kick off immunisation campaign (VientianeTimes)
The Secretary General of the Lao PRP & President of Laos, Mr Choummaly Sayasone, yesterday joined nearly a thousand people to launch a campaign urging parents to immunise their children. Mr Choummaly dropped medicine into the mouth of a child and bestowed a loving kiss on a little boy in front of
New Luang Prabang airport construction cancelled (LNA)
The Lao government cancelled new Luang Prabang Airport Construction Project due to it will not to waste the government budget unreasonably after considering it clearly. In fact that airport will be expanded in the future according to an announcement made by the Civil Aviation Department
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Laos, China broaden cooperation (VT) 
... Chinese president concludes visit to Laos (PD)
... Chinese President makes 5-point proposal for Sino-Lao relations (PD)
... China, Laos pledge to promote overall co-op, friendly relations (PD)
... Vietnamese southern province invests in Laos (VNB)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 19, 2006


Laos: Bribes and bumpy roads (Vail Daily)
Vientiane, the capital of Laos, still has some French remnants, such as streets named "Rue" and "Boulevard," but at the same time the French must be really ticked off when they come to visit their former colonies of Laos and Cambodia. Virtually no one speaks French anymore, so they must speak
Laotian in U.S.: What tangled wars we weave (RA)
The sky-blue cloth, woven with threads forming the shapes of refugees, soldiers and guns, depicts a scene that haunts Howard Phengsomphone. Surrounded by dozens of textiles bearing tanks and helicopters, coffins and chains, the native Laotian shifted his weight & searched for words to explain
Chinese president starts visit to Laos (Xinhua)
Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CCCPC and Chinese president, arrived in Vientiane, capital of Laos, Sunday for a state visit aimed at promoting bilateral ties in the new century. Hu flew in from the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi after paying a state visit to the country and after attending the two-day
China-Laos ties witness healthy, rapid, all-round devpt. (PD)
Thanks to efforts by generations of leaders from both sides, the Sino-Lao friendship has continuously consolidated & developed since the 2 neighbors established diplomatic relations in 1961.  In the new century, exchanges of high-level visits have been frequent, fruitful cooperation has been carried out
Thai Officials Seize Pangolins at Lao-Thai Border (AP/RB)
Anti-wildlife trafficking officials at the Thai-Laos border Sunday seized 260 pangolins they said were bound for China, where they would be eaten. "These pangolins were from southern Thailand and about to shipped to Laos. They were destined for cooking pots in China," said Banyat Saengsawang
St. Paul church celebrates first local Hmong settlers (AP/IF)
St. Paul church that sponsored Minnesota's first Hmong refugees 30 years ago is honoring them in a ceremony this morning. Fifty-nine-year-old Leng Wong and his brothers arrived in the Twin Cities in 1976 from Laos. He now lives near Stillwater where he writes policy manuals for the state and owns
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Michigan's Hmong celebrate New Year (LSJ)



November 18, 2006


Soccer-Laos qualify for Southeast Asian finals (Reuters/Y!)
Soccer minnows Laos booked their place in the knockout stages of next year's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship on Saturday after winning a pre-qualifying tournament in Bacolod City. Laos saw off Brunei 4-1 to finish ahead of Cambodia, East Timor and hosts the Philippines, who beat
China ready to offer aid to build 3rd bridge across Mekong River (Kyodo NS)
Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai told Thai Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet on Saturday that China is ready to provide financial aid to construct a third bridge across the Mekong River linking northern Thailand, Laos and
Hmong family honored as pioneers (MPR)
The Hmong have been a presence in Minnesota for three decades. The first arrivals came in the mid-1970s. The community is now more than 50,000 strong. The arrival of the first Hmong family to Minnesota will be marked this weekend by a St. Paul church. Leng Wong, 59, is a dark-haired man with



November 17, 2006


Hu to seal Laos push at Vietnam expense (Standard)
Once brothers in arms with Vietnam in fighting a US-backed government, Laos is slipping out of the orbit of its traditional backers and increasingly into the arms of China, analysts say. President Hu Jintao goes to Laos Sunday, paying only the 2nd visit by a Chinese head of state to the communist-run
UN chides govt over deportations -- 53 Hmong 'forcibly returned' to Laos (Bangkok Post, The Nation or Reuters)
Thailand was at odds with the UNHCR yesterday over the deportation of 53 ethnic Hmong back to Laos from a camp in Phetchabun province. The UN refugee agency perplexed the Foreign Ministry by issuing a statement
Second phase of Road No 1 begins (VientianeTimes)
Work has officially begun on the 2nd phase of construction on Road No 1, between the Sikhai and Chinaimo junctions. The Ministry of CTPC yesterday held a ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the second phase of work, which has been awaiting funds for some years.  Attending the event were
Vientiane GDP reaches nine thousand billion kip (Laos NA)
The gross domestic production growth for 2005-06 reached over 9,700 billion kip (~ US$ 970 million) , according to a recent conclusion meeting on socio-economic development of Vientiane... Average income per capita was around 12 million kip or equal to US$1,200. The Vientiane contributed
Burma, Laos to charge Mekong transit fees (Irrawady)
The governments of Burma and Laos are to start charging transit fees for cargo boats using their stretches of the Mekong River. Most of the boats are Chinese-owned, transporting goods from China to Thailand. The fees are expected to be levied on container transport from early next year.
Soccer: Laos subdues Timor Leste (PDI or DS)
A last-gasp header from Saynakhonevieng Phommapanya lifted a fagged-out Laos side to a tight 3-2 victory over Timor Leste last night for the solo lead in the Asean Football Championship-Qualifiers at the Panaad Park and Stadium here. The win hiked the Laotians’ tally to seven points, putting them in
Images of Laos on Exhibit at 2006 US-ASEAN Film and Photography Festival (VOA)Nov 14, 2006
The third annual US-ASEAN Film and Photography Festival was held on Nov 2-5 in Washington, D.C. ... Lao-American Kingsavanh Pathammavong was one of the four photographers exhibiting their works under the theme
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Sino-Laotian bilateral ties (PD)
... Biographical note on President Hu Jintao (VT)
... Laos: Vocational school opens in north (VT)
... Soccer: Brunei Take On High Riding Laos (Brunei Direct)
... Vang files answer in his appeal (AP/WCT)
... Mekong art collaboration (Nation)
... Foreign husbands bring big changes to Isaan (Nation)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA




November 16, 2006



Windfall begins for Laos wedding studios (ANN/Statesman)
After the three-month break for Buddhist Lent, the wedding business in Vientiane has started to boom, as more couples flock to bridal shops to rent wedding costumes and hire makeup artists. The owner of Tou Tou Wedding Studio, Ms Tou Tou Phommachak, said her business was getting better
Some 140 Wild Elephants Need to Be Relocated from Laos' NT2 Site (VOA)
The Wildlife Conservation Society estimates there are 140 to 150 wild elephants that need to be relocated from the Nam Theun 2 dam construction site, and that it is currently doing a detailed study on the impact of relocating
Road Map: Vang Vieng - Luang Prabang (Bangkok Post)
Last week we crossed the Mekong via the Friendship Bridge into Laos, took Highway 13 (North) out of Vientiane and ended up in Vang Vieng, a nice little town by the Xong River. Today, let's continue northward and wrap up our brief tour of northern Laos in the old capital of Luang Prabang.
That Luang marshland at risk (VientianeTimes)
Developers are continually pressing to level land in conservation areas for the construction of houses, offices and factories, in violation of regulations and laws that would protect the That Luang marsh in Vientiane. A Xaysettha district official said yesterday that district regulations & urban planning laws
New bus route increases more convenient & comfortable (LNA)
Savannakhet signed an agreement document on opening new bus route with Mukdahan province of Thailand aiming to stimulate the service sector in both two countries after Savannakhet-Mukdahane Bridge Construction Project was announced that it would open official bridge usage on 20 December 2006.
Soccer: Laos, Brunei eye 2nd wins (Daily Star)
Laos & Brunei Darussalam eye their second victories each when they tussle with different rivals today in the Asean Football Championship - Qualifiers at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City. The Laos booters, mentored by Saythong Syphasay, collide with a luckless Timor
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Thailand sends Lao Hmongs back to their homeland (LNA)
... UN coordinator vows to help Laos achieve development goals (VT)
... Indochina 's architects build solidarity (VT)
... Gravel trucks grind down community's roads (VT)
... Farmers aim for higher rice yields (VT)
... Viet, Lao youth unions boost co-operation (ND)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 15, 2006


Laos beckons Indian investors (ANI/Yahoo! or Kerala)
Laos wants Indian investors to set up businesses in Laos, with the possibility of 100 per cent FDI, said the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, Phongsavath Boupha, at a meeting organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today. Boupha was on an official "sensitization" tour to
Two Hmong from Laos arrested in suspicion of spying (Nation)
Two Hmong ethnic minorities from Laos were arrested Wednesday while filming Hmong refugees shelter at Phetchabun's Ban Huay Namkhao. Lee Tu, 35 from Lao northern province of Xiang Khuang and Loh Jer, 40 from Vientiane were now being detained in Lomsak district police station without
Laos, Thailand negotiate fate of more than 8,300 Hmong-Lao (Huntington NN)
Laos is changing its direction, with an announcement last week that it is willing to take the Hmong Lao refugees back, if they can verify that these Hmong are Laotians, Supreme military Commander Gen. Boonsang
Laos: One-stop service cuts paper chase (VientianeTimes)
People in Xaysettha district, Vientiane , are happy to have their documents processed now that a pilot project providing a ‘one stop service' has been implemented in the district. The Chief of the one stop service unit, Mr Khampheuy Phon-asa, said this week that in the past six months, his district
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 14, 2006


Buddhist Monks raise AIDS awareness in Laos (UNAIDS)
Every morning Buddhist Monk Maytryjit gets up at 3:45 am to meditate for one hour. Afterwards, he walks through the streets of Vientiane in the Lao PDR to collect his food alms. However, last October he took time out of his usual routine to catch a flight to Pakse to attend a workshop convened by
Laos says Huay Nam Khao Hmongs are bilateral issue (VOA)
Lao authorities say the problem of the Hmong refugees living along sides the road leading to Ban Huay Namkhao in Thailand's Phetchaboun province is a bilateral issue, and that Laos is ready to take back the refugees who are willing to come back to Laos. Laos' Deputy PM Somsavad Lengsavat made
Reducing poverty levels the Laotian way (National)
Laos, a mountainous and landlocked Southeast Asian nation, is one of the world’s poorest countries, according to development agencies such as the World Bank. With a landmass almost half the size of Papua New Guinea & a similar sized population, Laos has been making a transition from communist
Switzerland expects to double support to Laos (VT)
The government of Switzerland expects to double the financial volume of its cooperation with the Lao PDR to reach an annual budget of US$8 million over the coming five years. To boost bilateral cooperation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) office was officially opened last Friday
The first nationwide business survey to launch (Laos NA)
The Committee for Planning and Investment with the cooperation of sectors concerned will conduct a business survey the upcoming of December. "The survey will be conducted under the period of two weeks from 4 December," said Mr Samaychanh Boupha, the General Director of National Statistics
Soccer: Top-ranked Laos battles Cambodia (Daily Star)
Rarely does a Philippine Team slip into the role of an odds-on favorite in an international football match. But when they go against an unranked opponent today, national coach Aris Caslib vows they will not leave anything to chance. The Philippines, ranked 195 among 205 countries in the world, will face
Hmong Increase Per Capita Income (AP/WCCO)
Asians living in Minnesota, thanks in part to an emerging Hmong middle class, have pulled nearly even with whites in economic success, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. The trend is also being fueled by a surge in the number of well-educated immigrants from India, the Census Bureau
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... China's President to Visit Laos Nov. 19-20 (VOA or BP)
... Laos, Benin issue joint press statement (VT) 
... Laos: Minority students to benefit from new curriculum (VT) 
... Oxiana wants to be the next big thing (SMH)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 13, 2006


A Chilling jail tale as Kay Danes relives her nightmare in Laos (Ararat YG)11/10/06
WHEN Kay Danes was unlawfully imprisoned in a jail in Laos for 10 months in 2000, she was touched by the plight of the political prisoners, many of whom were surviving years of detainment with no release in sight.
Laos power prices set (Bangkok Post or VientianeTimes)
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) expects to buy electricity from Laos' Nam Ngum 3 hydropower plant at five US cents per unit (kilowatt/hour).  Egat governor Kraisi Kanasuta said the utility had settled the price in negotiations with the project's operators & would seek endorsement
Japan to provide $2.4 million to stem poppy production in Laos (Kyodo NS)
The Japanese government decided Monday to provide about $2.41 million to a project to be run by two U.N. agencies aimed at eradicating poppy cultivation by farmers in Laos, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Soccer: 2 quick goals lift Laos past Philippines (PDI)
Laos scored two quick goals in succession early in the second half and survived the Philippines’ late uprising to pull off a 2-1 victory last night at the start of the Asean Football Championship-Qualifiers before a huge crowd at the Panaad Park & Stadium here. The RP booters created the most scoring
Laos: Getting there first (Bangkok Post)11/12/06
As team leader of the Community-Based Tourism Component, LNTA-ADB Mekong Tourism Development Project, Steven Schipani is more likely to be found steering a kayak through a tricky bend of the Mekong or trekking through a primeval forest than he is sitting behind a desk in Vientiane. 
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Laos, Benin develop relations (VT)
... Secretary General Hu Jintao to visit Laos (VT)
... Chinese president to visit Laos (DPA/BP)
... Myanmar, Laos cooperate in establishing agricultural center (PD)
... Billy Yang: From Laos to Linda (A-D)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA




November 12, 2006


Vientiane: Tourists the new invaders (Courier Mail)
THE peaceful Lao capital, Vientiane, sits on the northern bank of a bend in the Mekong River in the middle of a vast, fertile alluvial plain. It's a city of broad, tree-lined boulevards with broken footpaths, lively markets, neglected but beautiful old colonial mansions and Buddhist temples (wats) surrounded
Jewel of the Mekong - In timeless Luang Prabang (PI)
Leave your watches and calendars behind when you come to this dreamy river town. Louangphabang is a mural of the 1950s, somnolent & undisturbed, a place where the ghosts of French Indochina still whisper in the breathless heat of summer and the mighty Mekong River rolls past palaces and villas of
Pilot shot down over Laos to be buried (AP/ABC or AP/CD)
Larry Hull knew exactly what he wanted. His dad was an Air Force master sergeant who worked on planes. And from the time Larry was a boy, he wanted to join the Air Force, like his dad. But Hull wanted to fly. "Flying and flying in the Air Force went together for him," said Tyra Manning, who
Laos: Biking 2,800 miles helps build school (PJ or backup)
Propelled by a “cosmic moment,” Brown University student Patrick Cook-Deegan combined adventure with altruism this summer by cycling through Laos, to help build a school in a remote country where few schools exist. Carrying a spare change of clothes, bug spray, sunscreen and
Thailand to get 3,000 & 5,000 MW electricity from Laos (BD)
The energy ministry has revealed that they are planning to sign an agreement with Laos to purchase between 3,000 and 5,000 MW of electricity from Laos later this year. "5,000 MW is feasible," Energy Minister Piyasvasti was quoted by VNA as saying. He also said that the agreement to acquire more
Soccer: Philippines battles Laos today (PDI)
Mention the huge crowd during the Southeast Asian Games last year and the faces of Fil-British football standouts James Younghusband and Phil Greatwichlight up. “There were 25,000 fans supporting us. It was a great experience,” the 19-year-old Greatwich, one of the seven foreign-based
Family sets missing man's spirit free - Ceremony for man who disappeared near Lao-Thai border aims to give closure (FB)
A drum beat a solemn rhythm, and light from a single candle illuminated a picture of Michael Vang on Saturday as his family began a two-day memorial service in his honor.Seven years ago, the Fresno resident disappeared while
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... MIA in Laos: Burial of Vietnam pilot offers healing for family, friend
... Hmong New Year festival recalls the past (Recordnet)
... Talk on Hmong grave desecration (Pioneer Press)
... Hmong handiwork - Grandmother's Asian beading, 
    costumes on display (Detroit Free Press)



November 11, 2006


Laos: Boat trouble along the Mekong (Vail Daily)
"Now what to do?"  Everwhere we ask and wherever we look, we are being told that there are no boats leaving for Vientiane. Period. The manager of the hotel at last tells us that we can charter a boat as far as Pak Lai, where he thinks there is a regular boat leaving for Vientiane and the cost is only $700!
Laos can accept return of Hmongs in Thailand, says Thai military chief (TNA/MCOT)
Laos is sincere and willing to take back some 6,000 Hmongs now taking temporary refuge in Thailand's northern province of Phetchabun, military commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit. Gen. Boonsang told journalists on
U.S. Embassy organizes workshop on prosecutorial procedures in Laos (U.S. Embassy)
A high-level team of prosecutors from the U.S. Dept. of Justice’s OPDAT conducted a workshop for Lao prosecutors & legal professionals from Nov. 8-10, 2006 at the Novotel Hotel in Vientiane. The focus of the workshop was
Laos Keen To Work With MARDI (Bernama)
Laos is interested to collaborate with the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) to develop its agricultural sector. Its visiting Prime Minister, Bouasone Bouphavanh, expressed this interest during a briefing by MARDI Director-General Dr Abdul Syukor Abdul Rahman at its
Laos joins Vietnam in trial bird-vaccination project (The Nation)
Laos is taking part in a Vietnamese trial to vaccinate poultry against bird flu despite concerns the vaccine may lead to a mutation in the deadly virus, a senior Lao official said yesterday. The land-locked country is in the first stage of the study, having injected 3,000 ducks and 5,000 chickens in two
Vietnam, Laos expect trade expo to expand ties (ND)
Over 100 Vietnamese and Lao businesses are expected to flock to a trade fair-exhibition in Vientiane, Laos, from November 30 - December 5, to promote trade and set up partnerships, said a senior economic military officer. Maj. Gen. Ho Sy Hau, Head of the Economic Department under
MIA in Laos: Some go to war, never to return (ARN)
Not a day goes by that Henry Mundt Sr. doesn't think of his oldest son, the golden boy whose life was cut short when his plane was shot down 37 years ago over Laos. Missing in action for years, the military later declared Henry ''Jerry'' Mundt II dead. But his parents never gave up on him. His mother has



November 10, 2006


PM wants M'sia-Laos JCM to be convened soon (Bernama)
PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said there is a need to convene the 3rd Meeting of the Joint Commission between Malaysia & Laos & hoped that officials would undertake the necessary steps as soon as possible to realise that. Speaking at the official dinner in honor of his Laotian counterpart
M'lay to help Laos to develop investment machinery (AP/Star)
Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday urged his country's businessmen to invest in Laos. The call by Abdullah came after he met with the visiting Lao premier, Bouasone Bouphavanh, who arrived Thursday on a three-day official visit.  Abdullah said his government would host a Lao
Thailand will purchase 5,000 megawatts more of power from Laos (The Nation)
Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand assured foreign investors that the interim government would not intervene in the oil market. The minister also vowed to ensure the transparency in the bidding of the future power projects.
Laos: ODA money thrown down wells (Yomiuri Shimbun)
In the latest controversy involving Japan's official development assistance program, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned that water wells built in southern Laos under the ODA program cost 10 times more than similar wells built in that country by a Japanese company as a goodwill gesture.
Police arrest bag-snatchers in Vientiane (VientianeTimes)
District police have put three bag-snatching gangs out of business, Vientiane police revealed yesterday. “We spent almost a month tracking down these 23 thieves, with cooperation from district and village security units,” said the Deputy Chief of Vientiane Police Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Sengphet
Bouthviset has produced 209 students (Laos NA)
From 2000, Bouthviset College has produced 209 students for the society. This includes the latest batch of 99 students produced in this year. "Yesterday, we presented almost 100 diplomats to our students who have graduated from the college," said Mr Khamvieng Chanthakun, Head of
Hmong in U.S.: Flower farmers left reeling -- Floods endanger businesses, supply for markets (Seattle PI)
Dao Lee planted 18,000 tulip bulbs in September in the rich soil of the Snoqualmie Valley, near neat rows of Canterbury bells, sweet william and delphinium. With the tranquil field at a higher elevation than her other rented
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Abdullah Signals Unwavering Support For Laos (Bermana)
... Nam Theun 2 funding stacks up (VT)
... Authorities fail to limit buses in heritage city (VT)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 09, 2006


Laotian Troops Fan Out in Jungles Where Hmong Hide (HNN)
Large numbers of Laotian military forces are rapidly spreading out in alarming numbers into the remote areas where many thousand Hmong people live in hiding, according to human rights activist Rebecca Sommer and other sources that furnish information to HNN on the continuing refugee crisis in
Rabies rate is still high in Laos (Laos NA)
There are 50 percent of the 160 samples we analysed affected the rabies virus, higher than in 2000 in which only 49 out of 3,582 people who were bit by dogs were reported infected of rabies. "This shows the increase in rabies in our country and it worries us too much," said Dr. Anon Seuadvongsa
CP Foods expands to Laos (Bangkok Post or Reuters/Y!)
As part of its regional expansion, Thailand's top poultry exporter, Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF), will set up a new company in Laos to oversee animal feed and animal farming operations with an initial investment of about 110 million baht (US$3 million). According to Adirek Sripratak, the company
University celebrates 10 years of excellence (VientianeTimes)
Deputy PM Mr Somsavat Lengsavad said yesterday that the world is now moving quickly towards a competitive and progressive era of science, information and technology. He was speaking at the 10-year anniversary celebrations at the National University of Laos, the country's major institute
Lao-Thai Road Map: Nong Khai - Vang Vieng (Bangkok Post)
It won't be very soon but one day trans-border driving will become a normal practice throughout mainland Southeast Asia. But, hey, that doesn't mean you can't do it now!  Overland travel from Thailand to certain neighbouring countries, like Laos where we're going today, is not as much of a hassle as
From Laos to La Crosse: YWCA declares Maomoua Vue an ‘Outstanding Woman’ (La Crosse Tribune)
Maomoua Vue’s office in the La Crosse County Health Department looks like any other, but it’s a place of great significance for Vue. Twenty years ago, while pregnant with her daughter, Vue sat on the other side of the desk
Way of the Hmong warrior (The Star or NST)
Born to a Thai-American mother and a Laotian father of Hmong descent, Song’s natural good looks have definitely helped eke out a special uninhabited space for her in the competitive world of Disney Channel stars. “When we first met, she told me she was black belt – I didn’t believe her
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Laotian Prime Minister Visits Malaysia (Bernama)
... Benin president to visit Laos (VT)
... Champassak power debts reach billions (VT)
... Germany supports public-private dialogue (VT)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 08, 2006


Over 50 Million Euro Needed to Support Lao Hmongs in Thailand (VOA)
Thai military authorities met with representatives of Doctors Without Borders from France to discuss action plans for maintaining security and providing assistance to Lao Hmongs at Ban Huay Nam Khao in 2007, and for moving
Rohas-Euco sees RM55m revenue from Laos hydro project (Edge Daily)
Rohas-Euco Industries Bhd, which is hoping to undertake a US$60 million (RM218 million) hydroelectric power project in Laos under a joint venture with the Laotian government, said the project can generate up to US$15.12 million
Land use controversy develops at university (VientianeTimes)
A dispute between residents living on Dongdok campus & university officials who want to build on the land has broken out, university officials said yesterday. People who have been living on the campus for many years are refusing to move out because they are not happy with the compensation
Foreign tourists seems increase (Laos NA)
The number of foreign arrivals in Laos seems to increase yearly... In terms of the industry sector, the government is now giving priority to development of tourism, which this year is expected to see 1.3 million foreign tourists visiting Laos, generating revenue of at least US $150 million. 
Embassy Booth Receives Thousands of Visitors during That Luang Fair (U.S. Embassy)
Thousands of young Laotians visited the U.S. Embassy’s booth at the Lao-International Trade Exhibition and Convention Center (Lao-ITECC) during the Boun That Luang Fair, Laos’ biggest annual cultural festival, held
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Capital Campaign for Contruction of the 
    Rhode Island Laotian Cultural Center & Museum Launched (VOA)
... Budget constraints delay road repairs (VT)
... World Bank praises poverty reduction (VT)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 07, 2006


Lao, Thai Prime Ministers to Sign New Power Purchase Agreement (VOA)
The signing will take place on the day the two prime ministers inaugurate the second Lao-Thai Bridge linking the Lao town of Savannakhet to Thailand's Mukdahan. The new agreement will increase the amount of electricity
Growth overwhelms city planners (VientianeTimes)
Urban planning authorities are struggling to keep up with Vientiane 's unprecedented growth over the last five years, which is posing major environmental challenges. Senior city planners said last week that people were building without permission in green zones and on swamp land, and
Three bronze medals will do for Laos (Reuters/Star)
Laos are sending one of their strongest ever teams to Doha even though nearly half of their contingent are state officials. They will have 14 staff to accompany the 16 athletes, who will compete in seven of the 39 sports. The deputy secretary-general of Laos's Olympic committee, Somphou Phongsa
Laos Asian Games team loaded with officials (Reuters/Y)
Communist Laos is sending one of its strongest ever teams to next month's Asian Games in Doha, although nearly half of its contingent are state officials. The cash-strapped country, which is famous for its excessive bureaucracy, will send 14 staff to accompany its 16 athletes, who will
Phu Bia mining project backs national economic growth (LNA)
At the same time, Phu Bia General Manager Country Affairs Dr Ralph Child last Friday disclosed that it met 15,000 ounces gold since ten months ago. For more reasons with an expectation that it would produce 30,000 ounces gold, 50,000 ounces copper and 400,000 ounce per year in future.
Panel approves funds for Hmong business loan program (BJ)
A panel of Milwaukee Economic Devpt. Corp. has approved a $125,000 loan to the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce to establish a revolving loan fund for small businesses. The Hmong Wisconsin Chamber will use the MEDC loan together with a $100,000 loan from Tri-City National Bank and
Rest of stories about Laos from other sources
... Lao Women Among Prostitutes Arrested in Thailand (VOA)
... ASEAN media learn about Laos (VT)
... PM Bouasone visits Myanmar , Malaysia (VT)
... Vietnam Airlines Launches Second Direct Route To Laos (AsiaPulse)
... Chinese president to visit India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos (KNS)
... Other stories from VientianeTimes  Need Subscription
... Other stories from Laos NA



November 06, 2006


Former teacher close to classrooms -- Laotian spent years as a refugee before coming to Modesto (Modesto Bee)
Bounma Manivong once taught 5th-graders in a tiny jungle village in his home country of Laos. These days, Manivong trims hedges and cleans classrooms as a night-shift custodian at Orville Wright Elementary School in Modesto.
Laotian hospital fights infant malnutrition by providing maternal education and support (CNA)
Despite the fact that breast milk is a readily available source of nourishment, an estimated 1.3 million solely breastfed infants around the world die each year from insufficient feeding, according to United Nations agency, Unicef.
Food subsistence remains an issue for rural people (LNA)
Lao PDR is a country in a state of chronic food insecurity and poverty, and malnutrition rates are amongst the highest in the Southeast Asian region. According to FAO, under-nourishment concerned 21 % of the population in 2001-2003. Figures of 29% in 1990-1992 indicate a significant improvement.
Lao robotics team clinch third victory (VientianeTimes)
The National University of Laos (NUOL) has won a regional robotics contest three years in a row against top university robot-