Laos to host int'l music fest to boost tourism

Laos to host international music fest to boost tourism

An international music fest is scheduled to be held in Vang Vieng town, a famous tourist destination in Laos' central Vientiane Province on Dec. 16-17.

The Vang Vieng Music Fest aims to promote tourism and attract more tourists to the town, said Anouluck Pathammavong, a representative of organizers on Tuesday during a press conference.

Well-known bands and vocalists from Laos and other countries have been invited to the stage, including those from the United States, the Philippines, Italy and the United Kingdom, he said.

The festival was held for the first time in 2015, drawing the attendance of about 40,000 people from Laos and foreign countries.

Vang Vieng is a karst-strewn tourist hotspot and home to famed mountain biking trails, river kayaking and tubing, hot air ballooning, spelunking and more.

~News courtesy of Sina.com~

Lao Kip

SilkAir's new route: Singapore to Vientiane & Luang Prabang

SilkAir is now flying direct to Vientiane and Luang Prabang



Care to visit the age-old Buddhist temples, French-colonial buildings and broad boulevards of Vientiane? How about the quaint ancient town of Luang Prabang, which was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1995?

It is now easier to get there with SilkAir. The regional wing of Singapore Airlines launched its inaugural flight to Vientiane and Luang Prabang, Laos, on Monday. The airline is flying to Laos on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with same-day return, and the flights will be operated with the Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring both business and economy class cabins.

“There is an increasing interest in Laos, with more people wanting to get authentic experiences that are an escape from the usual cityscape. We see great potential in Vientiane and Luang Prabang for both leisure and business travel,” said Foo Chai Woo, chief executive of SilkAir.

“As the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, SilkAir has long been the champion of a diverse range of destinations in Asia, from major cities to popular leisure spots as well as places which are relatively untouched by mass tourism.”

He added that besides Singapore, SilkAir sees a great level of interest (in Laos) from travellers from Australia/New Zealand and Europe as well as Korea. “We hope that with these flights, we can promote traffic from the region and the world, in particular from SIA’s network, to visit Laos, via Singapore.”

~News courtesy of Today Online~

AirAsia's new route: Kuala Lumpur - Luang Prabang

AirAsia creates new link to Laos



AirAsia celebrates the launch of the new route

AirAsia has expanded its connectivity in Laos with the launch of flights between Kuala Lumpur and Luang Prabang.

Marking the first direct link between the two Southeast Asian cities, the new KL service will complement AirAsia’s existing Bangkok-Luang Prabang flights, and the direct services connecting KL and Bangkok with Vientiane.

“We are very happy to be the first and only airline to connect Luang Prabang to Kuala Lumpur directly,” said AirAsia’s CEO, Aireen Omar. “We are also pleased to be the airline that connects the people of Laos to two of the main cities in ASEAN, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, which are both major AirAsia hubs.

“We want to further champion connectivity to second and third-tier cities, and help to grow the market together,” she added.

The new flights will depart KL every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 0645 and arrive in Luang Prabang at 0840. The return services then leave the UNESCO-listed Lao city at 0925 and arrive back in KL at 1330.

~News courtesy of Travel Daily Media~

Laos, Thailand enhance tourism cooperation

Laos, Thailand enhance tourism cooperation

Laos and Thailand have agreed on enhancing their cooperation in the tourism sector, aiming to jointly promote the tourism potentials of the two countries and implement the connectivity plans of Asean.



Prof. DrBosengkhamVongdara and MsKobkarnWattanavrangkul shake hands after signing the MOU.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the cooperation plan was signed yesterday in Vientiane between Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Prof. DrBosengkhamVongdara and Thai Minister of Tourism and Sport, MsKobkarnWattanavrangkul.

An official from the Lao ministry's Department of International Cooperation revealed that under the MOU, the two countries will assist each other in the development of tourism products and tourism services.

They aim to connect tourism programmes through joint tourism packages and market the two countries one destination model between the two countries, as well as enhance the exchange of information in the sector.

The idea of the cooperation is to strike for the tourists who enter Laos and attract them to also visit Thailand, as well as enticing those who visit Thailand to also visit Laos, encouraging longer stays in both of the countries he said.

According to the coo peration plan, the two sides will also advertise tourism destinations, tourism products and the services of the two countries internationally, which they will do together through regional and international tourism fairs, aiming to ensure the growth and sustainability of the tourism industry in the two neighbouring countries .

The cooperation will also involve tourism management and a tourism strategic plan, while tourism businesses from the two countries will be encouraged to enhance their cooperation.

More than 2.3 million Thai people visited Laos, and around 1.5 million Lao citizens went to Thailand last year. This number of Lao people visiting Thailand was just recorded through the first Lao-Thai Friendship bridge linking Vientiane and Nongkhai, Thailand.

Our general objective is to increase tourist travel between the two countries, as well as visitors from third countries, the official said.

Thailand also proposed the enhancement of tourism links with Laos at talks between the heads of the Lao and Thai governments during an official visit of a Lao high level delegation to Thailand led by Prime Minister ThonglounSisoulith in July.

As the outcome of the talks, the two countries will work on a joint master plan on tourism to boost the number of travellers to the region.

~News courtesy of Vientiane Times~

Start collecting VAT at customs in November

Laos to start collecting VAT at customs in November

The Customs Department under Laos' Ministry of Finance will begin collecting Valued Added Tax (VAT) payments in November.

The tax will be collected at the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge between Thailand's Nong Khai province and Laos' capital Vientiane followed by the other international border crossings， Bounpaseuth Sikounlabout， acting Director General of the Customs Department was quoted by local Vientiane Times on Sunday.

Earlier， the Ministry of Finance had issued a Provision on the Levy of 10 percent VAT of Passengers' Personal Effects， which stipulates that Lao citizens or expat passengers living in Laos upon entry through border checkpoints including international airports shall pay 10 percent value VAT on their (new or used) personal effects. 

The levy of VAT is exempted for infrequent passengers who travel less than twice a month on items costing less than 50 U.S. dollars.

Frequent passengers to Laos are not exempted from VAT and will be charged accordingly. 

Passengers entering Laos shall fill in a Customs Declaration Form for Personal Effects and submit it to customs officials upon their entry into the country. 

In cases when the personal effects are new, the passenger shall attach a purchase receipt to ease and hasten the calculation of VAT.

If passengers do not have all receipts or eligible documents， or have no documents， the customs officials will have the right to evaluate items according to present circumstances to calculate VAT， reported Vientiane Times.

While the government is not expecting large sums from the VAT collections， it will help to improve revenue collection in the country and assist Laos adjust to international integration， said the report.

~News courtesy of Xinhua~

A slow boat to China

A slow boat to China



Asian cruise operator Pandaw is all set to launch the RV Laos Pandaw, a 10-cabin cruiser, on the Mekong River.

Asian cruise operator Pandaw is all set to launch the RV Laos Pandaw, a 10-cabin cruiser, on the Mekong River. 

Offering cruises on the upper and lower Mekong, the first trip through Laos, Thailand and Myanmar is sold out but bookings for its maiden excursion on the upper Mekong into China are now open. 

The expedition cover seven nights, beginning in Chiang Saen in Thailand's North. 

The journey continues and stops over along the border of Myanmar and Laos on its way to Jinhong in Yunnan Province. 

The Old Mandalay Road in Shan State, the Xiang Kok Akha Village in Laos and a tea plantation and botanical gardens are also on the itinerary. Visit www.Pandaw.com.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Lao Song

ໜຸ່ມນາກັບສາວຫຍິບຜ້າ

New Checkpoints on Lao-Cambodian Border

New Checkpoints on Lao-Cambodian Border



Prime Minister Hun Sen met with Laos’ Prime Minister Thongloung Sisoulith yesterday at the Peace Palace. KT/ Mai Vireak

More border checkpoints will be opened between Cambodia and Laos after both countries agreed to increase bilateral trade yesterday.

The decision came after a meeting in Phnom Penh between Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Lao counterpart Thongloung Sisoulith after a series of talks related to trade, investment, tourism, illegal border crossings and cross-border peacekeeping.

More information on the new checkpoints will be released soon, assistant to the prime minister Ieng Sophalet told reporters after the meeting. He added that the new checkpoints are being created for the use of citizens from both countries to promote cross-border investment, trade and tourism.

While Mr. Sophalet would not say where the new checkpoints will be, a Foreign Ministry statement released earlier this month said one will be built in Preah Vihear province.

The checkpoint’s construction is part of a larger plan to link the two countries with a road and bridge over the Ropov River, making it easy to cross between Preah Vihear and Laos’ Pakse province.

Now the only official overland route between the neighbors is through the Voeung Kam-Dom Kralor checkpoint in Stung Treng, opposite Laos’ Pakse province.

The new border checkpoint will give residents the option of entering Laos and Cambodia respectively through legal means, Mr. Sophalet added.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Cambodia’s consul office in Stung Treng province will be open on June 30, with the Lao side opening on July 1.

Mey Kalyan, a senior advisor to the Supreme National Economic Council, said the new consul offices will help communications between Cambodia and Laos.

“In the name of neighboring countries, we have to help each other in terms of facilitating mutual trade activities,” Mr. Kalyan said. The Cambodia-Laos border is about 54 kilometers long.

Not discussed during yesterday’s meeting was Laos’ controversial Don Sahong dam, which is being built less than two kilometers upstream of the Cambodian border. Despite the government in Laos claiming the dam will have no effect on the Mekong River ecosystem or their downstream neighbors, international experts disagree.

The newly-elected prime minister of Laos is on a two-day official visit to Cambodia after taking office in April. He is set to leave the Kingdom tomorrow.

~News courtesy of Khmer Times~

Tourist hordes put strain on Luang Prabang’s heritage

Tourist hordes put strain on Luang Prabang’s heritage

The enthusiasm of tourists for Luang Prabang’s heady charms has brought prosperity to the Lao town, but is the visitor influx damaging its cultural treasures?

The monks emerge shortly after six in the morning, smudges of flame in the predawn gloom. Alms bowls in hand, they walk silently through the town past Western-style cafés and restaurants. They pass boutique hotels with frangipani trees and soft white curtains covering the windows. Eventually, they turn onto Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang’s main drag, where a throng of tourists eagerly awaits.



Quick snap: tourists rush to take photographs of monks collecting alms in Luang Prabang. Photo: AP/David Longstreath

As the monks begin taking offerings from a line of Buddhist devotees, cameras are primed and the pack converges. One European man lights up the pavement with a huge flash on a tripod, filming monks as they step off a curb. Another walks up and down the line with a huge camera, pointing its black snout into the stream of saffron-clad novices and firing off machine-gun shutter-bursts.

For centuries, Luang Prabang’s monks have filed through these streets at dawn to collect alms from the local community. In more recent times, however, the morning ritual known as tak bat has ceded ground to another, noisier ritual – one of shutters and flashes and frenzied jostling for position along the crowded streets.

Each morning, tourism operators set up signs and tables, hawking coffee and overpriced sticky rice for tourists to ‘donate’ during the procession. Signs in six languages ask visitors to “respect the alms giving” and keep their distance from the monks, many of whom are novices, but these are routinely ignored.

For many, the tourist circus surrounding the tak bat encapsulates the negative side of a boom in visitors that has transformed the character of this Unesco-listed former royal capital. “It’s like a monkey troupe, it’s like a Disneyland,” says one prominent Laotian involved in cultural preservation efforts, who requested anonymity due to recent controversies over mass tourism and heritage issues. “We have [taken] action, we have made brochures, but I think it’s not enough.”

Luang Prabang’s old town, a temple-filled peninsula embraced by the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, was once the capital of the Lan Xang kingdom, the fabled “Land of a Million Elephants”, and has remained the spiritual and religious centre of Laos in the centuries since.

Since being listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1995, the town has gone from an impoverished settlement with a stuttering electricity supply to one of Southeast Asia’s prized boutique travel destinations. In 2015, this town of 50,000 attracted more than 445,000 international visitors, according to provincial tourism authorities, an increase of more than 10% on the previous year.

That figure may soon rise further following the opening up of new international air routes to the city. In March, the cut-price carrier AirAsia commenced regular flights from Bangkok, and HK Express has announced that it will add a flight from Hong Kong. Two additional airlines are awaiting approval for direct flights, according to recent media reports.

Now, two decades on from Luang Prabang’s Unesco listing, a milestone the city marked with a lavish street parade in December, many wonder whether it can maintain its traditions under the intensifying pressures of mass tourism.

As early as 2004, Unesco noted in a report that tourism development had already put a “critical stress” on the town’s environmental and cultural resources. Without proper management, it warned, Luang Prabang could well become “another tourist town where soft-drink billboards dominate the landscape, where the sound of tour buses drowns out the soft temple prayers and where the town’s residents are reduced to the roles of bit-players in a cultural theme park.”



Steely eye: a tourist shops for souvenirs made of scrap metal from fragments of bombs and war material. Photo: EPA/Barbara Walton

This dystopian vision has yet to come to pass, but there’s no denying the transformative effects of the tourist dollar. Gabriel Kuperman, the founder and director of the Luang Prabang Film Festival, now into its seventh year, says one effect of the boom has been families selling their houses in the old town to be converted into guesthouses and hotels.

“On one hand, it’s a positive thing that those families benefitted from a major injection of funds into their households,” says Kuperman. “On the other hand, now that there are fewer and fewer Lao families living in the heart of Luang Prabang, a certain amount of charm has been lost.”

Indeed, pockets of Luang Prabang are akin to portals into a sort of transnational Asian tourist space – a generic zone of souvenir shops, cheap travellers’ cafés, and the sort of gimmicky exotica encapsulated by the sight, on one recent evening, of an orchestra entertaining a crowd of foreigners with a rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” played on traditional Lao instruments. “There’s a point where it sort of kills the local life,” says Andrea Vinsonneau, the director of EXO Travel in Laos.

Locals express satisfaction at the influx of cash that tourism has brought, but also worry that the character of the city and its people have changed. “Some is good, some is bad,” says Chanthanom Soulatda, the owner of Villa Ban Lakkam, a guesthouse on the banks of the Nam Khan river. “Luang Prabang people are very calm, but now they run to make business,” the 71-year-old adds, standing on the street outside the guesthouse, which stands on the site of her childhood home. “Before they walked slowly, but now they run.”

Despite the accretions of global tourist culture, Luang Prabang has generally adhered to Unesco’s regulations, which include bans on demolitions within the heritage zone and the use of pane glass on buildings. The town remains low-slung and quiet, characterised by a delicate blend of Lao urban architecture and French colonial forms.

The difficulty, says Montira Horayangura Unakul, a national programme officer at Unesco in Bangkok, is that Luang Prabang’s most valuable heritage extends beyond the physical buildings to include “intangible” cultural practices and traditions – like the tak bat ceremony – which are not officially listed by Unesco. “The living aspects of the site are the really indispensable part of what makes Luang Prabang so distinctive,” she says.

This explains local anger at the touristification of the alms-giving ceremony – the central part of a living Buddhist culture. Phonesavan Bilavarn, 70, a retired English teacher whose childhood home still stands just off Sisavangvong Road, is livid: “They use the flash,” she says, miming the ‘chk, chk, chk’ of the shutterbugs, “and very close to the monks.”

Of course, some argue that Unesco is itself to blame for the changes that happen to World Heritage Sites such as Luang Prabang. The Italian writer Marco d’Eramo has argued that whenever a city is listed by Unesco, it “dies out, becoming the stuff of taxidermy, a mausoleum with dormitory suburbs attached”. Has World Heritage status saved Luang Prabang, only to rob it of its soul?

Rik Ponne, a former Unesco staffer and advisor to the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, says that such views oversimplify the complex challenge of balancing economic growth with cultural preservation. Taking a fundamentalist view on heritage issues, he argues, runs the risk of romanticising the poverty that allowed Luang Prabang to remain so “untouched” for so many decades.



The devoted: a young boy places sticky rice into a monk’s bowl. Photo: EPA/Barbara Walton

On the whole, Unakul says that in response to past criticisms from the World Heritage Committee, the Lao authorities have been “very proactive” in taking action to address its concerns and extending the development buffer zone around the old town. One of the current strategies for handling rising visitor numbers is to draw visitors away from the old town by promoting attractions further afield. “It’s definitely an issue that’s on a lot of people’s minds, and an issue that’s getting attention,” she says.

Vinsonneau, who has been living and working in Luang Prabang since 2000, says tourism operators also have a duty to educate their clients. EXO Travel provides each of its visitors with a handbook instructing them how to dress appropriately, how to interact with monks and how to behave during cultural events.

But she says that despite all the negative effects of mass tourism, the death of Luang Prabang’s soul has been greatly exaggerated, at least when compared with some of the other tourist hotspots of Southeast Asia.

“There’s still an incredible ambience,” Vinsonneau says of the town. “It’s good to remind people it could be much worse than this. It could be better, but it could be much worse.”

~News courtesy of Vientiane Times~

Life in the slow lane - Luang Prabang

Life in the slow lane

How to spend 36 hours in Luang Prabang and still see everything without rushing

Amidst the breakneck pace of the surrounding region, Unesco-protected Luang Prabang is a haven for anyone wanting to escape a hectic lifestyle and discover the art of slow living. Dotted by faded villas and gilded temples, Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom, is the heart and soul of Laotian culture. The small town, where most locals are asleep by 11, is a fusion of traditional Lao architecture and the villas built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Sitting at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, Luang Prabang promises to wreck any tightly planned itinerary thanks to a way of life that allows residents and visitors to soak in the luxury of time.

FRIDAY

Dinner under the mango tree: 7pm

3 Nagas, a charming boutique hotel in the centre of Luang Prabang, is home to the award-winning "Best Lao Restaurant" in Luang Prabang. If there is no rain, dine outdoors under the huge mango tree and savour the beauty of the three restored historical houses. The restaurant serves one of the best Salad Pak Nam (watercress salad) in Luang Prabang. Another snack not to be missed while in Laos is river weed or kai with jaew bong, a sweet-and-spicy chilli paste made with chilli, galangal and water-buffalo skin.

Time to bargain: 9pm

Luang Prabang Night Market runs from 5 to 11. The street is closed off to vehicles from Sisavangvong Road to Settathilat Road in the town centre. The contrast between the sea of colourful knock-down stalls and the glittering backdrop of Haw Pha Bang and the Royal Palace Museum came as a shock to this visitor, who remembers a much more laid-back night stroll through a handful of vendors just 10 short years ago. The entire street is filled with vendors selling embroidered bags and purses, T-shirts, silk, cotton pants and shirts and paper lanterns. If walking and bargaining re-ignite your appetite, then head to the Night Food Market down the narrow lane at Settathilat Road where you'll find noodles, snacks, juice and the famous Beer Lao.

SATURDAY

Giving alms to monks: 6am

Giving sticky rice alms to hundreds of monks from more than 30 temples in Luang Prabang is a fascinating experience that shouldn't be missed, no matter what religion you may adhere to. Once the monks go back to their temples, the locals will take other dishes to eat with the rice to the temple so do not put any other comestibles than sticky rice in the bowl. Long sleeves worn with trousers or long skirts are recommended for all alms givers.

Coffee coffee coffee: 7am

Introduced by French colonialists in the early twentieth century, coffee has secured its place as the country's most famous drink and is also its largest agricultural export commodity. Pasaneyom Coffee Shop is one of the best places to enjoy an authentic Lao coffee, with a baguette (khao ji) or rice congee with youtiao (pah thong ko). If you prefer a more Western breakfast, check out Joma Bakery Cafe or Le Café Ban Vat Sene and enjoy your coffee while watching the world pass by.

Laotian whiskey and Pak Ou Cave: 9am

Ban Xang Hai or Whiskey Village, 29 km north of Luang Prabang, is a common stop on the boat ride to Pak Ou Cave and is just 30 minutes away by car. Laotian whiskey, or Lao Lao as it's known locally, is traditionally used in important blessing ceremonies and to greet visitors, so don't be surprised to be offered a shot of Laotian whiskey (or a jar with drinking straws to share!) as a welcome drink. Whiskeys bottled with snakes or scorpions, believed to have some medicinal benefits, are not for the faint-hearted. Taking a boat from Ban Xang Hai to Pak Ou Cave, a spot also known as Tham Ting, is a great way of recovering from the Laotian whiskey tasting. Tham Ting is a pair of centuries-old caves that are home to hundreds of small wooden Buddha images brought there by the boatmen for good luck.

Strolling or cycling, your choice: 1pm

With all the charm of a European town infused with the spirit of Asia, Luang Prabang is best discovered with a walk about town. A bicycle ride will speed up the travel time, giving more chances to visit attractions but less opportunity to enjoy the slow pace of the town.
> Places not to be missed are Wat Xiang Thong, Wat Wisunalat and the Royal Palace Museum.

Founded in 1560 by King Settathilat, Wat Xiang Thong, which sits alongside the river, is the finest example of Lao monastic architecture. The highlight is the Sim - the congregation hall - with its low, sweeping, three-tiered roof.

The original wood structure of Wat Wisunalat, alternatively known as Wat Visoun, was destroyed by the Black Flag invaders, but the That Makmo - the "watermelon stupa" - was rebuilt in the late 1920s.

The Royal Palace Museum or Golden Hall was built in 1904, when the French ran the country. A blend of European and Lao designs, the museum was the home of Sisavangvong, the last king of Laos, until his death in 1959. Haw Pha Bang or Royal Palace Chapel, located at the northeast corner of the Royal Palace Museum, houses Prabang, a golden Buddhist statue after which the town is named.

Sunset at Phu Si: 5am

Wat Phu Si or Pra That Phu Si is opposite the Royal Palace Museum, on the hill in the heart of Luang Prabang. The walk up, 328 steps, isn't easy, but is supposed to signify a test of faith. The summit offers some wonderful city views.

SUNDAY

Morning market: 6am

Don't miss the morning market in a web of alleys off Sisavangvong Road. You will find fresh vegetables, fruits, river weeds, buffalo skin, huge river fish, live and dead chickens (still with their feathers), beehives and honey bees, barbecued paddy mouse, snakes, bats and other, not always recognisable, produce spread out on bamboo mats on the sidewalk for good prices.

Ock Pop Tok: 10AM

Choose your favourite silk or learn how to weave your own fabric at Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre, a place where weavers, spinners and batik makers produce top-quality fabrics. A tour of the centre gives a superb insight into silk production and dye making. Lunch at the centre's river-view cafe or try a cup of the pleasant silk-worm droppings tea.

IF YOU GO

ThaiAirAsia operates a daily flight between Bangkok's Don Mueang and Luang Prabang.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Vang Vieng 万荣

Vientiane-Attapeu-Pakxe flights take off

Vientiane-Attapeu-Pakxe flights take off

Lao Airlines has commenced flights from Vientiane to Attapeu province and Pakxe, Champassak province.

The inaugural flight was officially launched on Saturday at Attapeu International Airport, attended by Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport Ms Vilaykham Phosalath, Attapeu provincial authorities; information, culture and tourism sector officials along with travel agents and company staff.

Lao Airlines had planned to commence flights to Attapeu on various occasions but the flights were cancelled according to the company officials.

The new flights run every Tuesday and Saturday, departing from Vientiane at 8am, arriving in Attapeu province at 9:45am, departing Attapeu province at 10:30am, arriving in Pakxe at 11am and then departing Pakxe at 11:40 am before arriving back in Vientiane at 12:55pm.

The new flights will help facilitate travel in Laos especially for Attapeu province, Vice President of Lao Airlines, Mr Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said at the official launch ceremony.

“It will be also bring more visitors to Attapeu province as well as investors that will help contribute to economic development in the future,” he said.

Attapau is a southern province of the country, which comprises rich natural resources, interesting traditions and many existing natural and historic tourism sites.

The economy of the province is expanding well, drawing the interest of domestic and foreign business operators.

After the launch ceremony, officials visited the provincial museum and prayed at Vat Pha Xaysettha.

Lao President Choummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang opened the new Attapeu International Airport on May 30 last year.

At present it takes one and a half days by bus from Vientiane to Attapeu but the flight take 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The new flight has been added to Lao Airlines' domestic routes with the aim of boosting investment and trade, especially as Attapeu is developing commercially due to its shared border with Vietnam.

The airport is fully equipped to accommodate domestic and international flights. The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.

It is exp ected the airport will help spur socio-economic development in the area by attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it will link Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight services.

~News courtesy of Vientiane Times~

Pha That Luang - Vientiane

Happy New Year

Sofitel makes debut in Laos

Sofitel makes debut in Laos



AccorHotels has launched its luxury Sofitel brand in Laos, with the opening of a new property in Luang Prabang.

The new Sofitel Luang Prabang is set in a mansion built in the 1900s for the French Governor’s family. It features just 25 suites which range in size from 46 to 120m² and feature shuttered windows, hand-carved wooden beds and private gardens. Some of the units also feature private plunge pools.



The interior of a pool villa at the new Sofitel Luang Prabang

The hotel also serves as a gallery, housing a collection of Indochinese art and a library with one of Luang Prabang’s largest book collections.

“I think that what guests will find most captivating at Sofitel Luang Prabang is the fusion that occurs on so many levels,” said the hotel’s GM, Pablo Barruti.

“Heritage is married with modern comfort, and the enduring tranquillity, both within the verdant gardens and just outside in the serene residential quarter, will appeal to guests in search of refuge in this age of sensory overload.”

In terms of F&B, the hotel’s restaurant, Governor’s Grill, offers both indoor and al-fresco seating in a colonial-style tent overlooking the garden, and there is also a wine cellar. Other facilities include a spa, a 25-metre mosaic-tiled swimming pool and a fitness centre, and guests will also be offered yoga and pilates classes.

For the MICE market, Sofitel Luang Prabang houses a boardroom and a 70-pax lounge, while the garden can host up to 200 guests for outdoor events.

Sofitel Luang Prabang becomes AccorHotels’ second property in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town, following the 3 Nagas hotel, which forms part of the MGallery Collection. The company also operates ibis and Mercure hotels in the Lao capital Vientiane.

~News courtesy of Travel Daily Asia~

Sand sculptures help mark Pi Mai Lao

Sand sculptures help mark Pi Mai Lao

Sand sculptures on Don Chan Beach near the Mekong River in Vientiane are nearing completion for annual Pi Mai Lao celebrations from April 13-16 with authorities expecting large crowds.



An elephant sand sculpture taking shape for Pi Mai Lao celebrations.

Contractor MsRatsadapornBusadee told Vientiane Times on Tuesday that the sand sculpting project commenced on March 8 and will be completed by this Sunday.

This year's theme is the AEC and Laos chairing Asean with artists from Laos and Thailand working together to create the sand sculptures on the Mekong River beach.

“This time there will be 15 sand sculptures focusing on the symbols of the 10 countries in Asean, especially the symbols of Laos such as the elephant and That Luangstupa,” MsRatsadaporn said.

“Last year almost 100,000 visitors saw the sand sculptures on Don Chan Beach and this time we expect even more visitors than last year,” she said.

Admission to the sand sculpture area is 10,000 kip per person with children aged under five free of charge.

During Pi Mai Lao celebrations the riverside area will host many activities such as beach football and volleyball, boxing, traditional fashion shows, concerts and stalls selling an enticing array of goods.

According to the Vientiane authority, there would be a special water pouring ceremony for older people and visitors in the area of Vat Chan up to the beach alongside Khounta village in Sikhottabong district.

This year marks the 450th anniversary of the building of Vat That Luang, which would be reflected in the festivities.

However, people from other provinces around the country will also be enjoying Pi Mai Lao, especially traditional activities such as pouring water over Buddha images.

~News courtesy of Vientiane Times~

Laos gets tough with foreigners entering nation

Laos gets tough with foreigners entering nation

THE LAOTIAN government has issued an urgent order for officials to get stricter on foreigners entering the country.

Everyone entering Laos from tomorrow must have complete documents, said a source at the 1st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint yesterday.

The move followed several recent incidents of armed robbers assaulting and killing people and the arrest of 20 people for possessing war-grade weapons and drugs in November. Among those arrested are nine Thais, according to the source.

The bust received the Lao government's attention because it came in the wake of many violent incidents in the country.

They include the robbery and murder of two Chinese tourists in the Sai Somboon area two weeks ago and a shooting that left a number of policemen and soldiers wounded and a number of bystanders dead at highway No 13 north (Muang Kasi-Muang Phu Khun), the source said.

The source said the get-stricter order, which included checking vehicles more thoroughly before they were allowed to enter the country, was issued because Laos was about to have an election.

The name of the Thai nationals arrested in November remained unknown, as it was regarded as a Laotian national security issue, the source said, adding that the Thai embassy in Vientiane would seek channels to provide aid to the Thais.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

That Luang, Vientiane