Vientiane Times

tuesDAY february 2, 2016

The First National English Language Newspaper

ISSUE 27

Laos stepping up
surveillance to prevent
Mers-CoV
Xayxana Leukai

The National Centre for

Laboratory and Epidemiology
of the Ministry of Health is
strengthening surveillance
efforts in combating Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS) after Thailands second
confirmed case of Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome
Coronavirus (Mers-CoV).
The most recent patient is
a 71-year-old man from Oman
who travelled to Thailand on
January 22 after having been
treated at a hospital in that
country for about one week for
fever and a cough, Bangkok
Post reported recently.
The man tested positive
for Mers at Bamrungrad and
Chulalongkorn hospitals.
The man was referred to
Bamrasnaradura Infectious
Diseases Institute and another
laboratory test by the Medical
Science Department confirmed
he had contracted Mers.
The Public Health Ministry
is looking for people who
had contact with the patient.
They included a relative who
accompanied the patient, 218
crew and passengers who
are still in Thailand, one taxi
driver, a hotel employee, and
30 hospital staff.
These people will be kept
under close surveillance for
14 days. Of them, 37 are
categorised as high-risk. They
are the patients relative, 23 air
passengers, the taxi driver, the
hotel employee, and 11 hospital
staff.

Director of the National

Centre for Laboratory and
Epidemiology, Dr Phengta
Vongphrachanh, told Vientiane
Times yesterday that the
centre had already alerted
the epidemiological network
throughout the country to
ensure the virus did not enter
Laos.
To prevent Mers-CoV
entering the country Laos
has already set up scanning
equipment and healthcare
teams to check all inbound
travellers coming in through
international checkpoints and
border checkpoints.
In addition, medical
personnel at border checkpoints
in other countries are also
beefing up surveillance against
the virus.
So far, the Ministry of
Health in collaboration with
US Centres for Disease Control
and Prevention (USCDC),
World Health Organisation
(WHO) and involved sectors
are undertaking surveillance.
In addition, involved officials
are holding daily meetings to
monitor the situation regarding
the virus. The National
Centre for Laboratory and
Epidemiology has already
upgraded its standards for
MERS diagnosis. This means
that MERS coronavirus can be
diagnosed at the centre.
For the preventive
measures we will do the same
thing as we have done to fight
against bird flu, SARS, Ebola
and communicable diseases,
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4500 kip

LFTU needs to protect rights of

its members: DPM advises
Times Reporters

The Lao Federation of Trade

Unions (LFTU) should
continue to protect the
legitimate rights and interests
of its members and construct
skilled workers and labourers
to be a strategic force and be
able to integrate.
Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Education and
Sports Mr Phankham Viphavanh
made the announcement at
a grand meeting to mark the
60th anniversary of the LFTUs
establishment (February 1,
1956 - February 1, 2016).
The meeting was held
yesterday at the National
Culture Hall in Vientiane,
bringing together thousands of
trade union members, domestic
and foreign guests.
Mr Phankham advised
that the LFTU should pay
more attention to propagate
their role to workers and
labourers, bring the trade
union into production units,
and encourage employers and
employees to have contracts
signed to ensure fairness
between the two parties.
Most importantly, all
workers and labourers must
dare to think and do the right

Mr Phankham Viphavanh pins a National Gold Order to LFTU.

thing and they must be diligent,

disciplined in the workplace
and thrifty, he added.
President of the LFTU Mr
Pan Noymany highlighted the
LFTU s history and tradition
in contributing the countrys
development and protection
tasks following the nations
liberation and proclamation on
December 2, 1975.
The LFTU was established
on February 1, 1956, in the

revolutionary stronghold
of Huaphan province under
the guidance of Mr Nouhak
Phoumsavanh to help train
workers and labourers for the
revolution and represent the
working class.
Throughout sixty years,
Lao workers and labourers
under the guidance of the LFTU
have developed and enhanced
their political attributes,
discipline in the workplace and

obtained bachelors, masters

and doctorate degrees, Mr Pan
Noymany said in his remarks.
He added that some
labourers have become
technicians, researchers,
engineers, technical staff,
businesspeople, and
outstanding operators in each
sector, while some were titled
as professors and associate
professors.
Continued page 2

Cold snap kills livestock in Huaphan

Times Reporters

More than 200 cattle and almost

100 buffaloes died in Huaphan
province last week as a result of
cold weather that hit the province
last week.
The cold weather also killed
hundreds kilograms of tilapia
fish in ponds and some poultry
according to the provincial
livestock and fisheries section.
The section authorities said
the figures would be larger when
they were able to collect detailed
information from all districts in
the province.
The section currently has
collected information from
the two districts of Xone and
Xamneua.
A total 59 cattle, eight

buffaloes and 100 kilograms of

tilapia fish died in Xone district,
worth almost 130 million kip
while 160 cattle and 74 buffaloes
were killed in Xamneua district,
the section reported.
The section authorities
expected detailed information
would be collected within the
week.
Meanwhile, the Phongsaly
provincial Agriculture and
Forestry Department was
preparing hold a meeting to
report on the impacts of the cold
weather with invited authorities
from every district to participant
in the summit, the department
Director, Mr Santi Keonhasane,
told Vientiane Times yesterday.
The department currently
had not received any information

about livestock deaths, in

particular buffaloes and cattle,
from local authorities, he said.
Xieng Khuang provincial
Agriculture and Livestock
Department authorities are going
to village groups to collect their
livestock numbers.
However, market food prices
within these three provinces,
Phongsaly, Huaphan and
XiengKhuang, were still stable.
Beef prices in the provincial
markets were around 50,00060,000 kip a kg and 20,000 kip
for tilapia fish according to the
Domestic Trade Department.
The lowest temperature
recorded last week was -1.5C
in Phongsaly, zero degrees in
Huaphan and 0.2 degree in Xieng
Khuang province.

A high pressure system from

China last week brought cold
weather and a heavy frost cover
to the northern part of Laos.
The Governor of Phongsaly
province announced a three-day
holiday for officials working
in all government departments
after freezing weather hit the
provincial capital.
The low temperatures are also
made life difficult for motorists
with some cars refusing to start
and drivers having problems on
icy roads.
The heavy frost also caused
some trees to fall down, with
large numbers of families
staying at home as outside
conditions were difficult. No
deaths were recorded from
the cold.

2 Home news

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Investors eyeing golf resort

for Borikhamxay
Times Reporters

A Chinese company and Lao

State Enterprise are seeking
to development a recreational
complex in Borikhamxay
province, featuring a resort,
golf course, and other tourism
facilities.
The
propos ed
development covers 600
hectares in Huaysiat river
basin, about 3 kilometres
from the provinces capital
and urban centre, Pakxan.
The
companies
signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the

provinces Department of
Planning and Investment last
week for a six month feasibility
study for the area now known
as Pakxan Resort Project.
The proposal previously
known as Suan Koulab
(Rose Garden), comprising
guesthouses and restaurants,
had been previously touted by
a Lao entrepreneur before it
was transferred to Korean first,
Vietnamese second, and most
recently Chinese businessmen.
The department Director
Mr Phonephilath Sithsatone
said the area was an attractive
site of more than 300 hectares

LFTU needs to protect...

The model of Hai Hin Mixayaram temple in Thongmixay village, Paek district, Xieng Khuang province.

Xieng Khuang authorities seeking

funds for temple construction
Times Reporters

Xieng Khuang provincial

authority is continuing efforts
to mobilise additional funds
for the construction of a
temple on a high mountain
in Thongmixay village, Paek
district, with the project now
some 30 percent complete.
President of the Golden
Mountain Garden Group,
Mr Phoukham Ouanouansa,
who is also the head of the
committee responsible for
temple construction, told media
last weekend that the project is
now 30 percent complete and
work will continue.
The temple was named as
Hai Hin Mixayaram temple. It
is one project towards cultural
and tourism development in
the province.
Mr Phoukham Ouanouansa

said once complete, it will

become the biggest temple in
the province and have the added
attraction of being located at
the top of a mountain.
Currently the infrastructure
including the preaching hall is
already completed and we are
concentrating on constructing
a huge Buddha image after
the groundbreaking ceremony
on December 11, 2015, Mr
Phoukham said.
The huge Buddha image
shall be some 39 metres tall
and 19 metres wide, situtated
on the top of the mountain. It
is estimated that the Buddha
image alone will cost in excess
of US$1 million or eight billion
kip.
After completing the
construction of the Buddha
image, they will also build a
monastery, main hall of the

temple and other facilities.

The temple is located only
around one kilometre from
the Plain of Jars site and will
offer a view of the mysterious
archeological site and also
a vista of the Xieng Khuang
Plain and the provincial capital.
After the temple is
complete it will become a place
for dharma and meditation
practice, while also showcasing
the culture and customs of the
people and welcoming many
visitors.
It is expected that various
important festivals and events
will also be held at the temple
in the years ahead.
Mr Phoukham said the
authorities are also planning
development around the temple
area, which could include a
special economic zone and a
tourism zone.

Laos stepping up surveillance... from page 1

he said.
Health personnel working
at checkpoints have been
informing the general public
about MERS and its prevention
while passengers travelling
from outbreak countries would
to be screened.
Border checkpoints
without scanning machines
are advised to monitor the
inbound travellers country of
origin along with suspected
symptoms, such as fever,
cough and shortness of breath.
Currently, there is no
vaccine to prevent MERSCoV infection. Dr Phengta also
advised people help protect
themselves from respiratory
illnesses by taking everyday
preventive actions.
These included washing
your hands often with soap and
helping young children do the
same; covering your nose and
mouth with a tissue when you
cough or sneeze, then throwing

the tissue in the trash; avoiding

touching your eyes, nose and
mouth with unwashed hands;
avoiding personal contact,
such as kissing, or sharing
cups or eating utensils, with
sick people and cleaning and
disinfect frequently touched
surfaces and objects, such as
doorknobs.
In addition, if possible
people are advised not to travel
to MERS epidemic countries
until the situation returns to
normal.
According to WHO, on
23 January the Omani patient
tested positive for MERSCoV. The patient, who has co
morbidities, first developed
symptoms on 14 January while
in Oman. On 18 January, he
was admitted to hospital. On
21 January, against medical
advice, the patient selfdischarged from hospital. The
patient was sampled before
leaving the hospital. The

sample tested positive for

MERS-CoV on 25 January,
after the patient had already
left Oman.
On 24 January, the National
IHR Focal Point of Oman was
informed about the case for the
necessary follow up on contacts
back in Oman and investigation
of history of exposure.
Investigations revealed that the
case had contacts with camels
in the 14 days prior to the onset
of symptoms.
No epidemiological links
have been established between
this case and the latest case
detected in Oman.
Measures are being taken to
trace all contacts of the cases
in Oman, during his journey to
Thailand, and within Bangkok.
Globally, since September
2012, WHO has been notified
of 1,633 laboratory-confirmed
cases of infection with MERSCoV, including at least 587
related deaths.

Lao workers and labourers have constantly

developed their labour skills along with the
development of the country in each period and
they have always shown high responsibility in
their duties.
Therefore they gained the confidence of Party
and state organisations, civil society organisations,
domestic and foreign investors, he added.
Some trade union members, workers
and labourers were elected and assigned to
significant Party and state positions from
the central to the local level and some have
become outstanding managers at factories and
companies.
This outcome has caused the federation
to take an important role in the political,
economic, social and cultural aspects of society
and has been recognised by friendly countries

with a water boundary and an

island in the middle.
He said the transference of
operations from one developer
to the next had its reasons such
as the death of the Vietnamese
investor CEO.
Borikhamxay province
has an abundance of natural
and cultural tourist sites
such as waterfalls, rapids,
and temples, while there is
no recreation complex in the
central province.
More than 139,000 tourists
visited the province in 2013,
and the number reached
184,000 in 2014.

from page 1

internationally, Mr Pan said.

Because of the outstanding outcomes over
the past years, the LFTU was awarded an
Issara Order (Class 1), a Labour Order (Class
1), a Labour Order (Class 2), a Labour Order
(Class 3), a Labour Medal (Class 1) and some
government certificates of congratulations.
On todays special occasion, the Lao
government agreed to present a National Gold
Order to the federation, Mr Pan added.
On the day, there was also a trade fair at
Lao-ITECC from January 26 to February 3,
with each sector bringing their products to
exhibit and sell.
There was also a fashion show featuring
models wearing the uniforms of ministries,
organisations, companies and factories at LaoITECC.

Correction
Vientiane Times would like to apologise for wrongly stating the name of the Ambassadordesignate of Japan to Laos on page 2 of the February 1 issue, paragraph 7 and the photo caption
in the article titled Waste transfer station opens in Vientiane. The ambassadors correct name
is Mr Takeshi Hikihara.

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Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Home news

Agriculture ministry to
pursue three focal targets

Times Reporters

The Ministry of Agriculture

and Forestry has announced it
will pursue three focal targets
set to ensure food security,
greater commercial production
and sustainable forestry
management.
In its five-year plan
provided recently, the ministry
revealed the first target is to
secure food production with
sufficient nutrition.
In this regard, the ministry
will pursue the annual
production of 2.5 million
tonnes of paddy rice via
government-introduced food
security projects. Of which,
between 200,000 and 400,000
tonnes will be stockpiled as
national reserve.
Another target is for the
production of the five food
groups to reach an average of
2,600 kilocalories per person
per day.
In addition, the ministry
has announced, as identified
i n t h e s e c o n d t a rg e t , t o
produce more commodities
with better quality on a
commercial basis with focus
on producing clean and
organic farm products.
The ministry said organic
farm produce were in high
demand in markets of other
Asean member countries,
China, Japan and the Republic
of Korea.
Foodstuffs production has
increased in recent years paving
the way to attain the set target,
thanks to incentive policies
and regulations introduced to
facilitate production.
Nationwide production of
rice increased from just 3.06
million tonnes in 2011 to 4.2
million tonnes in 2015, which
enabled Laos to export some

surplus. Production of other

foodstuffs increased from 1.23
million tonnes in 2011 to 1.41
million tonnes in 2015.
Domestic average annual
production and supply of meats,
chickens and eggs increased
from 48 kilograms per person
in 2011 to 55 kilograms per
person in 2015 meeting the
targeted plan.
As a result, the Food and
Agriculture Organisation
of the United Nations
certified in 2015 that Laos
had achieved millennium
development goal I (MDG
1) on eradicating extreme
poverty and hunger.
Zoning projects have been
established to promote clean
and organic production of
crops such as coffee, cassava,
jobs tear, bananas, rice, and
watermelons among others.
Notably, Laos has started
to export rice to China and
is expected to increase these
exports to 8,000 tonnes in the
immediate future generating
income of US$6 million (more
than 48.4 billion kip).
Livestock farms have
increased in number, highlighted
by a Japanese investors large and
modern farm in Xieng Khuang
province to rear thousands of
head of cattle.
In a move to ensure
sustainable management of
forests, a survey has been
completed to facilitate the
allocation of 51 production
forest areas. Allocation of
production forest will assist
logging plans.
The ministry said it
would continue to complete
the allocation of production
forest areas and village forest
areas across the country to
facilitate sustainable forestry
management.

Weather forecast

Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and other officials cut ribbons to open Dok Ngiew (kapok flower) Festival in Tonpheung district.

Kapok flower festival attracts

more tourists to Bokeo
Times Reporters

The annual Dok Ngiew (kapok

flower) Festival in Tonpheung
district, Bokeo province has
attracted over 60,000 tourists
from Laos and neighbouring
countries to learn about the
unique Lao culture.
The event took place from
January 26-31 featuring a
number of activities including
a trade fair, beauty contest,
food contest and other cultural
performances.
The event was organised by
Bokeo provincial authorities
and Golden Triangle Special
Economic Zone (SEZ) and
attended by Deputy Prime
Minister Mr Somsavat
Lengsavad, Dok Ngiew Kham
Group President Mr Choi

Wai and other high-ranking

officials.
The aim was to promote
tourism in the province and
generate income for local
people while preserving the
traditional culture of local
people. The event takes place
each year to coincide with
the blooming of the kapok
flowers which grow naturally
in the district. Director of
Bokeo provincial Department
of Information, Culture and
To u r i s m M r S o m p h o n e
Keomany told Vientiane Times
yesterday that tourists from
Thailand, Myanmar, China and
other European countries also
attended the event.
The new thing for this
years festival celebration
is that we organised a food

festival, allowing local people

to show off how wonderful
their foods are among foreign
visitors, he said.
The festival directly
generated revenue for local
people and the economy while
creating activities for tourists to
stay in Bokeo province longer.
Since the opening of a
bridge across the Mekong River
between Bokeo and Chiang Rai
province of Thailand in 2012,
more tourists have visited the
province.
But the main challenge for
the province is how to keep
tourists staying longer so that
local people can benefit from
the growth of the tourism
industry.
Mr Somphone said We are
improving the quality of our

hotels and other facilities as

well as opening new tourism
sites to welcome the rising
number of tourists to the
province.
Mr Somphone said before
the opening of the bridge across
the Mekong, the number of
tourist arrivals in the province
was just 70-80,000 people
annually but the figure rose to
170,000 people in 2015.
Bokeo province is an entry
point for many tourists arriving
from Thailand before they
make their way to other parts
of Laos and to southern China.
The province lies on Road
R3A, part of the major highway
running from Kunming in
China through the northern Lao
provinces of Luang Namtha
and Bokeo to Thailand.

Temperatures to drop again in Laos

Times Reporters

The Weather Forecasting and

Aeronautical Meteorology
Division of the Meteorology
and Hydrology Department
has updated the latest weather
forecast for the main provinces.
In Vientiane, temperatures
ranging from 18-30C are
expected on February 2, 15-28C
on February 3 and 4, 16-25C on
February 5, 13-22C on February
6, and 11-22C on February 7.
In Pakxong district,
Champassak province,
temperatures ranging between
7-26C are expected on February
2, from 7-25C on February 3,
and from 6-24C on February
4, from 5-24C on February 5,
4-22C on February 6 and 3-22C
on February 7.
The division has forecast
the minimum temperatures for
the northeast part of Laos,with
temperatures ranging from 3-21C
predicted from February 2 to7. In

the north west parts,minimum

temperatures will range from828C betweenFebruary 2 to7.
Meanwhile in the central parts,
the mercury is expected to range
from 11-28C over the period
from February 2 to7.
Minimum temperatures
from 12-18C are forecast from
February 2 to7in the southern
part of Laos.
Temperatures in some
areas were lower yesterday but
had risen in other places, the
Meteorology and Hydrology
Department noted.
The minimum temperature
in Vientiane during the height
of the cold snap last week
reached as low as 10.7 degrees,
while Xamneua district in
Huaphan province reported 2C,
XiengKhuang 1.4C, Oudomxay
3.5C, Huayxai district in Bokeo
province 6.5C, Luang Namtha
province 5C, Luang Prabang
province 6.5C, and Xayaboury
province 7.4C.

Xaysomboun province
saw temperatures drop to 6C,
Phonhong district in Vientiane
province was recorded at 10.8C,
Pakxan district in Borikhamxay
province 8.2C, Km20 in
Khammuan province 4.5C,
Savannakhet province 11.5C,
Pakxe district in Champassak
province 14.4C, Saravan
province 13C, Xekong province
14.5C, and Attapeu province
15.6C.
An official from the division
delivered the latest information
to Vientiane Times yesterday,
saying the weather shall get
colder from February5-9,
especially in the north east and
central parts of Laos.
The overnight minimum will
range from 3-5Cin the north east
parts and from 11-13C in the
central parts and Vientiane.
The south will see minimums
from 12-14C and mountainous
Pakxong district will see the
mercury drop to between 3-5C.

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4 Home news

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Miss Xieng Khuang contest

prepares to launch

Mr Phoukham Ouanouansa.

Times Reporters

Xieng Khuang provincial

authorities will organise the
Miss Xieng Khuang contest
to promote the culture and
tourism attractions of the
northern province.
Since the war period,
Xieng Khuang women have
been famous for their bold
fight together with the men

and their good revolutionary

traditions.
A committee organisor
of the Miss Xieng Khuang
contest, Mr Phoukham
Ouanouansa, told media last
weekend that the event will
run from March 15-25 at Suan
Phou Kham in Phonsavanxay
village, Paek district, of the
province.
It is the first time that a
Miss Xieng Khuang contest
has been held, with officials
deciding they need a Miss
Xieng Khuang to attend
tourism development
conferences and promote the
culture of the province.
The contest will select 20
Xieng Khuang girls to attend.
The purpose of this contest
is to promote tourism and
the culture of the province as
well as agriculture because
Xieng Khuang is one province
that has many agricultural
products.

The contest committee will

select Miss Xieng Khuang
by testing her knowledge of
tourism, culture, history and
agriculture.
The auditions will start on
March 15 until the final round
contest on March 25.
Besides that the event
will also include a singing
contest, traditional dances,
and a concert featuring famous
singers from the province and
other parts of Laos.
Deputy Head of the
Information, Culture and
To u r i s m D e p a r t m e n t i n
Xieng Khuang province, Ms
Muansy Sitthivong, who is
also a committee organiser
for the contest, said that the
event will be held to review the
revolutionary traditions of Xieng
Khuang province and promote
its artists, culture and tourism.
The event will also mark
the upcoming of International
Womens Day on March 8.

Attention Vientiane Times subscribers

News in Brief
Northern provinces set price controls amid potential increases

Three northern provinces of Phongsaly, Xieng Khuang and Huaphan have set ceiling
prices of food items to be sold in local markets amid fears of potential food price
increases after freezing weather damaged crops and killed livestock.
The freezing weather that swept and covered northern and central regions of Laos late
last month reportedly killed livestock and damaged crops triggering fear that local
merchants could increase the price without permission from relevant authorities.
Authorities of the provinces are monitoring prices of food items in local markets,
Pathetlao Daily Newspaper reported recently.
The Industry and Commerce Department of Xieng Khuang province has set maximum
price for beef at 60,000 kip per kilogram and 20,000 kip per kilogramme for tilapia fish.
Prices of other food items were also set.
Huaphan and Phongsaly have also set a maximum price of 60,000 kip per kilogramme
for beef, 30,000 kip per kilogramme for pork, and 30,000 kip per kilogramme of fish.

Xekong sets 2016 infant mortality reduction target

The Health Department of northern Xekong province has announced its ambition to
reduce the infant mortality rate of infants under one year of age to 45 per 1,000 live
births. It will also strive to reduce the mortality rate for infants under five years of age to
70 infants per 1,000 live births, the Socio-Economic Daily reported recently.
To achieve such targets, provincial authorities said recently they would promote good
health practices among pregnant women including encouraging them to have regular
checkups and take necessary medicines. Mothers will be educated to come and deliver
babies in places where health services are available and make sure their infants are
vaccinated against potential diseases such as measles, pneumonia, tuberculosis and
polio.

Vientiane court imprisons drug dealer

The Vientiane Peoples Court sentenced a man to five years in prison and fined him
10 million kip for the purchase and sale of illegal drugs, the Khuamsangob newspaper
reported. The defendant was named as Mr Phoungeun, 28, of Sikert village, Naxaithong
district. He told police he had been an addict and sold illegal drugs since 2014. He
bought amphetamines from Mr Dam, 23, and Mr Oud, 29, of Sikert village and sold
them to youths. Meanwhile, the Vientiane Peoples Court recently sentenced a man from
Phonhong district, Vientiane province, to a term of imprisonment for assaulting police.
The court sentenced Mr Souvandee, 30, of Phonsoung village to four years and six
months in prison and fined him more than 19 million kip.

New school and kindergarten for Pakxong

We at Vientiane Times would like to inform our subscribers that we now
offer newspaper boxes for use in homes and offices. The boxes, each
of which is equipped with a lock and key, help protect your paper from
inclement weather. Those interested in obtaining a box should contact the
Vientiane Times office or call us at: Tel: 336042; Fax: 336041

Children in Pakxong district, Champassak province, now have a brand new kindergarten
and primary school to brighten their learning environment. Two buildings in Km12
village were financed by a donor organisation in Monaco, local residents and companies
in Champassak province at a cost of more than 500 million kip, according to Pasaxon.
The kindergarten has two classrooms and the primary school has six classrooms, with
each room able to accommodate 30-40 children.
The project started in August 2014 and was completed within nine months.

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Photo news

Deputy Director of the Childrens Hospital in Vientiane, Dr Sommanikhone Phangmanixay (first

left) explains the treatment of childhood cancer at the hospital to representatives from the Korea
Foundation for International Health Care last week.
--Photo Phetphoxay

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Mr Nguyen Manh Hung (third right) proposes a toast with Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Sports Mr Phankham Viphavanh (third left) at the
Vietnam Embassy in Vientiane last Thursday to celebrate Vietnamese New Year.

The Chinese Culture Centre to Laos organised a two day celebration of 2016 Chinese New Year at
the Vientiane Centre from January 30-31 in Vientiane. The art performances from China featured
a lion dance, songs and traditional dances to celebrate the New Year.

Electricite du Laos recently presents educational equipment and sports items including blankets and
cold weather clothing for schoolchildren in remote areas of Khammuan provinces Bualapha district.

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Region

In brief from Asia

S News Network
IBP offers to help
Ombudsman
prosecute corrupt
pols

MANILA (Philippine
Daily Inquirer) -- The
66,000-strong Integrated
Bar of the Philippines
(IBP) has volunteered
to help the Office of
Ombudsman prosecute
corrupt politicians by
providing free manpower
for its fact-finding
investigations.
In a statement, Jose
dela Rama Jr., Central
Luzon IBP governor
and former Bulacan
IBP president, said the
group is prepared to
sign a memorandum
of agreement with
Ombudsman Conchita
Carpio-Morales.

Nepal runs Zika

risk post-monsoon

NEPAL (The Kathmandu

Post) -- With Zika virus
spreading rapidly in
the Americas, there is a
danger of it travelling to
Nepal, particularly in the
post-monsoon season,
given the presence of
the mosquito that carries
the virus in Nepals
major cities including
Kathmandu, experts
warn. According to
the Epidemiology and
Disease Control Division
(EDCD), the mosquito
linked to the spread of
Zika in the Americas,
Aedes aegypti, is already
present in Kathmandu
and other major cities.
Once the temperatures
rise above 15 degrees
Celsius, the mosquito
would have a conducive
environment for
breeding.

Australian scientists film

rare eruption of remote
Antarctic volcano
MELBOURNE (Xinhua) -Australian scientists have
witnessed the rare eruption of
an Antarctic volcano off the
coast of the frozen continent.
The scientists, from
Australias Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation
(CSIRO), filmed the volcanic
event by chance while aboard
research vessel Investigator
studying the fringe of
Antarcticas Heard Island.
The crew, working in
conjunction with the University
of Tasmanias Institute for
Marine and Antarctic Studies
(IMAS), were actually looking
to study underwater volcanoes
before the land-based variety
caught their attention.
Heard Island, a remote
sub-Antarctic region, is home
to Big Ben, an active volcano
which is believed to have only
erupted three times since the
turn of the century.
G i v e n t h e i s l a n d s
isolation, viewing Big Ben which is mostly covered in ice
throughout the year - during
an eruption is considered a
geoscientific rarity. Often,

satellite images provide the

only evidence that an eruption
has occurred.
Chief scientist aboard The
Investigator, IMAS professor
and geophysicist Mike Coffin,
said on Monday it was a great
thrill to film the 2,745-metre
volcano in action, becoming
one of the few people in human
history to have witnessed it
erupting.
We have 10 excited
geoscientists aboard Investigator,
and our enthusiasm has spread to
our 50 shipmates, Coffin said
in a CSIRO press release on
Monday.
The crew, based 4,100
km southwest of the Western
Australian city of Perth, are
only three weeks into their
58-day research voyage.
Despite the trip barely
g e t t i n g u n d e r w a y, t h e
researchers claim to have
already uncovered 50
potential underwater
hydrothermal plumes, which
may help establish whether
active underwater volcanoes
- which create these plumes form the foundation for life in
the Southern Ocean.

Two lawmakers (centre), pose for a photo before taking their seats to participate in the inaugural
session of Myanmars lower house parliament.
--Photo AP

Myanmar new parliament elects speaker

of House of Representatives
NAY PYI TAW (Xinhua) -Myanmars new parliament
M o n d a y e l e c t e d U Wi n
Myint of the National League
for Democracy (NLD) as
Speaker of the House of
Representatives (Lower
House) and U Ti Khun Myat
of the Union Solidarity and
Development Party (USDP) as
Deputy Speaker of the House.
The election took place at
the first session of the parliament
that began a new five-year term
from 2016.
U Win Myint, an NLD MP

to the House of Representatives

from Pathein constituency in the
last term of the parliament, was
re-elected to the same House
from Tammwe constituency in
the 2015 general election.
U Ti Khun Myat is a Kachin
ethnic parliament representative
elected from Kutkai constituency
representing the USDP.
The newly-elected
parliament started its first
session with the House of
Representatives in Nay Pyi Taw
Monday morning, two days after
the expiry of the previous term

of the parliament.
The summon for the first
session of the new parliament
came nearly three months after
the end of the general election on
November 8, 2015, in which the
NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi,
won the absolute majority of the
parliamentary seats.
Attending the first parliament
session were a total of 430 MPs
to the House of Representatives
dominated by the NLD.
The session of the House of
Nationalities (Upper House) is
scheduled to start on Wednesday.

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016 Region

Snow disrupts Chinas

pre-holiday travel rush
WUHAN (Xinhua) -- Rare
heavy snow hit several
central and eastern Chinese
provinces Sunday, disrupting
a pre-holiday travel rush that
involves millions of people.
Heavy snow blanketed
c e n t r a l C h i n a s H u b e i
province early Sunday, closing
down a pivotal airport in
its capital Wuhan, delaying
trains and causing standstill
on expressways, the local
government said.
The Tianhe Airport in
Wuhan was closed at midday.
Sixteen departing flights were
canceled, while 18 incoming
flights were forced to land
in the neighbouring cities of

Nanchang or Changsha. At
least 2,000 passengers were
stranded at the airport.
The railway network
was also under heavy
pressure, as large crowds of
passengers, frustrated by flight
cancellations and road blocks,
flocked into train stations.
We put four additional
trains in service for passengers
traveling within Hubei
Province, said an official with
the Wuhan Railway Bureau.
But the snowy weather slowed
down most trains, causing
an average delay of 30 to 50
minutes.
The weather bureau in
Wuhan said the snow would

Tourists visit the snow-covered Huangshan Mountain, east Chinas

Anhui province.
--Photo Xinhua

last in most parts of the

province until Tuesday.
In east Chinas Jiangxi
Province, snowy weather
caused serious congestions on
interprovincial expressways.
On one of the most congested
sections of an expressway
linking Jiangxi and Hubei
Provinces, motor vehicles
piled up 3 km in a standstill.
The provincial weather
bureau has forecast snow in
six cities and a temperature
drop of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.
Snow hit at least 12 cities in
east Chinas Jiangsu province
Sunday. Local authorities
have closed down four
interprovincial expressways
for safety considerations.
Snow or sleet also hit the
provinces of Henan and Anhui,
while rain soaked Guangdong,
Fujian, Jiangxi and Yunnan
provinces as well as Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region,
according to the National
Meteorological Centre.
This round of rain and
snow will last for three days,
according to the centre.
The bad weather is a
nuisance for the early birds who
have embarked on their oncea-year Spring Festival travel
for home. The 40-day travel
rush, which began a week ago,
was a major event in China.
Students, migrant workers and
other passengers take trains,
buses and planes to head home
for the Spring Festival, or the
Lunar New Year, which falls
on February 8 this year.

Afghan security forces patrol in Nad Ali district of Helmand province, Afghanistan. (File photo AP)

Violence in Afghanistan forces

Obama to rethink troop levels
WA S H I N G TO N ( A P ) - Fifteen years into the war
that few Americans talk
about any more, conditions
in Afghanistan are getting
worse, preventing the clean
ending that President Barack
Obama hoped to impose
before leaving office.
Violence is on the rise,
the Taliban are staging new
offensives, the Islamic State
group is angling for a foothold
and peace prospects are dim.
Afghanistan remains a
danger zone. Its hobbled by a
weak economy thats sapping
public confidence in the new

government. Afghan police

and soldiers are struggling
to hold together the country
13 months after the US-led
military coalition culled its
numbers by 90 percent.
The bottom line: For a
second time, Obama is
rethinking his plan to drop
US troop levels from 9,800 to
5,500 before he leaves office
in January 2017.
I dont see any
drawdowns in the near future,
said James Dobbins, Obamas
former special envoy for
Afghanistan and Pakistan. He
predicted that Obama would

leave the decision to the next

president.
They are just hoping
that things hold together
and they wont have to face
a decision on whether to
actually implement the force
reduction theyre talking
about until late summer,
early fall, by which time the
administration will be on its
last legs, Dobbins said.
Top military officials,
as well as Republicans and
Democrats in Congress,
think that trimming the force
any more during Obamas
presidency is a bad idea.

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

World

European Council president says No

deal after talks with British PM

Shiite tribesmen, known as Houthis, hold their weapons as they chant slogans during a tribal gathering
showing support for the Houthi movement in Sanaa, Yemen. (File photo AP)

Saudi-led coalition sets up body

to probe actions in Yemen
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates
(AP) -- The Saudi-led coalition
striking Shiite rebels in
Yemen says it is setting up an
independent committee to probe
the forces actions amid criticism
over its military operations in the
impoverished nation.
Coalition spokesman Brig.
Gen. Ahmed Asiri was quoted
by the official Saudi Press

Agency early Monday as

saying the team is tasked with
examining military activities
in civilian areas.
A separate statement
from the Saudi Embassy
in Washington says the
committee will assess the
coalitions rules of engagement
involving civilians and
will offer conclusions and

recommendations to better
respect international and
humanitarian law.
A document by a United
Nations panel leaked last
week urged the UN Security
Council to consider creating
an international commission
to investigate alleged human
rights abuses by all sides in
the conflict.

LONDON (Xinhua) -- Visiting

European Council President
Donald Tusk said no deal
had been reached yet over
Britains future in Europe after
his talks with British Prime
Minister David Cameron at
Downing Street on Sunday.
Cameron and Tusk met
and held talks over dinner at
Downing Street on Sunday,
seeking to finalize a package
of measures over Britains
relationship with the EU.
No deal yet. Intensive
work in next 24 (hours)
crucial, Tusk tweeted after
he left the crunch talks with
Cameron.
Cameron, on his part,
announced on his Twitter
account that he had a good
meeting with Tusk, who has
agreed to another 24 hours of
talks before publishing the
draft of British renegotiation
text.
After the meeting, a
Downing Street spokesperson
said the two leaders had a
productive working dinner.
Much progress has
been made, particularly in
the last 48 hours since the
Prime Ministers meeting with
President of the European
Commission Jean-Claude
Juncker on Friday, but there is

still more hard work required,

the spokesperson said in a
statement.
On welfare, the European
Commission have tabled a text
making clear that Britains
current circumstances meet
the criteria for triggering the
emergency brake, according
to the statement.
This is a significant
breakthrough, meaning the
Prime Minister can deliver
on his commitment to restrict
in work benefits to EU
migrants for four years, the
spokesperson noted.
The statement added: But
there are still areas where there
is more to do and both agreed
it was therefore worth taking
the extra time to make further
progress.
Such areas, according to
the spokesperson, include the
issues of economic governance
and abuse of free movement.
In the spirit of a
constructive meeting, Tusk
signaled that he plans to
circulate a draft text to all
Member States on Tuesday,
spokesperson said.
E a r l i e r o n S u n d a y,
Tusk said he would present
solutions to Cameron on
all baskets, but agreement
must be acceptable for al 28

EU member states, and there

would be no compromise on
fundamental freedoms.
As part of his key demands
to renegotiate a better deal for
Britain in the EU, Cameron
has been pushing for a ban on
the in-work benefits for EU
migrants for four years.
But EU officials have
hinted that Britain could only
adopt an emergency brake
on EU migrants benefits for
up to four years under the
condition that it could prove
its welfare system was under
excessive strain.
According to the current
EU proposal, the emergency
brake could be imposed
within three months after
Britain applies and other EU
members states agree.
Cameron said the EU
proposal is not good enough
and wanted the brake to be
enforced right after Britains
EU referendum with no time
limit.
Cameron has pledged
to hold an in or out
referendum on whether
Britain should withdraw
from the EU by 2017. He
promised to campaign for his
country to remain in the bloc
if the EU agrees to reform as
Britain has requested.

AU summit deliberates on alternative sources

of funding to development projects
ADDIS ABABA (Xinhua)
-- Heads of states and
governments of the African
Union (AU) deliberated on
alternative sources of financing
for various development
projects and programmes
made by the pan-African bloc.
The AU heads of states
on Sunday wrapped up their
26th ordinary session at the
AU headquarters in Ethiopias
capital Addis Ababa.
The heads of states on
Saturday looked at the study
report on alternative sources
of funding, said Erastus
Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson
of the AU Commission when
addressing the press Sunday
on the sidelines of the 26th
AU summit.

Yesterday, there was a

very extensive exchange
of the heads of states and
governments on this very
subject when the heads of
states and governments
looked at the budget of 2016
which they have approved
but also approved on the
criteria for sharing on how
to contribute on that budget,
he said.
Mwencha said the history
of the subject of alternative
sources of financing goes
back to 2003 when AU was
established.
This subject was restated
with a new dimension, a new
dimension being, we now
have our Agenda 2063; and
Agenda 2063 envisages that

Africa must seek to have a

transformation of its economy
if we are going to address
the challenges that face our
continent, he noted.
The deputy chairperson
added that African countries
can seek support from
technology development,
foreign investment and
partnerships in various ways.
But, Africa must be the
primary agent that owns and
finances its own agenda, he
underlined.
Mwencha stated that AU
has a number of programmes
under the Agenda 2063 to
support member countries,
including areas in agriculture,
infrastructure, democracy and
governance among others.

Abbas welcomes and backs French

peace initiative: report
RAMALLAH (Xinhua)
-- Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas told US
Secretary of State John Kerry
that it is important to back the
French initiative for holding
an international conference
for peace in the Middle East.
A report published by the
Palestinian state-run news
a g e n c y ( WA FA ) q u o t e d
Nabil Abu Rdineh, an aide to
President Abbas as saying that
Kerry telephoned Abbas, who

is currently in Amman.
Abu Rdineh stated to Wafa
that the telephone conversation
between the two men focused
on the French Initiative.
President Abbas stressed
to Kerry that he welcomes the
initiative and it is necessary
to back it, end the current
stalemate and create the proper
atmosphere to end the Israeli
occupation, said Abu Rdineh.
The Palestinian Presidency
had earlier on Friday welcomed

the declaration of French

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius
that his country will soon renew
its efforts to move up its project
of holding an international peace
conference to succeed the twostate principle between Israel
and Palestine.
Israel criticised the French
initiative and said that it would
encourage the Palestinians
not to make concessions for
peace, where the United States
expressed reservations.

Business

Vientiane Times

Read more news at www.vientianetimes.org.la

Tuesday February 2, 2016

BNK Capital Lao makes third

donation to primary school
Advertorial Desk

easing company
BNK Capital Lao,
formerly known
as Lao PDR, BS
Capital, under the umbrella of
BNK Financial Group of the
Republic of Korea, has made a
school donation as part of their
corporate social responsibility
programme.
The donation was made
under the slogan BNK
Capital Lao Leasing Co.,
Ltd. - Sharing happiness
with the Lao PDR and
was the companys third
donation to a primary school
in Nongthaneua village,
Chanthabouly district,
Vientiane, on January 29.
The handover ceremony
for paint took place at the
school and was attended by
Managing Director of BNK
Capital Lao Mr Ryu HuiSeok, the village Chief Mr
Settha Soundala, the schools
principal Ms Phonsavanh
Insisouphan, teachers and
students, and as well as
representatives from BNK
Capital Lao.
Mr Ryu said his company
was very pleased to make the
donation to the school as he
thought the contribution went
to a school in need and would
help the school to look more
attractive and ensure a safe
environment for children.
Our firm was very happy
to be part of helping Lao
local society, especially local
schools and children.
During the meeting with
the school director, Mr Ryu
thanked local authorities and
the school for giving them the
opportunity to support their
schools needs and promised
that more donations would
follow in the near future.
Mr Ryu also asked Ms
Phonsavanh about the school
and childrens needs and said

he would make a consistent

donation plan as long as BNK
Capital Lao Leasing Company
operated within the Laos.
The managing director
said their passion was sharing
with the local community and
showing the level of their love
for Laos and how well they
have planned their operations
along with the donation plan.
M r Ry u a d d e d t h e
company had plans to make
more donations to other
schools in the future, all
aimed at helping Lao children
to have access to a better
schooling environment.
While thanking BNK
Capital Lao Leasing for the
materials they provided,
other items, including
roofing, hardware and other
school equipment were still
needed, Ms Phonsavanh said.
BNK Capital Lao Leasing
did not take long to gain the
trust of local people and
their success in business
will bring more prosperity to
communities in Laos.
BNK Capital Lao Leasing
officially began operations
last year after celebrating
their grand opening on June
8.
BNK Capital Lao
Leasing made their first
donation to a primary
school in Kang village in
Hadxaifong district, Vientiane,
on July 31, providing basic
stationery supplies including
pens and textbooks to support
the childrens academic
endeavours, as well as different
types of balls and nets for their
physical education needs.
The company made
their second donation to
Nongviengkham Primary
School in Xaythany district,
Vientiane, on August 31.
On September 30, the
company also awarded Korean
language scholarships for
two students at the National

University of Laos. The

scholarships have covered
the students fees for the
duration of their courses
and have been awarded to
outstanding students as part
of the companys corporate
social responsibility scheme.
The company has
formally begun operations
by concentrating on car
and motorcycle loans in
the early stages. Once fully
established, BNK Capital
Lao Leasing plans to extend
its services into areas such
as light/heavy equipment
leasing and more financial
products for business owners.
BNK Capital Lao Leasing
Co., Ltd. is located on the 2nd
Floor of the Premier Building
on Setthathirath Road in
Phiavat village, Sisattanak
district, Vientiane.

Mr Ryu Hui-Seok (right) and Ms Phonsavanh Insisouphan (centre) and Mr Settha Soundala at the paint
handover ceremony.

Schoolchildren show appreciation after receiving the new paint.

Exchange rates as of February 1, 2016

Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public

Foreign Currencies

Buying

Selling

US Dollar 50-100

8,128

8,168

Thai Baht

227.9

229.6

Euro 50-500

8,798

8,842

10 Business

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Toyota to suspend domestic production

from Feb. 8 after explosion

MMG LXML Sepon has recorded strong copper cathode production numbers over the last year.

MMG LXML Sepon achieves

strong production in 2015
Times Reporters

MMG LXML Sepon released

its fourth quarter 2015
production results, reporting
above guidance copper cathode
production for the year-to-date
and record milling tonnes.
Sepon produced 20,559
tonnes of copper cathode in the
fourth quarter contributing to
full year production of 89,253
tonnes, a 1 percent increase on
2014 production.
MMG LXML Sepon General
Manager, Mr Suresh Vadnagra,
said the result demonstrates
strong achievement despite
challenges processing lower
grade, more complex ore types.
We continue to focus
on improving performance
through plant optimisation
and asset utilisation to ensure

we can offset the impact of

harder, high carbonate, ores on
production he said.
I would like to highlight
the hard work by the Sepon
team in delivering substantial
improvements which have
allowed us to produce above
guidance of 80,000-87,000,
he added.
MMG expects to produce
80,000-85,000 tonnes of
copper cathode in 2016.
On social development,
LXML has contributed
significantly to economic
development with over US$1.3
billion in direct revenue in
taxes, royalties and dividends
paid to the Lao Government
since operations commenced at
Sepon and hundreds of millions
of dollars in indirect benefits
through local contractors,

employment, training and

development.
MMG LXML Sepon is
extending a unique partnership
with the Lao Ministry of
Health, the Lao Womens
Union and UNICEF in the
1000 Day Programme to
support maternal and child
nutrition in key provinces
including several districts in
Savannakhet province where
the mine is located.
MMG LXML Sepon is
working in close partnership
with all our stakeholders
through targeted community
development programmes,
and in education, training, and
employment, to support the
Lao PDRs goal of graduating
from Least Developed Country
status by 2020, said Mr
Vadnagra.

NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Toyota

Motor Corp. said on Monday
it will suspend all domestic
production of its vehicles from
February 8 through February 13
as an explosion at a steel plant
in central Japan in January has
caused parts shortages.
It will be the first time
the Japanese automaker has
stopped all production within
the country since 2011, when
the massive earthquake and
tsunami hitting northeast Japan
disrupted its supply chain.
Production lines at a total of
16 factories will be suspended,
including those producing
Toyota vehicles at the plants
of subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor
Co. and Hino Motors Ltd.
Operations are expected to
resume on February 15, Toyota
said, adding that production at
its overseas plants will not be
affected.
Toyota will continue to
take any measures necessary
to minimise the impact
of the incident on vehicle
production, the automaker

Toyota Motor Corp.s Motomachi Plant, where the luxury sedan

Crown is produced, in the central Japan city of Toyota.

said in a statement.
The explosion occurred
on January 8 at a steel plant
in Tokai, Aichi Prefecture,
operated by Aichi Steel Corp.
The Toyota affiliate is working
to resume plant operations by
the end of March.
The worlds top automaker
usually produces around
13,000 to 14,000 vehicles a

Govt to ease tax burden

on four industries

In brief
Maruti Suzukis sales dip 2.6 percent in January

INDIA (The Statesman, ANN) -- Maruti Suzuki India reported a 2.6 percent decline in total
sales in January at 1,13,606 units as against 1,16,606 units in the same month in 2015.
The company said its domestic sales increased marginally by 0.8 percent to 1,06,383 units
as against 1,05,559 units in January 2015.
Sales of passenger cars declined 1.4 percent to 87,757 units compared with 89,014 units in
the year-ago month, the carmaker said in a BSE filing.
The company said sales of utility vehicles, including Gypsy, Grand Vitara and Ertiga,
jumped 26.2 percent to 8,114 units last month from 6,432 units in the corresponding period
last year.

Banks reach US$154.3 million settlement on dark pool fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two major global banks, Barclays and Credit Suisse, are paying
a combined US$154.3 million to settle government investigations that they misled clients
about being able to safely trade on their dark pool financial exchanges, the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the New York Attorney Generals office said on Sunday.
The banks left their customers on these private exchanges vulnerable to predatory, highfrequency traders that could intercept and profit off their financial transactions, despite
assurances by Barclays and Credit Suisse to the contrary, according to a statement the New
York Attorney General.

Asian stocks uneven as China data, Japan policy weighed

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- Chinese stocks fell on Monday after a weak manufacturing
report while Japan extended gains following its central banks introduction of a negative
interest rate policy to boost lending and spur growth. Other markets were mixed.
Japans Nikkei 225 rose 2.1 percent to 17,883.66 and South Koreas Kospi added 0.3
percent to 1,916.78. Hong Kongs Hang Seng fell 0.6 percent to 19,567.54 and the
Shanghai Composite in mainland China lost 1.5 percent to 2,696.99. Australias S&P/ASX
200 gained 0.8 percent to 5,043.60. Stocks in Taiwan and Southeast Asia were lower.

Over 10 mln foreign tourists visit Indonesia in 2015, exceeding target

JAKARTA (Xinhua) -- As many as 10.41 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year,
exceeding the 10-million target, the statistic bureau said on Monday.In Bali, the centre of
countrys tourism industry, foreign tourist arrivals rose by 6.65 percent from a year earlier
to 363,800 in December, said Suryamin, head of the national statistic bureau.
The Indonesian government estimates 12 million foreign holidaymakers will visit the
country this year, according to Tourism Minister AriefYahya.

day in Japan.
While Toyota recently
beefed up its production
amid robust orders for new
models, including the fourthgeneration Prius hybrid
released in December, the blast
has prompted the automaker to
cancel overtime work at all of
its plants in the country during
weekdays this week.

A property construction site in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province.

CHINA (China Daily, ANN)

-- Construction, real estate
development, financial services
and consumer services will
beincluded in Chinas corporate
tax reform programme.
The reform seeks to replace
sales tax with value-added
tax or VAT - that is, tax on
outputminus tax on input - thus
removing duplication of taxes
and easing financial burden
onenterprises.
Under the new system,
companies no longer need to
pay sales tax based on their
revenue.
Tax burden would be eased
to the extent of 600 billion
yuan (US$91.26 billion) this
year, saidtaxation expert Hu
Yijian, a professor of finance
and economics at Shanghai
University.
Premier Li Keqiang said
in a recent meeting that a pilot
programme involving VAT in
place ofbusiness tax has been
running effectively.
The programme will
include more sectors this year,

Xinhua News Agency reported.

Analysts said sectors
where input taxes are high,
including construction, real
estate andconsumer services,
will benefit the most.
A report from GF Securities
Co Ltd said land is a large part
of property developers costs
andimpacts on input tax. But,
under the new system, profit
margin may widen greatly if
the landcost is regarded as part
of input tax.
Even for developers with
deductible taxes on other
cost items such as decoration
andinstallation projects, profit
margin may widen after the
reform, the report said.
Zhu Weiqun, an expert
on fiscal systems at Shanghai
Finance and Economics
University,said tax burden
on establishments that
provide consumer services,
such as restaurants,hotels,
entertainment centres and
tourism destinations, will be
reduced greatly after thereform.
Current sales tax on these

enterprises is about 5 percent

of their revenue. After the
reform, itis estimated that
the VAT will be 6 percent for
general taxpayers in this sector,
and 3 percent for small-scale
taxpayers, according to Zhu.
Although general
taxpayers anticipated VAT at
6 percent is higher than the
current sales taxof 5 percent,
the actual tax paid may not be
higher after deduction of input
tax, said Zhu.
For providers of financial
services, such as banks
and brokerages, the impact
of the fiscalreform may
not be immediate because
deduction of input items needs
to be further clarified,and
consultation among the parties
concerned is required to define
deductible input items.
A report from Beijing
Gao Hua Securities said the
impact of the fiscal reform on
domesticbanks and brokerages
may be mild and manageable in
the short term.
Based on the analysis of
their financial performance in
2014, banks and brokerages
profitsbefore tax are estimated
to narrow between 0.5 percent
and 1.7 percent as a large part
oftheir current sales revenue
is not regarded a deductible
input item.
However, in the longer
term, players whose personal
operating expenses are higher
thanpeers, may benefit more
from the reform as these costs
may be defined as deductible
items.
A research note by PwC
China said that detailed rules
for the fiscal reforms covering
fourmore sectors are likely to
be introduced by March-end,
and may take effect by the end
of thisyear.

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Lao stock market report

Business 11

Asean Economic Community

Trade Summary
The LSX fell further on Monday after EDL-Gen shed 50 kip to 5,850. The Lao Stock Exchange
closed at 1,168.18 points, 8.18 points or 0.70 percent lower, with 90,100 shares traded.
EDL-Gen closed down 50 kip to 5,850 kip. The stock opened 5,900 kip for the matching
of 16,500 shares but lost 50 kip to 5,850 kip to smooth out the exchange of 3,100 shares.
BCEL closed unchanged at 4,800 kip with 12,100 shares traded. The market also saw the
trading of 58,400 shares of PTL at 2,850 kip after four days of stagnation. SVN and LWPC
had no trade, closing at 3,400 kip and 7,100 kip respectively.
Daily Turnover by Investor Types (LAKm)

Mr Kim Soo-Gwon (fourth left) Mr Somdy Duangdy (fourth right) and Mr Kim Young-sun were among
those present at the forum.

Lao-Korean business people

discuss investment climate

Last 7 days Trading Information

Times Reporters

S
BCEL-KT Securities Company Limited Email: Broker@bcel-kt.com

Cheap oil puts OFW jobs in

Mideast at risk
PHILIPPINE (Philippine
Daily Inquirer, ANN) -- Cheap
oil augurs well to domestic
manufacturing even as it puts
jobs of millions of Filipinos
working in oil-producing
countries at risk, according to
the Department of Finances
chief economist.
The slumping oil price
may continue for quite
some time and enable local
producers to produce more
goods at a lower cost, Finance
Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran
said in an economic bulletin last
week, noting that the producer
price index, which measures
manufacturers costs, declined
by 7 percent in November last
year.
The latest government data
showed that imports jumped
10.1 percent to US$6.1 billion
last November, bringing the
import bill for the first 11
months of 2015 up by 4.5
percent to US$62.6 billion.
The National Economic and
Development Authority (Neda)
had attributed the strong endNovember import performance
to higher purchases of capital
goods, consumer products as
well as intermediate goods and
raw materials.

The robust import growth

of intermediate goods and
capital equipment indicate that
local firms are taking advantage
of robust domestic demand
by utilising to the maximum
their rated capacities and are
expanding these further with
new equipment purchases,
Beltran noted.
In this regard, the
government can ride on
this wave of optimism by
promoting the country as an
investment site in international
roadshows, the finance official
said.
Generating more
employment opportunities
locally would compensate for
potential job losses in overseas
Filipino workers (OFWs)
destinations hurting due to the
drop in oil prices, Beltran said.
For Beltran, improving
the ease of doing business to
attract more investors will
enable the country to create
more jobs and ease the impact
of the possible return of 2.3
million OFWs in the Middle
East that may be affected by
political turmoil and massive
decline in petroleum prices.
The Department of Energy
agreed that while it was a boon

to motorists, the continuing

decline in oil prices was a
cause for concern because
further reductions could
discourage investment in oil
exploration and affect Filipino
workers based in oil-producing
countries.
I am not completely happy
[with the oil price decline]
because, for one, prices of
commodities and services that
are supposedly benchmarked
on oil prices such as goods and
transport fares are not coming
down as much as oil prices.
But pump prices are going
down, benefitting those with
vehicles, Energy Secretary
ZenaidaMonsada said in an
interview.
The other side of the low
oil price scenario is that oil
exploration and development
companies are more cautious
about investing, which could
leave nontraditional areas such
as the Philippines even less
attractive to those investors.
Another undesirable impact
of the continuing decline in oil
prices was that Filipino workers
in oil-producing countries
could get laid off, which would
affect their families in the
Philippines, Monsada said.

enior officials, business

people and experts from
Laos and the Republic
of Korea gathered last week to
discuss the current investment
climate in the sectors of
agricultural products, food
processing and agricultural
development.
Meeting at the LaosKorea Investment Forum,
the Korean participants had
been offered an opportunity
to establish networks with
business representatives and
officials in Laos through a
one-on-one business meeting.
The forum was held in
Vientiane by Asean-Korea
Centre in collaboration with
the Ministry of Planning
and Investment. The debate
was inaugurated with the
opening remarks of the
Secretary General of the
Asean-Korea Centre Mr Kim
Young-sun and followed
by the congratulatory
remarks of the Minister of
Planning and Investment Mr
Somdy Duangdy, as well as
Ambassador of the Republic
of Korea to Laos Mr Kim
Soo-Gwon.
In his remarks, Mr Somdy
noted that the country has

put special efforts into its

socio-economic development
policy based on agricultural
development and will support
it through the National SocioEconomic Development Plan
(2016-2020).
The minister also
expressed his interest in
the New Village Movement
of Korea, which enabled
Korea to achieve notable
economic development based
on development in rural areas
and also his willingness to
further enhance cooperation
with Korea through various
work programmes. According
to Mr Somdy, a business
delegation composed of
leading businessmen from
Laos plans to visit Korea this
year.
Laos is the chair of Asean
in 2016, a historic year for
the launch of the Asean
Community, and has great
potential in terms of economic,
social, and cultural cooperation
with Korea.
Last December, Koreas
Prime Minister Hwang Kyoahn visited Laos and met
with his Lao counterpart, Mr
Thongsing Thammavong.
The two parties agreed to
boost bilateral cooperation
in the fields of politics,

diplomacy, trade, investment,

infrastructure, and energy.
The forum was held as
part of the Investment and
Market Research Mission
programme in the fields of
agricultural development, food
and beverages.
In order to obtain first-hand
information on the investment
environment and explore
opportunities in Laos, Korean
delegates visited special
economic zone (SEZ), Kolao,
the first Korean company in
Laos that has listed stock,
and Charoen Pokphand (CP)
in Laos, one of the worlds
biggest agrofood companies.
Asean-Korea Centre also
held the Product Development
Seminar for Handicraft SMEs
in Laos from January 27-28, in
cooperation with the Ministry
of Industry and Commerce of
Laos.
Approximately 70
participants from the handicraft
SMEs learned from the
experiences of Korean experts
through presentations on the
design of Korean handicraft
products and marketing
strategies for commercialising
the products. Industrial visits
to the Lao handicraft SMEs
for on-site support were also
conducted.

Vietnamese garment firms prepare for

tough battle at home as trade deals loom
HCM CITY (VNS, ANN)
-- Vietnamese textile and
garment companies face a
huge challenge with the market
set to be flooded with imports
f o l l o w i n g t h e c o u n t r y s
accession to the Asean
Economic Community (AEC)
and Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) treaty.
I realise that customers
will support domestic goods,
but the most important factor
to retain Vietnamese clients
is to assure quality, Nguyen
ThiDien, chairwoman and
executive director of the An
Phuoc Shoes Sewing and

Embroidering Company, has

been quoted as saying on the
government website.
Since 1995 Viet Tien
Garment Joint Stock Corporation
has set up a distribution chain
with 1,390 shops and agents
around Vietnam. Besides the
famous Viet Tien brand name,
the corporation also owns
various fashion brands for both
adults and children.
With over 200 shops, Blue
Exchange has a big market
share of garments for young
people.
In recent years demand
for garment products has

increased by 10 15 percent
annually, Hong Ve Dung,
deputy general director of the
Vietnam Garment and Textile
Corporation, said.
Dien said since competition
with garment products
from other Asean countries
would be unavoidable, local
companies should improve
their quality and expand
models to strengthen their
competitiveness.
Despite the fact that the
market is set to become more
competitive, An Phuoc has
kept its growth target of 15
-17 percent.

12

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Vientiane Times

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

13

14

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Vientiane Times

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

15

Lifestyle

Carrie K founder Carolyn Kan took one-day

sabbatical and found passion in jewellery design
Singapore (The Straits
Times, ANN) -- Many people
hope that, one day, they will
travel the world/write a novel/
learn to surf/(insert dream
here).
Jewellery designer Carolyn
Kan, 43, went further.
In 2008, she embarked
on what she calls a one-day
sabbatical.
She quit her high-octane
job as managing director of
top advertising agency M&C
Saatchi. For a year, she pursued
what she had always wanted to
do, one day.
I took my gap year at 36
years old. If I didnt, I would be
in advertising forever. I wanted
to learn and explore, says
Ms Kan, who founded artisan
jewellery label Carrie K after
11 years in advertising.
During her year-long
hiatus, she hosted dinners for a
secret supper club that she had
co-founded with friends a few
years earlier. At Lollas Secret
Suppers, strangers mingled
over meals where menus and
venues were disclosed only a
day before.
She dabbled in a
business importing boutique
champagne, which took her
to France.
She also travelled to Britain
and Italy. While taking Italianlanguage lessons in Florence,
Italy, she was introduced to a
silversmith and decided to do
a month-long apprenticeship
with her.
As she made her first
jewellery item, a silver ring,
she felt a lump in her throat.
It was the moment I knew I
wanted to be a silversmith and
a designer. In my mind, that
was when Carrie K started.
It was an epiphany that
paid off.
She launched Carrie K
the following year, sinking in
US$200,000 of her savings.
The label took in US$19,000
in sales in 2009.
More than six years on,
Carrie K has reached new
heights.
Last week , the brand inked
a deal with Disney for a yearlong collaboration to design a
series of jewellery.
While she declines to reveal
financial details, other brands
that have designed Disney
jewellery include Irish designer
Tom Binns eponymous label,
whose statement necklaces
have been worn by American
First Lady Michelle Obama;
as well as Pandora, a Danish
brand known for its charm
bracelets.
Unbeknownst to her, what
she terms her second life
had been waiting in the wings
for years. It emerged as a
possibility in her mind only
when she was freed from the
constraints of her job.
It was almost like all my
interests had been bottled up
because I was focused on
advertising, on work. That year
when I went on a sabbatical,
the valve opened up, she says.
It was one of those
subconscious things that fell
into place.
Go-getter who wants to

give back
Before she went to
Florence, she was already
a jewellery junkie who
had amassed a collection of
hundreds of pieces, ranging
from Peranakan brooches to
vintage and Art Deco items enough to start a shop.
Studying in the Convent
of the Holy Infant Jesus in
Victoria Street, before the
school moved to Toa Payoh,
she was fascinated by the
craftsmanship shown by a nun
there, who made handicrafts to
raise funds, such as a hanging
mobile using a feather and
cork.
In university in Melbourne,
Australia, where she majored
in psychology, she started
a sketchbook of jewellery
designs, the eventual basis for
Carrie K creations.
At a job interview in her
20s, when asked what job she
would do if she was not in
advertising, she replied she
would be a silversmith and
forgot about it for 10 years.
Returning to Singapore
from Italy, she enrolled in a
two-year part- time jewellery
design programme at the
Nanyang Academy of Fine
Arts (Nafa).
In July 2009, she started
Carrie K by working from the
kitchen table of her terrace
house in Opera Estate, which
she shares with her husband,
Mr Chiew Huan Chong, 49,
who is head of production
at Carrie K. They have no
children.
A year later, her label won
Elle Singapore magazines
award for Jewellery Designer
of the Year and her star started
to rise.
Carrie K is sold in seven
countries besides Singapore,
where it is carried in stores
such as Tangs Orchard.
The label, whose pieces
are priced between US$90 and
US$50,000, has appeared in
international magazines such
as Vogue Italia and Harpers
Bazaar Australia, and has been
seen on celebrities such as
actress and model Angelababy
and tennis player Caroline
Wozniacki.
To build the business, she
courted local magazine editors
by sending them photos of
Carrie K pieces. She attended
trade shows held during Paris
Fashion Week, Seoul Fashion
Week and New York Fashion
Week.
One of the strengths of Ms
Kans quirky style is her
ability to translate everyday
elements into wearable
jewellery, says Ms Joanne
Low, founder and principal
designer of Singapore jewellery
brand Joanne L.
C a r r i e K s R e b o r n
collection, launched in 2011,
features safety pins and nails.
Cartier launched its Juste Un
Clou collection, which features
nail rings and bracelets, later
and the pieces were inspired
by its 1970s collections.
Hong Kong lifestyle brand
Kapok is showcasing a Carrie
K capsule collection inspired
by window hooks found

on the shutters of heritage

shophouses.
Apart from Ms Kan and
her husband, Carrie K has
four other full- time staff.
The couples two schnauzers,
who wear crystal-studded dog
collars, are fixtures at Carrie K
Atelier, a 990 sq ft work studiocum-showroom in Bukit Timah
Road, which they moved to in
2011.
Ms Kan also has a village
of about 50 suppliers and
craftsmen around the world,
from whom she sources
materials such as gemstones.
She says her supportive
husband of 16 years has been
sucked into the business.
Mr Chiew used to
be the general manager of
the Shanghai branch of an
international aluminium firm.
In Singapore, he set up a
photography business before
assuming his role in Carrie
K, where he is in charge of
production and photography.
He says: I was 25 years
in the metal industry; theres
not a huge difference between
two slightly different kinds of
metal, for example. Id always
been interested to know a little
bit more.
My taking a supporting
role in Carrie K works better
b e c a u s e s h e s s t r o n g a t
marketing. We bounce ideas
off each other, says Mr
Chiew, who took the same
Nafa jewellery design course
that his wife did.
Ms Kan says her husband
is a better craftsman than
her, although he disagrees.
He says: Carrie has always
been an easy-going person.
Working with her is like second
nature. Its no different from
us deciding where to go on
vacation or which restaurant
to eat at.
Nevertheless, Ms Kan says
it took a year for her to adjust to
their different working styles.
She had to learn to give him
space to formulate his ideas.
When Im focused on
something, Im tenacious until
I get to a solution, she says.
He lets things percolate and

Taking a year-long sabbatical to pursue the things she hoped to do one day reminded Carolyn Kan
she wanted to be a silversmith.

explores options.
Besides her husband, she
credits her mother and older
sister for giving her courage
to take the plunge at key
junctures of her life, such as
starting Carrie K and, earlier,
accepting the job to head M&C
Saatchi at the age of 29.
Her mother, a retired
optometrist, and her father,
a retired finance director, are
in their 70s. She has a public
relations consultant sister, 48,
and a brother, 42, who works in
finance.
Mum always encouraged us
to try things out, to experiment,
says Ms Kan.
She recalls her mother, Ms
Mary Chew, telling her about
how her maternal grandfather
from Malaysia, a clerk, used to
cycle between Ipoh and Penang
for work. He started a business
supplying steel ropes only after
he retired.
Thats probably why I
have this notion ingrained in me
that nothing is impossible, that
age is not relevant, she says.
I explored and threw myself
into things that I found I was
passionate about.
In her late teens, an
inspirational teacher who

taught ancient civilisations

had her devouring all the books
in the library on Mycenae
and Troy. This interest later
took root in Carrie Ks 2012
Odyssey collection.
Inspired by mythological
figure Odysseus journeys,
the pieces in this collection are
designed to look like antiques.
This way of learning through
trying things out, however, meant
that for a couple of years as a
young adult, she absolutely did
not know what I wanted to do.
She worked in retail and
events management before
settling on advertising.
Advertising heavily
influenced me. I went from
being in a business to running
a business, she says, recalling
how she had to manage about
50 staff at M&C Saatchi, some
of whom were older than her.
Her early rise there was
partly fuelled by a go-getting
attitude.
At the multinational
advertising agency, she recalls
asking for more responsibilities
wherever she found a chance
to contribute, such as when
she asked to present pitches
for new business as a junior
executive, a task often given

to senior personnel.
In 2011, she initiated
Keepers, a quarterly gathering
of designers, artisans and
artists to raise awareness of
home-grown design. Among
those whom she hosted in the
early days were a milliner, a
patissier and a terrarium-maker.
I thought, if I dont do it,
nobody will. Its up to us to
develop the design community,
she says.
When she was showing at
Paris Fashion Week, she was
struck by how people did not
know Singapore had designers
and thought of the city only as a
financial centre.
A desire to give back also
stemmed from the fact that many
people had helped her in setting
up Carrie K, she says.
In 2014, she co-organised,
with the Textile and Fashion
Federation, a 16-month popup space, Keepers: Singapore
Designer Collective. It was the
largest showcase yet of homegrown products by more than
50 Singapore designers ranging
from fashion to architecture to
furniture. The 4,300 sq ft space
at the junction of Orchard and
Cairnhill roads recently ended
its run.

16

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Feature

Spirit of warmth extended to the north

Times Reporters

ore donations
of winter
clothes are
flowing into the
three northern provinces of
Xieng Khuang, Huaphan, and
Phongsaly, which has been hit
by an unprecedented cold snap
recently.
Big hearted people are
now donating winter clothes
after they saw shared pictures
on social networks recently
showing children in remote
areas hugging their chests
wearing thin clothes after
temperatures dropped to -1
degrees Celsius in Huaphan.
The temperatures dropped
to freezing point in some places
last week leaving many people
affected by the sight of poor
children fighting off the cold
in threadbare clothes, causing
the concerned sectors to solicit
donations from members of
the public.
Last week, social network
users smiled when they saw
the spirit of private donors,
offering money or donating
winter clothes to help poor

people, especially children in

remote areas who cant access
them.
The project Presenting
warmth from Lao people to
Lao people, was launched
with cooperation between
the Lao Front for National
Construction, Lao Buddhists
Fellowship Organisation and
the Foundation for Assisting
Poor People of Laos.
The project collected winter
clothes from donors to present
to poor people in remote
areas of Huaphan province,
while other charitable efforts
were also made by various
organisations both private and
state, showing Lao peoples
solidarity with each other.
The Minister of Education
and Sports announced that
schools in Vientiane and the
provinces should consider
closing at the start of the second
semester if temperatures
remain exceptionally low to
ensure that children stay well.
Phongsaly authorities said
that if the province experienced
more extreme cold weather,
schools there would close
temporarily until warmer

Representatives of the Lao Front for National Construction, Lao Buddhists Fellowship Organisation, and Foundation for Assisting Poor
People of Laos pose together before departing to present winter clothes in Huaphan province.

weather returned.
It was a pleasure to
provide aid and assistance
without getting anything in
return while we are proud to
be able to share the affected
victims pain, a representative
of the project said.
For example, some people
in the team never expected to
be part of this donation but

Northern children sit waiting for donors to present winter clothes.

Le magazine Le Rnovateur
disponible en CD-ROM
Les numros du journal Le Rnovateur du mois
de janvier 2011 fvrier 2015 sont disponibles
sur CD-ROM au bureau de la Presse lao en
langues trangres (service Vientiane Times), Ban
Phonpapao, unit 32, arrondissement de Sisattanak,
Vientiane. BP : 5723.
Contact Tel : (856-21) 33 60 42 ; 33 60 48
Fax : (856-21) 33 60 41.
Courriel : editor@vientianetimes.la

it made them aware of how

lucky they were and proud to
be able to provide help whilst
receiving nothing in return.
I had a heavy heart
and cried some silent tears
in my head as I saw some
children without winter clothes
to wear, said a donor who
presented winter clothes
through her Facebook account,

--Photo Pakaad facebook page

demonstrating the inequality

between children in the capital
and remote areas.
However she answered
comments that she was pleased
had she become a part of
efforts to provide few winter
clothes via an organisation
even though it was not a large
donation.
Some people are now
sleeping in small houses and
the walls are not enough strong
to protect them from the wind.
I cant imagine how children
and their family members feel
when they dont have blankets
and winter clothes, said an
official who works in remote
areas.
Another official from
the social welfare sector in
Huaphan said it was true that
there are rural children fighting
the cold without adequate
clothing but they are lighting
fires to try and keep warm.
Some poor children stood
outside their school and looked
at it but they could not attend
class because they didnt want
to get sick from the cold, he
said.
However, officials said
presently, there has been more
spirit from several companies,

organisations, residents and

even monks in working to raise
donations.
Donations to assist
are flowing in to the rural
communities but it is still
not enough if compared to
local needs and they could use
further assistance.
A cold weather system
originating in China will again
affect Laos this week after
the system weakens over the
weekend, according to the
Meteorology and Hydrology
Department.
Temperatures around the
country will rise from January
28-31 after the cold snap
which lasted from January
24-27 but temperatures will
fall again from February
1-4, department official Mr
Bounterm Sisouphanthavong
said recently.
The mercury will not drop
as low as it did two weeks ago,
although people should still
dress warmly, he added.
This year the cold weather
lasted for a shorter time and
the minimum temperature
recorded was -1.5 degrees
Celsius in Phongsaly province,
according to the Meteorology
and Hydrology Department.

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Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

17

Opinion

Streetwise

What is your opinion of Vientiane authorities

plans to resurface a number of major roads
before the end of the year?
Vientiane authorities say they plan to resurface all roads in the capital that are in need of repair, with
work scheduled for completion by the end of this year. Authorities say they have been working on road
repairs since the end of the rainy season last year but the work had ground to a halt because of budget
constraints. Vientiane Times reporters asked some members of the public what they think of this plan.
Times Reporters

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r Khomsun
Keomongkhoun, a
businessman in Xaythany
district, Vientiane: There
are many roads in Vientiane

Total + Online fee

156 issues (6 months)

Thailand, Vietnam,
Cambodia

r Sonethasa
Keokanya, a
company employee in
Sikhottabong district,
Vientiane: Its possible that
the roads will be completed
by the end of the year if
the contractors speed up
their works. Recently, many
road projects have started
and some roads are almost
complete. On the other
hand, some roads have
still not started yet. This
is a problem that projects
are starting late and so
then late to finish. They
often stop when the rainy
season comes. So I think
its a good time to hurry up
with the work because its
the dry season now and I
think the roads will be of
a better quality if they are
completed before the rains
come.

Payment in advance

Please request rates for other destinations at

editor@vientianetimes.la. Make your payment to
Vientiane Times bank account at the BCEL (US$) A/c
010110100989471001 or (kip) A/c 010110000989471001

being improved this year.

Its like the authorities
are paying very much
attention to repairing and
constructing good roads like
concrete roads. Tha-ngone
Road in my village, it looks
like it will be completed
soon. However I worry
that they will have a break
when the rainy season
comes as its difficult for
them to keep work moving.
So I would like to call on
the contractors to hurry up

as now is the dry season.

Slow construction makes a
lot of problems for people
who are using or live along
the roads in question. The
authorities have to pay
attention to this problem.

s Phetsamone Soukkaserm, a student at

the Institute of Banking:

Its good to hear that all

roads in Vientiane are
scheduled to be resurfaced
by the end of this year
because the capital should
have convenient roads and
avoid traffic congestion
and accidents. However
I worry that they will not
be completed on time as
there are many kilometres
of roads to fix and there
are many obstacles. The
authorities are working hard
to improve some roads,
for example Asean Road
is much better now and
thats great because it is a
major road. However many
roads are still waiting to be
resurfaced before the rainy
season and I think works
will go slowly once it starts
raining.

r Thotsakhanh
Oudomphatthana,
a company employee in
Vientiane: It will be quite
difficult to completely
resurface all of the roads
in Vientiane by the end of
this year. I think we dont
need to rush the work
because I would rather
see good quality. Many
roads break up not long

after they are laid and this

makes it more difficult
to repair. I heard that the
authorities are focusing
on resurfacing roads in
four districts of Vientiane,
especially Sithong Road,
the road from Dongnaxok
to the Northern Bus Station,
and Nongbuek, Phonpapao,
Sokpaluang, Sisavath and
other important roads.

r Soulixay
Soukkaserm, a
student from Champassak
province: Road construction
in Vientiane should be
completed according to
the target plan but this will
require the authorities to
work harder. It would be
good if they could work
at night because there
would be less danger to
the workers and less traffic
problems. The contracted
companies should have
enough workers on site
as well as the necessary
technology and equipment
to finish the job properly
and on time.

18 Opinion

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

The global economys

marshmallow test
Jeffrey D. Sachs

(The Korea Herald, ANN) -- The

world economy is experiencing
a turbulent start to 2016. Stock
markets are plummeting; emerging
economies are reeling in response
to the sharp decline in commodities
prices; refugee inflows are further
destabilising Europe; Chinas
growth has slowed markedly in
response to a capital-flow reversal
and an overvalued currency; and
the US is in political paralysis.
A few central bankers struggle to
keep the world economy upright.
To e s c a p e t h i s m e s s , f o u r
principles should guide the way.
First, global economic progress
depends on high global saving and
investment. Second, saving and
investment flows should be viewed
as global, not national. Third, full
employment depends on high
investment rates that match high
saving rates. Fourth, high private
investments by business depend
on high public investments in
infrastructure and human capital.
Lets consider each.
First, our global goal should
be economic progress, meaning
better living conditions worldwide.
Indeed, that goal has been
enshrined in the new Sustainable
Development Goals adopted last
September by all 193 members
of the United Nations. Progress
depends on a high rate of global
investment: building the skills,
technology, and physical capital
stock to propel standards of living
higher. In economic development,
as in life, theres no free lunch:
Without high rates of investment
in know-how, skills, machinery,
and sustainable infrastructure,
productivity tends to decline
(mainly through depreciation),
dragging down living standards.
High investment rates in turn
depend on high saving rates. A
famous psychological experiment
found that young children who could
resist the immediate temptation to
eat a marshmallow, and thereby
gain two marshmallows in the
future, were likelier to thrive as
adults than those who couldnt.
Likewise, societies that defer
instant consumption in order to
save and invest for the future will
enjoy higher future incomes and
greater retirement security. (When
American economists advise China
to boost consumption and cut
saving, they are merely peddling
the bad habits of American culture,
which saves and invests far too
little for Americas future.)
Second, saving and investment
flows are global. A country such as
China, with a high saving rate that
exceeds local investment needs,
can support investment in other
parts of the world that save less,
notably low-income Africa and
Asia. Chinas population is aging
rapidly, and Chinese households
are saving for retirement. The
Chinese know that their household
financial assets, rather than

numerous children or government

social security, will be the main
source of their financial security.
Low-income Africa and Asia, on
the other hand, are both capitalpoor and very young. They can
borrow from Chinas high savers
to finance a massive and rapid
build-up of education, skills, and
infrastructure to underpin their own
future economic prosperity.
Third, a high global saving rate
does not automatically translate
into a high investment rate; unless
properly directed, it can cause

Our global
problem
today is that
the worlds
financial
intermediaries
are not
properly
steering longterm saving
into long-term
investments.
underspending and unemployment
instead. Money put into banks and
other financial intermediaries (such
as pension and insurance funds)
can finance productive activities
or short-term speculation (for
example, consumer loans and real
estate). Great bankers of the past
like J.P. Morgan built industries
like rail and steel. Todays money
managers, by contrast, tend
to resemble gamblers or even
fraudsters like Charles Ponzi.
Fourth, todays investments
with high social returns -- such as
low-carbon energy, smart power
grids for cities, and informationbased health systems -- depend
on public-private partnerships,
in which public investment and
public policies help to spur private
investment. This has long been the
case: Railroad networks, aviation,
automobiles, semiconductors,
satellites, GPS, hydraulic fracturing,
nuclear power, genomics, and the
Internet would not exist but for
such partnerships (typically, but
not only, starting with the military).
Our global problem today is that
the worlds financial intermediaries
are not properly steering long-term
saving into long-term investments.
The problem is compounded by
the fact that most governments
(the US is a stark case) are
chronically underinvesting in long-

term education, skill training, and

infrastructure. Private investment
is falling short mainly because of
the shortfall of complementary
public investment. Shortsighted
macroeconomists say the world
is under-consuming; in fact, it is
underinvesting.
The result is inadequate global
demand (global investments
falling short of global saving
at full employment) and highly
volatile short-term capital flows
to finance consumption and real
estate. Such short-term flows are
subject to abrupt reversals of size
and direction. The 1997 Asian
financial crisis followed a sudden
stop of capital inflows to Asia, and
global short-term lending suddenly
dried up after Lehman Brothers
collapsed in September 2008,
causing the Great Recession. Now
China is facing the same problem,
with inflows having abruptly given
way to outflows.
The mainstream macroeconomic
advice to China -- boost domestic
consumption and overvalue
the renminbi to cut exports -fails the marshmallow test. It
encourages overconsumption,
underinvestment, and rising
unemployment in a rapidly aging
society, and in a world that can
make tremendous use of Chinas
high saving and industrial capacity.
The right policy is to channel
Chinas high saving to increased
investments in infrastructure
and skills in low-income Africa
and Asia. Chinas new Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank and
its One Belt, One Road initiative
to establish modern transport and
communications links throughout
the region are steps in the right
direction. These programs will
keep Chinas factories operating
at high capacity to produce the
investment goods needed for rapid
growth in todays low-income
countries. Chinas currency should
be allowed to depreciate so that
Chinas capital-goods exports to
Africa and Asia are more affordable.
More generally, governments
should expand the role of national
and multilateral development
banks (including the regional
development banks for Asia,
Africa, the Americas, and the
Islamic countries) to channel
long-term saving from pension
funds, insurance funds, and
commercial banks into long-term
public and private investments
in twenty-first-century industries
and infrastructure. Central banks
and hedge funds cannot produce
long-term economic growth and
financial stability. Only longterm investments, both public and
private, can lift the world economy
out of its current instability and
slow growth.
--Jeffrey D. Sachs is professor
of sustainable development,
professor of health policy and
management, and director of
the Earth Institute at Columbia
University.

What
Whatthe
theLao
Laopapers
paperssay
say
Convenient roads key to
boosting development
Translated by Times Reporters

Road access is an important factor to boosting development and

changing the living standards of local people for the better.
Last week this reporter went along Road No 9 from the area of
Xeno through Xepon district in Savannakhet province. Along
the roadside we could see many houses, shops and factories so
this shows that convenient road access can boost development.
In the fiscal year 1976-77, it was difficult to travel along Road
No 9 and it took many days before arriving in nearby provinces.
The area was also full of unexploded ordinance, especially from
Xepon district to Dong village until the Vietnamese border.
This reporter did not go to visit this area for over 30 years but
between then and now many things have changed because Road
No 9 is convenient to travel on and there are many houses along
the road.
This reporter hopes that in the future National Road 13 North and
South shall be better and wider than Road No 9 as this would
further the development of the country.
The 9th Party Congress set the target to boost development,
especially in the implementation of the Three Builds directive.
It also set up a plan for rural development and poverty eradication
to bring prosperity to the country step by step.
This reporter thought that in the future many roads nationwide
will be more convenient the same as Road No 9 and consequently
other sectors will also continue to develop.
Now we have a satellite and the high speed train is under
construction so in the future many things will be more convenient,
including travel and goods transportation.
--Lao Phatthana Daily, February 1

Beware of trickery by
bad people
These days bad people are using many tricks to plunder our
belongings so we must be aware to prevent ourselves becoming
victims of such schemes.
One incident was reported in Xieng Khuang province recently
when a man used his wife to pillage other peoples money.
In the middle of last month police in Paek district, Xieng Khuang
police arrested a married couple Mr Vixong and Mrs Paya of
Phonsavanh Neua village, Paek district.
Mr Vixong said that he worked as a labourer and his wife MrsPaya
worked in a Vietnamese restaurant offering sexual services.
Mr Vixay set a plan for his wife to offer sexual services to people
after which she would contact him and he would proceed to rob
them.
He admitted that he and his wife robbed unsuspecting victims
on at least nine occasions and got more than 500,000 kip, one
motorbike, a mobile phone and a watch.
Police have urged everyone to be aware because bad people may
use many means to relieve us of our belongings.
--Pasaxon Van-Athit Weekly, January 31

Give importance to
maintaining dividing lanes
Dividing lines for traffic are important to provide convenience
for motorists and prevent road accidents so everyone should give
importance to maintaining them.
Dividing lanes for traffic are a symbol that all motorists must
strictly respect to prevent road accidents and maintain traffic order
but they do not receive the necessary maintenance.
Besides this, some dividing lanes for traffic are still dirty and full
of dust, have been erased or not painted right.
Officials from the Vientiane Public Works and Transport
Department have organised to survey and found that some
dividing lanes are still dirty and some have been erased.
The sector concerned should give more attention to solving this
problem.
--Vientiane Mai Daily, February 1

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Arts & Leisure

Aspiring models try to catch

the eye of judges
Sisouphan Amphonephong

First Modelling Lao was on the

lookout for new catwalk talent
as it held an event to select
aspiring models at Vientiane
Centre recently.
The event attracted more
50 young people keen to
learn techniques for being a
professional model.
The young people learnt
technical tips on posing,
walking on the runway and
received good advice from
leading models such as
Barbie, Noy Santisouk as
well as fashion designers who

attended.
First Modelling Lao
Founder Mr Viengsamnone
Chittalath said it was a good
opportunity for young people
who joined the event to gain
real experience and learn what
was needed to be a model.
The Lao entertainment
scene now has emerging
singers and filmmakers
but also the local fashion
industry which need models
with ability and personality,
he said.
The event at Vientiane
Centre gave aspiring models
the chance to strut their stuff in

front of industry experts with

those passing the first casting
round having the opportunity
to join Wow Fashion Week
2016 next month.
Those lucky enough to be
shortlisted will be notified later
this week.
A contestant in the casting
round Mr Tou said it was his
first attempt at entering the
modelling scene which was
quite exciting for him.
He said many of the
contestants thought selection
could lead to other future
opportunities in fashion and
promotions.

19

Mr Somsanouk Mixay (third right), Ms Pany Saignavongs (third left) cut the ribbon to open the fashion
event at Vientiane Centre, posing with foreign designers.

Lao Fashion Week 2016

announces ambassador
Sisouphan Amphonephong

Babie (front row, fifth right) joins newcomers after completing the model selections.

Boot camps for beauty queens

SINGAPORE (The Straits
Times, ANN) -- Pia IWurtzbach
may have to accept that she
will always be remembered as
the Miss Universe who nearly
never was, after show host
Steve Harvey made the biggest
boo-boo in pageant history
when he wrongly announced
the winner as Miss Colombia
in December.
But there has hardly been
any dispute over whether the
26-year-old Miss Philippines
deserved the title. The poise,
beauty and confidence she
exuded, and which won the
judges over, were the fruits of
three years of training in one
beauty-queen boot camp after
another.
Filipinos can name their
beauty queens as easily as
Brazilians remember their
football legends.
And all over the country,
beauty-queen boot camps formal and informal - have
helped turn the country into
a superpower in the beauty
pageant world; probably
anachronistic in this day and
age of political correctness, yet
surprisingly enduring.
Inside a compound in the
heart of Manilas Quezon City,
dozens of tall, lithe, young
women gather under a high,
curved iron roof covering a
basketball court that for now
serves as a dance studio. A
wall of mirrors stands at one
end. At the other end are the
dressing rooms and in between
is a smattering of plastic chairs
and tables where a couple
of women are busy applying
make-up and fixing their hair.

A member of the Flores team assists a pageant candidate with

exercises.

It is hot, even in January.

Four industrial fans keep the air
circulating. Most of the women
are on the floor, perspiring in
their seven-inch heels, bikini
tops and gym shorts.
They are doing the duck
walk, lunging as they swing
their hips as far as they can,
left to right, left to right.
Before the day ends, usually
near midnight, they would
have walked like this 25 times
around a rectangular room
measuring 25m long by 15m
wide.
All of them have already
spent the entire morning at
the gym.
When not duck-walking,
they stand in front of the
mirror, drawing big circles
with their hands, and stretching
their limbs. Again, they bend
down and swing their hips, left
to right, front to back.
Later, there will be more
lessons: how to stand and smile;
how to look sexy and sweet;

how to handle the mishap

of tripping on stage; how to
quickly answer questions as
mundane as, What makes red
better than blue?
They go through these drills
for at least nine hours every
day - excluding time spent at
the gym - with some weekend
breaks, for six months. At the
end of it all - the cherry on
top - is a three-hour pageant
that the women hope will
turn them from just another
pretty face in a crowd into a
local legend.
The man who runs this
particular camp in Manila
is Rodgil Flores, 49, one of
the Philippines top queenmakers.
Five of his wards have
already clinched international
titles: Miss International
Lara Quigaman (2005) and
Bea Rose Santiago (2013);
and Miss Earth Karla Henry
(2008), Jamie Herrell (2014)
and Angelia Ong (2015).

ao Fashion Week
officials and
designers launched
their campaign and
new brand ambassador last
Friday for Lao Fashion Week
2016, who will work towards
the promotion of the annual
fashion event.
Tot Lina was revealed as
the new brand ambassador.
The event also announced
a fashion design contest for
2016, opening the opportunity
for young designers to join
the project, showing their
talent and skill in design and
fashion.
The Pre- Fall collection
2016 featured both Lao and
foreign designers, such as
Ministry of Silk, Phaeng Mai
Gallery, Amada Asia from
Cambodia, Viet Tien, Dieu
Anh from Vietnam, Voravaj
from Bangkok of Thailand,
HAYDEN from Singapore
and YUNA from Malaysia.
CEO and Founder of Lao
Fashion Week and Lao Young
Designer Project Ms Pany
Saignavongs said that Lao
Fashion Week 2016 will
take place in Vientiane from
September 12-16 to celebrate
Laos officially joining the
Asean Economic Community
and Laos holding the Asean
Chairmanship.
It will also seek to link
the Lao fashion industry
to international fashion
networks, she added.
Ms Pany said Lao Fashion
Week aims to be on a much
bigger scale this year and
will showcase design
collections from more local
and international fashion
designers than prior years.
It will also host an arts and
culture exhibition, establish a
pop-up store and design trade
show as well the workshops
and seminars on various
topics related to fashion by
respective guest speakers and
much more.
To t l i n a , t h e L a o To p
Model, actress and famous
pop singer, is known for her
beauty and talent; fashionable
young women full of self

Willy with the HAYDEN collection from Singapore on the runway.

confidence and respectful

of Lao culture and identity,
simply a modern Lao woman,
Ms Pany explained.
Lao Fashion Weeks Lao
Yo u n g D e s i g n e r p r o j e c t
has launched the Fashion
Designer Contest 2016 under
the title Pi Mai Lao or Lao
New Year Festival seeking
the best Lao Young Designer
2016.
The winner will be sent
on the six month intensive
course in fashion design at
ESMOD International School
of Fashion and Business in
Paris, France.
Lao young people
between the ages of 1825 years are encouraged to
enter the competition by
submitting a minimum of five
and a maximum of 10 of their
own fashion design drawings.
Each design must be on a
separate A4 sheet, coloured
with an accompanying
description of the design,
the designer s inspiration
and with sample attached of
the material to be used for
making each outfit (5cmx5cm
sample).
Together with the design,
the candidate must also send
a short biography or a brief
story of themselves, their
photograph and a copy of
their ID card or family book.
The competition entries
must be submitted to Lao
Fashion Week secretariat
o ff i c e , H o u s e N o 9 9 / 0 1

Namphou Square PO Box

8044, Vientiane by March 30
of this year at the latest. For
more information contact 021
254808, 020 55526629 or
info@laofashionweek.com.
Lao Fashion Week last
year concluded with great
success, as the countrys
foremost cultural event and
only international fashion
exhibition, the five days and
nights event was packed with
culture and fashion activities
including cultural and art
exhibition by famous artists
, food and wine sampling and
a four-night main stage of
fashion shows.
Lao Fashion Week in
partnership with the French
E m b a s s y i n Vi e n t i a n e ,
Lao Airlines, Society
Cooperation and ESMOD
International successfully
sent its first young designer,
Mr Siamphan Chanthavichith
(Billy), the winner of Lao
Young Designer 2015 to a
six months intensive fashion
design course in ESMOD
Paris.
Lao fashion week also
provided platforms and
opportunities for other young
talented Lao designers by
sponsoring the top eight
Lao Young Designers 2015
to participate and showcase
their first design collection in
front of the public audience
and representatives of
the international fashion
community.

20

Tuesday February 2, 2016

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Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

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THE DAILY YOMIURI

THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN

THE STRAITS TIMES

The Asia News Network (ANN) is a network of leading daily English

language newspapers in Asia, supported by the Konrad Adenauer
Foundation of Germany through its regional representative bureau in
Singapore.
It was established in March, 1999, to provide avenues for cooperation
and optimise coverage of major news events in the region.
It also aims to promote journalism, share news stories, feature articles,
editorials and personality profiles. ANN is the worlds most active
newspaper alliance with a membership base of 18 newspapers in 16
countries.
The German News Agency of Deutsche Presse-Agentur, as one of the
leading international agencies and ANNs exclusive partner, distributes
news and features, background stories and commentaries from ANN
to subscribers worldwide.
They consist of Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), China Daily (China),
The Statesman (India), The Korea Herald (South Korea), The Star
(Malaysia), Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Nation (Thailand), The
Straits Times (Singapore), The Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines),
The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), Vietnam News (Vietnam), The Daily
Star (Bangladesh), Vientiane Times (Laos), The Kathmandu Post
(Nepal), The Island (Sri Lanka), Brunei Times (Brunei), The Nation
(Pakistan), and China Post (Taiwan). The combined circulation of these
newspapers is more than 14 million copies per day.

22

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Whats On
Free Polio Immunisation
The Expanded Programme of Immunisation under the Ministry
of Health will provide a third round of free vaccines against polio
for about 2.4 million children nationwide. The vaccines will be
administered to all those aged 15 years or less.
When: February 21-29
Where: Hospital and healthcare centres nationwide. For more
information, please contact 021 312 352

Vat Phou Champassak Festival

Champassak province will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Vat Phou
and its associated ancient settlements being listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
When: February 20, 21, 22
Where: Vat Phou, Champassak province

Wow Fashion Week 2016.

Dont miss the capitals major fashion event, Vientiane Wow Fashion
Week 2016 in March featuring more than twenty talented Lao and
Thai designers.
Where: New ITECC Mall, 7th floor.
When: March 11-12.
More information contact: 021 265 853.

Puppet exhibition

JPop Cover Dance Competition

This exhibition showcases a range

of puppet making and visual
images created by the Director of
the Object Theatre Kabong Lao, Mr
Leuthmany Insisiengmay.
When: Open daily until March 3
Where: i:Cat gallery, Simeuang
village, Setthathirath Road,
Vientiane
Gallery open: 3.30pm-8pm Mon to
Fri; 12 noon-6pm Sat & Sun
Call 020 7783 9674

The Laobangfai Academy is calling on young people to enter the JPop

cover dance competition.
When and where: Auditions will be held on February 6, at the Lao Music
and Dance School
The final round will take place on February 20, at the National Culture Hall
The winner will be awarded a visit to Japan, paid for by the Japanese
Embassy to Laos.
For more information call: 020 5229 5456

Sikhottabong Stupa
Festival
Khammuan residents will
celebrate the annual Sikhottabong
Stupa Festival in honour of the
revered religious structure, when
locally-made products will be on
sale.
When: February 20-22
Where: Khammuan province

First International Half

Marathon in Vientiane
Social enterprise Events for Good (EFG) will host the first
international half marathon in Laos to mark International Womens
Day. EFG invites participants to join either the 21km, 10km, or 5km
runs. The event will start and finish at the That Luang stupa. Every
participant who crosses the finish line within the allotted time will
receive a medal and certificate. Trophies and cash prizes will be
provided to the top 5 male and top 5 female runners of the half
marathon and quarter marathon. A Health and Fitness Expo will also
be held before and during the event. Check Facebook event page for
further details.
When: Sunday, March 6, 2016; 5am 8am.
Health and Fitness Expo Time: Friday, March 4, 10am7pm and
Saturday, March 5; 10am7pm.
Media event organisers should contact Vanpheng Southichak or
Thouni Seneyakone about sponsorship opportunities. Ask about
customised sponsorship packages, including on-site display
opportunities, guidebook advertisements, and in-kind donations.
Vanpheng Southichak Managing Director +856 (0) 20 5588 8688
vanpheng@gmail.com
Thouni Seneyakone Operations Manager +856 (0) 20 - 9144 8858
seneyakone@gmail.com

Actors and actresses wanted

Kheo Heng (KH) company is inviting good-looking young people to
apply for two male and two female lead roles in the romantic comedy
film Hong Ham Tao. Female applicants should be 18-26 years old
and males should be aged 20-28
When: Applications until February 28
Where: Contact through Facebook at Inbox only, www.facebook.com/
phoumsana.sirivongsa
or Search in facebook: Jear Pacific

The Vientiane Times welcomes notices from

members of the public for announcement on
this page. Any events or functions open to
the general public are suitable for publishing.
Contact: editor@vientianetimes.la

Global citizenship programme

Japanese organisation GiFT, in collaboration with Green Discovery and
FM 90.0 Mhz, is inviting university students aged 18-24 to apply for the
Diversity Voyage in Laos programme, a 6 day event with Japanese
students. Expenses will be paid by the programme.
When: From February 20-25. Applications accepted until January 29
Where: Contact Bounheng (programme coordinator) on 020 55400099.
Or visit the following link:
http://www.laoyouth-radio.com/2016/01/diversity-voyage-2016.html

Vientiane Trail
2016
Come along and enjoy the
Vientiane Trail 2016, when
the capitals old quarter
will be transformed into a
pedestrian zone with night
time illuminations, and art
and handicraft events.
Where: Chao Anou Street to
Francois Ngin Street.
When: February 26-28, open
from 5-9pm each night.

Elephant Festival
This years Elephant Festival will feature 67 elephants taking part in
activities including a beauty contest, bathing and baci ceremony. There
will also be a large and vibrant street fair.
When: February 19-21
Where: Xayaboury district, Xayaboury province

Toyota Painting Contest

Trade Union Trade Fair

There will be a special trade fair to mark the 60th anniversary of the
Lao Federation of Trade Union.
When: January 23 February 3
Where: Lao-ITECC

The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest 2016 is open to children, with the
theme Toyota in My Dream
The painting contest is divided into three age groups: Under 8; Ages
8-11; and Ages 12-15.
When: Submit your painting anytime from December 16 February
15, 2016
Where: For details, contact Toyota company offices nationwide
on: 021 453801-2, 041 260882-4, 071 214111, 031 251400 or any
Education and Sports Department.

Warm for Winter appeal

The Lao Red Cross asks everyone to help people living in northern
Laos keep warm this winter. Please donate clean blankets, warm
clothing, towels, shoes, gloves and socks to our Warm for Winter
Appeal 2015.
Where: Lao Red Cross
When: Normal working hours
For more information: 021 253 014, Facebook/LaoRedCrossSociety
Thank you so much for your generosity!

Vientiane Times

Tuesday February 2, 2016

Sports 23

Djokovic names his 2016

goal the Djoker Slam

Manchester Uniteds Wayne Rooney (right) celebrates after scoring during the English FA Cup fourth
round match against Derby County.
--Photo AP

FA Cup: Man United heads to

Shrewsbury, Chelsea faces City
SHREWSBURY, England
(AP) -- Chelsea will host
Premier League title favorite
Manchester City in the last 16
of the FA Cup, while Wayne
Rooney faces an unpleasant
trip down memory lane when
Manchester United travels
to third-tier Shrewsbury,
the lowest-placed team
left in soccers oldest club
competition.
S u n d a y s f i f t h - r o u n d
draw followed shortly after
Chelsea won 5-1 at MK Dons,
as interim manager Guus
Hiddinks side continued its
sporting rehabilitation after a
dreadful start to the season.
Hiddink likes this competition,
having won the FA Cup in 2009
during his last temporary spell
in charge of Chelsea.
Tottenham hosts Crystal
Palace in a London derby,
while Bournemouth takes on
Everton in another all-Premier
League clash.
Arsenal - chasing a third
straight FA Cup title - is at

home to Hull, the team it came

from 2-0 down to beat 3-2 in
the 2014 final. Arsenal has won
the cup a record 12 times, one
more than United.
Currently 20th in League
One, Shrewsburys weekend
has swung from bad to brilliant.
Tr a i l i n g s e c o n d - t i e r
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the
fourth round on Saturday, the
West Midlands club equalized
in the 87th minute and snatched
a 3-2 win in the seventh minute
of injury time to set up a lucrative
match against United.
Shrewsbury, which has
reached the fifth round for the
first time since 1991, will be the
underdogs at its New Meadow
stadium - but Rooney wont be
taking victory for granted.
The 17-year-old Rooney
was part of the Everton team managed by future United boss
David Moyes - which lost 2-1
to Shrewsbury at its downtown
stadium Gay Meadow in the FA
Cup third round in 2003.
We will focus on whats

important and thats the next

league game at home to
Southend United, Shrewsbury
manager Micky Mellon said on
the clubs website.
Im delighted that always
on the horizon we will have
a game against one of the
biggest clubs in the world. This
game should keep performance
levels high from the squad
because everyone will want to
play in that game.
Peterborough, which is
eighth in the same division
as Shrewsbury, faces a replay
a g a i n s t We s t B r o m w i c h
Albion, with the winner going
to League Championship team
Reading.
Blackburn hosts either
Liverpool or West Ham,
which drew 0-0 on Saturday,
while Watford faces Leeds,
which won the cup in 1972
before a famous defeat in
the following years final to
unfancied Sunderland.
The fifth round takes place
from February 19-22.

Die-hard, sports fan Renzi is

boosting Romes Olympic bid
CORTINA DAMPEZZO,
Italy (AP) -- When Italian
Premier Matteo Renzi flew to
New York to witness the allItalian US Open final between
Flavia Pennetta and Roberta
Vinci in September, it was a
source of controversy at home.
Critics decried the use
of a government plane for a
personal trip, while supporters
trumpeted his celebration of
two Italian athletes on a world
stage.
One thing they could agree
on is the passion that Renzi has
for sport, as Italian Olympic
Committee president Giovanni
Malago attests.
Hes a die-hard fan,
Malago said in a recent
interview with The Associated
Press as he presided over the
60th anniversary of the 1956
Winter Games in Cortina. He
knows everything.
Whenever an Italian
wins, he calls me, he writes
me e-mails, he writes on
WhatsApp, Malago added.
He always wants to have the
athletes number to call and
offer congratulations. He even

follows sports that youve

never heard of.
Formerly a soccer referee,
Renzis affinity for sports is
also evidenced on the premiers
Twitter account, which he often
uses to express support for his
beloved Fiorentina team.
R e n z i s f l a g - w a v i n g
is lending strong support to
Romes bid for the 2024 Summer
Olympics - which would be the
first games in the Italian capital
since the successful 1960 Games
remembered for exploits by
Cassius Clay, Wilma Rudolph
and Abebe Bikila.
Hes putting his heart and
passion into this, Malago
said days after Renzi visited
with International Olympic
Committee president Thomas
Bach to promote the candidacy.
The IOC will select the
2024 host city next year. Los
Angeles, Paris and Budapest,
Hungary, are the other bidders.
The 41-year-old Renzi
explained to Bach that while
his term ends in 2018, he hopes
to be re-elected and serve until
2023- a year before the 2024
Games.

At that point one of my

dreams is to spend the two
most glorious weeks of my life
in Rome with my entire family
at the Olympics as an ordinary
citizen, Renzi said. I want to
pay for my tickets and simply
enjoy the spectacle.
Together with former
Ferrari president Luca di
Montezemolo, who is in charge
of Romes bid committee,
Renzi and Malago - who was
elected CONI president in 2013
after heading the organizing
committee for the swimming
world championships in Rome
in 2009 - form the backbone of
the candidacy.
Our bid is really thread
together by sport, from top to
bottom, Malago said. An
Olympic competition is made
up of a ton of factors. Its a
game in which individuals can
be key but theres got to be
teamwork involved.
Were taking all the correct
steps, the 56-year-old Malago
added. The institutional
endorsements represent a
fundamental element for the
bid.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)

-- Novak Djokovic has a new
goal for the year. He calls it the
Djoker Slam.
The No. 1-ranked player
has one thing missing from his
fast-growing collection of 11
Grand Slam trophies.
The French Open. Its the
one I never won, Djokovic said
early Monday, after winning
his record sixth Australian
Open, but already casting an
eye toward Paris. Ill try to
put myself in a position to get
that trophy.
D j o k o v i c s r e l e n t l e s s
desire for tennis perfection has
pushed him to a brilliant level,
one that was too high for Andy
Murray who lost Sundays
final 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (3). The
straight-sets win highlighted
Djokovics dominance and
Murrays shortcomings: the
No. 2-ranked Murray has now
played five finals in Melbourne
and lost them all - including
four to Djokovic.
It also stamped Djokovics
imprint on the tournament,
tying him with Roy Emerson
for the most singles titles in the
events long history. Emerson
played in the 1960s and won
his Australian titles in the
amateur era.
Djokovics strong start to
the season comes after a year
that has been described as one
of the finest in tennis history.
He finished 2015 at No. 1 for
the fourth time in five years.
He won the Australian Open,
Wimbledon and the US Open.
He reached the final at the
French Open, but lost to Stan
Wawrinka. It was his third
runner-up trophy at Roland
Garros.
Each year when I go back
I feel like Im a step closer,
Djokovic said during a TV
interview after the final. He
was asked, if he does win at
the French and manage to

Novak Djokovic of Serbia kisses his trophy after defeating Andy

Murray of Britain in the mens singles final at the Australian Open
tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday. --Photo AP

capture four consecutive major

championships, would he give
it a name? On the womens
side, Serena Williams has done
it before and her feat was called
the Serena Slam.
Djoker Slam. Not bad, I
like that one, said the 28-yearold Serbian, referring to his
nickname, the Djoker.
No doubt that Im playing
the best tennis of my life in the
last 15 months, Djokovic said.
The results are showing that.
Im just trying to keep it up.
With his 11th major title,
Djokovic is steadily gaining on
Rafael Nadals 14 and Roger
Federers record 17.
The so-called Big Four of
mens tennis - Federer, Nadal,
Murray and Djokovic - has
been looking more lopsided
with Djokovics winning
record. He now leads the pack
with head-to-head wins over
them all - Federer (23-22),
Murray (22-9), Nadal (24-23).
In Melbourne, Djokovic
beat Federer in straight sets in
the semifinals before moving
on to Murray. Nadal lost in
the first-round, raising more
questions about whether his

Grand Slam winning days have

passed. Last year was the first
season since 2004 that Nadal
did not win a major title.
Throughout the tournament,
Djokovic was repeatedly asked
about the increasingly wide gulf
between him at No. 1 and the
rest of the players. At his final
news conference, Djokovic
answered the question with a
metaphor.
The wolf that is running up
the hill is much hungrier than
the wolf standing at the top of
the hill, Djokovic said.
I believe that all the guys
that are out there fighting each
week to get to No. 1 are very
hungry to get to No. 1, he said.
I want to enjoy, and I will, but
its not going to go for more
than a few days. After that, Im
already thinking about how can
I continue playing well through
the rest of the season at each
tournament.
Returning to the metaphor,
how hungry is the wolf for
Paris, he was asked.
Very hungry, Djokovic
smiled. But the wolf needs to
eat a lot of different meals to
get to Paris. Paris is a dessert.

Cuban boxing team comes out on

top at start of World Series
HAVANA (Xinhua) -- Cubas
boxing team Domadores
(Ringmasters) kicked off
their participation in the
6th World Series of Boxing
(WSB) by defeating hosts
Conquerors 5-0 in Group
A in Istanbul, Turkey, on
Saturday.
The Cuban team did
not drop a single round in
Istanbuls Bagcilar Sports
Complex even though they
faced a few aggressive
Conquerors. The win means
the Caribbean team has
already accumulated 150
wins in the three years they
have participated in the WSB.
Cubas landslide victory
began in the 52 kilogramme
category where rookie Frank
Zaldivar defeated Ferhat
Pehlivan, a fly with greater
experience which was not
visible in the ring.
In the 60 kilogrammes
category, three-time world
champion Lazaro Alvarez
easily won against Yasin
Yilmaz. The Cuban, who
appeared at times to be in a

training fight gave a master

class in boxing to win the
judges unanimous decision.
In the following fight,
Olympic champion of the 60
kilogramme category, Roniel
Iglesias, showed no mercy
to young, newcomer Serhat
Guler.
Next into the ring was
2015s best fighter, according
to the International Boxing
Associaton (AIBA), Julio
Cesar la Cruz. He fought
in his usual unique way
to assure his triumph over
Mehmet Nadir Unal.
There was a certain level
of expectation surrounding
the final fight between Cubas
Yohandi Toirac and Turkeys
Bahram Muzaffer in the super
heavy category. The Turk
is known for his extensive
history on the international
scene but in reality it was
the Cuban that won with
a technical knockout after
Muzaffer could not recover
after the first attack.
With these five victories,
the Cubans started off their

6th WBS campaign with

all guns blazing with the
intention of winning back the
title they lost to Kazakhstans
Astana Arlans in the 5th
WBS.
Apart from the Cubans
a n d Tu r k s , U k r a i n e s
O t a m a n s a n d C h i n a s
Dragons complete Group A.
Mexicos Guerreros, the
Knockouts from the United
States, Morrocos Atlas Lions
and the British Lionhearts
make up Group B.
The Russian Boxingteam,
Polands Hussars, Argentinas
Condors and the Caciques from
Venezuela form Group C.
Current champions
Kazakhstans Astana Arlans
are included in Group D along
with Azerbaijans Baku Fires,
Hurricanes from Puerto Rico
and Uzbekistans Tigers.
The top two teams from
each group will progress to
the quarter finals at the start
of April.
The winners will then
advance to the semi-finals and
final between May 20 and 21.

Tuesday
February 2, 2016
24

Vientiane Times

Sports

Xieng Khuang identifies young

footballing talent

Phonsavanh Secondary Schools womens team pose with their

medals after the presentation ceremony on Saturday.

Sangkhomsay
Bubphanouvong

Xieng Khuang provincial

Education and Sports
Department was able to identify
many talented footballers after
holding a provincial football
competition for students from
eight districts of the province
over the period from January
25-30.
Participating were eight
boys football teams from
eight districts in Xieng
Khuang province and five
girls football teams from five
districts. The competition
was run by the Education and
Sports Department and Spirit
of Soccer.
Xieng Khuang province

would like to develop

and support the football
competitions available for
students in secondary schools
to take part in.
Next year, the province
plans to hold another football
competition for students and
will select the best mens and
womens footballers to vie at
the National Student Games
in Borikhamxay province in
early 2017.
In the results of football
competition, Phonsavanh
Secondary Schools mens
and womens teams were
both crowned as champions
after their mens team beat
Nonghet district 2-0, while
their womens team defeated
Phaxay district 1-0 on Friday.

After the Student Games,

Xieng Khuang province will
host the 11th National Games
at the end of 2017.
At the end of 2015,
Xieng Khuang hosted its
own games, comprising
football, volleyball, petanque,
badminton, sepak takraw,
taekwondo, and track and field
events.
Xieng Khuang province
sent more than 300 athletes,
trainers and officials to the
10th National Games in
Oudomxay province last year.
The team finished 10th
with nine gold, 17 silver and
22 bronze medals.
2017 will be the first time
that Xieng Khuang has hosted
the National Games. The
province previously hosted
the National Traditional Games
in 2011.
Elsewhere, the Borikhamxay
provincial Education and Sports
Department held the annual
student games from January 1421. Events included football,
sepak takraw, volleyball,
petanque, badminton, chess,
top spinning, crossbow, and
track and field.
The 2017 National Student
Games in Borikhamxay
province will feature football,
sepak takraw, volleyball,
petanque, badminton, chess,
top spinning, crossbow,
taekwondo, table tennis,
basketball, and track and field
events.

Buriram United players, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Prof. Dr Bosengkham Vongdara,
and charity match officials come together at the national stadium on Sunday at the cup presentation
ceremony.

All-star charity match raises

money for rural schools
Sangkhomsay
Bubphanouvong

charity match
on Sunday saw
reigning Thai
champions Buriram
United defeat Lao Premier
League All-stars 3-1 while
helping Thai-Lao Association
for Friendship mobilise more
than 100 million kip for remote
schools in Laos.
6,000 fans from Laos and
Thailand along with students
from Kiewkacham Secondary
School in May district,
Phongsaly province cheered
on the football match at the
national stadium, Km16 in
Xaythany district which raised
funds from tickets sales and
other donations.
The All-star team featured
players from Lao Toyota FC,
as well as Lao Electricity
FC, Police, Army FC, SHB
Vientiane FC and Eastern Star
FC taking on Buriram United,
the current holder of five
different Thai championships.
Man of the match was All-star
striker Maitee.

Thai-Lao Association for

Friendship is continuing to
collect donations following the
match with their target being
500 million kip for building
new student accommodation
in remote area schools.
Specifically, the money
raised will go to construction
of new accommodation for
Kiewkacham Secondary
School, May district, Phongsaly
province. Currently, there
are more than 100 students
studying at the school.
If there isnt enough
money for building the new
accommodation, we will
continue fundraising efforts
with companies in Thailand,
Thai-Lao Association for
Friendship General Secretary
Mr Bannasan Chansomsak
said.
Mr Bannasan believed
that by the middle of the year
the association would have
sufficient funds to undertake
the project in Phongsaly
province.
Next year, the Association
for Friendship will continue
with other activities in

Laos and we will mobilise

budget funding to assist
schools in Attapeu, Xekong
and Borikhamxay provinces
with the support of the Thai
government, he added
On February 10, the
association plans to handover
a two storey school building
in Saravan province and
another (16 room) school
building in Viengxay district,
Huaphan province late next
month supported by the Thai
government.
The match was attended
by Minister of Information,
Culture and Tourism, Prof.
Dr Bosengkham Vongdara,
Deputy Minister of Education
and Sports Mr Boualane
Silipanya and senior officials
from the competition
organising committee. During
the event, the committee
presented prizes including
motorcycles, balls and
souvenirs to fans attending.
L a s t y e a r, T h a i - L a o
Association for Friendship
also raised 500 million kip
for Kiewkacham Secondary
School.

Lao Premier League All-stars Saynakhonevieng Phommapanya (centre) prepares to take on Buriram
Uniteds Andres Jose Tunez Arce (second right).