Laos

VIENTIANE, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The power supply project for the China-Laos Railway was put into operation as the electricity was transmitted from the Khoksaad substation on the outskirts of Lao capital Vientiane to the Vientiane South Traction Substation of the China-Laos Railway on Sunday.

The power supply project for the China-Laos Railway is the first BOT (build-operate-transfer) power grid project in Laos, a key project to guarantee the scheduled operation of the China-Laos Railway and of building the China-Laos community with a shared future.

VIENTIANE, Sept 20 (NNN-KPL) – A total of 98 people were killed in 568 road accidents in the Laotian capital, Vientiane, in the first six months of 2021.

According to the report, issued by the Traffic Police department, under the Lao Ministry of Public Security, 533 were injured and 1,143 vehicles were damaged, in road accidents in the capital, in the first six months of 2021.

Most road accidents occurred because of drunk driving, speeding and other violations of traffic rules, according to the report.

VIENTIANE, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has said that China is taking concrete actions to deepen the global anti-epidemic cooperation and contribute to the building of a global community of health for all.

Phankham made the remarks when addressing the handover ceremony for the fifth batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday.

Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong officially handed over the newly-arrived vaccines to the Lao prime minister at the ceremony held here in Lao health ministry.

VIENTIANE, Jul 21 (NNN-KPL) – Seven people are missing, in northern Laos’ Xieng Khuang province, after the ground collapsed under them, while they were drilling for gold on Sunday.

The incident occurred in Choi village, Phoukout district, in Xieng Khuang province, some 180 km north-east of the Lao capital, Vientiane, local daily Vientiane Times reported today.

The group of seven, including one woman, had drilled about 10 metres deep, when the ground collapsed, an official from the province’s Department of Information, Culture and Tourism, told the daily.

VIENTIANE, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing inaugural session of the ninth legislature of the Lao National Assembly (NA) on Monday morning elected Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, as the country's new president, replacing Bounnhang Vorachit.

After assuming the presidency, Thongloun vowed to actively work with the LPRP, the state leaders and the Lao people to create favorable conditions for stability, national economic growth and poverty reduction in the country.

VIENTIANE, Nov 12 (NNN-KPL) – The Lao government plans to build a new expressway, linking Luang Prabang with Oudomxay, drastically reducing travel time between the two provinces.

According to Lao economic daily, the proposed expressway would link Luang Prabang province, some 230 km north of the capital Vientiane, with Oudomxay province, stretching some 113.9 km.

Luang Prabang authorities discussed a feasibility study at a meeting last Friday, chaired by Deputy Provincial Governor of Luang Prabang, Soukan Bounyong.

VIENTIANE, June 22 (NNN-KPL) – The Consular Department, under Lao Ministry for Foreign Affairs, issued an official notice, to inform the general public that the U.S. government has suspended the issuance of visas to Lao citizens, local daily, Vientiane Times, reported today.

The Consular Department received an official notification from the U.S. embassy, saying that, starting from Apr 1, the U.S. government discontinued issuance of all immigrant and non-immigrant visas for Lao citizens and nationals, applying in Laos, except for certain types.

BANGKOK, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Environmentalists have criticised Laos for pressing ahead with plans for another dam on the Mekong River, a waterway already strangled by hydropower schemes.

The flow of the Mekong, Southeast Asia’s longest river, is interrupted by a cascade of dams in China — where it is called the Lancang.

Two downstream dams — the Xayaburi and Don Sahong — have been built in Laos, which wants to construct seven more as it strives to live up to its billing as the “Battery of Asia”.

VIENTIANE, Feb 26 (NNN-KPL) – Laos earned more from the sale of rice to China in the past few years due to trade preference arrangements between the two countries.

In 2017, the value of rice sold to China was 5.6 million U.S. dollars. This figure increased to 7.25 million U.S. dollars in 2018, and to 14.54 million U.S. dollars in 2019, according to the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

VIENTIANE, Laos, Oct 26 (NNN-KPL) – The 19th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) and related meetings were held here on Thursday and Friday.

According to the joint media statement issued by ASEAN on Friday, the meeting, talking over smart connectivity for ASEAN digital transformation, agreed to further intensify cooperation to propel ASEAN towards a digitally-enabled economy that is secure, sustainable, and transformative; and to build an innovative, inclusive and integrated ASEAN.