Lao morning news for May 16

Laos Dam Collapse Blamed on Substandard Construction
Poor construction methods, with soil used in place of concrete, are now being blamed for a fatal hydropower dam collapse last year in Laos in what has been called the country’s worst flooding in decades.
— Radio Free Asia

Border bottlenecks hinder Lao imports: Study
Limited procedural knowledge amongst both government authorities and traders at border areas is being blamed as the cause of trade bottlenecks at borders between Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
— ANN/ Vientiane Times

The sad end of Lao’s elephants
The elephant is a cultural symbol in Lao. This is probably due to the fact that at one period in time, the country was known to have a large number of these mighty mammals roaming its lands free, so much so that before it was ever known as Lao, people used to call parts of the country Lan Xang (Land of a Million Elephants).
— The Asean Post

R. Korea Further Support UXO Free Efforts In Laos
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Action Sector in the Lao PDR (NRA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a contribution agreement on the ‘Project to Support for UXO Sector in the Lao PDR phase 2 (2019-2022/USD 5.5 million) on May 14 in Vientiane.
— KPL

Vietnam, Laos seek to boost connection between businesses
A cooperation agreement was inked between the Vietnam Business Association for Cooperation and Investment in Laos (Viet-Lao BACI) and the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Laos (YEAL) in Vientiane on May 14.
— Nhan Dan Online

Thai companies eye food business opportunities in Laos
The Thai companies PTT (Lao) Co., Ltd. and Zixgar Group Ltd. are looking at food business opportunities in Laos with a focus on travellers and office workers as their main customers.
— ANN/ Vientiane Times

Experienced team sustainably developing Lao mining
Entrepreneurs and business owners in Laos are now able to utilise the vast expertise of Ortus Mining Laos to develop mining projects.
— ANN/ Vientiane Times

Telecom regulator proposes online sim card registration
The Lao Telecommunication Regulatory Authority is developing an application for use as a possible option to speed up sim card registration.
— Vientiane Times

Public education could curb bushmeat demand in Laos, study finds
Fines and the threat of disease could dissuade consumers from buying bushmeat, according to recent surveys of markets where wildlife species are sold for food in the Southeast Asian country of Laos.
— Mongabay

China gives advice on path to poverty reduction
The National Institute for Economic Research is partnering with the Development Research Centre of the State Council (DRC) of China to share ideas and lessons learnt on poverty reduction.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

Laos, Korea agree to future rural development
The Republic of Korea has agreed to continue supporting Laos in rural community development activities through the Saemaul Undong project.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

More mysterious jars of dead unearthed in Laos
ANU Archaeologists have discovered 15 new sites in Laos containing more than one hundred 1000-year-old massive stone jars possibly used for the dead.
— Mirage News

Vietnam, Laos youth unions look to enhance cooperation
Alternate member of the Party Central Committee and First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee Le Quoc Phong on May 15 held talks with alternate member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union (LPRYU ) Central Committee Alounxai Sounnalath in Hanoi.
— Vietnamplus

More than 1,000 artists to partake in Vietnam – Laos cultural exchange
The culture, sports and tourism festival between ethnic minority groups in Vietnam – Laos border areas is scheduled to take place in A Luoi district, Thua Thien – Hue province, on May 17-19.
— Vietnamnet Global

Foreign Journalists Trained In China
The Research and Training Institute of the National Radio and Television Administration of China has funded a 10-day training course on Covering Media Exchange Civilizations for media reporters from Laos, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Uruguay and Ethiopia.
— KPL

New libraries to help children develop good reading habits
The Department of Education and Sports of Vientiane province, along with Action with Lao Children (ALC), will carry out child development projects in Phonhong and Hinheup districts.
— Vientiane Times

Oyster mushroom cultivation spurs income for Laos farmers
Ms. Vieng, 32, can now proudly say that she is a mushroom farmer. She smiles while showing an oyster mushroom from a bag she learned to prepare after participating in a training on mushroom cultivation together with her group in Huayman, her native village in Phonexay District, Lao PDR.
— FAOUN

‘Could do better’ is prescription for health service
Better understanding and follow-up of the advice given by health experts along with improved coordination is essential to achieve health service reform at all levels.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

Japanese language teachers say sayonara
The Japan Foundation Asia Centre has ended its Japanese teacher assistance programme for this academic year after language teachers took classes in three schools in Vientiane for nine months.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

Feature photo BigBrotherMouse

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Lao morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Lao PDR news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Lao morning news for May 16 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on May 16, 2019
View all posts by Stella-maris Ewudolu →

Bio
Latest Posts

Stella-maris Ewudolu

Journalist at AEC News Today

Stella-maris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Education from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2005.

Between November 2010 and February 2012 she was a staff writer at Daylight Online, Nigeria writing on health, fashion, and relationships. From 2010 – 2017 she worked as a freelance screen writer for ‘Nollywood’, Nigeria.

She joined AEC News Today in December 2016.