VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): Japan on Wednesday (Jan 20) presented 30 patrol cars worth US$1.92 million to the Ministry of Public Security (Laos) in Vientiane.
The grant aid is being used to provide the Lao government with both anti-terrorism and security enhancement equipment aimed at contributing towards social and economic development in Laos by strengthening their capacity to maintain public security.
The hand-over ceremony was held at the Ministry of Public Security between the Minister of Public Security Lieutenant General Vilay Lakhamfong and Japanese Ambassador to Laos Takewaka Keizo.
The Japanese Grant Aid is for the Economic and Social Development Programme for the public security sector in Laos.
The Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam in southern Laos. - VT/ANN
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): Laos is preparing a nationwide hydropower inspection procedure which will be carried out every five years to ensure safety and the maintenance of standards.
Director General of the Department of Energy Management, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Bouathep Malaykham, told the Vientiane Times on Tuesday (Jan 19) that in the next few years, the system will be complete and put into use.
The procedure will ensure that dams are closely inspected and are operating in compliance with the law and government policy.
The country s first comprehensive inspection of dams was carried out a few years ago to monitor the standard of dam construction. Future inspections will now be undertaken every five years, said the report.
2:31 PM MYT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The Made in Laos 2020 is projected to lead to a turnover of almost 1 billion kip and the value of products on exhibition at the fair has been recorded at 13 billion kip, a senior official has said.
The Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), Chanthachone Vongsay, said at the fair’s opening ceremony on Wednesday that the event will help support efforts to overcome the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Covid-19 has had a huge impact on many companies. However, there are 220 exhibition booths set up by 121 companies from all provinces in the country that have come to exhibit their products in this event.”
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): Lao Airlines is suspending all charter flights to and from other countries to reduce the risk of a second wave of Covid-19 triggered by inbound travellers.
According to Lao Airlines, the last charter flight on the Laos-South Korea route left on Sunday, while the latest humanitarian flight bringing back Lao workers from overseas took place on Dec 13.
Anyone entering Laos on a humanitarian flight must have all the necessary documents and spend 14 days at a designated quarantine centre.
“We are suspending all charter flights based on an order from the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, ” the Director of Lao Airlines’ Commercial Department, Noudeng Chanthaphasouk, said.
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The cost of travel on the newly-opened 110-km Vientiane-Vangvieng expressway ranges from 600-2,000 kip per kilometre, depending on the type of vehicle.
The Laos-China Joint Expressway Development Co, Ltd. has set the price at 600 kip per kilometre for vehicles not exceeding two tonnes in weight, totalling 66,000 kip for a one-way journey.
Vehicles weighing 2-5 tonnes will be charged 1,000 kip per kilometre, totalling 110,000 kip; vehicles weighing 5-10 tonnes will be charged 1,400 kip per kilometre, totalling 154,000 kip; and vehicles weighing 10-15 tonnes will be charged 2,000 kip per kilometre, totalling 220,000 kip.
For passenger vehicles, the rate is set at 600 to 2,000 kip per kilometre depending on the number of seats.