Lao Voices

There is a great news for the local people and also foreigners that are flocking to Laos these days. In the near future there will be a tourist district in the capital city, Vientiane. I can’t wait to see what it looks like and will be checking out the area. It’s a good thing we have a camera girl in Vientiane that will be taking lots of photos for us. Below is the news article from Vientiane Times Newspaper.

Govt disburses billions to develop tourism

The Vientiane Administration Office has allocated a budget of 25 billion kip to develop a tourist site in central Vientiane.

The office has designated an area named Hongthong, located on Khounboulom Road, starting from Chao Anou Road and the Sailom traffic lights to Talatxao-Sailom traffic lights in Chanthabouly district.

“This area is in the centre of the city and has development potential as a site for use by local and overseas visitors,” Khamphay Construction Company President Khamphay Somsana said last Friday.

He was speaking at a ceremony giving the company the green light to carry out the development.

Mr Khamphay observed that the site was more than 24,000 sq m in size, but the Vientiane Land Management Office had set aside 7,000 sq m of this for people living in the area. The remainder of the land would be developed.

The government first had plans to develop this area from 1995-2000 to improve the local environment.

“Seeing that the land is still largely an empty lot, the Vientiane Administration Office has assigned the Vientiane Urban Development Administration Authority to survey the possibility of building a night market, a public park and a car park there,” Mr Khamphay said.

He said the Vientiane Administration Office had adopted the development project last month and awarded a contract to the company to start construction.

“We will follow the proposed plans and perhaps build a handicraft store as well, as this will be in line with the office’s objective of turning the area into a tourist attraction,” he said.

Mr Khamphay said none of the buildings would be high-rises as it was the intention to provide a green space rather than a built-up area.

The company will spend the next month clearing the site and then work on the car park as the need for this is most urgent.

The night bazaar and other facilities will be built later.

Taking part in the signing ceremony were Vientiane Administration Office Vice Governor Bounchanh Sinthavong and officials from various departments and offices in Vientiane .

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
February 18, 2008
Vientiane Times