Lao Voices

Police ban use of mobile phones by drivers
Police in some Vientiane districts have begun fining motorists who use mobile phones while driving, in line with the Prime Minister’s Decree No. 188, dated July 3, 2007.
But the Head of the Vientiane Traffic Police Station, Colonel Khampheiw Vatthanaphone, said last Friday that fines were still not appropriate [...]

Additional news coverage of the legal battle over Wat Lao Buddharam in North Carolina. One thing that was not mentioned in the video is the next hearing on April 24, 2008 at MECKLENBURG COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT. See case #49 with LAOTIAN CULTURE CENTER OF NC -VS- WAT LAO BUDDHARAM.
A background of Wat Lao Buddharam [...]

Leaders from six Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) member countries gathered at the third GMS Summit, which took place in Laos’ capital city of Vientiane on March 30-31. GMS comprises Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
The triennial meeting, the third among GMS Leaders has its [...]

Investor studies Champassak hydropower project
A Thai company has taken steps towards a hydropower project on the Mekong River in Champassak province that could be worth upwards of US$1 billion if it is built.
On Wednesday, the Lao government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Charoen Energy and Water Asia Co., allowing the company to conduct a [...]

For those that are living in the US, flying to Laos in the future might be a lot easier. You won’t have to make stop in Taiwan, Thailand or other countries and can go straight to Wattay International Airport in Vientiane after making a stop in Japan.

Laos, Japan mull direct flights
Officials from Laos and Japan [...]

It was time to give Laomedia a new face and I think we were successful in making it an interesting site for you. Daily news, pictures and videos about Laos and Laotian related content is displayed in a convenient way based on the look and feel of Popurls.
It is a beta release so if you [...]

Additional News coverage about the battle to preserve Lao culture by preserving Lao traditional clothing for Lao girls and women. The article has a good point about the cost of Lao sinh that are made of Lao silk. It can be quite expensive to owe one for the average Lao citizens. Real Lao silk sinh [...]

What a happy news coming out of Laos. It would be wonderful to see these Lao journalists keeping up their blogs and posting interesting articles for their readers to enjoy.
Reporters enter world of blogging
Some 22 reporters from various media agencies in Vientiane last week learned how to create and post blogs to further publicise their [...]

While there is no dress code for the general public, “public figures, such as singers, presenters and performers” are encouraged to dress appropriately according to the latest news from the Vientiane Times Newspaper. This news doesn’t come as a surprise to me. During my visit to Laos last year I noticed how teenagers tend to [...]

First meeting on Lao women’s dressing preservation held
(KPL) A meeting on promotion and preservation of Lao women’s dressing custom, was held on 28 February, at the Lao Women’s Union (LWU) to promote a long traditional culture of nation on dressing of Lao ethnic women.
The meeting was chaired by Ms Sisay Leudethmounsone, President of Lao Women’s [...]

Ministry to strengthen employment opportunities
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is focusing on improving Lao labour management so that more people can find employment and contribute to the country’s socio-economic development.
At a national training workshop on employment services at the Settha Palace Hotel in Vientiane on Monday, Deputy Minister Laoly Faiphengyoua said the [...]

Luang Prabang receives gold award from travel magazine
The World Heritage town of Luang Prabang has won a ‘Top City Gold Award’ from England ’s leading travel magazine, Wanderlust.
The magazine placed Luang Prabang, an ancient city in the north of Laos and a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the top spot on its list of [...]

Sida supports environmental management project in Vientiane province
(KPL) The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) has agreed recently to support the implementation of the strengthening environment management project in Vientiane province. The MoU of providing grant aid of SIDA to Vientiane province was held on 28 February, 2008 was held between Dr. Viengsavanh Duangsavanh, Head of [...]

Seeing Weir Sukollawat on the cover of Koosang Koosom Magazine made me think of Alexandra Bounxouei, and this could be her on the cover with Weir if she had accepted the role for Lakorn ‘Pood Mae Nam Kong’, which the part was offered to Alexandra but she turned it down because she decided to accept [...]

Yesterday, Brunei, Laos and Malaysia have joined Singapore in ratifying the Association of Southeast Asian Nations charter that provides for the creation of a human rights body.
This ASEAN Charter sprouts from three important earlier declarations in the Vientiane [...]