Vientiane Times
Transcription
Vientiane Times
Vientiane Times thursday february 14, 2013 The First National English Language Newspaper ISSUE 038 ASEM Summit cars up for sale Inside Laos hosts regional course on school health, nutrition page 2 Australia backs rice cultivation in Laos page 16 Times Reporters The government is selling off the luxury cars it purchased for use by dignitaries attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, which took place in Vientiane in November. Director General of the Ministry of Finance’s State Asset Department, Mr Chanthanorm Phithasone, signed an announcement yesterday on the sale of 40 Mercedes Benz Class 350 cars, 65 Mercedes Benz E Class 350 cars, and 62 Toyota Camry 2.5 litre cars to the public. All of the cars were manufactured in 2012. The government also announced the sale of 15 used Benz S Class 350 cars, which were manufactured in 2004. Officials decided to sell the vehicles after serious discussion over the best use of these cars, which were purchased with public tax money. The government had originally planned to keep the cars for use by officials but realised it was unacceptable to use luxury vehicles while urging civil servants and members of the public not to engage in conspicuous c o n s u m p t i o n and to use government money frugally. All of the cars are now page B Times Reporters Get hot news in Lao and English from Vientiane Times on your mobile phone via LTC, ETL and Unitel networks. Subscribe now! For LTC Subscribers Just send ‘R’ to 1135 for news in English For Unitel Subscribers Just send ‘ON’ to 929 for news in English ‘ON L’ to 929 for news in Lao For ETL subscribers type ‘ON’ and send to 2246 For more information phone 020 5607017 Office: 216364 or 217593 Police officers in the northern province of Luang Namtha confiscated a large quantity of amphetamines at the river port of Xiengkok on February 9, one of the bigger seizures in the area. According to a report from provincial police, they seized 995 packs of amphetamines containing an estimated 199,000 tablets, enough to cause significant harm to a large number of people. Unfortunately the smugglers were able to flee and avoid apprehension, the police reported. Deputy Head of the Drug Control and Supervision Division of the provincial Police Headquarters, Caption Khonsavang Vilavang, told the Vientiane Times yesterday the street value of the drugs seized has yet to be estimated but is considerable. He said the officers launched a covert operation on the night Notice Vientiane Times wishes to inform our valued customers that all payments should be made through our bank accounts at BCEL. Forestry cover target could be out of reach Times Reporters The cars are available for inspection at the Government Office compound in Vientiane. available for inspection at the Government Office compound in Vientiane. The prices range from US$35,000 to US$119,000 depending on the model and year of manufacture. Price details can be obtained at the State Asset Department. Finance officials responsible for the sale of the cars said prices were fixed and could not be bargained down. The cars were much cheaper than comparable models on sale in Vientiane showrooms, they added. Parties interested in buying one of the cars are required to fill in an application form, which are also available at the department. The government spent about 240 billion kip on the ASEM Summit. Forty percent of this amount, or 96 billion kip, went towards the purchase of vehicles. Th e g o v er n men t als o purchased a large number of police cars, motorbikes and minivans for the event. Riverside drug bust in Luang Namtha Khammuan trade fair aims to drive commercial growth 4500 kip www.vientianetimes.la of February 9 after receiving a report from a concerned citizen that a shipment of amphetamines would pass through the port in the Xiengkok area of Long district. “After being informed, we closely followed the targets and took action against them,” Caption Khonsavang said. “We are still investigating the incident and searching for the smugglers.” Officers are still unable to identify the source of the drugs and where they were produced, saying that an investigation is still underway. Most of the drugs smuggled into the province in the past were reported to have been produced in the Golden Triangle area where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet. The triangle area is notorious for drug smuggling and production as well as opium poppy cultivation. The February 9 crackdown took place as the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision (LNCDC) was ending its three-day annual meeting in Vientiane yesterday. Drug smuggling and opium poppy cultivation are increasingly pressing issues in Laos, with widespread drug abuse threatening social and economic development and the wellbeing of the younger generation. A report from the LNCDC showed that 55,000 people in Laos are at risk of becoming drug addicts as the country is increasingly being used as a drug transit route, and domestic opium poppy cultivation is on the rise again. Some 80 percent of drug users in Laos take amphetamines, while 20 percent use opium, heroin, cannabis and other substances, according to the LNCDC. “Despite the efforts made by our officials to combat the drug trade, there has been no impact on the activities of drug dealers in the country,” LNCDC Acting Chairman Mr Kou Chansina said at the meeting. A United Nations aerial survey and Chinese satellite pictures last year showed that about 5,000 hectares of land in Laos was used to cultivate opium poppies, representing 3 percent of the global total area under cultivation. The LNDC report says 25 percent of the total global area under poppy cultivation is producing a potential 690 tonnes of opium, while Laos is producing a potential 41 tonnes. Laos was officially declared to be opium free in 2006, but the clandestine cultivation of poppies continues in the north, and is increasing by 20 to 30 percent every year. From 2006 to 2012, Southeast Asia has seen opium poppy cultivation doubling. Global opium production is estimated to be about 7,000 tonnes in total, which is refined and processed before being shipped around the world. Announcement Registration: type ON and send to 2246 (US$) A/c 010 11 0100 397 809001 Interested people should contact: 021 217593 or (kip) A/c 010 11 0000 397 809001 Mobile: 020 55607017; 02028102625 Continued page 2 ÍçÖéÅèÈ Öà× ÍçÖéÀàÌÁíÌųà LAO FREIGHT FORWARDER CO., LTD Good news for ETL mobile phone subscribers Vientiane Times and Enterprise Telecommunications Lao (ETL) is now providing hot news in English produced by Vientiane Times on mobile phones through the ETL network. The government will face challenges in achieving forest cover of 65 percent by 2015 as targeted while certain segments of society fail to understand the need for the sustainable management of resources. Forested areas would be significantly larger if everyone acted responsibly in protecting forests and realised the importance of trees, the Deputy Director General of the Forestry Department, Mr Khamphay Manivong, told Vientiane Times on Tuesday. Many people believe the target figure for forest cover could be achieved were it not for the large number of individuals and businesses who have no concern for the future and continue to cut down trees at an alarming rate, despite new regulations to encourage reforestation, according to the forestry authorities. Some local authorities lack effective measures to regulate forested areas, while some are in cahoots with unscrupulous businessmen and engage in illegal logging. Forest cover currently stands at almost 50 percent or about 17 million hectares, including reforested areas and plantations, said Mr Khamphay. Forested areas have increased since 2002 after the government took steps to raise awareness of the issue among the younger generation. Officials are working to persuade every organisation of the importance of forests and green areas and are requiring every development project to undertake environmental protection activities. Mr Khamphay said that if the forestry sector is unable to gain the cooperation of other agencies, and public apathy and poor management persist, the 65 percent target figure may not be achieved. Over the last decades of the twentieth century, the loss of forest land in Laos rapidly increased due to various landuse practices, such as shifting cultivation, commercial - Offers transport, forwarding and packing of all kinds of outgoing and incoming goods by overland, river, air and sea. -Worldwide Courier Express Service Please contact us at: Authorized Cargo Agent for: Km 3 Thadeua Road, TG Thai Airways International Vientiane, Lao PDR. P.O. Box 3145 (opposite French School ) Tel: 313321, 313351, 314524, 315165, 313392 Fax: ( 856-21 ) 314831 Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], laoffexp@laotel. com, [email protected], www.laopdr.com, www.laofreight.com 2 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Home news Laos hosts regional course on school health, nutrition Bounfaeng Phaymanivong School health and nutrition experts and officials from regional governments and NGOs, especially the 10 Asean countries, are meeting in Vientiane to strengthen their partnerships in school-based health. The eight-day training course emphasises health and nutrition management in schools and the importance of controlling diseases such as parasitic infections. It also aims to raise the skill levels of the staff involved with regard to school health and nutrition activities. Deputy Minister of Health Dr Inlavanh Keobounphanh said the ministry focuses on disease prevention and treatment as well as health promotion, and has been working with the Ministry of Education and Sports to run disease prevention campaigns in schools since 2002. “The ministry has developed a framework to tackle parasitic infections by focusing on children of school age. They need to be healthy and to have sharp brains so they can develop educationally,” she said. “It’s commonly said that healthy children will achieve Mr Lytou Bouapao delivers a speech at the start of the training course in Vientiane. good results in their studies and are more likely to succeed,” Dr Inlavanh told the meeting participants. She noted that the world faces plenty of challenges with many diseases and infections threatening child health, including malaria, parasites, tuberculosis and diarrhoea. “Many children eat nonnutritious foods, which causes them to grow slowly. Many are shorter than they should be and are underweight. These are some of the reasons why a growing number of children drop out of school,” she said. Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Mr Lytou Bouapao said the ministry has strategic plans in place to encourage everyone to complete at least secondary school education between now and 2020. “We are currently cooperating with the Ministry of Health, our development partners and nongovernment organisations in health promotion in schools, and have achieved quite impressive results over the past years,” he said. Mr Lytou said several challenges are hindering health promotion, especially the fact that children aged 6-14 are likely to have soil-transmitted parasite worms in their intestines. “In general, the number of people with worms nationwide is considerable. The situation in the northern provinces is more serious because people follow traditional practices which can compromise their health and there are inadequate medical services,” he added. The Asian Centre of International Parasite Control at Mahidol University in Thailand, the Japan Consortium for Global School Health Research, and the Partnership for Child Development are all contributing to the success of school health programmes. Forestry cover target could... from page 1 logging, commercial agriculture, and tree plantations. In 1982 forest cover was 11.6 million hectares or about 49 percent of the total land area. In 1992 it was 11.1 million hectares or 47 percent of the land area, and by 2002 the forested area had dropped further to 9.8 million hectares or 41.5 percent of the total. This shows there was a rapid decrease in forest cover between 1992 and 2002 of 1.3 million hectares or about 5.5 percent, while from 1982 to 1992 the forested area lost was 468,900 hectares or about 2 percent. The area of dry dipterocarp forest increased from 1.2 million hectares in 1982 to 1.3 million hectares in 2002 largely due to unsustainable harvesting and commercial logging. The government has directed ministries and other bodies to postpone the granting of land concessions for new industrial tree plantations including rubber and eucalyptus, and will evaluate existing plantations in terms of their relative benefit. In the past, the granting of land concessions by local authorities without detailed surveys being carried out enabled some investors to secretly encroach into National Protected Areas and people’s farmland. Laos will be able to receive more income from carbon credit if forests can be developed more sustainably in the future. Lao Press in Foreign Languages Vientiane Times Established 1994, Volume 18 Tel: (856-21)216364, fax: (856-21)216365 [email protected] Supervisor: Savankhone Razmountry Editor-in-Chief: Thongsavath Chansombath Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor: Thonglor Duangsavanh Tel: 021 216364 [email protected] Deputy Editor-in-Chief and News Editor: Phonekeo Vorakhoun Mobile: 55599207 [email protected] News Deputy Editor: Sisay Vilaysack Mobile:55615716 [email protected] Features Editor: Phon Thikeo Mobile:55624351 [email protected] Business Editor: Ekaphone Phouthonesy Tel: 217593, 020 55689209 Graphic Designer/IT: Malaythong Phayanouvong Tel: 217593, 020 55729209 Copy Sub-editor: Elizabeth Winch Tel: 217593 Finance Manager: Oudom Souvannasinh Tel: 252630 Marketing Manager: Phoutthasack Inthakoummane Mobile: 020 55599209 [email protected] If you have a problem accessing the website, please call directly to Tel: +856-21 251617; 252629; Email: [email protected] Higher standards mulled for hydropower industry Phaisythong Chandara High level officials from the energy and mines sector met yesterday to discuss improving technical standards in the hydropower industry. A major goal of the meeting was to ensure that the use of natural resources in the power sector is both safe and sustainable, especially in terms of ensuring minimal environmental impacts. Participants listened to a presentation on the electricity development framework, and amendments to the law on electricity in 2011, as well as the standards and rules governing the sector. The participants also learned about policies for the development of hydropower and promoting the use of r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y, a n d encouraging entrepreneurs to implement projects more efficiently by adhering to the rules, laws and technical standards. Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines Mr Khammany Inthirath asked for all participants, especially project developers and business operators, to adhere to technical standards during construction. “Discussions on the issue must be clear in order to follow the new draft of the electricity Mr Khammany Inthirath addresses the meeting. law relating to hydropower plants of less than 15MW in capacity. We must keep in mind the Sam Sang (the Three Builds) as this constitutes a pillarsbased approach, which means that in addition to the national level, the provinces, districts and villages are receiving even greater attention in terms of people-centred development,” he said. Laos has made significant progress in its development and has become one of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world, he noted, in part because the government has a sound strategy for the use of natural resources in energy generation and mining. Laos has 22 hydroelectric dams in operation, generating 3,226.9MW of energy and another 27 plants under construction, which will have a total capacity of 5,613.8MW. By 2016, Laos is expected to have 47 dams in the planning stage, which will provide 7,554.7MW of hydropower, according to a report from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. T h e e n e rg y p r o d u c e d should provide more households with access to electricity, which is currently only available to 80 percent of the population. The government hopes new hydro plants will boost this figure to 85 percent by 2015 and 90 percent by 2020. It is actively pursuing renewable energy as a major export commodity to help the nation move off the UN’s list of least developed countries. Vientiane women benefit from life skills project Phaisythong Chandara Some 4,624 females aged 14-32 from poor families in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Xieng Khuang and Huaphan are now better informed after attending the Legal Awareness and Life Skills for Women project which began last June. This information was announced at the project’s sixmonth review meeting which was held yesterday in Vientiane. Vientiane Women’s Union Vice President Ms Liankham Philaphanh, Programme Coordinator for CARE International in Laos Ms Nadine Hoekman and other officials were also present. The meeting was cosponsored by the Vientiane Women’s Union and CARE International in Laos. The project was supported by AusAID under the AusAIDNGO Cooperation Programme, aimed at providing assistance, better information, vocational training, education and advice on reproductive health to disadvantaged groups, with a focus on women working in restaurants, nightclubs and factories. Another major objective was to promote the social and legal empowerment of working women, through reducing their vulnerability to rights abuses, with a focus on exploitation and violence. The project will use the dual strategies of supporting the empowerment of the target women alongside capacity building for government officials responsible for achieving this goal. One major objective of the programme is to raise awareness of the problem of violence against women, which requires the participation of the general public. The project operates in places where there are large numbers of women, such as entertainment venues and beer shops, hotels, guesthouses, rented accommodation and factories. Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Head of the Vientiane Administration Office, Mr Bounta Saengdavong, said the project targets women with limited skills who have moved to Vientiane to earn money for themselves and their families, who may be drawn into the illegal activity of prostitution. These groups have been identified as service women in beer shops, female employees in hotels and guesthouses who live in low cost rental accommodation, and women who work in factories. Women from these groups are all identified as service women who participate in commercial sex either as their principle job or as a supplement to other work. When participating in these illegal activities they are particularly vulnerable to rights abuses and violence. The project will work to develop clearer profiles of these target groups and improve understanding of the factors influencing their vulnerability. This information can also be used to counter stigma and discriminatory attitudes. District authorities said that about 2,000 women in Chanthabouly district and 1,500-3,000 women in Sikhottabong district are vulnerable, according to a report from the sector concerned. The project complements and builds on the work of the government and international agencies currently working on related issues such as the implementation of the Law on the Protection and Development of Women, antitrafficking interventions, and the National Plan of Action against the commercial and sexual exploitation of children. Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Home news 3 Australian foreign minister to visit Laos Australian Foreign Minister Mr Bob Carr will lead a delegation on a visit to Laos from February 17-20 in response to an invitation from his Lao counterpart Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, according to a press release from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Laos learns lessons from Japan on road damage prevention Phetsamone Chandala Mr Sompong Soulivanh (left) and Mr Phillip Hazelton exchange documents after signing an agreement in Vientiane. Australian agency to help regulate use of asbestos in Laos Times Reporters Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA (Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad) will help Laos to manage the use of asbestos in industrial processing to reduce the impact on people’s health. An agreement for a data collection survey on the impact of asbestos was signed yesterday in Vientiane between the Mekong Regional Manager of Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA, Mr Phillip Hazelton, and the Deputy Director of the Industry and Handicraft Department, Mr Sompong Soulivanh. This assistance represents the start of cooperation to regulate the use of asbestos in Laos in line with international principles. The project will first focus on collecting information to raise awareness about the use of asbestos among business operators, and formulate regulations. The next phase will create a strategy as a tool for implementation, said Mr Somphong. The first phase will run until June, and Mr Somphong said he believed more funding would be forthcoming for the next stage. Asbestos has been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, mostly in building materials (roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper products, and cement Weather forecast Clarification The article headlined “Repairs to Road No. 13 North on a roll” published in issue 037 on February 13 contains incorrect information. The fourth paragraph states “These sections were repaired previously using a US$3 million grant from the World Bank, but the upgrade was of poor quality, so further repair work was needed.” We wish to point out that the sections previously upgraded with World Bank financing are not in need of repair. The Vientiane Times apologises for the misinformation. products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heatresistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and coatings. The mineral has been used around the world for more than 2,000 years but its use grew significantly in the 19th century as industry expanded. Today, scientists believe that asbestos represents a severe danger to human health. It affects the respiratory system and lungs and leads to lung cancer, Mr Somphong said. Researchers are now finding new materials to replace asbestos and many countries have stopped using it altogether. However, if a country stops using asbestos in industrial processing, cooperation from neighbouring countries is required so that contamination from this harmful mineral does not cross borders. Laos uses asbestos in the manufacture of roofing tiles, with the material mostly imported from Russia and Kazakstan since 2002, Mr Somphong said. Laos imports a kind of asbestos called Chrysotile, buying about 5,300 tonnes annually for supply to 13 factories. APHEDA is the Humanitarian Aid Agency of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. It was founded in 1984 and has been working in Laos since 2001. The agency focuses on decent work conditions, occupational health and safety, vocational training for women through the Lao Women’s Union, trade union capacity building, and teacher training. T h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organisation estimates that 107,000 people globally die globally from asbestos-related diseases, said Mr Hazelton. About 54 countries have banned asbestos. China’s Hong Kong will ban it this year, Taiwan will ban roofing sheets containing the mineral from this month, and Thailand and Malaysia are considering banning asbestos. Oman banned asbestos in 2001, Egypt and Honduras in 2004, Jordan in 2005, and South Africa in 2008. Laos is studying road damage prevention technology from Japan after the country’s roads have suffered in recent years due to weather extremes, notably flooding, heat and landslides. Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong, said yesterday at a seminar in Vientiane that Laos is rich in natural resources and that economic development has been growing at a continuous and steady space. But Laos is one of the more vulnerable countries in the region in terms of natural disasters and has suffered extensive damage recently. In 2011, the country was severely impacted by flooding caused by typhoons Haima and Nock-ten. More than 400,000 people were affected and 42 people were killed. There was substantial damage to infrastructure in important sectors such as agriculture, public works, transport, education, health, tourism, trade and industry, all of which amounted to more than 1.764 trillion kip, or US$220 million. However, in recent years various international arterial roads such as the Asia highway and the GMS economic corridor have been built through Laos. These road networks contribute to an efficient supply chain not Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong (left) speaks at the seminar. only in Indochina, but in other Asian countries including Japan. Laos is located in the centre of the main road network in Indochina, and is expected to play an important role in this region, but 80 percent of the country is mountainous. This means that hillsides and embankments collapse and landslides occur frequently, especially in the rainy season. Such incidents have affected the country’s economy, not to mention the tragic loss of life. For instance, in August 2011 many large scale slope failures occurred along Road No.13 North, which links Vientiane to Luang Prabang province. These severely hampered logistics and tourism and made life difficult for local residents. The cost of infrastructure recovery resulting from such disasters is huge, and hampers the country’s socio-economic development and poverty eradication. In the future it would seem likely that, as a result of climate change, such incidents may happen more frequently and more extensively. Therefore, steps must be taken now to prevent further damage by utilising appropriate and effective technology. The seminar enabled participants to learn about the use of Japanese technology in this field and to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between Japan and Laos. The seminar was hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and was attended and supported by the JICA Laos Office. The Japanese Ministry’s Road Bureau Deputy Director General, Mr Isamu Bito, also attended the talk. in opium poppy cultivation, the meeting suggested building more understanding among target groups about government policy and regulations. The dangers of drugs are a major issue and alternative job creation strategies need to be put in place. The meeting participants praised the decision taken by the leaders of Khammuan, Attapeu, Xieng Khuang and Saravan provinces to use their own budgets to set up drug treatment and rehabilitation centres. “This reflects their concern and humanity towards the young people who fall victim to drugs, by treating them so they can live a normal life again,” the participants observed. Rehabilitation centres should continue to take responsibility for treating and rehabilitating serious drug addicts, it was noted, while the suggested treatment for people at risk of addiction is the supervision and support of their families. Regarding some rehabilitation centres that provide poor services, meeting participants recommended that local authorities improve their administration and management, and provide them with the necessary medical equipment in order to gain the trust of parents so they allow their children to be treated there. The meeting participants highly valued the achievements made by the police and customs officials in using legal measures to combat drug trafficking over the past year, while encouraging them to continue in this task. For border liaison offices to be effective, the meeting participants suggested that the LNDC and drug suppression police department appoint their officials to oversee the offices’ activities, and collect information as a reference for improvement. Meeting participants included officials from the LNDC at the provincial level, and representatives from various ministries and related sectors at the central and local levels. They also discussed the role of drug research centres, the establishment of provincial drug prevention funds and their activities, and the improvement of LNDC offices. Drug control officials voice concern over growing narcotics trade Times Reporters Drug control officials are concerned about the rise in opium production, drug trafficking and drug abuse in the country, which is increasingly becoming a transit route for illicit trade. Officials highlighted the fact in the minutes of the threeday annual meeting on drug control and supervision for 2012 which ended yesterday. Acting chairman of the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision (LNDC) Mr Kou Chansina chaired the meeting. “The meeting is concerned about the rise in opium poppy cultivation in some of the country’s northern provinces over the past year, while the use of amphetamines and other narcotic drugs, the trafficking and transit of narcotic drugs and precursor chemicals through the country is also on the rise,” the minutes noted. Drug control and supervision officials at all levels were asked to double their efforts and be extra vigilant in combating and preventing trafficking. To prevent further increases 4 Home news Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 City electricians need to show a bit more spark Khonesavanh Latsaphao People walking along Setthathirath Road want Vientiane’s electricians to properly insulate the electrical wires that power the street lights, as some of them are currently hanging out of the poles and putting people in danger. One instance brought to the attention of this reporter yesterday morning was the street light outside the offices of the Vientiane Mai newspaper, which has live wires hanging out. To make matters worse the insulation tape protecting them is deteriorating. This footpath is used by thousands of locals and foreign visitors every day on their way to the numerous shops and restaurants in the area. Several newspapers have their offices on this street and the area is frequented by officials, journalists, bank staff and members of the public. As it stands, they are all at risk of accidental electrocution at any time, especially if it starts to rain. Some people using the footpath told Vientiane Times on Wednesday they had noticed that the electrical tape was torn on Tuesday evening, and it’s lucky that no one has been injured or killed by an electrical short. Local man Mr Ting, who usually buys lunch at the Nam Phou fountain, said that when he noticed the live wire hanging News in Brief Education standards improve in Luang Prabang Education in many districts in Luang Prabang has made significant progress both quantitatively and qualitatively, according to a report from a provincial education and sports department official. Teachers in primary and secondary schools have received training and the province has obtained support from the government and overseas donors to improve its education standards. More schools have been built, paving the way for an increase in the number of students and teachers, as well as overall growth in education around the province. An announcement that Phoukhoun district had become illiteracy-free was considered to be the most outstanding achievement in education in the 2011-2012 academic year. However, even though numerous secondary school teachers have been trained, there is still a large gap in educational development between urban and rural areas, the official reported. Currently, the number of classrooms in kindergartens stands at over 400, and accommodate more than 9,400 children. The number of primary school classrooms totals more than 2,280, containing about 70,000 children. Secondary schools have 769 classrooms accommodating over 38,000 students. New river bridge to be built in Saravan A lamppost on Setthathirath Road outside the Vientiane Mai newspaper offices, with the wiring hanging out. out of the pole he called the Vientiane electrical authority who said they would fix it instantly. He advised other people using the path to call the relevant officials on their office phone no: 212808 if it isn’t repaired as promised. People should call Vi e n t i a n e ’s e l e c t r i c i a n s whenever they see wiring which is damaged or broken, Mr Ting said, but don’t lie to them, he cautioned, otherwise they will get angry. Some other people commented that electricians should never leave wiring hanging out of poles even if it is properly insulated, because there is still the risk that someone could get hurt. The rainy season will arrive in the next few months, and if the wires on street lights are not placed back inside the poles, people run the risk of being electrocuted, they said. The electricity could easily conduct through puddles of water on the ground, meaning people wouldn’t even have to brush up against the poles to be hurt or killed. The construction of a bridge across the Xedone River in Taopoun village in Saravan district, Saravan province, will soon begin and is set for completion in 2017. A contract for the project was signed by provincial Public Works and Transport Department Director Mr Saengdalith Kittiyasack and Heuangsong Construction Company Director Mr Khammuan Payasan. The concrete bridge will be 163 metres long and 10 metres wide and will have a footpath and railings. The bridge is expected to cost 37.9 billion kip, which the contractor will pay up front and the government will pay back later. The bridge will facilitate transport, trade and business for the people of Taopoun, Nongboua and Pa-ai villages. Saravan spurs villages along development path Saravan provincial authorities plan to encourage all villages to work towards model cultural village status and become drug-free communities within the next three years. To achieve these goals, provincial authorities will improve public health services, education, agriculture and overall socio-economic development, a local media report said. This year local authorities will hold a workshop on natural disaster management, after many areas of the province were affected by flooding and unseasonal dry weather in recent years, which resulted in loss of life and damage to crops. So far, more than 1,000 families in the province have been declared as cultural models. CARE International in Lao P.D.R Short Term Consultant CARE International in Lao PDR is seeking applications for a consultant to carry out a Linking UXO clearance to livelihood activities - lessons learned: Consultancy with CARE International in Lao PDR as follows: Project Background CARE Laos is operating in Laos since 1992 and is line managed through CARE Australia. CARE works wherever there is a need and wherever we can assist. We abhor discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, age and political or religious beliefs. CARE currently works in 5 offices across Laos PDR. Duties The key purpose is to document lessons learned for integration of livelihoods and UXO clearance from CARE, LANGOCA partners, UXO clearance partners, government offices (e.g. the NRA – National Regulatory Board). This includes a document review; stakeholder identification, brief field visits to stakeholders in Khammoun and Sekong provinces; field visits - to meet with relevant agencies linking UXO clearance to livelihoods; meetings with relevant government and agency departments in Vientiane; documentation; presentation of findings to relevant partners in Vientiane. Roles and responsibilities In consultation with CARE staff, the consultant is responsible for: • Refining the research methodology • Implementing the agreed methodology • Analysing data /information achieved • Documenting /reporting in English • Presenting the results to stakeholders in Vientiane 7. Selection criteria Experience At least 3 years experience in development and/or humanitarian response programming, with a focus on SE Asia preferable. Demonstrated research and reporting skills Experiences linked to Lao UXO issue desirable (could be indirect e.g. doing research related to an area where UXO contamination was an influencing factor). Qualification Relevant post graduate qualifications Technical skills Research, survey (e.g. PRA), stakeholder interviews (ranging from field level to national level stakeholders), report writing, presentation Language Excellent written and spoken English language skills. Experience in Lao PDR and Lao language skills are desirable References A minimum of two referee contacts who have managed the proposed consultant previously Expected Outputs: Report on the findings of the research; Presentation of findings to relevant partners in Vientiane Timeframe:. 13 days starting on 10th March. (Final report 19th April) How to apply: Please request the full TOR from: CARE-LAO Head office in Vientiane, CARE Laos, PO Box 4328, 329/25 Sibounheuang Road, Ban Sibounheuang, Vientiane, Tel: 021 217727 ext 124 Or e-mail to request: [email protected] Deadline for application submissions is COB 26th February 2012 Position: Business Development Manager (Assistant Manager) Job Description The Business Development Manager will be responsible for account coordination and relation of NTT clients and partners in Lao PDR (including marketing, selling, delivery, and support). Role / Responsibility - Act as market and business intelligence by performing detailed analysis and explanation of account management, sales report, market trend and situation, and budgeting. - Support sales activity i.e. vendor sourcing, recommending, and justifying the solutions and pricing. - Monitor the execution of customer order and service delivery. - Manage long term relationship with our clients and partners - Execute the activities directed by NTT H/Q - Be responsible to make over 100 % revenue contribution of the Company's target. Qualifications - Male/Female with Lao nationality - Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or Engineering. - 5-7 Year experience in field of sales, marketing, business development, and engineering. Background experiences in IT, system integrator, and telecom industry will be advantage. - Good command and communications in Japanese, English and Thai. - Strong analytical skills and strategic planning. - Strong and well discipline, initiative, self-motivated, high responsibility, and can work under minimum supervision and independent. Contact - Company name: NTT Communications (Thailand) Co., Ltd [Vientiane Representative Office] - Office address: 4 th Floor, Alounmai Tower, 23 Singha Road, Nongborn Village, Saysettha District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR - Telephone: (856)21-455-082 (Vientiane office) , (66)22-36-7227 Mail : [email protected] How to apply: send resume by email ([email protected]) Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Dr Boviengkham Vongdara (right) presents a gift to the Rector of Savannakhet University, Associate Professor Dr Bounnhong Keorodom during a working visit to the university recently. The two men briefed each other on their goals and discussed possible areas of cooperation between the ministry and the university. Popular singer from Indee Records Tee Oudalai and friends gather on February 10 to provide food and sweets for visually impaired children at the Ophthalmology Centre in Thongpong village, Sikhottabong district, sharing their love and providing entertainment to mark Valentine’s Day. The singer urged members of the public to also share a bit of their love with these people to encourage them and bring them some happiness. Photo news Senior Lao officials yesterday stand with guest lecturers and trainees at the 2nd Annual Training Course on School Health and Nutrition in Southeast Asia. More than 40 delegates from 10 nations are attending the eight-day training course. The people of Ilay village in Naxaithong district yesterday cook food at the village pillar for the guardian spirits of their village. They believe this will protect them from bad luck and bring fortune, especially when offered on this day in the lunar calendar. --Photo Bounthan Vientiane Times Reader Survey Vacancy Announcement Receptionist Oji Lao Plantation Forest co., Ltd (LPFL) is a Lao Joint Venture company, and is expanding, establishing hardwood tree plantations in Bolikhamsai and Khammouane Provinces. A full-time vacancy has arisen for a Lao National with knowledge of Administrative positioning to join our hard working team, based in LPFL Head Vientiane Office. Tasks will include: Greets visitors and inquires as to their business at the company, directing them to appropriate personnel. Dealing with in-coming and out-going communication (telephone, letter, fax) Checking incoming utility bills and delivered to financial section Car, hotel and air ticket arrangements for company expert staffs and guests Maintenance filing systems; Keeps records of staff leave and reports this information to administration periodically. Inventories store room and order suppliers. Assist the Administration and HR works. Dealing with Insurance Company for insurance claim issue. Managing the efficient day-to-day operation of the Vientiane Office. Other relevant tasks as and when required. Skills/Knowledge required: Formal qualification in office or business administration; Bachelor degree of further training is advantage Competent computer skills including proficiency in Word, Excel and Power Point; Fluent in both oral and written English or Japanese is advantage Good personality and willing to work in team Suitably qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply. Please send your CV and a covering letter to: Oji Lao Plantation Forest Co., Ltd Attention: Ms Niphavanh KEOVILAY, Sisattanak District, Vientiane PO BOX 8832 Tel: 021-353511-4; Fax: 021-452260, Email: [email protected]. Closing date for applications is 25th of February 2013. We regret that only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. 5 ‘Now is the winter of our discontent…’ Please help us make a ‘glorious summer’ by letting us have your comments and suggestions. The Vientiane Times is your newspaper so here is your chance to improve it. We would like to know what you like and/or don’t like about the newspaper. So we need your response to the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Do you read the newspaper for its international news, Lao news or for another reason, and if so what? Apart from the headlines on the front page, what do you read first? Which sections would you like to see expanded or reduced? Are there any new sections you would like to see? Are you satisfied with our existing page size or would you prefer a larger broadsheet format? Please tell us if our use of English is to your liking, acceptable or unsatisfactory. What are you most interested in with respect to world news, entertainment and sports? Have you any comments on the following services: Website and online news; cell phone SMS news; newspaper delivery; advertising; subscriptions. The Editorial Committee is grateful for your support. To thank you for helping us by responding to this survey we will give you a Vientiane Times bag and calendar. Please send your comments to our office at the corner of Pangkham and Setthathirath Roads, or by post to Vientiane Times, P.O. Box 5723, Vientiane. Or call us on 021-216364 or fax 021-216365. Or email: [email protected]. This questionnaire is also available on our website www.vientianetimes.la. 6 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Region Indonesia appeals nuclear powers to back regional nuke-free zone J A K A RTA ( X i n h u a ) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa called on nuclear-weapon states to formally accede to the Protocol of the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty as a concrete step to maintain Southeast Asia free of nuclear arsenals on Tuesday. The SEANWFZ treaty signed in 1995 in Bangkok commits the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s 10 member states “not to develop, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or have control over atomic weapons,” and it prohibits the storage and transfer of such armaments in ASEAN states. ASEAN’s Brunei ratified the Comprehensive NuclearTest-Ban Treaty (CTBT) at the beginning of this year, leaving Myanmar and Thailand the only two yet to ratify CTBT. The SEANWFZ treaty includes a protocol under which the five declared nuclear-weapon states, namely China, the United States, France, Russia and the United Kingdom undertake to respect the Treaty and rule out the use of nuclear weapons to attack or pressure treaty member nations. “Since the signing of the Treaty, ASEAN has engaged nuclear- weapon states in negotiations toward their accession to the Treaty’ s Protocol,” Minister Marty said when delivering his opening address at a regional seminar on maintaining a Southeast Asia region free of nuclear weapons. Marty said after a 10-year impasse, the negotiations of the revised Protocol were concluded in 2011 during Indonesia’s tenure as chair of ASEAN. The negotiations between the ASEAN and the nuclearweapon states on the protocol have been ongoing since May 2001. However, none of the nuclear-weapon states have formally signed this protocol. “The reservations or declarations to the Protocol of the SEANWFZ Treaty should not become a constraint that would hamper the achievement of the signing of the Protocol of SEANWFZ Treaty by all nuclear-weapon states,” Marty said. Sri Lanka wants to maintain good ties with EU COLOMBO (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government said on Wednesday it still wants to maintain good ties with the European Union (EU) even as the EU is expected to back a resolution against the island nation at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva later this month. The Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry quoting Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium P.M. Amza, said that as sovereign nation states, Europe and Sri Lanka may take different paths to achieve the same goals of good governance, social justice, equity and stability but the resolve to strengthen the existing relations and move forward remains undiminished. “Sri Lanka’s relations with the Europe is closely linked to over 400 years of European presence in Sri Lanka. The vibrant cultural, social, educational and livelihood affiliations that exists even to date, speaks volumes,” the ambassador said. As a measure to force Sri Lanka to expedite the implementation of the pledges given on reconciliation, the United States will sponsor a procedural resolution against Sri Lanka at the upcoming UNHRC Sessions in Geneva later this month. While recognising that Sri Lanka had made some progress since the adoption of the USsponsored resolution by the UN in March 2012, the United States said it believes more needed to be done. Despite the Sri Lankan government remaining firm that it will not welcome the resolution and will deal with it accordingly, the procedural resolution is expected to be backed by some countries including the United Kingdom. Philippine president inks anti-trafficking law MANILA (Xinhua) -Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved the “Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012,” a senior official said Wednesday. Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda hoped the passage of the law will remove the Philippines from the US watch list. “This (human trafficking) is a concern and a priority Vacancy Announcement (Re-Advertised) Field Communication Specialist, IMIS No. 71955 Level: (NO-C) Luang-Namtha Province of our president and this measure will be enforced by the different agencies especially the Department of Justice as well as our police agencies,” he said. In the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report 2012, the Philippines was placed under Tier 2, which means the government did not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards, but was making significant efforts to bring the country into compliance with those standards. Aquino signed the new law or Republic Act No. 10364 on Feb. 6 this year. The law provides for stiffer penalties against those who would violate it and required the development of a protective and rehabilitative programs for trafficked persons. In brief from Asia News Network Security beefed up in Chiang Mai THAILAND (The Nation) -- Security has been strengthened in Chiang Mai following warnings of a planned terrorist attack against the US Consulate, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Tuesday. “The United States has not requested extra measures but Thailand will take every precaution,” she said. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said he instructed Provincial Police Region 5 commissioner Lt-General Suthep Detraksa to ensure security and monitor for any suspicious activity since last Wednesday. Myanmar in negotiation with S. Korea to send workers MYANMAR (Eleven Media) -- Myanmar is negotiating with South Korea about sending female workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS). Once finalized the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security will pen agreement and send the female workers during fifth time recruitment, Thet Naing Oo, Deputy Director General of the Ministry said. Vacancy Announcement (Re-Advertised) Sr. Supply Assistant, IMIS No. 2176 Level: (GS-7) UNICEF Vientiane, Lao-PDR UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation. UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Vientiane, Lao PDR, requires an experienced and qualified Lao National to fill the position of Field Communication Specialist, IMIS No. 71955 at (NO-C) level to be based in Luang-Namtha Province. Duties and responsibilities: Under the supervision of the (P-4) Chief of Communication, the incumbent will be accountable for the development, design, planning and implementation of the communication strategy for the sub-office., The incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Vientiane, Lao PDR, requires an experienced and qualified Lao National to fill the position of Sr. Supply Assistant, IMIS No. 2176 at (GS-7) level to be based in our office in Vientiane, Lao-PDR. 1). Qualitative M&E approaches piloted and ‘voices’ of children, families and duty bearers captured for advocacy and to deepen understanding of social change in communities: - Support the development of qualitative M&E methods to complement conventional indicators and traditional M&E methods. These methods should track longitudinal change, interrelationships between stakeholders, changes in power structures within local communities, identify cases of positive deviance and unintended change. Methodologies to explore include: most significant change, focused case studies and stories, community monitoring –video youth reporters. - Analyze and use the results to develop advocacy and communication materials in consultation with the Communication team and the Social Policy team in Vientiane. 2). Strengthened convergence between government, partners and UNICEF monitoring frameworks with a focus on equity: - Strengthen government’s capacity to collect, analyze and use disaggregated data from field monitoring visits, reports, surveys to influence key local planning and budget processes. - Together with the Health Officer (field), monitor the cross cutting programme component results for programme convergence on Early Childhood Care and Development with a focus on gender, age, poverty rating, ethnicity. Support analysis of results and identify actions to improve programme implementation and share with the Social Policy Specialist (field) to support reporting at monthly Programme Coordination Committee meetings. 3). Collaboration between service providers (schools, health centres), line departments, local government officials and communities to identify, address and monitor the bottlenecks in service delivery strengthened: - Identify and support forums for analysis and use of data to identify families and children not accessing key social services or vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, violence, neglect or discrimination. Support analysis of data and development of local action plans and monitoring processes. - Identify and document the stories of inspiring local leaders and support peer-to-peer learning processes. 4). Local planning processes influenced by strengthened collaboration among multi sectoral stakeholders at village, kumban, district and province level: - With the Social Policy Specialist (field), strengthen the capacity of multi sectoral stakeholders in the use of data to develop strategic local plans that address equity and social inclusion. 5). Promotion of Key Family Practices: - Support the convergence of UNICEF supported C4D activities and advocate for inclusion of activities to promote key family practices in government plans at all levels. Qualifications and experience: • Advanced University degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, social/behavioural sciences, (Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Health Education) or a related field.(Or an undergraduate degree plus at least 12 years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of communication or social/behavioural sciences ). • Five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in social/behavioural sciences, communication, journalism, and in the development, planning and management of social development programmes, with practical experience in the adaptation and application of communication planning processes to community programmes. Experience in using participatory interview techniques. • Field work experience. • Background/familiarity with Emergency situations. • Fluency in English and Lao is required. • Translation skills/experience an asset. • Ability to monitor progress of programme implementation. * Please note that applicants who have previously applied for this position do not need to re-apply. To apply for this post, please prepare an application letter stating your expression of interest and qualifications. Send these together with a completed Personal History Form (available from UNICEF) to: Human Resource Unit UNICEF, P.O. Box 1080, Vientiane, Lao PDR or email to: [email protected] Tel: 856 (21) 315200-04 Applications should be in a sealed envelope and marked “CONFIDENTIAL”. Closing date for receiving applications is: 15th February 2013 UNICEF is a non-smoking working environment. Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only-Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview. Duties and responsibilities: Under the general supervision of the Supply Officer, prepares requests for proposals and purchase orders for all kinds of goods and services, obtains quotations from local vendors, monitors status of financing and maintains financial records of purchase orders. Major duties and key end-results: • Draft bid invitations and/or request for price quotations. Obtain quotations and bids from local suppliers, and prepare spreadsheets for analysis of offers/bids. • Once decision on supplier is taken, raise LPOs for supervisor’s signature; ensure distribution of signed purchase order documents to all required offices, and follow up their status. • Prepare necessary documents and proceed to customs clearance of UNICEF supplies and equipment including personal effects of international staff. • Coordination with government counterparts regarding procurement through government such as during bid preparation, attendance at bid opening, contract signing, monitoring and record filing. • Monitoring Procurement Services such as update electronic monitoring file, participation during inspection when goods arrive, record filing for all relevant document. • Coordinate meeting of the CRC on Purchase Contracts, by scheduling the meeting, and by preparing and distributing files containing the cases to be presented. • Transmit relevant documentation for customs clearance of programme supplies and equipment to government counterparts; assist programme staff to obtain duly signed Government Receipts as soon as clearance complete. • When required, assist in the market survey; compile lists of local sources of procurement; maintain procurement supply and vendor reference library. • Liaise with government counterparts and monitor, weekly, the status of supplies and equipment at government warehouses; provide systematic reporting to programme staff. • Maintain manual and automated procurement files and records; provides purchase information to receiving and inventory staff. • Draft routine correspondence, telegrams and reports from oral instruction, previous correspondence or other available information sources in accordance with standard office procedures. Qualifications and experience: • Completion of secondary education supplemented by courses in Business Administration or equivalent. Vocational training degree in purchasing methods and/or accounting and/or in warehouse management. A Bachelor degree is an asset. • Minimum seven years of progressively responsible clerical or administrative work. • Thorough knowledge and understanding of a wide range of administrative and supply policies and procedures. • Proven negotiating skills • Experience with computer database for the maintenance of procurement records. • Fluency in English and Lao is required. • Knowledge of additional language and/or French is an asset. • Proven analytical skills. • Ability to work effectively and harmoniously in an international multicultural environment. * Please note that applicants who have previously applied for this position do not need to re-apply. To apply for this post, please prepare an application letter stating your expression of interest and qualifications. Send these together with a completed Personal History Form (available from UNICEF) to: Human Resource Unit UNICEF, P.O. Box 1080, Vientiane, Lao PDR or email to: [email protected] Tel: 856 (21) 315200-04 Applications should be in a sealed envelope and marked “CONFIDENTIAL”. Closing date for receiving applications is: 15th February 2013 UNICEF is a non-smoking working environment. Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only-Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview. Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 7 World Russia grounds four SSJ-100 jets due to design problems MOSCOW (Xinhua) -- Russia temporarily suspended flights of its newest commercial aircraft citing designing problems, the planes’ producer Sukhoi said Tuesday. Sukhoi suspended the use of some of its SSJ-100 planes after Russian aviation safety watchdog Rosaviatsia ordered the flagship airline Aeroflot to ground four jets of the same type and suspended their certificates. Currently Aeroflot has 10 SSJ-100 planes in its fleet and plans to order 179 more. The regular flights of all four grounded planes could be resumed by the end of this month, Sukhoi said in a statement. “The aircraft are currently being fixed in accordance with previously issued servicing bulletin. The first two aircraft will resume flights by the end of this week and the others by the end of the month,” the designing bureau said. Sukhoi is liable to compensate Aeroflot the losses for each day of the planes’ downtime. According to Sukhoi, the “design deficiencies” occurred in the aircraft’ leak warning system, landing gear and the wing slats. SSJ-100 is a regional jet with seating capacities of 75 or 95. It is the first commercial plane designed in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. The plane has experienced accidents and problems after its first commercial flight in 2011. On May 9, 2012 one of the type crashed in Indonesia during a demonstration flight, killing all 45 people aboard. On June 18, 2012 a SSJ-100 aborted a flight from Moscow to Copenhagen due to unspecified technical problems. Official says Afghanistan ready to take over security force KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The Afghan government on Wednesday welcomed President Barack Obama’s decision to bring home half of the 66,000 American troops in Afghanistan within the next year, saying Afghan forces are ready to take responsibility for the country’s security. President Hamid Karzai has been pressing for a faster pace in the withdrawal of foreign combat troops from Afghanistan and agreed with Obama last month to accelerate the handover of security responsibilities to his country’s newly trained security forces to this spring - instead of late summer as originally planned. “We are ready to fill the vacuum and we are ready to take full responsibility for security in 2013,” Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi told The Associated Press. Many Afghans, however, worry that a quick drawdown will destabilize a country that is still fighting a war with insurgents more than 11 years after the American invasion. They also fear that the nearly 352,000 strong Afghan army and police forces are not ready to take the lead for security. Although the drawdown was widely expected, the SELECTION OF CONSULTANTS BY THE WORLD BANK REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST Lao PDR Consumer Research to Inform Rural Sanitation Behaviour Change and Marketing Communications for Lao PDR CONSULTING SERVICES TRUST FUND #: TF 095254 The World Bank [through the Water and Sanitation Program] intends to finance the Assignment described below under a trust fund (TF095254). The objective of this assignment is to conduct an in-depth consumer research study in Lao PDR to better understand the behavior determinants for sanitation and hygiene behaviors, as well as improve programmatic efforts to scale coverage. The specific objectives are to: 1. Establish baseline sanitation and hygiene practices among rural populations; 2. Identify the key factors that influence these practices, by exploring emotional, psychological, cognitive, social (gender included), environmental, cultural and economic factors that influence latrine construction, purchase and usage; 3. Define the different target audiences and determine their characteristics (segmentation); 4. Assess the main benefits sought from sanitation facilities for the different target audiences; 5. Gauge households' ability and willingness to build or purchase sanitation facilities, as well as to use support services, such as micro-finance and installation; 6. Describe media habits and identify the main channels of communication being used to reach the target audiences. Combined with results from the supply chain analysis (to be undertaken and procured separately), insights from the consumer research will assist the Lao PDR Government and its partners in developing an evidence-based sanitation marketing and behavior change communications aimed at improving sanitation and hygiene practices at large scale. The study will have national representation for its rural population of around 4.3 million people. The sampling plan should include the following six provinces, namely Bokeo, Luang NamTha, Borikhamxay, Savanakhet, Saravan and Sekong. The Deliverable will have specified a completion date within the implementation period as defined in the Terms of Reference. Payment will be made on completion of the Deliverable within the Assignment. A Lump-sum based contract will be used. The Water and Sanitation Program at the World Bank Office Vientiane now invites eligible Consulting Firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Consulting Firms must provide information on core business and years in business, and information indicating that they are qualified in the field of assignment (brochures, experience of similar assignments, demonstration of technical and managerial capabilities of firm, availability of relevant skills and experience of key staff.). Consultants may associate to enhance their candidacy. To this end, the firm is asked to use SaniFOAM as an overall analytical framework: SaniFOAM: A Framework to Analyze Sanitation Behaviors to Design Effective Sanitation Programs; see www.wsp.org Interested applicants will need to already have or be able to qualify for a World Bank Vendor Number (issued from World Bank Washington HQ) to be able to undertake this Assignment. This Vendor Number should be quoted on the Expression of Interest (EOI) if already received. The Consulting Firm will need to fulfil all necessary technical, legal, financial and administrative aspects applicable to the contract; possess the commercial and financial capability to perform the contract; and the firm being recommended for award will have their WB Vendor Registration verified prior to the signing of the contract. Interested Consulting Firms should submit a brief Expression of Interest (EOI) maximum 10 pages, and including the following information for the processing of a Consulting Firm’s contracts: Consulting Firm’s Name: World Bank Vendor Number: Consulting Firm’s manager’s name and CV: Consulting Firm’s staff names and CVs: Address: Tel: Fax: Email: Consultants’ names (if any): - Company background (including relevant experience of the firm related to the assignment e.g. work of a similar nature). - Statement of the Consulting Firm’s ability to fulfil all necessary technical, legal, financial and administrative aspects applicable to the contract, including statement of whether the contract will be undertaken a) solely by the Consulting Firm, b) as a Joint Venture or c) as a Sub-Consultancy Agreement . - Statement of the Consulting Firm’s commercial and financial capability to perform the contract (including number and quality of facilities, office equipment etc and present financial health of the firm.) Please note this is not a request for technical or cost proposals. Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Selection and Use of Consultants by the World Bank Group for Operational Purposes (AMS 15.01). Interested Firms may obtain further information at the address below. All submissions will be managed through the World Bank Group eConsultant2. Expressions of Interest must be uploaded to the World Bank’s on-line through https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html no later than 16:00pm on 26 February 2013. Office Water and Sanitation Program World Bank Office Vientiane PO Box 345. Pathou Xay, Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel: ++856 21 266280 ext. 6285 fax: ++856 21 266297 Phommachanh Sosourivong, Team Assistant: [email protected] Afghan men watch a television news report on US President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in Kabul on Wednesday. --Photo AP announcement for the first time put numbers on the withdrawal plan and for many Afghans brought home the fact that foreign troops are indeed leaving. “I heard on the news this morning about the withdrawal and became very sad. This is bad news for me,” said Mohammad Naim, a 45-year-old Kabul restaurant owner. “The presence of the US soldiers increased the morale of the Afghan people, the country was stable. I don’t believe Afghan forces can keep security. For example, you can see that there is still fighting in the provinces.” He recalled the civil war that followed in the years after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, and said he was worried history would be repeated. “The US lost men and women in this country and spent billions of dollars. We should never forget this. If all the troops leave, the future of the country is dark,” Naim said. Obama said Tuesday in his State of the Union address that the first 34,000 troops will leave within a year and more in 2014, when all foreign combat forces are to leave the country VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT COORDINATOR (LAO NATIONAL ONLY) 1. Programme Title: Support the Realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Lao PDR – Consolidated UNDP Programme of Support to MPI for Achievement of the Valuable Goals of the 7th NSEDP 2011-2015 2. Component Title: Support to advancing Human Development through policy-informing research On Human Development Issues especially relevant for achieving NSEDP/ MDGs (Component 4) 3. Position Title: Coordinator 4. Duty Station: NERI office, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR 5. Duration of Appointment: 12 months with possible for renewable 6. Expected Starting Date: March, 2013 Background In response to the Government’s request, UNDP has formulated a new round of cooperation which integrates all relevant supports to MPI into a single five-year programme (2011-2015). The overall objective of the programme is to support the government for the successful implementation of the 7th NSEDP, achievement of the MDGs and Lao PDR graduation from the least developed countries status by 2020. The programme consists of four key components including (1) Support to consultative planning, implementation, monitoring, assessment and reporting on the NSEDP/MDGs; (2) Support to strengthening the Round Table Process for achievement of NSEDP/MDGs; (3) Support to development of common database to effectively monitor, evaluate and guide progress towards goals of NSEDP/MDGs; and (4) Support to advancing Human Development through policy-informing research on Human Development Issues especially relevant for achieving NSEDP/MDGs. To support the programme implementation, National Economic Research Institute (NERI) who is the implementing partner of the component 4 of the programme is seeking a qualified Coordinator who can provide significant support to component Office based in NERI during the course of the programme implementation. The Component Coordinator assists the Component Manager and work closely with the Technical Advisor in daily management activities in their respective component team (s). S/he is expected to work closely with the concerned government officials. Duties and Responsibilities - Assist the Component Manager with the design of strategies, work plans (including yearly and quarterly) for component as well as programme implementation, and progress reports. - Act as a liaison point between the component team, government agencies concerned and UNDP for the timely design and implementation of the component. - Assist the Manager and TA with the preparation of meetings, workshops, training programmes, technical discussion papers and relevant documents. - Advise in substantive terms on planning with respect to experts and consultants mission. - Provide input to the Component Manager on follow up actions required for the successful implementation of component activities on a day-to-day basis. - Assist the team in strengthening their understanding and ability to develop programme financial, planning and administrative procedures consistent with the principles of results based management. - Set up and maintain Programme files in a systematic manner. - Provide necessary translation and interpretation (Lao-English and vice versa) - Perform other coordination related duties as required by the respective component. Qualifications and Experience - University degree in Economics, International Development and/or Social Sciences. - A minimum of 3 years of relevant professional and technical experience working in development projects. Experience working with UNDP funded project will be an asset. - Knowledge and professional experience in project/programme management and development planning; Demonstrate understanding of government system and procedures - Excellent communication skills in both English and Lao; Excellent coordination and networking skills; Generates creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations - Excellent computer skills, including full working knowledge of standard word processing, and presentation software packages, etc Requirements for submission of applications: A letter of interest with updated CV with three references and necessary supporting documents must be sent no later than 17:00 on 15th February 2013 by email to [email protected] or mail to Ms. Dalivanh Souksavatd, National Economic Research Institute, Ministry of Planning and Investment. Tel/Fax: (856) 21 254829. Mobile Phone: (856) 2022217710, Please indicated in e-mail subject or on the envelope “Application - Component Coordinator for Component 4 “ Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview 8 Thursday February 14, 2013 Vientiane Times Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 9 10 Thursday February 14, 2013 Vientiane Times Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 11 12 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Plan International in Laos Plan International is growing! We are looking for enthusiastic, dedicated Lao National development professionals interested in long term careers with a major international children’s NGO. Plan, one of the world’s largest children’s INGOs, works with children and poor communities in 48 developing countries. In Laos, Plan works in 3 districts in Bokeo Province, in basic education, early childhood development, health and nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and promotion of children’s rights. In 2013, Plan will expand to Oudomxay Province in 2 Districts: Hun and Pak Beng. Plan has no religious or political aims or affiliations. Visit www.plan-international.org for more information. Plan is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, members of ethnic groups and people with disabilities. Plan offers competitive salaries and long-term employment opportunities for all posts. Community Development Facilitator (1 position) at Udomxay Province: Duties and responsibilities: • Conduct initial Introduction and Orientation in all new villages using drama and other appropriate medium to introduce Plan • Train and support Interns and Volunteers in selection and enrolment of Sponsored Children • Support Interns and Volunteers in producing sponsorship communication items. • Organize and/or support activities which increase understanding and commitment children and adults to the Rights of the Child. • Support District Coordinators in selection and training of Village authority and Volunteers in all the villages • Mentor, guide and teach Intern Community Development Workers • Adopts appropriate tools and methodologies to facilitate ethnic children, families and communities Requirements: • Communications skills in presentation and demonstration • Experiences in working with community • Demonstrated training skills or media tools and techniques to facilitate children, counterpart staff and communities • Fluent written and spoken Lao (fluency in ethnic minority language(s) an additional advantage) • Basic computer program (MS Word, Power Point and Excel) Physical Environment and Demands: • Travel at least 75% of the time, including to villages/remote Provincial Sponsorship Coordinator (1 position) at Udomxay Province: Duties and responsibilities • Operate and manage data entry in Child Data • Provide age analysis to District Sponsorship Communication Assistants every quarter for tracking and submission of the due cancellations; • Prepare and submit Monthly and Quarterly Production Reports to Plan Laos Sponsorship Manager; • Together with the team to conduct orientation on sponsorship to Plan staff and district government; • Involve in prepare work plan and budget plan for sponsorship operation in Province • Provide sponsorship system training to sponsorship staff and district team leaders • Gather data and draft Program Unit Green sheets and submit to Sponsorship Manager and to determine cancellation of sponsor child; Requirements: • Fluency in oral and written English • Computer proficiency is essential (MS Word, Power Point and Excel) • Organisational and Communications skills • Interpersonal skill. Physical Environment and Demands: At least 50% of the time, including to villages/remote areas in the province FOR ALL PLAN POSITIONS: • Strong commitment to the equal rights and participation of girls and women is essential • Strong commitment to the Rights of the Child is essential • Plan does not tolerate child abuse. All Plan staff are selected and employed in line with the conditions of Plan’s Child Protection Policy. These include appropriate reference and background checks. • Applications will not be acknowledged. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No correspondence or telephone calls will be entered into. • Short listed candidates will be required to attend panel interviews and other selection procedures. CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 8 March 2013 TO APPLY FOR POSTS …. Send resume/CV, with cover letter and names and contact details of three referees including salary expectations for each position, to Plan International Laos, PO Box 6026, Vientiane, Lao PDR, or to PlanLaos. [email protected], Please state in cover letter how you learned about the job – through emails, Vientiane Times, INGO Directory, Job to day website, or friends. Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 13 14 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Opinion What the Lao papers say Students must work hard to justify their parents’ support Translated by Phetsamone Chandara All students must study hard to justify the support they get from their parents. Many people at the National University of Laos (NUOL) have alleged that some students from the provinces and the city waste their time and often skip classes to drink beer. According to this writer’s observations, this may be true but only in some cases because most people do study earnestly. But we need to have some sympathy for the students because they have to spend a lot of money on almost everything, which it is not the same as it used to be. A final-year student at NUOL told me that it was very difficult to pass exams and they have to use all ways and means to succeed. If not they won’t be able to write a thesis so they can graduate. Some teachers are kindhearted but others set conditions, so it’s understandable that students have to give them money, which is often collected by throwing a party to help the teacher’s family. After that, they must get special tutoring from a teacher while writing their thesis and find an office where they can collect information. These things also cost money. The school environment can also be a problem for students. This writer visited one institution and noticed that there were many shops and bars selling beer nearby. Students often come to drink and sing karaoke at these places in the evening, especially on Fridays. Students now, especially girls, don’t wear school uniforms but often wear short skirts instead which attracts men and can lead to problems. In conclusion, students must be disciplined before they graduate because they have to fight obstacles in a difficult life. Many people don’t graduate because they can’t afford the money needed to pay for their various requirements and resort to patronising beer shops. The people we pity most, however, are the parents who have had to sell their livestock to support their children. --Vientiane Mai Daily, February 12 Champa Mai & Savanphatthana Weekly newspapers To subscribe or advertise your products in Champa Mai and Savanphatthana weekly newspapers, please contact Vientiane Times office, corner of Pangkham and Setthathirath Roads, Vientiane, Laos. P.O. Box: 5723. 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Also when there is a parade to the temple, many people can be seen holding bottles of alcohol which they drink during the parade but once the bottle is empty it gets left at the temple. We sympathise with the monks and novices who have to clean up this garbage. In addition, some village authorities collect a lot of money from residents to contribute to the festival. This is not, in fact, making merit as that depends upon the donor’s faith and if the authorities force them to pay, it means they are not making merit. All readers should remember this when there is a festival in your village. This leads to a request to our readers to share your ideas on the issue. Should we have regulations on village festivals? The government is now creating cultural and development villages but in fact village festivals could be viewed as going against Lao customs. --Socio Economic Daily, February 11 Meat prices rise over Lunar New Year The price of certain goods, especially beef and pork, in Pakxe markets has risen above the maximum price set by provincial authorities, while the price of vegetables went down as usual after the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year. According to enquiries at the Pakxe and Sabaidee markets last week, the price of beef and pork has increased substantially. The Champassak provincial Commerce and Industry Department set the price of beef at 60,000-65,000 kip per kg, but it has risen to 70,000-85,000 kip. Pork has increased to 40,00050,000 kip per kg from its set price of 35,000-40,000 kip. Department official Mr Visoun Keokhamphui said that during the New Year period the commerce department kept a careful check on prices, especially for food items, fuel, construction materials and gas, to ensure merchants were not making increases as this would directly impact consumers. As a result of this there were more people shopping at markets in the run up to the festivities. He noted that the supply of goods was inadequate to meet the high demand, causing some merchants to seize the opportunity to increase their prices and this was very much the case for beef and pork. However, the department has fined merchants who ignored the regulations, and recommends that consumers be more careful when buying goods and check the weight and quality to avoid being taken advantage of by unscrupulous vendors. --Pathetlao Daily, February 11 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Opinion 15 Proper bidding process the only African smallholder farmers way to prevent irregularities need to become virus detectors Editorial Desk There have been pressing calls from both Lao government leaders and the general public demanding that officials overseeing state development projects conduct fair and transparent bidding processes before any work commences. Such calls have come to light after reports and allegations have emerged time after time that many state investment projects are beset by irregularities and cost much more than they should. The Party and Government Inspection Authority revealed earlier this week that state funded development projects that do not put contracts out for tender through a proper bidding process are among the main sources of corruption in Laos. The typical scenario is for the authorities to choose a private company to invest up front in an infrastructure project, such as road construction, electricity network expansion or irrigation. The authorities then repay the company within a five-year period after the work has been completed. Vice President of the Party and Government Inspection Authority, Mr Thongsy Ounlasy, told Vientiane Times earlier this week that no bidding process was undertaken in the case of many of these projects. This often results in the companies contracted to carry out the work inflating their stated expenses unreasonably. This money then has to be paid back by the government with funds that could be better used for other purposes. This mode of operation lacks transparency and is a waste of government money, and creates a myriad of loopholes for corrupt officials to increase their wealth through ill gotten gains. Mr Thongsy warned that the custom of not putting jobs up for tender must stop, despite the country’s great need for rapid development. Changes must be made to ensure that the government’s budget is used in an effective and efficient manner. Officials who oversaw the projects admitted the claim that they had failed to hold bidding processes for many projects was true. However, they justified the situation and the unreasonably high costs, saying private sector investment was necessary because the government has limited funds. Private companies factor in the loan interest on the capital invested, they said, which raises the costs considerably. This explanation is not unreasonable to some extent. Development is important and not all projects involve corruption, and many of them produce reasonable and good results. However, in a society governed by the rule of law, everything must be done according to the proper processes. Under the State Investment Law, all state funded projects must involve a bidding process and the details published in the media for reasons of transparency. Unfortunately, many projects have failed to follow this procedure. There is no acceptable reason for not putting projects out to tender because the law stipulates that all projects, including those where private funds are invested first, must undergo a bidding process. Since the government is committed to reimbursing an investor with interest on top, it is effectively still a state funded project. It appears to be undeniable that officials must organise bidding processes in the public eye, in order to rebuild full trust among the public and prevent those projects which are reported to be producing good results from being tarnished by those that involve corruption. No one is arguing with the fact that remarkable progress has been made in the infrastructure sector in recent years, thanks to the hard work of those ministries overseeing the projects. For this reason, any undisciplined practices by incompetent or corrupt officials should not be tolerated as it will only damage the reputations of the parties concerned and the government as a whole. Only by ensuring that bidding processes for all future projects take place in a fair and transparent manner will those bodies overseeing the projects be able to reach their full capacity in developing more infrastructure and put an end to both public questions and corruption. Uganda farmers display diseased cassava tubers in Soroti, Eastern Uganda. Wambi Michael, IPS K A M PA L A - - U n l e s s African smallholder farmers, who comprise the majority of food growers on the continent, are given the tools and knowledge to cope with the increased occurrences of plant virus diseases, the livelihoods of millions will be at stake, according to Nteranya Sanginga, the director general of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. “Plant viruses are spreading rapidly to new places, frustrating efforts to boost the food security and livelihoods of millions of people. Poor smallholder farmers, who are the majority of food growers and the bulk of the population, are bearing the brunt of these virus diseases with their limited resources,” Sanginga told IPS. Cassava mosaic disease (CMD), sweet potato virus disease, maize streak virus and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), are just a few of the plant viruses that have been prevalent in Africa in the recent past. A plant infected by CMD will display pale white or yellow leaves, leaf distortion, and stunted growth. However, the symptoms for a CBSD-infected plant are less obvious as only small yellow patches on leaves indicte the presence of the disease. Most farmers are only able to identify the disease once they have harvested the plant as CBSD distorts the root and causes it to rot. First identified in Uganda’s Mukono District in 2004, CBSD has since spread throughout the Great Lakes region of East Africa, resulting in a 30 to 70 percent loss in cassava harvests. The crop is a major staple food in Uganda, with annual production estimated at 5.5 million tonnes. According to IITA, CBSD threatens the food security and livelihoods of over 200 million people in East and Central Africa. Combined, CMD and CBSD have caused more than one billion dollars worth of damage to cassava, with smallholder farmers being afffected the most by the loss. Chris Omongo, a cassava breeder at Uganda’s National Agricultural Crop Resources Research Institute, told IPS that some farming practices have aided the spread of the viruses. “When you move infected materials from one location to another, you automatically help to spread the viruses,” said Omongo, adding that most farmers unwittingly share infected seed and seedlings. Bulasio Luyiga, a smallholder cassava farmer in Central Uganda’s Mukono District, is one of them. “The crop looked so healthy, but at harvest, each tuber was rotten,” he told IPS. The CBSD generally attacks the root of the cassava, though the leaves of the plants can also be affected. Luyiga said he lost more than 70 percent of the crop to the virus. “It was a total loss because I bought what was considered clean, planting material, only to discover that they were susceptible to this disease. I wouldn’t have planted them had I known this early,” said Luyiga. Omongo said that if given the knowledge, smallholder farmers can prevent plant virus diseases from spreading. “Once farmers know how to identify the diseases, then they will avoid it. They are also too poor to afford the improved varieties of plants resistant to disease. The point is to create awareness and we shall prevent the spread,” he said. Another factor that needs to be addressed in combating the spread of plant diseases is one of resources. Luyiga and farmers like him rarely have access to agricultural advisory and extension services that could provide them with the knowledge on how to identify and deal with the plant viruses. Such services are limited in most East African countries and when available tend to be poor in quality. In Uganda, one extension worker is required to offer services to over 1,000 farmers in a sub-county, which, Omongo said, limited early detection and prevention of the spread of the diseased plants. Professor William OtimNape, a Ugandan Plant Pathologist and member of the Africa Innovation Institute, told IPS that viral diseases continue --Credit Wambi Michael/IPS to cause major economic losses in Africa. “Such losses remain grossly underestimated and they are often ignored or overlooked,” he said. Vi c t o r M a n y o n g , a n economist at IITA, estimates CBSD causes 175 million dollars in losses in East Africa each year. Otim-Nape added that the number of trained plant virologists in Africa was far too low to provide an adequate response to deal with the many plant viruses. “A critical mass of trained plant virologists is required to identify and prioritise virus disease problems and to create awareness in the public and among policymakers,” he said. Sanginga agreed. “There is an urgent need to confront viral diseases affecting staple crops like cassava, banana and maize using advances in science. We need science to solve these problems,” he said. “We have to do more for the farmers I met in Mukono, Uganda, who lost their entire cassava crop due to CBSD and CMD,” Sanginga urged, adding that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, too, will need assistance to deal with the threat of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease. East Africa experienced a CMD outbreak in the 1990s and smallholder farmers watched as it devastated their cassava gardens, forcing thousands to abandon the crop. The disease spread to several African countries including, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Gabon until researchers bred a cassava variety resistant to the disease. The release of a new variety restored cultivation of the crop. But current low budgetary allocations for agricultural research in most East African countries has limited the investment in plant viral diseases research, according to Mercy Karanja, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation regional advisor to East Africa. “We have big problems in agriculture. So we need to invest money to do research. And even when products of research are out, you need money to ensure that they reach farmers,” she told IPS. 16 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Feature A self-help group against mugging in Vientiane Deborah Rast V ientiane is developing f a s t . Wi t h t h i s development come a lot of positive changes. But unfortunately there is also a negative aspect to this change. It seems that not one day goes by without hearing a story of a woman being mugged on her bicycle or motorbike, with many also suffering severe injuries from the fall or from the cuts inflicted by the thieves. After being robbed herself, one brave woman - an NGO worker - decided to take fate into her own hands. She founded the “Vientiane Safety Awareness Group“ on Facebook, which aims to promote security for women in the Lao capital. “I was attacked on Tuesday, February 5. I was riding home on my bicycle when two men on a motorbike approached and tried to grab my bag,” she said. “I fell to the ground and one man proceeded to cut my bag with a knife.” When she decided to hold on to her possessions, the men started beating her head with a hard object. “Eventually the thieves left without taking anything. But I was bleeding and had to get stitches at Mahosot Hospital.” When she put her story on Australia backs rice cultivation in Laos Rice has long been the most important food crop cultivated in Laos, and at the beginning of the third millennium still accounted for more than 80 percent of the area under cultivation within the country. With an average annual consumption of more than 170 kg of milled rice, Laos is among the group of countries with the highest per capita consumption of rice in the world. In most rural areas of Laos, rice accounts for almost 80 percent of calorie intake. The strong cultural identity of the people of Laos with the consumption of “sticky” or glutinous rice is widely acknowledged. Laos has the highest per capita production and consumption of glutinous or waxy rice in the world. With the support of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the book “Rice in Laos” has been released. It helps document the long association of Laos and its people with rice in historical, cultural, and agricultural contexts. It also provides a record of the diversity of, and biodiversity within, the rice ecosystems within the country and a summary of some of the more salient recent advances in rice-related research undertaken since about 1990. The Lao language version of the book also provides an important reference book for the agricultural education sector within Laos. Both the English and Lao versions are available on the ACIAR website (http:// aciar.gov.au). The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research is a statutory authority that operates within the Foreign The group members decided to create a map that would show where all the incidents had taken place. The goal was to identify unsafe neighbourhoods, so that women would know which areas to avoid at night. It was also suggested that the map be passed on to their respective embassies to raise awareness of the situation, and in the hope that embassy staff might address the issue with the Lao government. Another discussion topic was exchanging safety tips, such as not carrying around a handbag and not riding a bicycle after sunset. The group decided to draw up a “Dos and Don’ts” list which they would hand out to expat women and to invite a security expert, who could give them more advice. Taking a self-defence class was also suggested. Finally the group members discussed whether to place a common order for pepper sprays and whistles to wear around their necks, as it is not always easy to purchase them in Vientiane. “We don’t want to get paranoid, we just want to do everything possible to feel safe again,” said the founder of the self-help group. Deborah Rast is a Swiss journalist doing an internship at the Vientiane Times. INVITATION TO TENDERS The cover of the book “Rice in Laos”. Times Reporters Facebook, a good friend of hers told her to get well soon. And she also expressed her fear about going out at night. And she was right. Just the next night that same friend was attacked. The muggers pushed the Vietnamese woman off her motorbike and cut her with a knife in order to get her backpack. The thieves took her laptop and a considerable amount of money. “She needed 17 stitches and has an injured tailbone,” said the NGO worker. At that point she decided that something needed to happen. “I didn’t want to feel like a victim. I wanted the security situation to change. So I created this selfhelp group. I want to prevent other women living through the same experience as I have,” she said. The first meeting of the group took place last Sunday. About 30 people turned up, most of them young women. Many had been mugged before, some even more than once. The main topic was exchanging their stories about being mugged and how to travel around safely in Vientiane after sunset. The general feeling was that many of them felt very helpless right after the attack because they didn’t know where to go to for medical care and whether they should report the robbery to the police. Affairs and Trade portfolio. It was established in June 1982 to assist and encourage Australia’s agricultural scientists to use their skills for the benefit of developing countries as well as Australia. S i n ce 199 2 A CIA R’s programme in Laos has contributed to poverty reduction and sustainable development. ACIAR supports research and development that underpins the Lao government’s objectives of identifying and implementing alternatives to shifting cultivation in upland regions and agricultural diversification to improve the productivity of lowland farming systems. ACIAR’s programmes are an important element of Australia’s development programme in Laos which will be delivered in ways that yield longer term benefits and stability in the region. --Source Australian Embassy to Laos A unique French language magazine Le Rénovateur is a weekly magazine of general information written in French and discussing current events in Laos. Readers will find it different from other newspapers and can enjoy news about culture, consult their horoscope and find out about radio and TV programmes, as well as check on current movies at the French Language Centre. There are also cookery items as well as personal profiles. The magazine costs only 10,000 kip per issue, and is published every Monday. You can buy it at kiosks or directly from our office on Namphu Square at the Lao Press in Foreign Languages on Pangkham Street in Vientiane. You can also read it on our website: Lerenovateur.org.la for provision of the engineering, procurement and construction contract of the ash handling system for Hongsa Mine-Mouth Power Project. Hongsa Power Co., Ltd is pleased to invite you for tenders for provision of the engineering, procurement and construction contract of the ash handling system with 2 lines of conveyor capacity of 1,200 tons per hour each and the conveyor length of approximately 2.5 km for Hongsa MineMouth Power Project in Laos PDR. Pre-Qualification Criteria Interested Lao Firms who fulfill the following pre-qualification requirements and submit documentary proof thereof will only be eligible for evaluation of the bids. 1. The tenderers must have the economic and financial capacity as well as the technical and professional capacity to perform the tasks required in this call for tender. 2.The tenderers must evidence the company’s experience in the performance of similar size work scopes and of project type or higher in the past 5 years, as well as information of contact persons and reference of each project. The owner may at its discretion contact references and/or conduct independent performance analysis on projects on which each tenderer has worked. 3. Copy of the latest 3 years financial statement of the company is to be submitted. In case of a new company, its parent company's financial statement is also required. 4. The tenderers shall not be a broker. Submission of Bidder’s Qualification Documents Bidders must submit one original and 3 duplicate copies of their qualification documents together with all supporting documents to the address listed below, on or before 16:00 h Vientiane Standard Time, 18 February 2013. Hongsa Power Company Limited Building B, Park View Executive Suites, Ban Sithanneau Sikhottabong District Vientiane Capital Lao PDR For the attention of: The Manager - Contract Management and Coordination, Mr. Pratheep Yoknamngoen. Tel No.: +856 21 223 911 (Vientiane); +856 74 266 121 - 29 (Site) Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Great snakes! Raymond Zhou, Asia News Network, China Daily Despite its fearsome reputation, the representation of the zodiac creature includes a bittersweet tale of broken hearts and love transcending disaster Let’s face it, the snake has an image problem. In preparation for the Year of the Snake, a mammoth decoration in the form of the reptile was erected at a highway toll plaza in Sichuan province. Somehow, they gave the snake the countenance of a chicken. Onlookers joked that whoever sculpted it must have been born in the Year of the Rooster, and others chimed in that they would no longer be afraid of the snake now it had taken the shape of a friendlier animal. On these occasions, Chinese people have traditionally resorted to euphemisms to represent the snake in an auspicious light. The dragon, a symbol of power and majesty, is often used to stand in for its earthbound peer; hence the term “the little dragon”. Efforts to distinguish the two have been unceasing, as is evident in such catchphrases as “an assortment of dragons and snakes”, meaning people of different qualities and status sharing one space, and “dragons withdrawing and snakes expanding”, meaning good guys lying low and bad elements strutting their stuff. It is futile to pass off snakes as dragons. In China, snakes are predominantly associated with venom - even though only 65 species out of some 600 in the country are poisonous. Worldwide, there are 725 species of venomous snakes, of which about 250 can kill a human. It is said the venom from the bite of a Russell’s viper can cause its victim to drop dead before he or she can walk seven steps. The Chinese call it the “Seven-Pacer”. Otherwise, if you’re bitten by a snake - and it’s not one of the 250 lethal species - there’s a good chance you’ll tremble at the sight of a rope, or anything vaguely resembling a snake, for the rest of your days. There is an ancient tale of a man who spots a snake in his glass of liquor. It turns out the wriggly thing was the reflection of a bow hanging on the wall. The yarn has since been immortalized as a phrase for unfounded panic. Contrary to some cultures where the snake is perceived as a steadfast defender, in the Chinese one it is enshrined as an object of fear, except perhaps in calligraphy, where the serpentine brush stroke depicting a snake flying or scurrying away is to be marveled, not quivered, at. Very often, the snake comes with its nobler peer, the dragon, in such portrayals. However, one ancient calligrapher painted a realistic snake on a scroll, and then, out of a whim, added a foot. Some species have a pair of vestigial claws, but in this instance, it’s the painter, not the snake, who is the butt of derision. For all its snake-related idioms, China does not hold a candle to Indian mythology when it comes to snake references. Likewise, Egyptian, Greek, Christian and many other cultures have images of the snake more colorful than ours. The Chinese snake is not as rich in connotation and has not spilled over into the visual arts. We do not have a deity sitting on a coiled python; the Buddhist concept of reincarnation has not been compared to the shedding of a snake’s skin; our female monsters do not sport a crop of snakes for hair; and a snake is not the cause for carnal temptation. Then again, Nuwa, the Chinese goddess who mended the broken sky, has a human head and a snake body. And in the 16th century classic Journey to the West, a.k.a. The Monkey King, there is a nine-headed snake. While overwhelmingly repulsed by the snake, Chinese sentiments for the 2013 zodiac animal can be more complex, varying in time and locality. In Fujian province, the snake is held in a god-like position. It is not to be killed if found in a home, but removed gently back to the wild. It is definitely not to be eaten. And at a mid-year festival, a parade is organized in which every participant holds a snake, which is supposed to bring them peace and harmony. A branch of the Li ethnic group in Hainan province regards the snake as their ancestor. There are several folk tales of humans and snakes marrying each other. If a snake is found near a tomb, it is considered the apparition of the dead person. In Guizhou province, the Dong ethnic costume features myriad snake motifs, and they even incorporate snake-like moves in their prayer ritual. But mostly, after thousands of years, the snake has been demonized beneath the glossy veneer of civilization. In many CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY Southern Lao Landscape Management Advisor WWF has a long established presence in the Mekong region, starting in Vietnam in 1990. Since then, WWF operations have grown to four Country offices based in Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Laos (Vientiane), Thailand (Bangkok) & Vietnam (Hanoi), including a Regional team in the Hanoi, Vientiane and Bangkok offices. The ‘Greater Mekong Programme Office’ was officially formed in November 2005 merging WWF Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) and WWF Thailand. In order to be relevant with partners at provincial levels and deliver conservation results in landscapes, GMPO has also developed 20 field offices across the 4 countries and 6 landscapes. Following a strong track record of conservation delivery over the last 20 years, WWF has established both the credibility and presence to deliver conservation impact at all levels from provincial, to national to regional. WWF-Laos is seeking to recruit a well-qualified and experienced Lao National or expatriate candidate to work in the following position: Southern Lao Landscape Management Advisor Base location: Vientiane or Pakse, with travel to southern Lao provinces. The Southern Lao Landscape Advisor will be responsible for providing coordination between WWF-Laos national leadership, government agencies, and site-based projects throughout southern Laos. The Consultant is expected to meet the following requirements: • Have a Master’s degree in field related to environmental conservation or natural resource management; • Have demonstrated experience in project management and/or technical advising • Able to communicate effectively in both Lao and English languages • Previous experience working in southern Laos an asset Details and Terms of Reference (ToR) for this position is posted on www.panda.org/greatermekong Interested candidates should email a cover letter, CV with latest photos, available degrees and qualifications to: [email protected] with attention to Micah Ingalls, Conservation Programme Manager. Closing date: February 15th 2013. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. cases, it has either morphed into the more auspicious dragon or simply become an embodiment of malice and immorality. One similarity remains between East and West, though - the snake as a symbol of sexual passion. In China, snake wine, made by infusing snakes in grain alcohol, is believed to have a rejuvenating, sometimes aphrodisiac power. As a gourmet dish, the snake is much valued in the Middle Kingdom, especially in southern China. For those who believe in traditional Chinese medicine, each part of the snake is a “treasure”. Snake bile is said to be a remedy for many ailments, including rheumatism. Ironically, its venom is made into drugs to counter pain, poisoning and blood clots. A decade ago, there was a zoo in a suburb of Guangzhou that was devoted to snakes. As a publicity stunt, the owner put his daughter into a cage with hundreds of snakes, where she stayed long enough to break the Guinness World Record. Afterwards, a group of local celebrities were invited to a banquet, where a dozen courses were served, each one a dish of snakes but cooked in different ways. I tagged along, swearing I would never touch or eat a snake. But out of courtesy to the host, I broke my vow. It turned out snakes are not that delicious, at least to me. The meat was tough and chewy, nowhere near as tasty and delicate as eels, which friends Feature 17 said I should pretend they were. The most famous Chinese legend involving snakes puts a decidedly positive spin on their portrayal. Madame White Snake has been told in many operas, movies and television serials. The spirit of a white snake transforms herself into a beautiful maiden, Bai Suzhen, who falls in love with Xu Xian, a mortal living by Hangzhou’s scenic lake. They get married, but before they can live happily ever after, a monk named Fahai, who used to be a tortoise spirit, tricks Xu into coercing his wife to drink wine, which reveals her true form as a snake. Xu Xian is so scared that he falls ill, but Bai flies to Mount Emei and steals a medicinal herb that revives her husband. 18 Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Art & Entertainment ‘New World’ a well-made noir with superb acting A scene from director Park Hoon-jung’s upcoming film “New World” (NEW). Claire Lee, Asia News Network, Korea Herald Noted screenwriter Park Hoonjung’s second feature film was finally unveiled to the press last week, featuring three heavyweight actors ― Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jeong-min and Lee Jung-jae ― in the lead. What the film deals with is nothing new, at least in Korean cinema: a criminal organization, its gangsters and the cops who try to chase them down. However, Park, who is best known for his screenplays for Kim Ji-woon’s “I Saw the Devil” and Ryu Seung-wan’s “The Unjust,” managed to create a heartless and entertaining flick about power, greed and betrayal. “New World” is, in Park’s own words, “a film about gangsters doing politics, in suits and ties.” While doing exactly that, Park skillfully blurs the boundary between the police and gangsters, as well as the good and the bad. The police headquarters abuse their low-ranking officers while trying to do the righteous thing ― arresting the criminals. Some of the gangsters, on The geek in the pink returning to Seoul once more All-American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz will be returning to Seoul in May to hold his sixth live show. The performer ― who has made a name for himself as a beloved entertainer in Korea ― will be holding his upcoming concert, “Jason Mraz and His one of his mega hit pop-rock-rap singles, “Geek in the Pink.” Coming off the success of the follow-up album, Mraz released “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things” in 2008. The album not only debuted at the No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, but the title track “I’m Yours,” went five-times platinum and gave Mraz his first Top-10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 Band,” on May 17 at the Jamsil Sports Complex starting at 6:30 p.m. The performance will also feature two guest performers who are yet to be announced. Mraz, who started his career playing in coffee houses, released his first commercial debut album “Waiting for My Rocket to Come” in 2002, his popular single, “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry).” However, it was after the release of his second album, “Mr. A-Z,” three years later that Mraz reached a new level of stardom. The album featured chart, breaking a chart record for remaining in the top 100 for 76 weeks. The song also snagged him two Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2009. Last year Mraz released his fourth studio album “Love is a Four Letter Word,” featuring the acoustic ballad single “I Won’t Give Up.” Ticket prices for Mraz’s Seoul performance range from 110,000 to 250,000 won and can be purchased online at ticket. interpark.com. Julie Jackson, Asia News Network, Korea Herald the other hand, share genuine camaraderie with each other ― while committing all kinds of illegal deeds. The thriller tells the story of police detective Ja-seong (Lee Jung-jae), who is assigned by his manipulative boss Kang (Choi Min-sik) to an undercover investigation into “Gold Moon” ― one of the biggest crime organizations in the country. Kang asks Ja-seong to spy on the gang’s secondin-command Jeong Cheong (Hwang Jeong-min), after finding out both Ja-seong and the gangster are ethnic Chinese, on top of sharing the same hometown of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Ja-seong’s investigation goes on for eight years, and he eventually finds himself caught between Jeong, who calls him a “brother” and “trusts him with his life,” and his senior detective Park, who only uses him and never gives him the recognition he deserves. The film gets even more dramatic as the mob boss is suddenly killed in a car accident, and the group’s two opposing factions, one led by Jeong and the other by ruthless and vengeful member Lee (Park Seong-woong), vie for power. Detective Kang comes up with a cunning and dangerous plan to come between Jeong and Lee ― using Ja-seong’s trusted position in Jeong’s faction ― to break up the Gold Moon. Kang knows his project puts Ja-seong’s life at risk, but makes no plan to protect him if Ja-seong hits dire straits. Hwang Jeong-min (“The Unjust,” “You Are My Sunshine,”) is impressive as Jeong Cheong, who is arguably the most likable character in the film. The gangster is a lot of things ― he is an ethnic minority, a caring boss and a competent, thorough individual. During the press conference, Hwang said he only remembers “having fun” while playing Jeong, whom he described as a “chameleon.” “Jeong Cheong is really something,” he said. “He’s very versatile and has many different qualities and characteristics that make him unique.” Respected veteran actor Choi Min-sik (“I Saw the Devil,” “Oldboy”) is also convincing as the manipulative villain, while Lee Jung-jae (“The Thieves,” “The Housemaid”) presents a credible portrayal of a victim who is conflicted between two different worlds, against his own will. “Ja-seong doesn’t really start nor do anything by his own will,” Lee said. “He just gets caught up in things. He is not allowed to show his emotions, while required to tell lies all the time. I somehow had to deliver his real emotions in spite of his difficult situation, and that was the biggest challenge while playing this character.” Actor Park Seong-woong is also a presence in the film, as the charismatic, ruthless gangster who meets an unfortunate end. “New World” is an engaging noir with resounding acting and a highly entertaining narrative. Ultimately, it is a film about power and how it blinds those in authority, and those who strive for it. A New Entertainment World release, “New World” opens in local theaters on Feb. 21. What’s On Vientiane -Elephant Festival will take place from Feb 17-19 in Xayaboury district, Xayaboury province. - Vat Phou Festival takes place in Champassak province on February 20-25, 2013. - Action with Lao Children Library: Open Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm and Sat 9am to 3pm. Come in and read and borrow Lao, Japanese, Thai and English books. Located in Ban Saphangmor, Xaysettha district. - Permanent UXO exhibition and the provision of artificial limbs for victims. COPE Visitor Centre, Khouvieng Road, opposite Green Park Hotel. Every day: 9am-6pm. - Drama Club at 7:30 pm every Friday includes role playing, miming, storytelling, improvisation and stage performances at the gymnasium of the French Hoffet School. Call Yves on 23273481. - Chess Club meets at 1pm every Sunday at City Inn on Pangkham Road, Vientiane. Contact: [email protected] - Women’s International Group. For activities and times email [email protected] - Toastmasters Club meets every Sun. from 4-6pm at Khop Chai Deu restaurant (3F). Everyone is welcome. - Meditation at Vat Sokpaluang every Saturday, 4-5.30pm. - English Language Church Service every Sunday 10 am at the Language Centre on Lane 3- next to PV Oil (near the Mercure Hotel). Call (021) 261441, or visit http://www.the-chs.org for more details. Luang Prabang Lao Elephants Australian Rules Football Club -Meet at 6.30 pm on Thursdays for Big Brother Mouse helps training, please contact the young people practise their English at free drop-in sessions, LE President at president_ 9-11am and 5-7pm, open every [email protected] for details and other meeting day. Just come to our office at areas. 9am or 5pm in Ban Vat Nong, Buffalos Rugby - men’s around the corner from 3 rugby training Tuesday Nagas Hotel. evenings 6 - 7:30pm. All www.bigbrothermouse.com. welcome. Sunday morning Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre. Open 9am- social touch rugby - male, female all ages welcome. 6pm, Tues-Sun. Free. For either, contact www.taeclaos.org Steeve (020 5953 2304), Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre open daily Frazer (020 2209 7323) and Gilles (020 5551 8250) for for free guided tour. Natural more information. dyes, weaving and batik Wild Hogs Rugby training drawing classes daily. 9amat the Polytechnic pitch 5pm. Free transfer from Ock in Phonpapao village, Pop Tok shops in town to the weaving centre on the Mekong. Sisattanak, at 8pm on Tues. and Thurs. Optional Saturday Call 071 212597 touch session at That Luang Royal Palace National Museum. Open 8.30-11.30am at 5:30pm, Sunday fitness at That Luang at 5:30pm. Call and 1.30-4.30pm from 020 77615677 Wednesday to Monday. or Chris 020 77834385. UXO Visitor Centre. Open Lao Mahout Netball team Mon-Fri 8.30am-12 and trains every Tues. at 6pm at 2-5pm. Right turn just before Vientiane International School. President’s Monument on the For more information contact Northern Rd. Saeng on 020 77442689. Lions Women’s Rugby from Museums 7.30pm on Tues and Thurs at Lao National Museum the Polytechnic pitch. Contact on Samsenthai Road opposite Noui on 020 4905090 or National Culture Hall. Open Maggie on 020 54656153. Youth Community Rugby Mon-Fri during office hours and on weekends from 9am to Sessions Training for U15 Boys and 4pm. U17 Girls at the Polytechnic Horphakeo Museum pitch in Phonpapao village, on Setthathirat Road Sisattanak, at 7:30pm on opposite Vat Sisaket. Open Wed. Training for children of Mon-Sun during office hours. all ages at 9am on Sunday. Body Language at Vientiane Sports Accueil, Khouvieng Rd. Class includes stretching and ANZ Vientiane Lions respiratory exercises with Women’s Rugby Club – an oriental touch. Tues. and Wednesday night fitness Thurs. from 5.30-6.30pm. sessions from 7:30 at VIS. Pitch Contact 020 5612107. trainings Thursday nights from Aerobics at Sokpalouang 19:30 and Sunday from 16:00 swimming pool, Sisattanak at Polytechnic Pitch in Ban district. Open every day from Phonphapao. Contact Vieng 6am-8pm. on 020 54234111 or Maggie Vientiane Hash House Harriers on 020 78110019 for more Meet at Nam Phu Fountain information. every Saturday for travel to Champa Ban Youth Rugby – out-of-town runs. Mixed Hash, Rugby activities with a focus register at 3.45pm and depart on fun, games and healthy 4pm. Monday,VH3, family living message. Free and open Hash. 3 runs - short, medium to all. Visit www.laorugby.com and long. Meet at 5pm at or contact Noui 020 54905090 advertised venue. Phones: or Maggie on 020 78110019 for 223867, 217493, more information. mobile 020 5511293, 5514669. Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Ruthless Juventus beats Celtic 3-0 in CLeague Juventus’ Mirko Vucinic (left) vies for the ball with Celtic’s Emilio Izaguirre (right) during their Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland on Tuesday. --Photo AP GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) -- Juventus punished poor defending with some clinical finishing to beat Celtic 3-0 in the first leg of their last16 match in the Champions League on Tuesday, virtually sealing the Italian champions’ place in the quarterfinals. Mistakes by defender Efe Ambrose, who only returned from international duty at the African Nations Cup on the morning of the match, led to goals by Alessandro Matri in the third minute and Mirko Vucinic in the 83rd. Claudio Marchisio had scored the second goal in the 77th at the end of a flowing team move by the current Serie A leaders, who rode their luck before inflicting Celtic’s jointheaviest home loss in European competition. The score line was harsh on Celtic, which dominated the first half and most of the second, only to lack a cutting edge to beat Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. “We need a miracle but it’s the harsh reality of Champions League football,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said. The second leg is in Turin on March 6, when Juventus will look to finish the Scottish champions off and maintain its unbeaten run in this season’s competition. Paris Saint-Germain is in control of the other last-16 match played Tuesday after winning 2-1 at Valencia. However, the French team will be without striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the second leg following his late sending-off at the Mestalla. Celtic showed by beating Barcelona in the group stage that the team is a match for anyone at its intimidating Celtic Park home, and it posed Juventus all sorts of problems with its relentless work rate and high pressing game. “It’s a great result in a difficult stadium,” Marchisio said. “We came here to score at least one goal and we scored three without conceding, so we are very happy.” Even Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo, usually so composed and elegant in centre midfield, was clearly ruffled at being hustled and harried but Celtic couldn’t find the finish to go with its build-up play. “The score line flatters Juventus,” Lennon said. “For 70-odd minutes, we were by far the better side but you can’t give away sloppy goals.” Lennon may be regretting playing Ambrose on the day he landed in Scotland after more than a month away with Nigeria at the African Nations Cup. He played in the 1-0 victory over Burkino Faso in the final on Sunday but was LOS ANGELES (AP) -- This is one time the PGA Tour needs to avoid the perception of slow play. It has been two weeks since the Sports Illustrated story that Vijay Singh spent US$9,000 on products that included deer antler spray, telling the magazine he used the spray “every couple of hours ... every day” and that he was “looking forward to some change in my body.” Singh issued a statement the next day that he used the spray and was shocked to learn it might contain a substance that is banned under the tour’s anti-doping policy. Singh is still playing. The tour is not talking, except to say it is looking into the matter. In what is shaping up as a bright year in golf, this is becoming a dark cloud. Tiger Woods won at Torrey Pines. Phil Mickelson missed a 59 by a fraction of an inch when he won the Phoenix Open. The next week, every conversation among players at Pebble Beach seemed to start with the same question. “What’s going to happen with Vijay?” Singh met with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem at Pebble Beach, and then made his 15th consecutive cut. He is playing again this week at Riviera. The big Fijian, a week away from turning 50, is one of the more remarkable success stories on the PGA Tour. He has three major championships, a record 22 wins in his 40s and a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame. But he is looked upon differently now, and not just because he is the source of jokes. One photo circulating last week showed Singh’s face photoshopped on a deer. A magazine reported seeing Singh in the fairway at Spyglass Hill during a practice round with his caddie, trainer, manager — and five deer that had wandered out of the woods. Also at stake is his integrity. It doesn’t help that Singh had to overcome allegations early in his career that he doctored his scorecard to avoid missing the cut in Indonesia. Singh, who has denied the charges, was banned by the Asian tour. It dogged him for much of his career, even as he worked his way from giving US$10 lessons in Borneo to becoming No. 1 in the world. He hasn’t won since 2008, when he was the FedEx Cup champion with back-to-back wins in the playoffs. He has been slowed by injuries the last four years. Clearly, he was trying to gain an edge with the deer antler spray and other products from Sports with Alternative to Steroids. Singh either forgot or ignored the tour’s warning a year earlier that deer antler spray might contain an insulin-like growth hormone known as IGF-1, which has been on the list of banned substances since the programme began in 2008. Every now and then, the tour will warn the players of a substance that could get them into trouble, which is what it did in the fall of 2011. Singh said he reviewed the list of ingredients on the antler spray and did not see any banned substances. That’s not being very vigilant. And it’s not much of an excuse. If he’s spending US$9,000 on products, does he not become suspicious enough to run this by the tour? Even a change in their nutrient programme should be enough for players to ask questions. One player told a story Tuesday of getting a prescription for a new eye medicine. His first call was to the tour to make sure it was OK. The prescription cost US$10. Just as much is at stake for the integrity of the tour. rushed back for the biggest game in Celtic’s recent history. “We took a gamble on Efe Ambrose,” Lennon acknowledged. For the opener, Ambrose misjudged a routine ball forward to leave Matri clean though on goal. The striker poked a finish through goalkeeper Fraser Forster’s legs and the ball crossed the line by the time Kelvin Wilson slid in to clear away. Marchisio slammed the loose ball into the net for good measure — with the assistant referee yet to signal — but Matri was given the goal. Ambrose then pondered too long on the ball before being robbed by Marchisio and he fed Vucinic, who slipped a low finish into the net. Ambrose hung his head in despair. To make matters worse for Ambrose, he missed Celtic’s best chance at the other end, heading tamely at Buffon in the second half when completely unmarked eight yards out C e l t i c ’s r e s p o n s e t o conceding early had been very impressive, peppering Buffon’s goal with shots throughout the first half. Kris Commons had a handful of chances while Victor Wanyama headed over from a corner just before halftime, which Juve would have been relieved to reach without conceding. The decibel levels remained high for the second half, as did Celtic’s dominance — but still Buffon’s goal wasn’t breached. Commons skied a shot over before Ambrose wasted his golden chance — and Juventus made them pay. Marchisio ran onto Matri’s slick through-ball, cutting inside and firing in a shot that Forster couldn’t keep out to halt Celtic’s momentum. And there was still time for Vucinic’s goal to seal Ambrose’s miserable night. Sports 19 Williams, Sharapova into 3rd round in Doha DOHA, Qatar (AP) -- Serena through the first five games until Williams and Maria Sharapova Sharapova broke to go up 4-2, easily reached the third round and she clinched the victory of the Qatar Open on Tuesday, when the Frenchwoman hit a dominating their opponents with forehand long. “I was quite happy with straight-set victories. Williams, who will regain the the way I played, because my No. 1 ranking if she reached the opponent has already played semifinals, showed no signs of a few matches here so she’s the back or ankle problems that been able to get in that match troubled her at the Australian atmosphere,” Sharapova said. Open during her 6-2, 6-1 win “So I wanted to start really over Russian qualifier Daria strong. I had a tough match against her in my previous Gavrilova. The third-ranked Sharapova, encounter where I played three who won the tournament in sets. I really wanted to start better her two previous appearances, this time as opposed to last time.” Sharapova was joined in downed French qualifier Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2. Sixth- the third round by 11th-ranked ranked Angelique Kerber had Marion Bartoli, who downed a much tougher time, though, former French Open champion and became the first top player Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (5), to be eliminated from the 6-3. The loss leaves Schiavone, tournament as she was routed who has fallen to 54th in the by fellow German Mona rankings, winless in four matches Barthel 6-1, 6-2 in just over this year. The Italian had the upper an hour. Williams broke Gavrilova hand early, racing out to a 4-1 to go up 4-2 in the first set and lead. But Bartoli turned things then jumped out to a 5-0 lead around, saving five break points to make it 4-2 breaking back in in the second. Williams then saved five the next game when Schiavone break points before serving doubled faulted. She then out the match when the 160th- decided the tiebreaker with a ranked Gavrilova hit a forehand return winner. After trading breaks early long. The 15-time Grand Slam in the second set, Bartoli took winner said she was “happy to advantage of Schiavone’s errors get out of it, get it over with” and to go up 4-2. She closed out the match when she chased down said her ankle held up well. “I have it heavily taped. As a volley and fired a backhand long as the tape doesn’t get loose, winner down the line. “The first set was extremely it feels really good,” Williams said. “Physically feeling better tough,” Bartoli said. “It was a is so good, and hopefully I can hard battle. I knew from coming from indoor clay court I wouldn’t stay on that level.” But Williams acknowledged play my best tennis for the first she has to do better on her first 30 minutes. ... But I felt I really serve, which is considered fought really hard on the court. among the best in the world I didn’t show any frustration.” Kerber broke Barthel to but was inconsistent against Gavrilova, hitting the mark just start the match but couldn’t win another game in the first set. over half the time. Barthel, who won her second “I wasn’t making my first serve today,” she said. “It’s singles title at the Open Gaz de always something I can work France Suez this month, finished on and try to do better in my with 30 winners and only 12 unforced errors for her fourth win next round.” Sharapova broke the 172nd- over a top-10 player Sloane Stephens, the 17thranked Garcia twice go up 3-0 in the first set. Garcia won the ranked American who beat next two games but Sharapova Williams in the Australian Open then broke for a third time. quarterfinals, defeated Anna Doug Barron is the only The second set went with serve Tatishvili of Georgia, 6-2, 6-2. player who has been suspended under the anti-doping policy, which didn’t cause too much of a ripple because only the hard-core golf fans had even heard of him. Singh is a Hall of Famer. The longer this drags on, the more speculation that the tour treats stars differently. What hurts the tour in this case is its longtime lack of transparency. Finchem has decided that no news is the best news when it comes to player discipline. The tour does not disclose fines or suspensions for conduct. No one can say for certainty that Woods has ever been fined for his course language, or if Mickelson was fined last year for using his cell phone in the middle of a round at the Memorial to complain about too many cell phones in the gallery. We know John Daly was suspended, but only because he called The Associated Press to refute rumors he had been suspended for life (it was only six months). Players suspect that at least two of their colleagues have been suspended from testing positive Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball during her match against for recreational drugs. If true, the Caroline Garcia of France on the second day of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday. --Photo AP tour won’t say. Vijay Singh needs to take a break Thursday February 14, 2013 20 Sport Lao, Thai cyclists to race to Vangvieng Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong C yclists from Laos and six provinces in Thailand will take part in a race from Vientiane to Vangvieng district in Vientiane province on February 23. The race will start at Chao Fa Ngum Park in Sikhottabong district and proceed to the finishing line in Vangvieng over a distance of 156km. The event is being organised by the Lao Cycling Federation. The event is open to six different age groups: 18+, 23+, 28+, 33+, 38+ and 43 and over. About 100 cyclists from Laos and Thailand will take part in the race. Those wishing to enter will be able to register next week at the federation’s office in Vientiane. Federation secretary Mr Latsamy Soundala said “The goal of the race is to create friendly competition between Lao and Thai cyclists while at the same time improving the skills and stamina of all participants.” Cyclists achieving first to seventh places in each age group will be presented with trophies and items of clothing by the federation. It is expected that the race will become an annual event. The federation will then prepare for the President’s Cup race which will take place on the 450 Year Road on March 24. There will be three parts to this event and each competitor will be required to use three different machines, a standard road bicycle, a mountain bike and a racing bike - all of which they will have to ride over a measured distance of 55 km. The winners of each event will receive a cup. Cycling will not feature at the National Games next year, as the host province does not have a suitable venue. At the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia in 2011, the Lao cycling team finished in fifth place. Vientiane Times Attapeu team to use Xekong stadium for Premier League The opening ceremony of the National Traditional Games in Xekong province. Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong The Hoang Anh Gia Lai Company of Vietnam will rent Xekong province’s main stadium for Attapeu province’s football team, which they will use for training and as their home ground for matches in the Lao Premier League this year. The main stadium in Xekong province is a better venue than Attapeu can offer at the moment as there are more facilities and the stadium can seat more spectators. Next week the Attapeu football team will start to train at the Xekong stadium, which was used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the National Traditional Games in November. Deputy Director of the Attapeu provincial Education and Sports Department, Mr Veha Kommameuang, said “Our football team is ready to compete in the Premier League but until now the team has not had a venue for training and playing home matches.” The Lao Premier League runs from the end of February to July, and is organised by the Lao Football Federation. The format will be a normal round-robin competition with each team playing the others twice, at home and away. Mr Veha said “The Hoang Anh Gia Lai Company will support our team’s training at the Xekong stadium and will also support the team in the Premier League.” “This year, our province plans to allocate land and we will build a new sports complex, including a provincial main stadium and indoor facilities.” He also said the company is providing a Vietnamese coach to train their footballers and will send the best Vietnamese footballers from division 2 to join the provincial team in the league. The expectation is that the Attapeu team will improve if they are trained by a Vietnamese coach and can learn from some of that country’s best footballers. The Lao Football Federation allows teams to have five foreign players on their roster but a maximum of three can take part in any one game. The Hoang Anh Gia Lai Company financed Attapeu’s participation in the Prime Minister’s Cup in Vientiane last year. They were largely unsuccessful but they will be ready to compete in the premier league this year. Attapeu took part in the National Games in 2011, but didn’t get past the first round. Vientiane Times Business Inside Read more news at www.vientianetimes.org.la French bank CEO visits Laos ECB’s Draghi: Spain is ‘on the right track’ page B2 21 Thursday February 14, 2013 Vietnamese building material industry needs support to overcome economic difficulties page B2 page B3 Furniture makers yet to benefit from WTO membership Times Reporters Wood processing plants in Laos are still unable to export their products globally even though the country is now a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). “Yes, Laos is a member of the WTO but that does not mean we automatically have access to world markets. There are a number of issues that the sectors concerned must address before we can export manufactured goods to countries outside the region,” Lao Wood Processing Industry President Mr Thongsavanh Soulignamat said yesterday. Laos became a member of the WTO on February 2 after the global trading body received a letter of ratification from the Lao government. Mr Thongsavanh, who is Managing Director of the Lao Furniture Industry Company in Vientiane, said one of the major issues the government needs to address is sourcing an adequate supply of timber from managed forests. “One of the key requirements of European markets is that all timber used in the Lao wood processing industry must come from well managed plantations to ensure the sustainable use of forests in Laos,” he said. All wooden furniture must be accompanied by certification of the source of the timber otherwise these products will not be accepted in Europe. Mr Thongsavanh said the government is aware of the certification requirement and will carry out surveys of forests in some provinces to ensure they are properly managed. It would be advisable for the government to accelerate the forest management process so that businesses can obtain sufficient quantities of wood from managed forests and export more products to world markets, he added. At present, most wood processing plants receive their timber from areas that are cleared to make way for development projects. However, some businesses obtain their wood from unlicensed timber traders so they cannot certify the source of this wood. Mr Thongsavanh said that at present most wood processing plants can export only to the neighbouring countries of Vietnam, Thailand and China, which do not require products to be made of wood that is sourced from sustainably managed forests. He said businesses must address this issue before they sell their products on the international market and must also modernise their manufacturing processes so that they use wood efficiently with as little waste as possible. The government has begun certifying wood processing plants that have improved their processing methods to meet national standards. Processing plants that fail to meet industry standards are being forced to close. Policy makers say one of the main reasons Laos wanted to join the WTO was because the government wants to attract more foreign investment in industries for which the country has a ready supply of raw materials. By building up these sectors, more manufactured goods can be exported to world markets. Wooden items on display at a trade fair in Xayaboury province. Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and other officials tour the trade fair in Khammuan province. Khammuan trade fair aims to drive commercial growth Times Reporters The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in conjunction with Khammuan provincial authorities, held a trade fair in Thakhek district recently aiming to promote locally produced agricultural products. The trade fair was held on the sidelines of a two-day national meeting on agriculture and forestry which ended yesterday. Opened by Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, the trade fair brought together 54 exhibitors from 10 districts in Khammuan province, as well as from Vientiane, the provinces of Champassak and Savannakhet, and Thailand. An agriculture official from Khammuan province, Mr Khammone Phomphiphak, told Vientiane Times yesterday that the best agriculture and forestry products from the 10 districts of the province were exhibited and sold at the event. Among the main products on display were rice, furniture and handicrafts, along with other items made by provincial agricultural production groups. There were also demonstrations on growing industrial trees and other crops, creating interest among people from other provinces who were keen to plant these species. Mr Khammone said the trade fair not only provides an opportunity for farmers and the business sector to meet but is also a platform for people from different provinces to share their experiences with regard to what farming techniques produce higher yields. Over 2,000 people visited the fair each day with millions of kip changing hands among the farmers, production groups and traders in attendance. Khammuan province will hold a similar event from February 18 to 25 during the Sikhottabong Stupa Festival which takes place annually in Thakhek district. Officials said the fair will encourage local people to boost their productivity for market purposes and enable Laos to benefit from regional connectivity. Khammuan now offers the shortest route for exporters trucking goods to the central seaports of Vietnam from the six northern provinces of Thailand since the third Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River opened in 2011. It is only 146km from the Laos-Vietnam border to Vietnam’s sea ports. The Vietnamese government charges the same sea port fees for goods transported via Laos as it does for goods shipped from within Vietnam. Khammuan has strong potential in agriculture, mining and tourism. The province is currently building up infrastructure to capitalise on this potential and attract more investment. The rate of economic growth in the province has climbed to 12.7 percent and annual per capita income stands at US$1,366. Khammuan is targeting per capita income of US$1,800 to US$2,000 by 2015. Given the significance of the strategic route, Khammuan provincial authorities have organised a number of trade fairs in recent years to spur local people to do more business. They need to make every effort to encourage agricultural production and other forms of business, officials stress, otherwise the province will be a just a transit route without gaining any benefit from regional integration. Exchange rates as of February 13, 2013 Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Foreign Currencies Buying Selling US Dollar 50-100 7,895 7,934 Thai Baht 264.02 265.35 Euro 50-500 10,610 10,662 22 B2 Thursday February 14, 2013 Vientiane Times French bank CEO visits Laos Times Reporters Yesterday’s market little changed but signs are readying for a rally. The CEO of BRED Banque Populaire, one of largest French commercial banks, is in Vientiane this week to explore the opportunities for business expansion in Laos. Mr Olivier Klein arrived in Vientiane on Tuesday to meet government officials and potential business partners to discuss further growth of the bank’s operations in Laos. Mr Klein was appointed CEO of the bank in September 2012. This is his first visit to Asia as a representative of the top management. BRED developed its activities in Laos in 2010 through the creation of the Banque Franco-Lao Ltd (BFL), a joint-venture with the Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL). The bank’s services target the Lao public, SMEs, and companies and Lao communities in France. BFL has now 113 employees and 13 branches in Vientiane, Pakxe, Luang Prabang and Savannakhet. In 2013 it plans to extend its network to 25 branches in Vientiane and the provinces. With growing confidence in the Lao economy and BCEL perspectives, BRED deepened its partnership in 2011 through a 10 percent stake in BCEL, which enables in-depth cooperation between the two institutions in training and IT development. “The BRED Group is today very satisfied with the quality of the partnership and the links built with BCEL and the Lao authorities,” the group said as quoted in a press release. BRED, the first regional bank within BPCE, France’s second-largest banking group, is a cooperative bank that was founded 94 years ago with the aim of financing the local economy. It does not have shareholders, but is owned by its clients as member shareholders. “BRED is less dependent on financial markets than its competitors. It is a diversified group with subsidiaries all around the world, which provides a better resilience in times of global financial crisis,” the press release said. ECB’s Draghi: Spain is ‘on the right track’ MADRID (AP) -- Spain has succeeded in stabilising a banking system that almost collapsed last year and is wellpositioned for better economic times going forward, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Tuesday. Draghi delivered the upbeat assessment to Spanish politicians behind closed doors in Parliament, later telling reporters that “Spain is on the right track.” The country has had to make a host of painful austerity measures and received a bailout package for its banks funded by the eurozone. In exchange for the loans, Spain has been merging, shutting, or nationalising its weaker banks and requiring them to hold larger capital buffers. “Today Spanish banks are properly capitalized by and large, so in a position to give credit,” Draghi said. The ECB itself has been instrumental in taming Spain’s financial crisis. In August it announced a program to buy the government bonds of countries in need to bring down their borrowing rates. The move scared investors away from betting on Spain’s financial collapse — since the summer, Spain’s borrowing rates have dropped sharply and the stock markets rallied. The economy remains in recession, however, and a recovery is expected to be slow at best. Though many Spanish individuals and businesses say they are still unable to get loans except to buy property that the banks want to unload from their President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi, left, speaks to Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, right, during a meeting at the Moncloa Palace, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday. balance sheets, Draghi said “borrowers who have no debt or little debt are actually able to get credit.” He suggested that borrowers who have existing debt may see their ability to get credit improve toward the end of this year as the 17-nation zone that uses the common euro currency experiences a slow and modest economic recovery. “We will see credit flows picking up at that time as well,” Draghi said. Draghi praised Spain for passing labour laws making it cheaper for companies to hire and fire workers while acknowledging that the nation is going through deep economic pain with 26 percent unemployment and a much higher rate for adults under age 25. Spain also hiked taxes and made deep cuts to cherished education and national health care. He didn’t comment about Spain specifically when asked if the country needs more reforms but said that all eurozone countries must still outline detailed plans on how they intend to cut government spending and increase revenue. “This is a complex path and none of the countries in the euro area has finished on these issues,” Draghi said. D r a g h i ’s a p p e a r a n c e in Parliament became a hot topic in the media after Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s ruling Popular Party refused to allow the session to be televised and used special equipment to ban cellphone signals, denying liberal lawmakers a chance to tweet the proceedings as they had pledged. Some used their cellphones to tape it so it could be put online later. Addressing the increasing value of the euro compared to other currencies, Draghi said it is “inappropriate” and “fruitless” for politicians to push the ECB to influence the euro’s exchange rate. Vientiane Times Thursday February 14, 2013 Asia stocks up on strong US corporate earnings In brief Thai PM denies getting cold feet on Expo 2020 bid Asia News Network, Thailand (The Nation) -Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra denied on Tuesday that her government had shelved Thailand’s bid to host the World Expo 2020, saying more time was needed to analyse carefully the likely return on investment. “Thailand will not give up its plan and open the way for Dubai,” she said. Dubai is another candidate in the competition. Yahoo CEO plans to prune company’s mobile apps SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer thinks the Internet company will be able to please more people with fewer smartphone applications. Mayer says she hopes to winnow Yahoo’s portfolio of mobile applications from the current 60 to 75 programmes to about a dozen. Her remarks came during a Tuesday appearance before investors in San Francisco. It marked the first time that Mayer has spoken at an investment conference since she defected from Google Inc. to become Yahoo Inc.’s CEO seven months ago. OPEC report shows optimism about world oil market outlook VIENNA (Xinhua) -- The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Tuesday revised upward the demand for crude oil in 2013, showing confidence about the future oil market. In its monthly report released on Tuesday, OPEC oil demand in 2013 was forecast at an average of 29.8 million barrels per day (mb/d), an upward adjustment of 0.1 mb/d from the previous forecast. This increase is based on an expected world economic recovery and improving confidence in the global outlook, the Vienna-based secretariat said. CNOOC-Nexen deal approved by US regulators BEIJING (Xinhua) -- US regulators have approved China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC’s) US$15.1billion bid to buy Nexen Inc., a deal that will be the biggest overseas takeover made by a Chinese company. The approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) means the last major hurdle was cleared, CNOOC, China’s largest offshore oil producer, said in a statement issued on Tuesday. B23 3 The Vietnamese government was urged to implement policies limiting imports and accelerating consumption of domestic building materials. Vietnamese building material industry needs support to overcome economic difficulties Asia News Network, VNS HANOI -- The Vietnamese government was urged to implement policies limiting imports and accelerating consumption of domestic building materials. It is a measure recommended by the Vietnam Association for Building Materials to reduce inventories and support struggling enterprises. State-invested projects and those under engineering – procurement – construction practices should be required to use domestic building materials while infrastructure projects (including roads and grounds of industrial zones) using cement should be hastened nationwide, the association said. “This would help stimulate demand for cement while reducing imports of asphalt,” the association’s president Tran Van Huynh told Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam (Vietnam Economic Times). According to Ministry of Construction statistics, by the end of 2012, basic building material inventories were valued at VND6.753 trillion (US$321.57 million). According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s report, the high inventories were attributed to the impact of cuts to public investment, a weaker export market and tough competition from imports. Many factories have had to halt operations due to high inventories. In regard to cement production alone, a number of factories incurred losses such as Dong Bnh, Thi Nguyn and Cam Pha plants. Due to the economic crisis, domestic cement demand was estimated to fall by 14-15 million tonnes during the 201113 period to reach just 60-62 million tonnes by 2015, a long way off the planned figure of 75–76 million tonnes. If consumption plans are not adjusted, by 2015 the total capacity of cement plants will reach more than 94 million tonnes, far outstripping demand. A c c o r d i n g t o L Va n Toi, director of the Building Material Department under the construction ministry, the ministry will continue to review master planning for the building material industry towards 2020 with a focus on developing clean technology and new materials. Regarding cement industry development, he said adjustments would aim to ensure the balance of supply and demand in the short and longer term. Management of building material imports will also be tightened to prevent unhealthy competition from damaging domestic production, he added. Minister Trinh Dinh Dung urged enterprises to play an active role in the restructuring process, by renovating technology, enhancing management capacities and overall efficiency to weather the difficult period. BANGKOK (AP) -- Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday after strong US corporate earnings sent the Dow close to its record high. Japanese shares faltered, however, as the yen rebounded against the dollar. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index tumbled as the yen strengthened against the dollar following a pledge by finance ministers from the world’s major advanced economies to refrain from intentionally weakening their currencies. The Nikkei 225 was down 1.1 percent to 11,239.56. Australian stocks hit their highest intraday level in nearly three years before ceding some gains. The S&P/ASX 200 was up 1 percent to 5,006.20 after the release of strong earnings from Commonwealth Bank of Australia and construction company Leighton Holdings. S o u t h K o r e a ’s K o s p i advanced 1.4 percent to 1,973.48. Benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines also rose. Markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam were closed for Lunar New Year holidays. Finance ministers from the Group of Seven nations said in a statement following a meeting in Brussels that they remained committed to exchange rates driven by the market, not government or central bank policies. Traders interpreted the statement as a message directed at Japan, where the yen has plummeted against the dollar since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office and pushed the central bank for ultra-loose monetary policy. Central bank governor Masaaki Shirakawa, who has appeared at odds with Abe’s views on monetary policy, is resigning next month, giving the government an opportunity to find a successor more sympathetic to its aims. Glenn Levine, senior economist at Moody’s Analytics, said Japan’s steps to boost its economy, including asset purchases by the Bank of Japan and raising the inflation target to 2 percent, offer promise but come with the risk of sparking a currency war. He noted that the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England have taken even more aggressive steps but have been “less vocal, and have thus avoided setting off currency alarms.” “Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe merely vocalized what everyone already knew, that a cheaper currency is beneficial to growth,” Levine said. The Bank of Japan begins a two-day policy meeting Wednesday but analysts said no new initiatives were expected in light of the impending leadership change. Among individual stocks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia rose 2.4 percent after reporting a record firsthalf profit of 3.66 billion An investor looks at the stock price monitor at a private securities company Wednesday in Shanghai, China. Australian dollars (US$3.76 billion) profit. The Dow Jones industrial average rose to its highest close of the year after positive results from two big US consumer brands, beauty products maker Avon and luxury clothing and accessories company Michael Kors. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity in the US. The Dow rose 0.3 percent to 14,018.70, within 1 percent of its record of 14,164 it set in October 2007. The S&P 500 gained 0.2 percent to 1,519.43. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.2 percent to 3,186.49. Benchmark oil for March delivery was up 8 cents to US$97.59 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 48 cents to finish at US$97.51 on the Nymex on Tuesday. In currencies, the euro rose to US$1.3449 from US$1.3444 late Tuesday in New York. The dollar fell to 92.92 yen from 93.52 yen. 24 B4 Thursday February 14, 2013 Vientiane Times Vientiane Times Vientiane Times Classified 25 Thursday February 14, 2013 EXPAT SERVICES introduction - housing - insurance one-stop service 020 77 100 200 www.jclao.com Oudalee finds a suitable house for you to live in Vientiane. Traditional Lao house, house with swimming pool, house on the river. House with swimming pool available now. Price range from Kip 3 000 000 and up. Call Oudalee for free advice and pick up at your convenient. 10 years experience guarantee. Tel: 020 55 51 25 02 and 020 55 65 91 46 Email: [email protected] www.oudaleehomes.com Lao land company is one of the leading real estate service agency based in Vientiane. We are specialized in property service sector, and proud to say your needs is our answer. For further inquiry, please feel free to contact us at 020 5551 0155, 23666333, or 021 453 919. 030 981 9052, 020 23220022 English*French*Japanese * Chinese Email:[email protected] www.laoland.com Bouakham HOUSE RENTAL Would you like to rent or buy property? We can show you Land, Houses or Apartments in any location. Call us! P.O. Box 1940,Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel: 020 5571 1396, 77959199 Rent now! RentsBuy Co., Ltd is a leading professional real estate company offering;house, land, apartment, office, warehouse, business for rent /for sale and property valuation throughout Lao PDR. Office Tel: 021 419053-4, Fax: 021 419054, Office mobile:020 23333347, 77600059 www.RentsBuy.com email: [email protected] 3 ຫ້ອງນອນ, ບ. ໂພນສະຫວັນ - ໃກ້ກບ ັ ໂຮງຮຽນ VIS - ທາງຮ່ອມ ຄອນກີດ ໋ - ສາມາດເຮັດຫ້ອງການໄດ້ ແລະ ມີເດີນບ້ານ (Rent now, not expensive) 3 beds room, Ban Phonsavanh, Vientiane Province Near VIS school, Concrete road. Can be an office Per month 22.400.000 kip Email: VPS AB Apartment Services: 2Bedrooms, 1Bedroom & Studio room Features: Fully furnished apartment in Vientiane with garden, A spacious parking, Air cond, Cable TV, house keeping, 24 hours security surveillance, washing machine and wireless connectivity. Nearby: International community, diplomatic area & minute drive from Patuxay Monument. Ban Sibounheuang, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Capital Lao PDR Mobile: +856-20-55512828, +856-20-55008623 Phone: +856-21-263253, Fax: +856-21-222565 E-mail: [email protected] www.abapartment.com [email protected] www.bouakham-property.com Car rental service • We have many types of cars for rent new model and old, sedan & 4 wheel such as: MG.TOYOTA. NISSAN. KIA. HYUNDAI, SMALL AND MIDDLE SEDAN FOR CITY • • • • • • • • • • AGL assurances Allianz Group Short term 1-7days & long 1-12 months Self drive or with driver Provide vehicle for Project & Private Affordable price and best service Office B. Thonkang, R. sokpalaung 15/279 1,700,000 kip anytime to 42,500,000 kip/month For English call Mr. Chanh Tel: 020 55599900. 55593013, office: 030 9800630 Email: [email protected] www.vpscarrental.com Lao Perfect Property We provide services for exploring land for business development and property valuation throughout Lao 262 Donpamai, SokpaluangThaphalanxayRoad. Company Ltd capital 5,6 billion kip (700 000$) www.blue-lagoon-resort-laos.com Tel: (85620) 54802200, 54894272, 96854145 Tel: 020 23774746, 020 54284757 Email: [email protected] C2 26 Classifieds Thursday February 14, 2013 Vientiane Times Email: [email protected], Fax: 021 217441 Tel: 021 260419/020 55878688/020 55509957 Watthana Montessori Pre-School Full-Time Position Available: Pre-School Teacher • Position available for a male or female Lao national. • Must love working with pre-school aged children (1.5 to 6 years old) • Must hold teaching qualifications or have experience working in a school. • Willing to adapt to the Montessori Method of teaching – children learn by doing. • Should be a team player, motivated and dedicated. • Must be proficient in spoken and written English. (All classes taught in English.) • Immediate start date Interested applicants please contact: Phone: 021 415 800 Email: [email protected] www.facebook.com/watthana.montessori Ban Phonepanao, Saysettha District HOTEL LAO *Value *Comfort *Service In the heart of Vientiane Ideal for business or tourist 43/7 Hengboun Road,Vientiane Tel: (856 21) 219280-1, Fax: (856 21) 219282 Email: [email protected] SERVICED APARTMENTS Spacious & tastefully decorated Fully furnished 1 & 2 bedroom Air-conditioning, Cable TV, Swimming pool, Garden, Housekeeping, Laundry MP: 020 55505840, 020 55023782 Email: [email protected] Near That Luang Stupa Short & Long Term From 4,000,ooo kip per month Air-conditioned, cable TV, housekeeping, laundry, electricity and water Call: 020 55505840, 55023782 Land for Sale Dong Makai Village 26,000 m2 Asking 78,000kip per m2 Bounyong Souvannamethy 020 55008833 Thursday February 14, 2013 Classifieds Vientiane Times C27 3 Lao Red Cross Youth Competition! Win a term of free English lessons by playing the Lao Red Cross Youth Competition. From all correct entries, one winner will be drawn month. This month’s winner will receive a notebook and a T-shirt promoting HIV/AIDS awareness. From all monthly winners, one lucky winner will receive one full term of English lessons donated for free by Vientiane College. This month we have another word game for you. Just unscramble the following 5 words and place them in the boxes provide. For the right answers we will give you in the next month . C H R A B C O I E L I N D S E D A ARCHABELTI T ATEREDSINOC E S T P A T A GLIBEELI I N G ATUNDNIGRSDEN YMPASHTY Cut out this entry form and send it to HIV/AIDS Project, Lao Red Cross, PO Box 2948 or take it to the Lao Red Cross office behind Vat Xiengnhune. Closing date for the competition on Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 9.00am. Name: _____________ ID Card No: __________Address & Phone Number: ____________ Last month’s winner: Phongsavang BOUNSAVATH, ID Card No: 04-0004598. Last month’s answer: Archeologist, Conscience, Destiny, Heritage and Inspector. Please contact to Ms. Phoutthalom for further more information at Tel: 241632. C4 28 Classifieds Thursday February 14, 2013 Vientiane Times
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