(From left) Dr Phanduangchit Vongsa, Dr Bounpone Bouttanavong, Mr Sisavath Keobounphanh and Mr Tong Yerthor attend the opening of the plenary session yesterday.

National solidarity is the main factor contributing to political stability, social order and stable economic growth in Laos.

This was the overriding message in a report disseminated yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Ordinary Plenary Session of the 9th Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Committee.

The report summarises all factors and situations that impact the Front’s strategic missions, as well as national socio-economic development. It also highlights the Front’s leading role over the past year in educating people of all ethnic groups, social classes, religions, sexes, and ages on the need for solidarity.

One of the LFNC’s outstanding achievements over the past year was the mobilisation of people from all sectors of Lao society, including people of Lao descent living abroad, to participate in national development and poverty reduction.

The LFNC has acknowledged its deficiencies in the eyes of the public, whose complaints have centred on ongoing problems such as dubious land concessions which affect their trust in the government and authorities.

To address such issues, the LFNC plans to focus on working closer with grassroots authorities and people.

Regarding the implementation of the Resolution of the 9th Party Congress, the Front will aim to change common misperceptions about its role in the political system.

The session is taking place at the Ministry of National Defence’s Meeting Hall, attended by LFNC President Dr Phanduangchit Vongsa, LFNC Vice President Mr Tong Yerthor, LFNC Committee members, and invited guests.

Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Office Head and Politburo member Dr Bounpone Bouttanavong, former Politburo member and LFNC President Mr Sisavath Keobounphanh attended the opening ceremony.

In his message at the meeting, Dr Bounpone praised the important role played by the LFNC, particularly in these times of global instability.

He reminded those present of the LNFC’s responsibility to help maintain political stability and protect the environment, as well as Lao culture and customs.

Dr Bounpone called on the LNFC to continue to disseminate Party directions and government policies and regulations, as well as the decision of the Party Central Committee to build provinces as strategic units, districts as budgeting units and villages as development units.

He also urged the LNFC to spread the message of the Party Secretary General on political grassroots building and rural development to people of all social classes throughout the country.

During the plenary session, which runs from February 22 to 24, participants will discuss the agenda of the 2nd Congress of Ethnic Group Representatives to be held next year, as well as formulate ways to boost political grassroots building and rural development.

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Chicken farming is one way that rural people can earn a living.

Everyone living in poverty wants to improve their living conditions. One family in Oudomsin village of Sing district, Luang Namtha province, has risen out of poverty by growing crops and keeping livestgock.

Mr Kuaysing’s family shows villagers in Oudomsin village that it is possible to improve living conditions and escape poverty.

Five years ago, Mr Kuaysing’s family lived in poverty. Without land for farming or animal rearing, their income was barely enough to live, but his family kept working to improve their living standards.

Mr Kuaysing said that thanks to assistance from district officials he now has a pond for breeding fish, which earns him 5 million kip per year, four chicken farms that bring in 1.3 billion kip per year, and a rubber tree plantation, which brings in another 60 million kip per year.

This year, he will start two more chicken farms, which will earn about 2.7 billion kip per year. He also expects to earn 80 million kip more from his rubber trees and 10 million more kip from selling fish.

His family’s average annual income is now about 558 m illion kip per person, which allows them to have a much better life.

Families like Mr Kuaysing’s are helping the district move closer to declaring basic poverty alleviation by 2015, said district Deputy Governor Mr Khamphay Sorchantha this week.

District officials have divided the community into three zones, encouraging different forms of economic activity in each zone.

Mr Khamphay said that on hillsides they have been encouraging villagers to rear cattle and plant rubber trees. On lower land they encourage growing rice and raising poultry and cattle, and on flatland they are promoting restaurant and guesthouse services, along with rice farming.

Mr Khamphay explained that the living conditions of villagers in his community continue to change for the better. Now they have permanent houses and vehicles to transport their crops for sale.

He also said the district is planning to build irrigation systems to expand agricultural potential.

Currently the community can plant only during the rainy season. Irrigation would open up an area of 4,900 hectares for rice cultivation during the dry season, he said.

Of the district’s 90 villages, 89 have roads that are accessible all year round, so now it is easy for people to transport their crops for sale in the rainy season.

“We will continue to encourage larger-scale agricultural production because this is the best way to improve living conditions,” said Mr Khamphay. The province hopes to achieve basic poverty alleviation by 2015.

Sing district is home to 13,000 families, of which 1,400 currently live in poverty.

Average annual per capita income in the district is now more than 11.9 million kip and could exceed 14 million kip by 2015.

Luang Namtha province comprises five districts containing 354 villages. It is home to 28,908 families, of which 9,156 live in poverty, according to the latest report from the National Committee for Rural Development and Poverty Eradication.

The Lao government defines poverty as not having enough food, lacking adequate clothing, not having permanent housing and lacking access to health, education and transportation services.

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February 9, 2012

Electricite du Laos (EDL)

Electricite du Laos (EDL) and Sinohydro Corporation Ltd of China yesterday signed a contract and memorandum of understanding (MOU) on four hydropower development projects in two northern provinces.

Among the documents signed were an engineering procurement and construction contract for the Nam Khan 3 hydropower project in Luang Prabang province, and a tariff MOU for the Nam Ou 2, 5 and 6 hydropower projects in Phongsaly and Luang Prabang provinces.

The signing was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, Chinese Ambassador to Laos Ms Bu Jianguo, energy developers, and officials from various ministries.

The Nam Khan 3 dam, located in Xiengngeun district, will have an installed capacity of 60MW and will be able to generate 241 million kWH of electricity per year, according to a press release provided at the signing ceremony. The dam will take about 3.5 years to build, with developers expecting it to be fully operational in 2016, the press release noted.

Sinohydro Corporation Ltd

“The Lao government will invest about 1 trillion kip (US$127 million) in the project through a low interest loan from the Exim Bank of China,” EDL representative Mr Komonchanh Phet-asa said, adding that the project will provide farmers in Luang Prabang with more access to water for irrigation.

Nam Ou projects 2, 5 and 6 will have a combined installed capacity of 540MW and will be able to generate 2,092 million kWH of energy per year.

“The energy generated from the three power plants will be sold to EDL starting in 2018,” Mr Komonchanh said, explaining that negotiations regarding a power purchase agreement will take place in the future. He said the electricity generated will mainly supply the northern provinces and the high speed Laos-China railway project, while the rest will supply the central and southern provinces.

“The three projects are expected to require investment of about 8 trillion kip (US$1,000 million) and EDL will hold 15 percent of shares,” Mr Komonchanh said.

Investment in hydropower projects in the northern provinces is growing rapidly, which is helping the government to meet its plan to supply mains power to over 90 percent of families in the area by 2020.

Construction of three new projects officially began in December, namely the Nam Long project in Luang Namtha province, the Nam Ngiep 2 project in Xieng Khuang province and the Nam Khan 2 project in Luang Prabang province, with many more set to be built soon. “Only 65 percent of families in the northern provinces currently have access to electricity,” Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines Mr Khammany Inthirath said recently.

“About 802,400 families living in 5,934 villages in 139 districts nationwide have access to electricity, which represents 76.9 percent of the total households in the country.”

“By 2015 we want to increase the number of households with access to electricity to about 85 percent. We hope we can increase this number to more than 90 percent by 2020.”

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Banana plantations are one way villagers in remote areas can improve their living conditions.

Agricultural production is an important factor in improving the living conditions of Mr Sy Bounheuang’s family in Longkhou village, Viengxay district, Huaphan province, enabling them to rise above poverty.

People in remote areas have depended on farming and animal husbandry activities to earn a living for many centuries, which makes it a logical decision to encourage increased agricultural production as a means to improve villagers’ living standards.

Mr Sy’s family of seven have earned a living through farming for many years, having initially planted bananas on three hectares to bring in more than 15 million kip per year.

However, Mr Sy said the income derived from bananas alone was insufficient, so he decided to plant sweetcorn on a further three hectares to earn another 15 million kip per year, tea on one hectare to earn 15 million kip per year, and rice on one hectare to bring in 15 million kip per year.

He said they also planted various other crops and breed fish, so that each member of the family now earns around 54 million kip per year.

Mr Sy’s family is a prime example of how rural people can lift themselves out of poverty through hard work.

“I plan to plant up to 10 hectares of sweetcorn and various crops, and to rear poultry, so that our total income tops 440 million kip per year,” he explained.

While all families in Viengxay district are trying to improve their living standards, Mr Sy’s family is a wonderful example of how to produce a variety of crops for sale, district Deputy Governor Mr Khamhom Mixay said this week.

The living conditions of villagers in the community continue to change for the better year by year, but district officials are still unsure whether they will be able to reach basic poverty alleviation by 2015.

Mr Khamhom said the district still has poor infrastructure, especially roads enabling access to remote villages.

The district has 103 villages, of which only 40 have roads that are accessible all year round, which makes it difficult for people to transport their crops for sale during the rainy season.

Some 80 percent of the district is mountainous, which means most villagers cannot plant rice, so officials are encouraging them to plant sweetcorn, beans and a variety of other vegetables instead.

“We are encouraging larger-scale agricultural production because it is an important factor in improving living conditions here,” Mr Khamhom said.

Viengxay district is home to 5,700 families, of which 1,836 currently live in poverty.

The district has received assistance from the government-administered Poverty Reduction Fund to improve local infrastructure.

The fund, which is financed by overseas development partners, first began operating in Viengxay district in 2004 and now offers district-wide assistance. The fund has been used to build roads and some primary and secondary schools.

Before receiving assistance from the fund, local families were mostly living below the poverty line, but now the situation has significantly improved. Many villages now have access roads, meaning locals can transport their crops to sell at nearby markets while traders can visit them to buy their produce directly.

The Poverty Reduction Fund was established in 2002 by a Prime Minister’s decree. Its aim is to support the goals of the national socio-economic development plan and the government’s policy to eradicate poverty.

Assistance from the government and international organisations is essential to improve the living conditions of all villagers and help communities rise out of poverty.

Average annual per capita income in the district is now more than 2.8 million kip and could exceed 3.5 million kip by 2015.

Huaphan provincial offi-cials are continuing to work to improve the living standards of families classified as poor by encouraging them to develop agricultural skills and learn about animal husbandry.

Infrastructure development is a priority for the province, especially road construction to link all the districts together to facilitate the mobility of local people, improving access to markets, employment and education.

Huaphan province is home to 45,573 families in total. At present 22,757 of those families are living in poverty, according to the latest report from the National Leading Committee for Rural Development and Poverty Eradication.

The Lao government defines poverty as not having enough food, lacking adequate clothing, not having permanent housing and lacking access to health, education and transportation services.

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Mr Cheuang Sombounkhanh speaks at the meeting.

The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party will strengthen the dissemination of information and educate the public nationwide about its ideology, directions, policies, and achievements.

The Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Training Board yesterday opened a meeting to outline the plan for propaganda and training for officials from ministries, provinces, and various government agencies.

“Our plan is to educate all Lao people about our policies and directions, including target groups and people at the grassroots level,” Head of the Propaganda and Training Board Mr Cheuang Sombounkhanh said when opening the meeting.

During the meeting which began yesterday and ends today, participants will review the lessons learned from past years, outline the plan and focus of propaganda and training to be undertaken between now and 2015, and discuss the most effective form of implementation.

The main focuses include the study and implementation of the Resolution adopted by the 9th Party Congress, lectures, political ideology training, cooperation and use of the media, improving the quality of the board’s magazines Khosana and Aloun Mai, properly understanding public opinion, and improving propaganda and training at all levels.

Regarding propaganda lectures, the board will improve documentation and document content to meet government aims and targets, and support the focuses of the Party and government.

The board will accelerate the establishment of mobile propaganda and training teams with the necessary equipment, especially at the district level, in order to penetrate grassroots communities. The board believes that this is one of the main areas where there have been deficiencies in the past, and the policies and intent of the government were not reaching the people.

The board will conduct short-term theoretical training courses for Party and government officials at all levels, including Party members at the district level, village heads and all those involved in village management.

Pertaining to the media, the board will actively use all media networks at the central and provincial levels to disseminate the Party’s guidelines and government policies nationwide. When there are events of national significance, the board will work with the media to ensure that government messages are heard by the people.

At a briefing which took place on the sidelines of the meeting, Propaganda and Training Board Deputy Head Mr Sisouk Philavong told media personnel the board realised the importance of the voice of society and to this end has established a new department to study public concerns and opinions, and respond to criticism.

The board will disseminate the guidance statements of Party Secretary General Choummaly Sayasone made at the 3rd Congress of Political Grassroots and Inclusive Rural Development, regarding the future direction of development, the nation and the people.

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A sign is erected at a ceremony to declare Khoutjap a development village.

As the government strives to develop every district in the country, Nongbok district in Khammuan province is making strides in the right direction after nine villages have been declared development villages.

After working hard to develop their community and improve living standards, officials in Khoutjap village were rewarded last week when the village was officially declared a development village.

The village was established in 1560 and is home to 140 families of 851 people, who depend on farming and animal husbandry for their livelihood. The community has 273 hectares of rice fields with the capacity to produce 2.5 tonnes per hectare, so villagers grow enough for their consumption and produce a surplus for sale, said Village Head Mr Vilayvanh Phanthakhot.

Farmers have also had success with the commercial cultivation of rice and several types of vegetable. Village officials are also encouraging locals to raise cattle and poultry.

A village development fund has been set up and is also playing a role in growth, and now has 200 members. This form of saving has become popular because it is a simple way of accumulating savings and borrowing money for investment purposes.

The fund now has more than 113 million kip. Last year, 77 members borrowed 100 million kip for investment in farming, animal husbandry and small businesses.

Average annual per capita income in the village is now 1.8 million kip to 120 million kip.

The creation of deve-lopment villages is the method of choice in Nongbok district in the effort to change villagers’ lifestyles for better and help the government to develop Laos and rise above least developed country status by 2020.

Officials hope that by 2013 they will be able to declare all 55 villages in the district as development villages.

District officials are also working to improve animal husbandry and farming, and are encouraging poor families to raise more cattle and pigs for sale in local markets and neighbouring provinces.

Officials are helping families who lack the skills and opportunities to develop themselves. Now villagers are competing with each other to improve their living standards and make farming and animal rearing more productive.

District Deputy Governor Mr Sinthasone Mahakhot said villagers are actively working to better their lives, so it is not difficult for them to move out of poverty.

According to a survey conducted by district officials, only 259 out of 8,451 households are still living below the poverty line, mostly in remote areas.

Now living standards are gradually improving with the creation of development villages. People know how to sell their farm produce so they can earn an income from their crops.

The battle against poverty in Nongbok district focuses on farming, in particular the cultivation of rice and a variety of vegetables, but more funding is needed to improve infrastructure, especially roads and irrigation. Officials are also encouraging farmers to raise cattle, pigs and poultry.

Khammuan provincial officials hope they will be able to reach poverty alleviation targets by 2015, and are now working to improve the living standards of 4,667 families still classified as poor in the province.

Officials are trying to develop all 588 villages in the province; so far 27 have been declared development villages.

The Lao government defines poverty as not having enough food, lacking adequate clothing, not having permanent housing and lacking access to health, education and transportation services.

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The Mekong River prison located in Vientiane, Laos.

Some 326 prisoners in Vientiane are the beneficiaries of a presidential pardon to mark last year’s 36th National Day, it was announced at the Ministry of Public Security’s Phonphanao Club yesterday.

Under the pardon, 258 prisoners in Vientiane had their sentences reduced, and another 68 were freed after serving time for criminal acts.

Nationwide, a total of 665 prisoners are to be pardoned, including 538 who will have their sentences cut, 119 who will be freed, and 8 to be released for medical treatment.

Speaking in Vientiane yesterday, Deputy Minister of Public Security Brigadier General Kongthong Vongvichit said the pardon demonstrates the right and just policies of the Party and state of Laos, especially in implementing the country’s constitution and law in a strict but fair manner.

He said the Party and state have a responsibility to promote the Lao people’s democratic regime and to maintain order in society, with the Party considered as leader, the government as supervisor and the people as owners.

“Under this approach, the national economy has continued to grow, and the livelihoods of Laos’ multi-ethnic people have gradually improved,” he said.

Brig Gen Kongthong said Laos has also boosted its reputation on the international stage due to the Party’s open foreign policy, which is attracting more and more foreign investment.

He said the Party and state have issued many regulations to protect the country and the public, but if people infringe these, they will be punished according to law.

He warned that Laos continues to face many obstacles, while enemies and destructive elements threaten to destabilise the new regime through such anti-social acts as drug dealing, robberies, bags snatchings, murders, violence and illegal trade.

These acts are carried out by people who have not properly absorbed or understood the innovative direction of the Party and state, and are therefore adverse to the Lao people’s democratic regime.

“Prison sentences are necessary to educate culprits so that they accept their guilt in breaking the law and posing a danger to society,” Brig Gen Kongthong said.

However, he said the Party and state have a responsibility to rehabilitate criminal offenders where possible.

“Sentencing is also part of the recovery process for culprits. Those who truly repent their crimes, while behaving well in prison, stand a chance of being pardoned,” he added.

Brig Gen Kongthong said those prisoners who are released after being pardoned should become good citizens and show their love for the democratic regime; contribute to their family’s development by working productively, abiding by the law, and avoiding luxury spending; and actively combat social problems, especially drug dealing and use, thievery, robbery, human trafficking, and other acts which could land them in prison yet again.

Pardoned prisoners should also contribute to national defence and security, and respect the state laws.

He was confident that all the pardoned prisoners would conduct themselves honorably, becoming good citizens of Laos and contributing to national development.

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Illegal logging in Laos is increasingly threatening the existence of the country’s wild elephant population. A new program aims to protect the forests and help local communities, animals and the climate.

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Laos is known as the “land of a million elephants”. But the numbers living in the wild have now fallen to about one thousand. As more forests are cut for timber, nature reserves are becoming ever more important for both elephants and the people of Laos. Now they are learning how to protect the forests while making a major contribution to protecting the climate.

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Comrade Choummaly Sayasone

(KPL) Comrade Choummaly Sayasone, Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of the Lao PDR visited on 18 January a northern province of Sayaboury.

Comrade Choummaly Sayasone and his entourage was warmly welcomed by Mr. Lien Thikeo, member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and governor of Sayaboury province, his senior officials and people of Sayaboury province.

Comrade Choummaly Sayasone and his entourage which was accompanied by Mr. Lien Thikeo then visited Sasathane district where they were briefed about the social-economic development made in the past few years by the district authorities from Mr. Vongkeo Luangsamphanh, Chief of Sasathane district. He also briefed Comrade Choummaly Sayasone on his district activities on political building and integrated rural development at the grass root level. The implementation of the Politburo decree no.03 on village development and village cluster building was also reported to the President’s delegation.

Sasathane district has just built two years ago and it is 11th districts of the Sayaboury province. The total area of the district is 954 square meter with 21 villages and 2174 families. The main job of the people here is a rice planting and animal raising while the crop planting is their subsidiary work.

On this occasion, Comrade Choummaly Sayasone also provided advice for building up Party membership and improving its organization. He urged the local cadres to provide firm guidance for Sayaboury. He also asked the provincial party committee to pay more attention on implementing the 9th Party Congress resolution.

The Lao leader also urged all party members of the province to concentrate all their work to address the poverty problem for the people by upgrading their knowledge on community development and leading people in trade production.

Comrade Choummaly Sayasone also presented consumer goods, educational materials and 50 million Kip to the authority of Sasathane district.

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