Lao Morning News For April 24

ADB Approves Second Financing to Help Lao PDR Achieve Universal Health Coverage
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has approved a $30 million policy-based grant to help the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) expand healthcare coverage and improve health services in the country.
— ADB

Govt approves minimum wage increase
The government has approved a minimum wage increase from the present 900,000 kip to 1.1 million kip a month, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
— Vientiane Times

Asian Development Bank and the Lao PDR: Fact Sheet
ADB has been supporting the Government of the Lao PDR since 1968, and remains one of the country’s largest multilateral financiers. ADB has provided $2.6 billion in loans, grants, and technical assistance to the Lao PDR.
— ADB

Lao-Thai medical cooperation boosts critical care, anaesthesiology
Lao doctors will need to develop their skills in the use of new medical equipment for critical care patients and in anaesthesiology to improve health services in the country.
— Vientiane Times

Vietnam Hands Over Simulation Training Centre To Laos
The Vietnamese Defence Ministry on Apr 20 handed over a simulation training centre to the Ministry of National Defence as a gift of the Vietnamese ministry’s Technical Application and Production Ltd. (TECAPRO).
— Lao News Agency

Nam Theun 1: Built in Laos – banked in Thailand
Sponsors of the Nam Theun 1 hydro project in Laos closed a tightly priced ECA-backed facility last month. The deal, which took three years from start to finish, has lessons for participants on how to achieve a pure Thai bank financing with a Laos-based project.
— TXF News (paywall)

Vietnam arrests Lao drug smuggler
Vietnam’s border guards have recently detained a 62-year-old Lao man for smuggling and transporting 40 kg of methamphetamine, 120,000 pills of lab-made drugs and two cakes of heroin totaling some 885,000 U.S. dollars.
— Xinhua Net

Vietnam, Laos beef up legislative ties
Vietnam persistently treasures and gives the top priority to consolidating and enhancing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, said Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Tong Thi Phong.
— Nhan Dan Online

Major upgrade slated for Sangthong-Paklai road
Construction of the 104.89 km road upgrade linking Vientiane’s rural Sangthong district to Paklai district in Xayaboury province is expected to start in October.
— Vientiane Times

Two Companies Subject To Pyramid Probe
Prime Minister’s Office issued the notice No 511, dated Apr 9, 2018 addressed to the Governor of Bank of the Lao PDR urging the governor to probe the fundraising activities of Financial.org Company and FO Training Organiser Company and take lawful actions if the two companies are found guilty of Ponzi fraud.
— Lao News Agency

Luang Prabang flying-high with central China
Laos and China plan to open additional flights between world heritage site Luang Prabang and Changsha, the capital of China’s Hunan province, toward the middle of the year.
— Vientiane Times

NA members push for compliant land allocation
Compliance with land policies and implementation measures, along with the rights of people living nearby conservation, protection and production forests and other protected areas have been set for National Assembly discussion regarding the National Master Plan on Land Allocation.
— Vientiane Times

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Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Lao morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Lao PDR news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Lao Morning News For April 24 added by Leakhena Khat on April 24, 2018
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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.