Lao morning news for March 18

Tourism holds the key to green growth
Protection of the country’s national parks and cultural traditions will be strengthened with the government’s commitment to the National Green Growth Strategy.
— Vientiane Times

WB Approves Support For Nutrition, Public Financial Management In Laos
The Lao PDR will benefit from US$72 million in new financing, under three projects approved on Mar 14 by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors, which focus on reducing malnutrition in children and improving public resource use and service delivery.
— KPL

DPM calls on health officials to wipe out measles-rubella
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr Somdy Duangdy, has called on health officials countrywide to continue their advocacy efforts to prevent an outbreak of measles-rubella.
— Vientiane Times

Lao gov’t outlines measures to increase Chinese visitors
THE LAO government has taken several steps to make it easier for Chinese nationals to visit Laos, such as reducing the visa fee from $14 to $10, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara (pictured, Vientiane Times) said recently.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Chinese Banana Plantations in Lao District Leave Locals With Little Land to Farm
Concessions of land made by the government of Laos to Chinese banana farms are leaving villagers in one northern district without enough land of their own to feed their families, sources in the communist Southeast Asian country say.
— Radio Free Asia

Tourism, hospitality improvements targeted through skills training
While many people are employed in the hospitality industry their customer service doesn’t often meet Asean standards so more training is needed to improve their skills.
— Vientiane Times

Lao Government Slaps Wrists of 7 Vientiane Officials for Public Project Fraud
Seven high-ranking current or formal officials in Laos’ Vientiane province have been warned and publicly identified for their involvement in several fraudulent development projects.
— Radio Free Asia

Savannakhet, UNICEF Strengthen Sub-national Planning, Coordination, Monitoring
With the aim of strengthening sub-national planning, coordination, monitoring and budgeting for better results for children, a workshop was organized on Friday in Savannakhet province by the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Savannakhet Provincial Department of Planning and Cooperation with support from UNICEF Lao PDR.
— KPL

Experts Question Need For Proposed Laos-Vietnam Rail Link
A railway connecting the Lao capital Vientiane with the port of Vung Ang on Vietnam’s coast may have trouble finding lenders to finance the project, plans for which were announced at the end of February by Lao and Vietnamese leaders, experts say.
— Radio Free Asia

Taming Waters In Xayaboury
Almost four years ago, UNDP had a project in Xayaboury province of northern Lao PDR to help farmers in their struggles to cope with climate change.
— KPL

Feature photo World Bank Photo Collection

This week’s Lao morning news feature photo acknowledges World Water Day, March 22.

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.