4500 kip monDAY februArY 15, 2016 ISSue 38The First National English Language Newspaper

Vientiane Times

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Times Reporters

The United Nations in Laos has launched the Global Human Development Report 2015 and the Least Developed Countries Report.

The two reports were launched in Vientiane on Friday in the presence of Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Dr Bounthavy Sisouphanthong, and UN Resident Coordinator and UN Resident Representative in Laos, Ms Kaarina Immonen.

The event was also attended by representatives from line ministries, national institutions, development partners, and civil society.

T h e 2 0 1 5 r e p o r t i s subtitled Work for Human Development. This report considers major changes in the world of work, affecting when, how, and where people work.

Technological progress, deepening globalisation, a g e i n g s o c i e t i e s a n d environmental challenges are transforming work, posing challenges to all societies with deep implications for human development, Ms Immonen

UN launches latest development reports

Dr Bounthavy Sisouphanthong and Ms Kaarina Immonen co-chair the meeting.

said in her opening remarks.The report argues that the

Asia-Pacific region may have been experiencing fast growth and rapid human development, but not necessarily fast job creation. It thus makes calls to tackle one of the worlds great development challenges -providing enough decent work and livelihoods for all.

T h i s h a s a l s o b e e n prioritised in the 8th Goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, she added.

As many of you know, ensuring decent livelihoods and jobs is one of the key priorities of Laos.

Ms Immonen said the UN will support this objective within the new Laos-UN

Pa r tne r sh ip F ramework 2017-2021. The 2015 Human Development Report provides valuable findings from the global perspective to help countries such as Laos adjust to the changing world of work in ways which will advance human development.

The second report launched

Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly addresses the meeting in

Vientiane on Friday.

Government seeks more funding for UXO clearance

Times Reporters

The government is seeking more funds to clear unexploded ordnance in Laos , wi th unexploded devices killing or maiming about 50 people a year.

Speaking at a National Regulatory Authority (NRA) meeting in Vientiane on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly said UXO is continuing to injure and kill people. Its an obstacle to economic and social development because land that could be used for agriculture, industry, tourism and the construction of infrastructure is contaminated by UXO.

UXO clearance requires more funds as the government is unable to finance this work, so we are seeking additional f u n d i n g f r o m f o r e i g n operators.

Director General of the NRA for UXO/Mine Action in the Lao PDR, Mr Phoukhieo Chanthasomboun, said that in the last five years Laos h a d m o b i l i s e d U S $ 1 7 5 million through international organisations. The government

also contributed US$6.5 million.

Five years ago , we expected to mobilise US$50 million a year but we received about US$30 million, which is not enough, he said.

This year we need US$35 million for all sectors of operation in UXO clearance. Meanwhile, the number of donors has decreased because some are now assisting other sectors. This year we will focus on

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Souksakhone Vaenkeo

California, United States: Economic cooperation and security issues are set to top the agenda at the US-Asean Summit taking place here on Monday and Tuesday at the Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage.

Lao President Choummaly Sayasone attended the first-ever standalone summit between the

Economy, security top US-Asean Summit talksUS and Asean the 10-member regional bloc, and US President Barack Obama will co-chair the summit.

The leaders discussion will focus on economic issues, specifically promoting regional prosperity through innovation and entrepreneurship, US Deputy National Security A d v i s o r f o r S t r a t e g i c Communications Ben Rhodes said in a transcribed press call

provided by the White House.Another focus will be on

security, specifically protecting peace, prosperity and security in the Asia Pacific. President Obama will hold a press conference on the issue shortly after the summit.

It is expected that business leaders will take part in the summit and participate in some of the economic discussions on the first day.

Asean is currently of enormous interest to the United States. The 10 Asean nations together represent the worlds seventh largest economy, while Asean also contributes significantly in dealing with security issues, Mr Rhodes said.

They are at the nexus of critical security issues, whether its maritime security, counterterrorism, or counter-

piracy. And their efforts are essential to combatting the threat of climate change, he was quoted as saying in the media release.

Mr Rhodes added that the US also saw Asean as central to its efforts to engage the Asia Pacific architecture and the US would be part of setting the agenda in the Asia Pacific in the decades to come.

This summit is meant to

send a signal going forward that the US values Asean, that we are going to be engaged in Southeast Asia, were going to be engaged in working with the nations of the Asia Pacific to set clear rules of the road on the various issues of common interest that we share with them, he said.

One of these issues is trade and investment. Collectively,

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clearing UXO for development projects in the provinces and focal development areas as required by the government, Mr Phoukhieo said.

According to an NRA report for 2011-2015, the authority has worked with international organisations to clear UXO on 29,701 hectares of land including 18,541 hectares of agricultural land and 11,160 hectares of development land.

Some 552,968 cluster

munitions have been destroyed in addition to 1,489 larger bombs, 259,421 sub-munitions, 837 mines, and 291,221 other items of UXO.

Most UXO-related accidents have occurred in Savannakhet, Saravan and Xieng Khuang provinces. Explosions typically occur during the transport, dismantling or burning of UXO, or while villagers are working in their fields.

The NRA reported that

since 2009 there had been 319 incidents involving u n e x p l o d e d o r d n a n c e , claiming 522 victims. Of these, 391 people were injured and 131 were killed while over 20,000 people survived unscathed. Fridays meeting was also attended by Minister to the Government Office and Chairman of the Board of the NRA, Mr Bounheuang Douangphachanh, and other officials.

Government seeks more... FROM PAGE 1

Asean represents Americas fourth largest trading partner. US exports to Asean support hundreds of thousands of jobs while the US is the largest source of foreign direct investment in Asean, which is a growing market.

A number of cr i t ical security issues are also on the agenda. One of these is maritime security, including the situation in the South China Sea an issue that the Lao government has recommended be addressed peacefully through diplomatic dialogue.

There will also be talks on counterterrorism. The recent attack in Jakarta highlights the efforts that ISIL and other extremist groups have made to try to establish a foothold in the region, Mr Rhodes said.

In the environmental field, the successful agreement in Paris depended in part on the United States ability to work closely with Asean countries as these nations pursue their own individual climate targets and more environmentally sustainable m o d e l s o f e c o n o m i c development.

President Obama will also be raising the need for good governance, the rule of law, and accountable institutions.

Asean engagement is central to President Obamas broader strategy of rebalancing the Asia Pacific region, which he has pursued since he took office, Mr Rhodes said.

Senior diplomats and analysts believe the US strategy on the Asia Pacific region will not alter regardless of future

changes in the White House Administration.

Since our strategy in the region [Asia Pacific] has from the start been rooted in Amer i ca s own bes t interests, we have won strong bipartisan support that gives me confidence that the strategic priority on the Asia-Pacific the Rebalance will continue in the next administration, regardless of who occupies the White House, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel R. Russel said.

He made the remark at a recent event held at the Asia Society in New York, according to the US Department of State.

Souksakhone Vaenkeo is in California to report on the US-Asean Summit, sponsored by the US Department of State.

Economy, security top... FROM PAGE 1

Times Reporters

Construction of the new Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism building on the 450 Year Road in Vientiane will be completed on schedule within the next six months.

Managing Director of the Dao-Heuang Group, Mr Sisouphon Sihalath, told Vientiane Times on Friday that the five-storey structure is now 70 percent complete and workers are currently building the roof.

Next on the work plan is the installation of electricity.

Ministry to have new building in AugustThe building was originally

scheduled for completion by National Day on December 2 but Mr Sisouphon said construction was delayed due to technical problems.

Work on the building began when senior ministry officials and the owners of the Dao-Heuang Group held a groundbreaking ceremony in April 2013.

The ministry will move to their new premises when the building is ready, leaving behind their current offices on Setthathirath Road. This facility is believed to be almost 100 years old.

W h e n t h e m i n i s t r y relocates, the old building will be handed over to the Ministry of Education and Sports.

Dao-Heuang is building the new office block on a two-hectare site at an estimated cost of 100 billion kip about two kilometres from the Dongdok traffic lights on Kaysone Phomvihane Avenue.

Construction of the new building comes following a previous deal with the Dao-Heuang Group, when it was agreed the company would renovate the former Lao National Tourism Administration building on Lane Xang Avenue.

Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth

Mahosot Hospital has presented the results of the so-called neutrino-medicine method doctors have been using to treat women with breast cancer this year, hoping to reduce the high mortality rate from this disease.

This method has been used by experts from the Lao Breast Cancer Association since the end of 2015.

In January and February this year, some 420 women in Laos presented with abnormalities in the breast, indicating probable breast cancer. Of this number, 38 survived after being treated using the new method.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Lao Breast

Mahosot claims success with new breast cancer treatment

Dr Saifone Phounsavan explains breast cancer treatment at Mahosot Hospital.

Cancer Association on Friday, a key researcher in the new treatment and president of the association Dr Saifone Phounsavan told doctors and nurses at Mahosot that the new method included the examination, treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Tests of the new method to date had shown that women with breast cancer survived the disease, which is usually fatal.

The disease can be so aggressive that if women dont receive treatment promptly they can die within one week or one month, Dr Saifone said.

He said the new method would play an important role in helping to improve the detection and treatment

of cancer. The main benefit is the improved detection of tissue abnormalities, so that suspicious areas are more quickly identified.

Using older methods, out of 100 women who presented with symptoms of breast cancer, about 50 women would die because the disease spread very quickly. It took a long time to make a definitive diagnosis and frequently women with the disease died before it was even detected, Dr Saifone said.

He explained that research into the neutrino-medicine method began in 2000 when experts from the Lao Breast Cancer Association teamed up with specialists from medical schools in China and the United States. The success of this new method was confirmed by the results of research undertaken at these universities.

Dr Saifone said I studied the examination, treatment and prevention of this disease including examination and t reatment using the old method. Based on 16 years of experience in the field of breast cancer in the world and at Mahosot Hospital, he could confirm that the neutrino-medicine method lowered the risk of mortality.

From 2000 to 2016, breast cancer was detected in about 500 women in Laos, of whom 100 women are still living.

Worldwide, about 500,000 women die from breast cancer, with women in the 45-50 age group particularly at risk.

Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

This Lao New Year (Pi Mai Lao), the people of Vientiane can enjoy numerous activities the c i ty au thor i t ies a re organising on the Don Chan Beach near the Mekong River, with the annual festival slated for April 13-16.

T h e V i e n t i a n e Administration Office is planning a range of games and activities, making good use of the sandy expanse that is exposed when the Mekong recedes to its lowest level.

Among the popular Pi Mai Lao riverside traditions are the building of sand stupas as well as games such as beach football and beach volleyball.

The office announced its intention to organise the traditional activities at a press conference on Friday.

T h e Vi c e M a y o r o f Vient iane , Mr Sai thong Keoduangdy, said there would be a special water pouring ceremony for older people and visitors in the area of Vat Chan up to the beach alongside Khountha village in Sikhottabong district.

Mr Saithong also said that this year would be the 450th anniversary of the building of Vat That Luang, which would be reflected in the festivities.

Vientiane plans raft of activities for Lao New Year

He asked all organisations and hotels in Vientiane to promote the Lao New Year activities.

T h e V i e n t i a n e Administration Office is also taking applications from young women for possible participation in the Miss New Year parade.

The office and the Lao Volleyball Federation will invite beach volleyball teams from the provinces and from more than 30 countries to take part in the competition.

Mr Saithong said they would ask the Asian Volleyball Confederation to help organise the event.

Last year the Lao Volleyball Federation hosted the 28th South East Asian Beach Volleyball Championships in Vientiane, when teams from Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos competed.

In April, May and June the Vientiane Administration Office will hold events to promote the wearing of Lao silk by young people and in October will invite delegations from Asean countries to a fashion show.

The office will also organise the Boat Racing Festival this year and invite other Asean countries to attend the event.

Vice Mayor of Vientiane Mr Saithong Keoduangdy addresses a press conference at the Vientiane Administration Office on Friday.

3Vientiane Times Monday February 15, 2016 Home news

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Times Reporters

Leaders from Laos and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) have vowed to enhance the cooperative ties between the two countries, especially between the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and the Workers Party of Korea (WPK).

The pledge came during meetings held by the leaders in Vientiane during a visit to Laos by a high ranking delegation from the DPRK led by the Secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Yong Chol.

Mr Kim Yong Chol, who is also a special envoy of DPRK Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, led the delegation in visiting Laos from February 11 to 12 to congratulate the LPRP on the success of their 10th Congress last month.

The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to President Choummaly Sayasone at the Presidential Office on Friday.

Talking with the guests,

Mr Choummaly said he highly valued the visit by the delegation, which he said was a strong motivation for the LPRP, the Lao government and people, and was an important contribution to enhancing the tradition of friendly ties and cooperation between the two parties, governments, and peoples.

He praised the achievements made by the par ty and government of the DPRK in national development and protection under the leadership of the WPK led by former presidents Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and currently by the successor of the great revolutionary mission, Kim Jong Un.

President Choummaly briefed the delegation on the outcome of the 10th Congress of the LPRP.

He reminded his guests about his meeting with President Kim Jong Il and President Kim Jong Un during his visit to the DPRK in 2011, saying he

highly valued the visit, during which the two parties agreed on several issues, especially exchange visits by delegations from both sides.

The agreements formed the basis for the two countries cooperation in recent years and contributed to the enhancement of the tradition of friendship and cooperative ties founded by President Kim Il Sung and President Kaysone Phomvihane.

Mr Choummaly said Laos continued to support legitimate missions in the fight against external interference into the affairs of the DPRK, and supported the unification of the Koreas under the three principles posited by President Kim Il Sung, and expressed the hope that the Korean Peninsula would enjoy peace.

The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the newly elected Secretary General of the LPRP, Mr Bounnhang Vorachit, to pass on congratulations from leaders of the WPK to the new leaders of the LPRP.

President Choummaly Sayasone (right) talks with Mr Kim Yong Chol at the Presidential Office in Vientiane on Friday.

Laos, DPRK enhance bilateral ties

today, the Least Development Countries Report 2015, has traditionally been the only annual report in the United Nations system that exclusively address issues related to the 48 least developed countries.

I s s u e d b y t h e U N Conference of Trade and Development, the report provides a comprehensive and authoritative source of socio-economic analysis and data on the worlds most impoverished countries.

According to the report, the LDCs are the ground on which the 2030 Agenda will be won or lost. This is where shortfalls from the SDG targets are greatest, where improvement has been slowest, and where the barriers to further progress are highest.

Rural development will be central to the quantum leap in the rate of progress required for LDCs to achieve the SDGs.

More than two thirds of people in LDCs live in rural areas, where poverty is also most widespread and deepest, and infrastructure and social provision most lacking, Ms Immonen said.

The 2015 report, which is subtitled transforming rural economies, therefore h i g h l i g h t s t h e c r i t i c a l importance of the structural t r ans format ion of ru ra l economies in LDCs for the fulfillment of the SDGs globally.

It concludes that such t ransformation needs to encompass ag r i cu l t u r a l upgrading and diversification towards rura l non- fa rm

activities, and to maximise the synergies between the two, she added.

L a o s s e t i t s t a r g e t for graduation from Least Developed Country status as early as in 1996 an important commitment, which has been at the heart of key national pol ic ies and s t ra teg ies , including the 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan. The global LDC report therefore provides a useful insight, guiding the countrys smooth transition from LDC status.

The UN system stands ready to support Laos in cooperation with development partners, civil society and other partners, to achieve this joint effort of LDC graduation, Ms Immonen said.

UN launches latest... FROM PAGE 1

Somsack Pongkhao

All candidates wishing to stand for election as members of the National Assembly (NA) and Provincial/capital Assemblies (PAs) must be certified by an authorised organisation.

This is one of the main requirements for anyone aged 21 or above who wishes to be a candidate for membership in the National Assembly or a provincial assembly. Elections take place on March 20.

Member of the National Elect ion Committee and President of the NAs Law Committee, Prof. Dr Davone Vangvichit, told Vientiane Times on Friday that all candidates must identify which organisation they are representing, which can be a government body, a private organisation or a civil society group.

We are doing this because we want the organisation or institution the candidate represents to help us determine whether the candidate has sufficient knowledge, capacity and character to work and serve the interests of the nation and people, Prof. Dr Davone said.

President Choummaly Sayasone recently issued a

Election candidates to be screened decree which spells out the total number of candidates and member numbers required for the NA and provincial assemblies throughout the country.

A list of their names has yet to be declared with all details of the candidates expected to be ascertained within this week.

According to the decree, the National Assembly will have 149 members who will be elected from 211 candidates. M e a n w h i l e p r o v i n c i a l assemblies will comprise 360 members to be elected from 508 candidates.

When asked whether candidates could apply for membership in both the National Assembly and a provincial assembly, Prof. Dr Davone said candidates contesting membership in t he Na t iona l Assembly could also be members of provincial assemblies in their constituencies.

For instance, a candidate who lives in Xieng Khuang province can stand for election to the National Assembly. If he wins the election and becomes an NA member, he will automatically be a

member of the Xieng Khuang provincial assembly. But if a person stands for election to the Xieng Khuang provincial assembly, he or she may not be elected to the National Assembly.

Conversely, if a candidate who lives in the capital stands for election as an NA member, he or she may not be elected to the provincial assembly of Xieng Khuang or any other province.

According to the election law, one National Assembly and one provincial assembly member will be elected to represent every 50,000 people.

Lao citizens of all ethnic groups aged 18 years or above regardless of their gender, social status, profession or religion are eligible for election as NA and PA members.

At the moment, it is unclear how many people are eligible to vote for their representatives in the assemblies as the authorities are still working on the matter.

Lao ci t izens aged 21 or above with sufficient qualifications as indicated in the law are eligible to stand for election as NA and PA members.

Times Reporters

Community awareness of the importance of education in 10 districts of Champassak, Savannakhet, Saravan and X e k o n g p r o v i n c e s h a s increased following phase II of the Community Initiative for Education Development project from 2012-2015.

This was the central message of the Joint Coordination Committee Meeting on Terminal Evaluation of the project, held in Vientiane on Friday.

The aim of the meeting was to review the achievements of the project, disseminate the results of the final evaluation, and plan the actions to be taken at the end of the project.

The overall goal of the project, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is to help children in these provinces gain access to quality primary education by strengthening education administration at the central and local levels.

The project promotes the cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and evaluation from schools to ministry level with the aim of raising standards under the governments Education for

Education project helps rural children make the grade

Mr Lytou Bouapao (centre) chairs the meeting.

All initiative.The meeting was chaired

by Deputy Min i s te r o f Education and Sports Mr Lytou Bouapao, Director General of the ministrys Preschool and Primary Education Department Dr Mithong Souvanvixay, Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office Mr Yusuke Murakami, and invited guests.

The project evaluation revealed that rates of enrollment and childrens continuous attendance at school had improved, while fewer children were having to repeat classes or were dropping out. Teaching standards had also improved.

The project has also helped district education and sports offices to better assist schools in various ways and means.

The government has been striving to achieve targets set in the Education for All initiative by improving the equity, quality and effectiveness of primary education, according to a statement from JICA.

While the Net Enrolment Rate rose to 95.2 percent in 2011, a high repetition rate of 6.9 percent and a high dropout rate of 5.5 percent resulted in a low primary school completion rate of only 74.9 percent.

In addition, educational dispari ty between urban areas and remote villages still remains, Mr Lytou said.

Meeting participants heard a report that showed the project had contributed to significant improvements in access to quality education, with net enrolment, dropout and repetition rates all improving. Reports were presented by education officials from each target province.

The projects outstanding achievement has been success in the capacity development o f Vi l l a g e E d u c a t i o n Development Committees, which ac t ive ly work to encourage children to attend school and prevent dropouts, it was noted.

However, there are still many challenges to overcome before complete access to primary education is achieved, especially in rural areas.

A t t h e c l o s e o f t h e meeting, two representatives from the ministry and JICA signed minutes of the meeting on the Japanese Technical Cooperat ion Project for Supporting the Community Ini t ia t ive for Educat ion Development project, phase II.

4 Vientiane TimesHome news Monday February 15, 2016

News in BriefTwo provinces ready for assembly electionsXayaboury and Xieng Khuang provinces are ready for the upcoming election of members of the National Assembly and provincial peoples assemblies, the Pathetlao Daily Newspaper reported. Xayaboury has 12 candidates who will compete for eight seats in the National Assembly, while nine people in Xieng Khuang will compete for six seats in the legislative body. For the local peoples assemblies, 39 candidates will compete for 28 seats in Xayaboury, while 24 candidates will compete for 17 seats in Xieng Khuang.

Food prices return to normal after lunar New YearThe price of food products in Vientiane rose over the lunar New Year but are now returning to normal, the Laosphatthana Newspaper reported.Pork was selling for 75,000 to 80,000 kip per kilo last week, but is now in markets for 30,000-to 40,000 kip. Chicken rose to 50,000-55,000 kip per kilo and has now dropped to 45,000-50,000 kip. The price of tilapia rose to 20,000-25,000 kip but is now selling for 18,000-20,000 kip per kilo. The price of vegetables has also dropped.

Savannakhet families growing vegetables for production poverty Authorities in Vilabouly district, Savannakhet province, say seven families of vegetable growers are now earning more money and have risen above the poverty line, Pathetlao Daily Newspaper reported.One of the families is headed by Ms Laikham who now earns 30-40 million kip a year from selling Chinese cabbage, cabbages, herbs, papayas and vegetables to a gold mining company and markets in the district.

Exports reach 100 billion kip in Thataeng districtThataeng district, Xekong province, exported goods worth more than 100 billion kip, or almost 20 percent of GDP, last fiscal year, the Social-Economic Daily reported. Local people are growing crops for export, including for use by processing factories in the district, as well as to local markets. The district is boosting production in all sectors and the growth of SMEs in some villages has increased production by 68 percent, and the export-import trade by 20 percent, in 2015-2016.

Times Reporters

A ceremony to hand over the Lao-Japan Friendship Sakura (cherry blossom) Park took place in Viengxay district, Huaphan province last week.

Donated by the Asian Development with Disabled Persons (ADDP) non-profit organisation, the Saitama-Lao Friendship Association and other Japanese bodies, nearly 300 young Sakura trees were planted at the park, which is located next to the Kaysone Phomvihane Park in Viengxay.

Construction of the park

Japan opens cherry tree park in Huaphan

Local officials together with representatives from the Japanese Embassy and ADDP gather at the handover ceremony of the Lao-Japan Friendship Sakura Park in Viengxay district, Huaphan province.

was launched with a grant from the Japanese government after a Sakura tree planting ceremony that took place on February 12 last year.

The project took root in anticipation of the 60th anniversary celebrations of Japan-Laos diplomatic relations in 2015. Just one year after the planting ceremony, the park has now opened.

The idea for the project came from a conversation between Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and Japanese leaders.

Last weeks handover ceremony was attended by

Huaphan provincial authorities and the Ambassador of Japan to the Lao PDR, Mr Takeshi Hikihara, representatives of the ADDP, and officials and villagers from Huaphan province.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Hikihara expressed his deep appreciation to all the organisations and persons concerned, both Lao and Japanese, for their cooperation in creating the park.

In this year, the Lao PDR, which is assuming the Asean chair, moves on to take new steps to stimulate social and economic growth under the

framework of the revised National Socio-economic Development Plan, Mr Hikihara said.

The opening of the Sakura Park in such an important year symbolises the ever-deepening relationship between Japan and the Lao PDR. I hope that these Sakura trees will be firmly rooted and bloom beautifully, like the deep friendship between our two countries, he added.

The park is expected to strengthen the long-standing relationship between Japan and the Lao PDR and promote tourism in Huaphan province.

Vientiane Times Monday February 15, 2016 Photo news 5

Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Mr Lytou Bouapao (seated, second right) poses for a photo with JICA staff and education officials during the Joint Coordination Committee Meeting on the Terminal Evaluation of the Community Initiative for Education Development Project, Phase II. --Photo Phaisythong

The Lao Embassy to the Republic of South Korea recently partnered with Lao Airlines representatives in Seoul, the Korea-Laos Friendship Association and the Lao-Korea Student Association to collect and donate 100 boxes of new and secondhand clothes for families in Laos northern provinces suffering from the severe winter weather.

Successful students in the International Professional Skill and Fundamental Skill Competition in Thailand from the Rattana Business Administration College (RBAC) pose with the President of the RBAC Group, Dr Somphet Rattanasim (seated, front centre), after a press conference to announce the success of the competition.

Participants and staff from Unilever service units in Laos and Thailand pose with the Country Manager of Unilever Service Laos Sole Co., Ltd., Ms Alinna Thoulasit (seventh right) after the launch of the Clear Sakura Fresh product in Vientiane on Saturday. The new product has been on sale in Vientiane since the end of 2015.

6 Vientiane TimesMonday February 15, 2016Region

S

In brief from Asia News Network

Woman arrested with fake US dollar notesTHAILAND (The Nation, ANN) -- A 50-year-old Kalasin woman has been arrested for having in her possession and using fake US dollar banknotes. She implicated the wife of an upper northern province senator as the person who had hired her to exchange the fake banknotes with banks.During the press conference yesterday in Bangkok, Pol Colonel Phanthana Nuchanart, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said Sasithorn Wongpracha was also wanted for dealing in fake banknotes in Maha Sarakham, Roi Et and Kalasin provinces.

Flooding affects nine Jakarta subdistrictsINDONESIA (The Jakarta Post, ANN) -- The torrential rains that hit Jakarta and its upper areas Bogor and Depok in West Java starting Friday have caused flooding across nine subdistricts in the capital, in East and South Jakarta, forcing hundreds of people to seek temporary shelter.About 60 members of the East Jakarta rescue team managed to evacuate 229 residents trapped within inundated houses, said head of East Jakartas Fire and Rescue Agency Gatot Sulaiman as reported by beritajakarta.com on Saturday.One of the flood victims was rushed to a city owned hospital in Ciracas, East Jakarta, as he had shown signs of serious illness when rescuers had arrived at his house, he added.

Go for fresh impact study by UN teamBANGLADESH (The Daily Star, ANN) -- The National Committee to Protect Sundarbans on Saturday demanded suspension of all development activities of Rampal power plant and the adjacent private Orion power plant until a fresh environment impact assessment (EIA) by a United Nations-led neutral team. The Committee, a citizen platform of 101 eminent personalities, also sent a letter to the Unesco headquarters earlier this month and requested the UN body to recognise the site on the list of its World Heritage in Danger.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Rescuers in Taiwan pulled out the remains of the final victims of last weeks earthquake and with a minute of silence ended the search with the death toll of 116, most of them in a collapsed high-rise apartment building.

All but two of the dead came from the 17-story Weiguan Golden Dragon residential complex, which toppled when the magnitude-6.4 quake struck the city on Feb. 6.

Tainan city Mayor Mayor Lai Ching-te on Saturday bowed deeply and thanked the rescuers for their work, and ordered a minute of silence for the victims.

A total of 270 people in the building survived, including 95 who were evacuated and 175 who were pulled out from the rubble, according to the latest figures from Tainans city authorities.

Authorities believe one last person unaccounted for was homeless and not in the residential compound at the time of the quake. Police have reclassified the persons status as missing, Taiwans Interior Ministry said.

The buildings developer, Lin Ming-hui, and two architects have been detained on suspicion of negligent homicide following accusations that Lins company cut corners in the construction.

Earthquakes frequently strike Taiwan, but usually cause little or no damage, particularly since more stringent building regulations were introduced following a magnitude-7.6 quake in 1999 that killed more than 2,300 people.

Last of 116 dead in Taiwan quake is pulled from rubble

Emergency rescue workers attend survivor Lee Tsung-tien after being rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building complex in Tainan, Taiwan. --Photo AP

ANKARA (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabian military jets could arrive in Turkey in the next few days to carry out missions against the Islamic State (IS) militants group, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.

The aircraft are likely to be based at the Incirlik air base in Turkeys southern Adana province, from which many US bombers have been bombing the IS areas in Syria.

Cavusoglu said it was not certain how many Saudi warplanes would be based in Turkey.

Because this is our common struggle ... Saudi Arabia also wanted to send aircraft and join the air operations, he added.

As Syrian government

Saudi warplanes may come to Turkey

within daysforces are making gains lately on the battlegrounds, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and others have voiced readiness to deepen their military intervention in the war-torn country.

A S a u d i m i l i t a r y spokesman has pledged to send in ground troops in case of the US-led coalitions agreement to launch a ground operation in Syria, while the UAE has agreed to dispatch special forces there, as claimed by US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed early this month that it had reasonable grounds to suspect intensive training in Turkey for a military invasion into Syrian.

N E W D E L H I ( A P ) - - Authorities in Bangladesh began a survey to determine the number of Rohingya Muslims who have fled persecution in majority-Buddhist Myanmar.

Around 33,000 Rohingya have been documented in two official camps in the southern coastal district of Coxs Bazar that borders Myanmar, but officials say another 300,000 to 500,000 remain unaccounted.

Bangladeshs Bureau of Statistics began the exercise

Bangladesh begins survey of undocumented Rohingya Muslims

this week with the help of the Geneva-based International Organisation of Migration, said survey director Alamgir Hossain. He said the survey across six districts will end on Wednesday and will be followed by a census of the Rohingya next month.

The census will also focus on the living conditions and socio-economic status of the Rohingya and the information gathered will be used to create a community database.

ANTARCTIC (China Daily, ANN) -- China will set up an Antarctic air squadron this year to support its scientific expeditions to the polar region, according to the State Oceanic Administration.

It did not disclose details about the squadron, but said it is aimed at supporting polar exploration and will serve as an air observation platform.

China will continue to develop technologies and equipment to improve research on remote sens ing and oceanography, the administration said in a statement on Friday.

The research vessel and icebreaker Xuelong, which is being used for Chinas 32nd Antarctic expedition, left Shanghai on Nov 7 for a 159-day round trip of 55,500 kilometres.

A 277-strong team from more than 80 domest ic institutions are conducting

A penguin is seen in front of Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, docked at an ice cover area of the South Pole. --Photo CCTV

Antarctic air squadron to be set upresearch and experiments in Antarctica.

Dur ing the miss ion , researchers are making a final survey for Chinas fifth Antarctic station site at Victoria Land on the Ross Sea, mapping the site and assessing the ecological and environmental impacts.

They will also perform scientific experiments at Chinas Changcheng, Zhongshan, Taishan and Kunlun stations, as well as at Prydz Bay, on the Ross Sea, on the Amundsen Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula.

For the first time, members of the expedition used a fixed wing aircraft during their stay in the Antarctic.

The plane, which was bought from the United States and is now maintained by a Canadian company, carried out airborne remote sensing and telemetry tasks before leaving for Canada last week. Previously, China

had used only helicopters for its polar expeditions.

Sun Bo, deputy head of the Polar Research Institute of China, said the country is training pilots, ground support staff members and scientific instrument operators for fixed-wing polar aircraft so they can operate and manage Chinas polar aircraft fleet.

Meanwhile, the State Oceanic Administration said it will launch several deep-sea projects this year involving seabed mining experiments, biological diversity research and deep-water exploration.

A deep-sea exploration station is also included in the administrations equipment development plan.

The country will send its seventh research mission to the Arctic this year and is planning the first Sino-Russian Arctic mission, it said.

Vientiane Times 77Monday February 15, 2016 Region

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JOB OPPORTUNITY(national and international)

Forest Coordinator,WWF-Laos(RAFT 3 Project Manager)

As part of its FY16-20 Strategic Plan, WWF Laos is implementing a comprehensive forest management and conservation programme in its Priority Landscapes and Priority Sites, aligned with the WWF International Networks Forest Practice. This includes protecting high conservation value forest, reducing illegal timber flows, ensuring sustainable production of key commodities that impact biodiversity, and increasing FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified forest area.RAFT, which stands for Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade, is a partnership between The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), The Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC), Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF), TFT (The Forest Trust), TRAFFIC, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network and WWFs Forest Practice. Since its beginning in 2007, RAFT has been building the capacity of countries, businesses and communities in Asia Pacific to practice legal and sustainable forest management and trade, with a focus on timber legality verification and the application of sustainable forest management practices, including practices that reduce carbon emissions. RAFT phase 3 in Laos starts in the early months of 2016 for duration of 3 years.

WWF-Laos is looking for an experienced candidate to fill the position of Forest Coordinator, WWF-Laos (RAFT 3 Project Manager).

The RAFT3 Project Manager is responsible for the implementation of the RAFT 3 project (direct project implementation, including responsibilities for technical, financial and administrative aspects of the project) and is also the WWF-Laos Forest Coordinator, responsible for supervising and providing support to all forest-related staff in the Country Office, in alignment with WWF Forest Practice (forestry technical assistance). The RAFT Project Manager will also receive and coordinate guidance from the WWF GMP Forest Hub and the WWF International Forest Practice staff who are engaging in RAFT 3 regional activities.

Location: Vientiane, Lao PDR

Key requirements: Bachelors degree in either forestry, conservation, natural resources management, or in

other relevant fields; Qualification in Project Management is preferred; 5 years of practical experience in managing forestry-related projects in either INGOs or

the United Nations or bilateral development agencies or private companies; Experience of working with Government officials, local communities and donor

representatives; Experience in conducting studies and coordinating research activities; Proven communication and coordination skills, in multi-lateral context, in written and spoken

English and local language. Team-worker and able to motivate and work with multi-cultural teams. Adheres to WWFs values, which are: Passionate & Optimistic, Challenging & Inspiring,

Credible & Accountable, Persevering& Delivering Results.

The detailed job description is posted athttp://www.wwflaos.org/about/work_with_us/.Interested candidates should apply by sending a covering letter and CV, with mention of theposition applied for, to: jobs.laos@wwfgreatermekong.orgClosing date:26thFebruary 2016

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted

WWF-Laos does not charge or accept a fee at any stage of the recruitment process We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce

HONG KONG (AP) -- Its like a romantic scene out of one of South Koreas sappy soap dramas - tens of thousands of illuminated roses forming an impressive backdrop for the lead actor and actress to declare their love for each other.

The Light Rose Garden, a public art installation featuring a sea of white roses made with light-emitting diode, or LED, is also a perfect venue for Valentines Day in Hong Kong.

Originating in South Korea, the Light Rose Garden is on a world tour with its first stop in the southern Chinese city.

A woman takes a selfie in front of the LED lights roses at the Light Rose Garden in Hong Kong. --Photo AP

Hong Kong marks Valentines Day with 25,000 LED roses

Organiser Jung Yong Jin said hes thrilled to see people outside of Seoul enjoying the garden, made up of 25,000 waterproof white roses arranged tightly in Hong Kongs landmark Central and Western District Promenade, with 25 roses planted every 3 square metres (yards).

The roses light up each night and instantly illuminate the park against the backdrop of Hong Kongs skyline. Couples, families and friends flock to take photos.

I created this LED rose garden because I wanted

families, friends and lovers to come out to parks at night, Jung said. A woman from Taiwan, who was visiting with her boyfriend, said the romantic setting reminded her of Korean dramas.

I dont feel anything, the boyfriend, who identified himself only as Lee, laughed. She showed me those scenes. Korean dramas are like that. So when I read about it, I wanted to bring her here.

For Valentines, he gave her roses made of Lego bricks.

The light gardens next stop is Singapore on February 22.

INDIA (The Statesman, ANN) -- To promote growth of scientific research and attain self-reliance, the government plans to soon initiate a nation-wide consultation process to develop the first publicly acces s ib l e s c i ence and technology policy, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Saturday.

Speaking at the Infosys Prize 2015 function here, Mukherjee said the government has under taken var ious measures for promoting scientific research such as increase in budget allocations for scientific departments, setting up of new institutions for science education and research and creation of centres of excellence from research among others.

The central government plans to soon institute a nation -wide consultation process with a view to develop the first publicly accessible science and technology policy. The policy Vision S&T 2020 would articulate the countrys future towards technological independence and self-reliance in the 21st century, Mukherjee said.

He added that India and Germany will soon begin a joint research in priority areas in health research and biomedical sciences.

India is poised to become a major nuclear physics researcher. A project to build Indias largest underground laboratory for advanced research on the smallest particle known to man has recently been approved by the government, he said.

Stating that technology has become an important enabler for critical services like financial inclusion and healthcare, Mukherjee said the country aspires to claim a position amongst the top five scientific powers.

To ensure we continue to lead the world in terms of

technology breakthroughs, we need to ensure that our youth has access to a supporting ecosystem, an education system that helps them hone their research acumen and a wide network of industry mentors, he said.

Mukherjee said the country will focus on three types of scientific efforts -- Blue Sky research dealing with developments in fundamental sciences; R&D for specific problems such as water, clean energy, waste processing and diseases; and areas where India can emerge as one of the leaders in the world.

India to begin consultation on science, tech policy

QUETTA, Pakistan (Dawn, ANN) The security forces claimed on Sunday to have killed 10 suspected militants during a targeted operation in Balochistans Sibi district.

The security personnel reportedly conducted an operation in Sangaan area of Sibi district and apprehended 12 suspected militants following an exchange of fire in which 10 suspects were killed.

An official informed DawnNews that security forces also demolished three sanctuaries being operated by militants in Sangaan.

Forces kill 10 suspected militants in Balochistan

A key militant commander was also killed during the operation, he said.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Balochistan government, A n w a r u l H a q K a k a r, told DawnNews that a key commander of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) Aslam Acho was reportedly killed by security forces in Sibi. Kakar said the dead commander was allegedly involved in the attack in Quaids residency in Ziarat.

Moreover, the security forces also claimed to have recovered huge cache of

weapons including rockets, improvised explosive devices and bombs from the possession of these suspected militants.

All the dead and apprehended militants belonged to an outlawed militant organisation operating in the area, the security official said.

The arrested suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

The suspected militants were reportedly involved in a series of attacks on security forces and blowing up of gas pipelines and other vital installations in the area, the security official said.

KOREA (The Korea Herald, ANN) -- The number of candidates running to win a seat at the upcoming parliamentary race stands at 1,426, the National Election Commission said Saturday.

The number represents an average competition ratio of 5.8 to 1, with some 60 days remaining before the April 13 election.

Candidates competing to run in AprilThe candidates will compete

for 246 electoral seats up for grabs. The remaining 54 seats in the 300 seat National Assembly are distributed through a proportional representation system. Of the candidates, 771 or 54.1 percent were competing to win the ruling Saenuri Party ticket, with numbers for the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea totaling 313 or 21.9

percent of the total. There were 167 people trying to win nominations to run for the minor opposition Peoples Party with 41 vying to win a candidacy from the progressive Justice Party.

By gender, the NEC said men outnumbered women nine-to-one with 1,286 candidates, with people in their 50s accounting for 53.8 percent of the total.

8 Vientiane TimesMonday February 15, 2016World

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MUNICH, Germany (Xinhua) -- The United States Secretary of State John Kerry said here on Saturday that Syria crisis should be settled on a political track, urging parties to take advantage of current opportunity to end the conflicts.

Kerry said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference that political settlement is the only way to end conflicts in Syria. Agreements reached by top diplomats earlier on Friday provided an opportunity that parties could not miss.

I f the in ternat ional community and Syrians themselves miss the opportunity now before we to achieve that political resolution to the conflicts, the violence... will continue, he said.

Kerry told audience that humanitarian aid could start flow to areas where in urgent need

Kerry says Syrian war should be settled on political track

The United States Secretary of State John Kerry addresses the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany. --Photo Xinhua

today or tomorrow, while a lot of work must be done in order to ensure an effective cessation of hostilities within the week.

One of the issues needed to be clarified was which actions could be defined as against

terrorists, and which could not, he said. The United States claimed that Russian airstrikes targeted against oppositions in Syria instead of terrorists. The claim was rejected by the Russian side.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greek farmers protesting p l anned t ax h ikes and pension changes have left a central Athens square where they had been camped out since Friday but are vowing to keep protesting until the government listens.

The farmers, who had set up 68 blockades with tractors

Greek farmers end blockade of central Athens in tax dispute

Farmers chat near their parked tractors as they blockade a road that links the international airport with the southern and eastern suburbs of the Greek capital, in Koropi, near Athens.

and agricultural vehicles on highways across Greece, will convene Monday to decide how to proceed, farmers representative Vangelis Boutas said. He said they also want measures to lower production costs, such as tax-free diesel, cheaper electricity and no VAT on supplies.

Earlier Saturday, police

estimated that 12,000 protesters marched to Athens Syntagma Square outside Parliament to support the farmers. The march was called by unions allied with Greeces Communist Party.

Police also arrested a 30-year-old for attacking a patrol car during Fridays clashes between farmers and police.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- A second collapse of a mine shaft on Saturday has forced rescuers to suspend a search for three people who have been trapped underground for more than a week at a South African mine.

Rescue teams were trying to reach mineworkers trapped inside a container that was buried beneath thousands of tons of debris after a mine collapse on February 5. Two women and one man - Pretty Mabuza, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyarenda - were working inside a mobile office container, distributing headlamps and safety gear to

Rescuers suspend search after second mine collapse

miners, when an underground pillar caved in, creating a sinkhole that swallowed the container.

There have been no signs of life from inside the container since Tuesday, said Mike Begg, manager of the Lily gold mine, owned by Australia-based Vantage Goldfields. Before then, rescue workers could hear tapping sounds.

R e s c u e t e a m s w e r e evacuated after the second collapse and will only resume their search once conditions are safe, Begg told the Associated Press. Teams of 40 people have been working on around the

clock to uncover the container, he said.

The mine manager told journalists that the eight day search has begun to take its toll on rescue workers, some of whom have begun to fall ill.

Its slow progress, said Begg, his shirt soiled and disheveled, with smudges on his face.

Families of the trapped workers have not left the mine in the eastern Mpumalanga province, holding prayer services throughout the search, South African media reported. All 87 miners who were underground during the collapse were rescued.

PARIS (AP) -- Police are searching for four gunmen who stormed a casino in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence, causing several injuries and stealing cash before fleeing.

Regional police chief Laurent Nunez said the robbery occurred overnight at the Pasino casino. The gunmen

Several injured in French casino robbery; 4 gunmen at large

fired warning shots with automatic rifles, prompting panic among the 700 people inside, he told The Associated Press.

Many people are still on edge after Islamic extremist attacks around Paris in November that killed 130 people, and the country remains under a state

of emergency. Nunez insisted that Saturdays robbery was absolutely not a terrorist act.

Jean-Marc Barre of the local fire department said on BFM television that 15 people were evacuated with light injuries suffered in the panic.

The casino reopened Saturday under extra security.

MUNICH, Germany (Xinhua) -- European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schultz warned here on Saturday that the European Union (EU) was facing the loss of trust of local citizens about that the transnational institutions were still able to deliver solutions to crisis.

Schultz says very worried about desolidarisation in EU

The EP head joined the so-called Presidential Debate at the Munich Secur i ty Conference together with the leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Finland and Ukraine, and pointed out the loss of trust of citizens is a crisis in itself in addition to the crisis we have already.

He said the desolidarisation in EU had been seen during the last 20 years which was now arriving at the governmental level among EU member states, therefore I am very worried.

Schultz called for solidarity of EU nations by saying that the EU is as strong as the Member States choose it to be.

Vientiane Times 9

Euro 50-500 9,150 9,196

Foreign Currencies Buying Selling

US Dollar 50-100

Thai Baht

8,100

230.78

8,140

232.5

exchange rates as of february 12, 2016Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public

Business Read more news at www.vientianetimes.org.la Monday February 15, 2016

Times Reporters Many savings and credit unions across Laos failed to follow the guidelines of the Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL), causing ineffectiveness in the provision of loans and other monetary services, according to BOLs report.

There are many reasons why savings and credit unions in Laos are not strong or effective because many of them failed to obey the regulations issued by BOL, a senior bank official reported recently.

He said some of them granted loans to customers who are not members of the unions, causing them difficulties in collecting capital and revenue.

Many newly-established savings and credit unions were unable to continue operations because they didnt follow the directions of BOL.

When they got into difficulties, BOL withdrew their licenses for operation and they were asked to improve themselves if they wish to re-run their businesses, he said.

As one of the key essentials for Laos economic development and to boost poverty reduction, BOL anticipates that it will work harder to promote savings and credit unions by continuing to build capacity for savings staffers to ensure they understand the regulations and strictly follow the guidelines.

In his opening speech at the Savings and Credit Union Forum 2015, BOL Deputy Governor,

Sonexay Sitphaxay said the government has prioritised this sector as a key contributor to the nations socio economic development.

It is also important for poverty reduction and helping the country to graduate from the worlds least developed countries by 2020, he said.

He went on to say that BOL is assigned by the government to translate the directives into practical action through cooperation with international organisations domestically and globally.

The forum not only aimed to highlight the past achievements of the savings and credit union sector but it also set out to improve the legal processes to manage savings and credit unions for better operations in accordance with government directions.

At the same time, BOL will upgrade the technical skills for management personnel to ensure they are equipped with professional skills close to regional and international standards.

According to the past years evaluation of BOL, the savings and credit unions have significantly contributed to poverty reduction over the past year but BOL will continue to help them in building capacity for staffers who are working in this sector.

If comparing Laos savings and credit union sector with other Asean countries, we still need a lot of improvements in

terms of quantity and quality because their professional skills are limited, he said.

Mr Sonexay added that BOL will continue to pay special attention to the improvements of the necessary policy in order to provide facilities to boost the growth of this sector.

Currently a total of 31 savings and credit unions are under the supervision of BOL, with their total assets having increased 45.11 percent while members of the unions also increased 11.45 percent when compared to the year 2014.

In addition, the unions loaned to the three major sectors including services, agriculture and industry and handicrafts.

The forum was co-organised by the BOL and UNCDFs Making Access to Finance more Inclusive for Poor People programme.

Savings, credit unions fail to track BOLs guidelines

BOL Deputy Governor Mr Sonexay Sitphaxay chairs the meeting in Vientiane on Friday.

Times Reporters

The redeveloped first zone out of the three zones of the Khuadin market area is now 70 percent complete and is expected to reopen for traders in May.

According to a staffer at Khuadin Market Office, the market is owned by a private company, Lieng Heng Trade and Market Development, which has redeveloped 20 percent of its area since August, 2015.

Whilst works are underway, the vendors have been requested to move their products to sell in other markets or some areas arranged by market authorities to make construction work more convenient.

The new construction featuring a modern style of market is expected to host more than 170 stores to sell clothes, shoes, bags and household products.

The total Khuadin market area is about 27,000 square metres in size and is divided into five zones.

Each of the three zones, which feature products such as clothes, bags, and household items, will be redeveloped in turn, after the first zone opens for rent.

Another two existing zones are expected to be redeveloped mid-year and finished within 2017, which will help to ensure order for traders and ease of market management.

Market officers said the

new building will soon open bookings for traders who want to sell from the new facility but it has not yet released the details on the rental prices.

The rent that the developer is currently collecting from vendors is more than 500,000 kip per month.

The number of foreign vendors, especially Vietnamese, who are selling their products together with the Lao vendors in the market, has increased significantly.

However, market authorities said the redevelopment of the three zones would not affect the two zones of Lao traders selling agricultural products and meat, which is still open for shoppers to purchase meat, vegetables and other goods.

Khuadin market redevelopment expected to open in May

HANOI (VNS, ANN) The US has become Vietnams leading trade and investment partner, which has been reflected through impressive trade values between the two countries over recent years.

Bilateral trade has expanded from zero since the day Vietnam and the US normalised their diplomatic ties 20 years ago to US$36.3 billion in 2014. The figure is expected to hit US$40 billion in 2015.

According to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh, among the free trade agreements Vietnam has engaged in, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement is

BRUSSELS (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) launched a public consultation concerning whether to grant China the market economy status (MES) on Wednesday, seeking inputs for its in-depth assessment of the status-changing on the blocs economy.

Open for 10 weeks, the online consultation was about the methods used in the EUs anti-dumping procedures on imported Chinese product, as the current measures are set to expire in December, said the European Commission, the EUs executive body, in a statement.

The Commission was currently carrying out a comprehensive assessment on the economic effects of changing the treatment of China as a market economy in its anti-dumping investigations.

expected to afford favourable conditions for Vietnamese exports.

Nguyen DuyKhien, head of the American Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said Vietnam shipped US$30.6 billion worth of goods to the US in 2014, up 24 percent against the previous year.

According to the MoIT, Vietnam began to access the US market in 1995. Vietnams export turnover to the country reached US$800 million in 2000 the year the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement was signed.

The US has become

Vietnams largest importer, p u r c h a s i n g g a r m e n t s , electronic products, footwear, rice and fish from the Southeast Asian nation.

In the sphere of investment, the US ranked seventh among the countries and territories investing in Vietnam with a total direct investment of US$10.7 billion by June this year.

Vu DucGiang, President of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, said Vietnam was the worlds fifth largest garment-textile exporter, and the US remained the countrys top market in this field.

However, the garment-textile and footwear sectors are forecast to face difficulties as a result of Vietnams TPP membership as the US has initiated the yarn forward rule of origin.

In order to benefit from tax breaks, Vietnamese companies must use materials imported from other TPP members, Giang said, noting this would be a real challenge for Vietnamese businesses when up to 70 percent of materials they are currently using are purchased from foreign countries, mainly China a non-TPP member.

Deputy Minister Tran Tuan Anh said the TPP would be an impulse for Vietnams economy to gear towards comprehensive renovation, a higher competitive edge and a better business environment.

US now Vietnams top trade partner

Tra fish is one of main products exported to the US.

The current rules the EU adopted to calculate dumping margins on Chinese product, which based on that China was not considered a market economy in anti-dumping proceedings, will expire on December 11, according to rules of the WTO.

The Commission was set to offer a proposal to the European Council and the European Parliament on whether to grant China MES before the deadline.

Since the EU has not regarded China as a market economy, China has fallen victim to some unfair and discriminatory EU practice.

Under the current EU anti-dumping investigations against China, the assessment is based on a comparison of the export price with that in a surrogate country with MES, instead of the domestic price of the product in question.

EU launches public consultation for granting China market economy status

10 Vientiane TimesBusiness Monday February 15, 2016

IN BRIEF Oil prices surge amid possible production cutNEW YORK (Xinhua) -- Oil prices spiked on Friday, boosted by the possibility that major production countries may cooperate to curb production.Oil prices jumped as media reported that the energy minister of the United Arab Emirates said the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries was ready to cooperate on production cuts with other exporters.Persistent oversupply, bloated inventories and a slew of negative economic news dragged crude prices to 12-year lows on Thursday.

GDP up by 0.3 percent in eurozone in Q4BRUSSELS (Xinhua) -- Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.3 percent in both the 19-country eurozone and the wider 28-member European Union (EU) during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2015, compared with the previous quarter, the EU said on Friday.Releasing its flash estimate on the GDP growth in Q4 last year, the Eurostat, or the EU statistical office, also said by annual comparison, seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 1.5 percent in the euro area and by 1.8 percent in the EU in Q4.Moreover, the Eurostat said over the whole year 2015, GDP rose by 1.5 percent in the euro area and by 1.8 percent in the EU.In Q3 of 2015, in the eurozone and the EU GDP grew by 0.3 percent and 0.4 percent month-on-month, and by 1.6 percent and 1.9 percent year-on-year, respectively, the Eurostat said.

Hyundai, Kia top auto sales in Vietnam in 2015S.KOREA (The Korea Herald, ANN) -- South Koreas top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller cousin Kia Motors Corp. emerged as the top automobile seller in Vietnam for the first time in 2015, beating global leader Toyota Motor Corp., industry data showed on Sunday.Hyundai and Kia, the flagships of the worlds No. 5 automaker Hyundai Motor Group, sold a combined 62,189 units in the Southeast Asian country last year for a market share of 29.8 percent.Toyota posted sales of 50,285 vehicles, with its market share standing at 24.1 percent.It marks the first time that Hyundai and Kia have seen their combined market share exceed that of the Japanese auto behemoth.

Almost 100,000 shops closed across Brazil in 2015 due to falling salesRIO DE JANEIRO (Xinhua) -- Around 95,400 shops closed across Brazil last year due to falling sales, shows a report published on Friday by the National Commerce Federation (CNC).With all these closures, the total number of shops fell by 13.4 percent, which worsened the countrys economic crisis, according to the report.The crisis reduced the number of shops across almost the entire country, including the largest wholesalers, says the CNC report. 2015 was the worst crisis for the commercial sector in the last 15 years.

BEIJING (China Daily, ANN) -- China invested more than 2 trillion yuan (US$300 billion) in water conservation during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), the Ministry of Water Resources said on Friday.

The investment benefitted hundreds of millions of people through projects related to drinking water in the countryside, flood control, drought relief, irrigation and rural hydropower,

S.KOREA (The Korea Herald, ANN) -- The number of South Korean products with the largest share in their global export market dropped slightly from a year earlier in 2014, but their combined share rose significantly, indicating a possible rise in their global competitiveness, a report showed on Sunday.

According to the report from the Korea International Trade Association, the number of South Korean products with the largest share in the export market came to 64 in 2014, down from 65 the previous year.

Unlike global market share, which views the proportion of

NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- The Bank of Japan has set up its negative interest rates to soften a drastic impact on commercial banks, a top official said on Friday, despite financial shares dropping sharply in Tokyo following the announcement of the unorthodox easing measure.

BOJ Deputy Governor Hiroshi Nakaso explained that the move to cut its benchmark interest rate to negative 0.1 percent only applies to a very small portion of deposits from commercial lenders held at the BOJ and structured into three tiers -- of which only one is subject to the negative rate.

This is a mechanism to alleviate an extra burden on banks profitability, Nakaso said at a Japan Society event in New York, adding the BOJ carefully designed the system to alleviate any impact to

VANCOUVER (Xinhua) -- Changing demographics across the globe are the main drivers of low interest rates in many developed countries, according to a new study released.

The study, entitled Why Are Interest Rates So Low, is conducted by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Monetary policy is having less and less impact on interest rates in developed economies such as Canada because the demographic relationship between borrowers and savers has changed dramatically, said Michael Walker, author of the study that develops a new model of how interest rates are determined.

For most of the 20th

the ministry said.The coming five years is a critical period

for China to quicken reform and development inwater projects and improve water safety. Good planning is key, said Jiao Yong, vice minister of water resources.

Jiao said the government will keep investing in major water projects and encourage private capital to contribute.

Investment in water projects tops 2 trillion yuan in 5 years

Water diversion project to supply fresh water to Taiwans Kinmen Island officially started constructionin Longhu town, Jinjing city in East Chinas Fujian province.

century, there were many more borrowers than savers. Subsequently, interest rates were high to encourage more saving and ration the scarce funds to borrowers.

However, the opposite is true nowadays. Theres a dearth of borrowers, so savers are relatively more numerous.

According to the study, the existence of relatively more savers attempting to invest their funds is the main factor affecting interest rates, not monetary policy conducted by the Bank of Canada or the Federal Reserve.

The study compiles financial and demographic data for 29 countries that account for nearly 90 percent of the worlds economic output. Walkers new model of how interest rates are determined differs from

popular, yet faulty, economic models, which rely on the use of typical households to project economy-wide responses to factors thought to influence interest rates. Relying on these faulty models, many analysts have predicted that interest rates will return to normal levels sometime soon. And central banks have tried to talk up interest rates. Meanwhile, rates in most of the major economies continue to be very low.

The objectives and behavior of typical households in Canada and most of the world is dramatically different today than when these now-faulty models were constructed, so its no surprise that most private analysts and central banks have incorrect expectations, Walker said.

Central banks influence on interest rates greatly diminished

a given product from a country in the context of the total amount sold globally, export market share only considers the proportion of a given product to the total amount shipped across borders.

The drop in 2014 came as the country added 17 new No. 1 products to its list while 18 others gave way to other global competitors, according to the report.

Of the total, 47 products remained No. 1 products in the global export market for two consecutive years, while 20 of them, including certain types of semiconductors and automobile parts, did so for five consecutive years.

The combined amount of the 64 No. 1 products shipped overseas spiked 19.3 percent on-year to US$111.8 billion in 2014 with their combined proportion in overall South Korean exports also expanding 2.8 percentage points to 19.5 percent over the cited period.

The report said the number of South Korean products with the 10th largest or greater market share in the global export market came to 1,338 in 2014, up 65 from the previous year.

In 2014, China had the largest number of No. 1 products in the worlds export market with 1,610 products, followed by Germany with 700 No. 1 products, it added.

Number of top Korean goods in export markets shrinks in 2014

financial institutions.Although the three tiers were

unveiled when the negative rate decision was announced on January 29, this may not be fully understood by the people in the market, he said.

The Nikkei Stock Average, a broad measure of the Tokyo market, has lost nearly 15 percent since the announcement of the extraordinary easing.

Against the backdrop of the market tumble was investor wariness about the yens rapid ascent and global financial turmoil. And the banking sector has been one of the hardest hit because of the prevailing view that the central banks policy decision could narrow their profit margins.

Nakaso acknowledged that bank shares have dropped but said the sell-off was excessive.

We have seen substantial

drops in bank shares in the recent couple of days, but I think this is a bit overdone in this regard, he said.

Regarding the likelihood for further rate cuts, Nakaso said he would wait to see how the current strategy plays out before pushing rates down again.

Although I think it is...technically possible, my sense is that for now, I would like to watch carefully how this new policy is going to work, he said.

Nakaso said he doesnt have the answer yet in response to questions about how far the negative rate policy can be pushed.

He was one of the five members, including Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, supporting the negative rate action in the tight BOJ policy board decision. Four remaining members dissented.

He emphasised that the negative rate is part of the BOJs goal to hit its 2 percent inflation target, an action deemed necessary to fight deflationary pressure troubling the economy.

BOJ Governor Kuroda has said the negative rate, to be put in place February 16, would stir personal consumption and boost investment.

Back home in Japan we are talking with our bankers....to seek their understanding that overcoming deflation is in everyones interest, Nakaso said. The introduction of negative rates is intended to accelerate the process towards that end.

Negative rates designed to mitigate burden on banks

Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Hiroshi Nakaso gives a lecture in New York.

Vientiane Times 11

Asean Economic Community

11Monday February 15, 2016 Business

Lao stock market reportTrade Summary

Lao stocks trade was mixed on the final trading day of the week. PTL widened gains slightly 100 kip to close up at 2,750 kip in the mid morning session. However, EDL-Gen traded down losing 100 kip at the opening. BCEL dropped 50 kip at the opening then rebounded to trade flat in the next trading session. Market trading volume for the day was 51,900 shares, worth about 200 million kip. The index closed downed 1.2 percent or 14.07 points to 1,154.49 points.

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BCEL-KT Securities Company Limited Email: Broker@bcel-kt.com

Last 7 days Trading Information

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post, ANN) -- Bank Indonesia (BI) reported a current-account deficit (CAD) of US$17.8 billion in 2015, lower than the 2014 level of US$27.5 billion, a result of an overwhelming drop in imports amid low exports and lighter capital outflow over the course of the year.

The 2015 CAD was equivalent to 2.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with 3.1 percent CAD in 2014, the central bank said.

It was due to a bigger decline in imports than in

exports, as well as improved income and service balance. The drop in imports was caused by lower domestic demand in the sluggish economy, said BI spokesperson ArbonasHutabarat in a statement on Friday.

At the same time, he continued, the drop in exports was driven by weakened external demand caused by global slowdown and the continuing drop in global commodities prices.

In the fourth quarter of 2015 alone, the CAD stood at US$5.1 billion or 2.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP),

widening from the third quarter CAD of US$4.2 billion or 1.9 percent of GDP.

CAD is a measure of a countrys foreign trade in both goods and services. It is part of the balance of payments, which summarises an economys transactions with the rest of the world.

Indonesias balance of payments slipped to a US$1.1 billion deficit last year from a surplus of US$15.2 billion in 2014, a result of declined surplus in Indonesian capital and financial transactions, Arbonas explained.

Imports drop, current-account deficit narrows in 2015

Bank Indonesia staff nearby the damaged-money replacement counter, set up as part of the banks clean money policy, aimed at providing the public with a good quality medium of exchange.

PHILIPPINE (Philippine Daily Inquirer, ANN) -- Manila-Based multilateral lender Asian Development Bank (ADB) will lend the Philippines a fresh US$400 million or more than P19 billion to sustain the PantawidPamilyang Pilipino Programme or 4Ps.

The support, which builds on ADBs initial loan to the project of the same amount, will help the government support more families, now also including high school students.

This is important, as impact evaluation shows that the CCTs [conditional cash transfers] are keeping vulnerable young people at school, opening the door to a better future, Karin Schelzig, senior social sector specialist at ADBs Southeast Asia department, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The fresh assistance will finance a share of the grants to all participating households nationwide, the ADB said. This additional financing will be infused in the next four years ending December 2019.

On top of the loan, the ADB

will extend to the country a US$1-million (about P47 million) technical assistance grant , which the lender said will provide demand-driven policy and advisory services.

In particular, the technical assistance will help the Department of Social Welfare and Development strengthen program management, assess any proposed program or policy adjustments, and undertake operational spot checks on programme implementation.

In 2010, the ADB approved the initial loan to strengthen the programmes poverty targeting system, finance a share of the cash grants to 637,000 households in selected areas, build capacity among program staff, and support monitoring and impact evaluation, it noted.

The Philippines flagship CCT programme benefited more than 4.4 million Filipinos as of the end of last year from only 340,000 when it was introduced in 2008.

At present, 4Ps is the fourth-biggest CCT programme in the

work in terms of number of beneficiaries, just behind India, Brazil and Mexico.

For 2016, the Philippine government has allocated a P62.7-billion budget for 4Ps, which provides regular educate and health grants to poor households.

The ADB noted that CCTs like 4Ps were important as these were investment in human development that pays off when healthier and better educated young people grow up to get better jobs and break out of the poverty trap.

In the case of 4Ps, the ADB cited that more than 93 percent of the participating households regularly meet the conditions for receiving the grants, well in excess of the 80 percent target.

Performance targets for womens participation, school enrollment rates, and other key indicators have also been exceeded, and rigorous impact studies have found no evidence that receiving the grants discourages adults from seeking paid work, the ADB added.

Philippines to get US$400m loan from ADB for cash transfer programme

SEOUL The Straits Times, (ANN) -- Fuel producers from South Korea to India are finding that rising refined products from China are cutting the profit margins theyve enjoyed from cheap oil to the lowest in more than a year. Worse may be coming.

Chinas total net exports of oil products - a measure that strips out imports - will rise 31 percent this year to 25 million metric tonnes, China National Petroleum Corp, the countrys biggest energy company, said in its annual research report last month. That comes after diesel exports jumped almost 75 percent last year.

If China dumps more fuel into the market, international prices will crash, said BK Namdeo, director of refineries at Indias state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corp. It will be similar to what happened to crude prices due to the oversupply. If international prices of oil products come down, then it will hurt margins of all refiners.

A common measure of refining profitability in Asia - the margin from turning Middle East benchmark Dubai grade into fuels including diesel and gasoline in the regional trading hub of Singapore - slid this week to the lowest level since October 2014, adding to mounting evidence that Chinas exports are weighing on Asian processors.

Dubai cracking margins have averaged US$1.92 a barrel so far this year, down from US$3.96 during the last quarter of 2015, research firm Energy Aspects Ltd

said in a Feb 8 report. Profits are expected to average US$3 a barrel during the first quarter of this year, down 32 percent from the same period last year, it said in the note.

CNPC, as Chinas biggest energy company is known, predicts the countrys refineries will increase output this year after the government started giving licenses to independent refiners - - those known as teapots - to ship their products abroad.

South Koreas biggest processor says the flood will probably weaken margins and Taiwans Formosa Petrochemical Corp sees it as a risk factor.

The pressure on the regional market is getting stronger and stronger, said Lin Keh-Yen, a spokesman for Formosa Petrochemical. China is exporting sizable volumes of oil products now.

China shipped a record amount of diesel, kerosene and gasoline abroad last year and for the first time exported more products than it imported amid the slowest economic expansion in 25 years. Its crude purchases increased to a record in 2015 as the worlds second-biggest oil consumer sought to fill its strategic oil reserve and the government allowed those teapots to buy foreign supplies. Refineries will increase oil processing by 5.3 percent, while net crude imports rise 7.3 percent to 357 million tonnes, according to CNPC.

As the Chinese economy is slowing down, there has been more diesel exports, Lee

Yun Hi, head of the corporate planning office at South Koreas SK Innovation Corp, said on the companys earnings call on February 3. Its a situation we are closely monitoring.

The teapot refiners, clustered around the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, will account for the bulk of the increase in oil processing this year as the countrys bigger state-owned processors decrease output, CNPC said in its report.

Chinas fuel glut is in its worst shape, Dai Jiaquan, director of CNPCs oil market department, said last month. This is mainly due to weak demand and fast growth of refining projects in recent years.

The countrys commerce ministry has issued more than 1.8 million barrels a day o