25th SEA Games, Laos

Thailand is sending an 842-strong contingent, comprising 550 athletes and 292 officials, making it the biggest team in the 25th SEA Games in Laos

Second is host Laos with 743 contingent members (482 athletes and 261 officials), followed by Vietnam (671), Malaysia(348 athletes and 121 officials), Indonesia（465), Philippines (413), Myanmar (400), Singapore (392), Cambodia (204), Brunei (79) and Timor Leste (77).

The smallest contingents are Brunei and Timor Leste with 30 and 37 athletes respectively.

Brunei will contest in six sports and Timor Leste, seven.

A total of 4,869 athletes who will vie for 370 gold, 370 silver and 539 bronze medals, with athletics being the most popular spors with the participation of 288 athletes, followed by football (280), shooting (169), sepaktakraw (167), swimming (140), karate (130), cycling (116), archery (114), badminton (114), judo (101).

Shuttlecock jiggling, which is popular among the the Indo-china nations, received the lowest participation among the 25 sports offered here.

Shuttlecock jiggling recorded 22 participatants from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos.

(KPL) Laos has stressed on disseminating culture to overseas at the opening and closing ceremonies of Vientiane Games, said Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Bouagnuen Saphouvong.

He continued that the opening and closing ceremonies of the 25th SEA Games, hosted by Laos would not use up-to-date technique and equipments like other country in the region.

?We would use the existing fine culture performance pouring down the generation to spread out our culture to visitors,? he added. ?At the moment, the preparation of infrastructure has already completed and served the opening and closing ceremonies of 25th SEA Games, which main target to overcome?.


To fulfill the target of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 25th SEA Games, we have given special attention by initiated the rehearsal practice early this year.

He has stated further that the Lao PDR was still poor and the host of historical event for organising regional sport was a big challenge and to be sure that the use of modern technique was limited, therefore we have made a decision to use the colour of fine culture instead of our limitation.

The dances display and songs focus on reflecting to a long tradition of Lao culture pouring down from the ancestors, especially the dance performance would feature the Lao nationalism has only one in the world.

Other performances would also reflect to different colour culture and abundant Lao culture through the ethnic clothes wearing by displayers, the national development and construction since foundation of Laos that dated back as far as Chao Fagnum king who founded the Laos till today.

(KPL) The Information and Photos Centre has claimed its readiness to serve the 25th SEA Games, which will be held on 9-18 December 2009.

Twenty-five local photographers have been assigned to various competition venues under the supervision of Mr. Phonphet Sitthivong of the Lao News Agency.

The photographers to serve the event have prepared for over one month. ?The team is made of photographers from various print media organizations and now they are ready for the 25th SEA Games,? Mr. Phonephet said.

(KPL) The Mega Management Company Limited last week officially introduced a scratch lottery under the theme ?Rich Football? and ?Rich Sepak Takraw? in an effort to raise fund for hosting the 25th SEA Games.

The company has produced one million lottery tickets to win prizes totally worth more than two billion kip. The income from the lottery sales will be used as a contribution to the hosting of the 25th SEA Games.

?Winners can claim their prizes immediately when they see prizes on the lottery tickets,? said Marketing Manager of the Mega Management Company Limited, Mr. Bounnhou Sisane.

?Nobody can make a fake lottery to claim any prizes because our lottery ticket is produced in Australia and checked by the government officials,? insisted Mr. Bounnhou.

?The winners have to claim their winning prizes within 60 days after the lottery tickets are sold or else the prizes will belong to the government,? said Mr. Bounyou.

The 25th SEA Games which will be held on 9-18 December has 25 sports.

If the fans which turned up on the first day of the men’s football event at the SEA Games yesterday is of any indication at all, then the Laos organisers should be more than happy with the sale of tickets. For the men’s football event, tickets are being sold at a price of 50,000kips (USD6) and 70,000kips (USD8.30) for the preliminary round matches.

And yesterday, tickets were sold out as droves of Vietnam fans garb in all red came to witness their second national side held eight-times SEA Games champions Thailand to a 1-1 draw. The newly-built Main Stadium has a capacity of 20,000 and apart from making sure that the Vietnam are well supported, the noise generated throughout the evening including when Malaysia took on Timer Leste gave a festive atmosphere worthy of a cup final.

Both the Vietnam and Thailand fans were mingling with each other as they took to the spirit of ASEAN brotherhood to the letter.

During the break, with the music of the Laos SEA Games and also traditional Laos songs being played, scores of people were singing and dancing at the stands. And while Thailand had a smaller crowd of supporters pushing the team forward, the likes of Malaysia and Timor Leste had been given appointed cheerleaders to make them have a semblance of them playing at home.

With the level of football being played on the very first day of competition, the crowd who came to watch the matches were not at all disappointed. Tomorrow will be another loud and cheerful day at the second venue of the Chao Anu Vong Stadium with Vietnam taking on Timor Leste - right after the game between Thailand and Cambodia.

The SEA Games 2009 medals are being produced by a Vietnamese company – MarCom. This firm is also the exclusive provider of souvenirs for the games in Laos. MarCom Chairman and General Director Nguyen Hien Luong said that the company surpassed experienced rivals from China and Thailand to win the medal-casting contract thanks to their careful research of Lao culture and history.

Luong said that his company spent eight months learning about Lao people and their lives so that its medal designs clearly reflect Laotian culture. The front side of the 25th SEA Games medals depicts the Thatl Luong pagoda, a famous tourist site in Laos.

Below the pagoda in English are the words “SEA Games 25th Laos”. The medals are decorated by Champa flowers and leaves, symbols of Laos.


The medal’s back side is a big, blossomed champa flower with five petals.

In the center of the flower are Champa and Champi elephants, sacred animals for the 25th SEA Games

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The Lao table tennis team is ready to take on the best opponents from neighbouring countries in events running from December 8-15 at the 25th SEA Games.

The team tested their skills at the 19th Asian Table Tennis Championship in India last month and have progressed even further since.

The Lao Table Tennis Federation selected five male and five female players to compete in the events. They are being trained by Thai and Lao experts at the federation's courts.

The federation's Secretary Ge neral, Ms Somchay Vongsa, said as well as the first team line-up six substitutes were also training for the event.

Currently the federation is installing equipment at the courts at the National University of Laos. This venue hosted the National Table Tennis Competition in September.

Technical officials qualified at the international level from India and Malaysia will assist in the competition and umpire teams from neighbouring countries will also adjudicate matches. The federation also has more than 100 staff and volunteers working at the games.

Earlier this year, the International Table Tennis Federation and the Lao National Sports Committee held a training course for federation officials.

Nine countries are sending table tennis teams to the SEA Games: Vietnam , Singapore , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Thailand , Cambodia and Laos . Brunei and Timor Leste will not compete in this sport.

All of the teams will arrive in Vientiane by December 5.

On December 6, each country will confer with umpires to assist in the running of table tennis events.

In the first round five male Lao players will compete, as well as three male players in the team event. The women's team event starts on December 8.

The women's team won a bronze medal at the ASEAN University Games in Hanoi , Vietnam , in 2006.

Many of the Lao team took part in the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Photo: Signs hung up along the median strip on Lane Xang Avenue promote the ongoing 25th SEA Games.

Although Vientiane is a small town compared to the bustling metropolises of Southeast Asian, the host city of the 25th SEA Games will keep you entertained, with surprises around every corner.

The hearts of millions of Lao people nationwide are beating faster at the prospect of welcoming athletes and guests to the SEA Games, and also in anticipation of next year's celebrations to mark the 450th anniversary of Vientiane as the capital of Laos .

This year's SEA Games is not just about winning, but also serves to remind us of the principles of ‘Generosity, Amity, and Healthy Lifestyle' – the slogan promoting the games. This is a simple expression, but profound in meaning, and relates to Laos and to the rest of the world.

It conveys the lofty ideals of the people of Vientiane as well as Laos in general. They will attempt to share these principles with the global community and to set the stage for a bright future hand in hand with the rest of the world's citizens.

The slogan expresses the firm beliefs of a great nation with a long history and on its way towards modernisation. Laos is committed to peaceful generosit y, a society where friendship reigns, and to encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Perhaps a tour of Vientiane will enable the visitor to see these ideals in practice, and offer another exciting option in addition to the mouth-watering competition schedule.

Yes it's a relatively small city, but don't be deceived. Many sights of interest await you, and they're all easy to get to. We have places of cultural significance, shopping malls, an endless array of dining options and a magnificent river that affords stunning sunset views.

Vientiane is about 3,920 sq km in size with a population of about 610,000. There are nine districts: Chanthabouly, Sikhottabong, Xaysettha, Sisattanak, Naxaithong, Xaythany, Hadxaifong, Sangthong and Parkngum.

The first place to go is the That Luang stupa - the symbol of Laos and very important to the Lao people. We have a saying: “If you come to Vientiane and don't visit That Luang, you haven't actually seen Vientiane ”. The stupa, built in 1566 by King Sayasetthathirath, is said to contain relics of the Lord Buddha himself and is the country's most cherished religious monument.

Your next port of call might be the Patuxay Monument (Victory Gate), which was built in the 1960s and is located nearby on Lane Xang Avenue .

A short walk away on the same street is Vat Sisaket, built in 1818 by King Anouvong. Having survived attacks by the Siamese, this is the oldest standing temple in Vientiane . It is also one of the oldest monasteries in the country and houses many important documents and treasures, including 6,840 Buddha images.

On the other side of the road sits Hor Phakeo, originally built in 1565 as a place for the Phrakeo (Emerald Buddha) during the time of King Sayasetthathirath. Today it is a museum, and contains one of the most extensive Lao collections of Buddhist artefacts.

Xieng Khuan Buddha Park , an artistic extravaganza conceived in 1958 under the direction of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, a Lao monk, hosts a collection of larger-than-life sculptures that merge Buddhist and Hindu traditions. The park is located about 24 km south of Vientiane , across from the town of Nong Khai in Thailand where Bunleua later erected a similar pantheon of sculptures.

A stroll by the Mekong River will bring you closer to spectacular sunsets and open vistas. Fa Ngum Road is the most popular place to hang out at this time of the day. Here you'll find an abundance of eateries and watering holes to enhance your sunset experience.

The town centre features two main shopping centres, where you can pick up some colourful souvenirs. The Morning Market can be found on Lane Xang Avenue and the Xang Jieng Chinese Market on Asean Road is on the way to Wattay International Airport .

If you're a fan of Indian food, Fa Ngum Road can accommodate your needs.

When the desire for European food strikes, head for the Nam Phou fountain area just a few minutes walk away. Here you'll find a handful of cosy restaurants, many of which also serve Lao food.

You will be amazed but, despite its size, Vientiane offers a range of international cuisines that also extends to Italian, scandinavian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants.

Whether it's a restaurant, shopping mall, health centre or some other destination you're in search of, everything is easily accessible. Just hail a tuk tuk or taxi, but don't forget to negotiate the fare first.



By Sisay Vilaysack

More than 500 SEA Games participants from Southeast Asian nations arrived in Vientiane from November 28 to December 2, according to the SEA Games Reception and Protocol Committee.

The participants included athletes, coaches, administrators, referees and technical staff, who entered Laos at Wattay International Airport and the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge . Cambodian delegations and athletes entered at southern border crossings.

According to the committee, some of them arrived last Saturday to take part in competition events such as the men's football, which started on December 2.

The women's football and water polo competitions will take place today at the National University of Laos Stadium and the National Stadium.

Competitions began on December 2, which was the 34th anniversary of Lao National Day. The opening ceremony will be held on December 9 at the National Stadium at km16 in Vientiane .

The first athletes to arrive in Vientiane were the Vietnamese men's football team, followed by football teams from Cambodia , Singapore , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , Timor Leste and the Philippines .

Other delegations included referees, heads of missions and other staff from Asean countries as well as from Bangladesh , Bhutan , India , Iran , Chinese Taipei, the Republic of Korea and Japan .

According to observations by local press at the Dongdok campus and SEA Games Village , the village was already crowded, with some athletes relaxing after training and walking around the complex and others training for upcoming matches.



By Times Reporters

The SEA Games Transportation Committee on Tuesday announced transport arrangements for the event.

Committee representative Mr Chanxay Vinavong said traffic arrangements need to be implemented to facilitate transportation during the games, particularly on the days of the opening and closing ceremonies.

“Those days in particular will involve a lot of traffic as it is expected at least 20,000 people will attend so we hope to minimise disruptions and make transport more convenient for everyone.”

The committee reported that all delegations, officials and athletes participating in the opening and closing ceremonies on December 9 and 18 should use Lane Xang Avenue Kaysone Phomvihane Avenue, the Dongdok road and Road 13 South to get to the National Stadium before parking in a designated parking lot.

Spectators coming from the north should travel through Tanmixay village in Xaythany district, and take the newly constructed road to the Udomphon junction where they should turn right onto Road 10 before turning left at Dontiew water tank onto the new road.

This will take them to the Viengving parking area in front of the National Stadium.

People coming from the south should travel to the stadium via central Vientiane . They should turn left at Km21 and pass through Khoksa-ard, Nakhuay and Huakhua junctions or Khoksa-ard, Ban Xok, Xamkhe, and Vangxai junctions, and Nongnieng and Huakhua villages to enter Vientiane .

They can also turn right at Km19 through Dongbang and Ladkhuay to Udomphon junction, drive along the new road until Tanmixay junction and then carry on until they reach central Vientiane .

Mr Chanxay said that parking areas are available for all vehicles outside the stadium.

Vientiane Traffic Police and Fire Fighting Division Chief, Lieutenant Colonel Salong Seng-Athid, said the traffic arrangements will help to reduce traffic jams during the games.

“I'd like to ask people to follow these arrangements on the days of the ceremonies. Traffic will be the same as usual on days without big matches at the main stadium.”

The committee plans to install directions to assist motorists.


By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Hotel rooms are still available for SEA Games fans and visitors who want to cheer for their sports stars, even though many hotels are close to being fully booked.

Many hotel owners in Vientiane told Vientiane Times yesterday their rooms were almost all reserved, while some said they were already full.

Vientiane is the main venue for the games' official delegates and sports fans coming to Laos for the SEA Games, which are scheduled from December 9-18.

Hotel, Guesthouse and Restaurant Association member Bouloud Viengviseth said rooms in about 70 percent of hotels that are members of the association have been booked by official delegates.

Being tasked to host official delegates means these hotels are almost fully booked, he said, adding that the association has more than 40 member hotels and another 40 member guesthouses.

The capital has 118 hotels with 4,207 rooms, including 898 rooms that have been reserved for official delegates from foreign countries, according to the Vientiane Tourism Department.

However, hotel rooms to be reserved for Lao delegates have yet to be confirmed, said a department official.

Vientiane also has 184 guesthouses with 2,750 rooms, which can accommodate up to 4,000 people. However, many of these rooms have already been reserved.

Both hotels and guesthouses can accommodate about 10,000 guests, including those rooms already reserved for some 1,255 official delegates.

The tourism official was unable to say what percentage of this accommodation had already been booked as individuals have booked through many channels, so the information could not be collated.

“We don't know the exact number of visitors who have booked so far. Some booked through travel agencies,” the official said.

Many people also booked by themselves on the Internet or by telephone.

The Lao National Tourism Administration estimates that about 60,000 tourists will come to Vientiane throughout December, including those passing through on their way to the provinces.

Though the number of visitors to the capital during the games might exceed the available accommodation, the administration's Vice President, Mr Sila Mounthalavong, believed Vientiane will be able to cope.

H e said many visitors might stay only for a few days, while some will just pass through and travel to other provinces.

Lao Association for Tr avel Agents President, Mr Bouakhao Phomsouvanh, said several thousand tourists from Asean nations are in or on their way to Vientiane for the regional sporting event.

Officials said many SEA Games visitors would stay with relatives during their time in Laos .



By Souksakhone Vaenkeo

Cambodia U23s coach Scott O’Donell has no complaints about the conditions at the players’ village in Vientiane

THE four group matches that Cambodia will play at the Southeast Asian Games will determine their success or otherwise, but it’s the off-the-field facilities that can be just as important to put the players in the right frame of mind before competition.

Scott O’Donell, the Cambodian coach, was in charge of the team for their last SEA Games outing in Khorat, Thailand, in 2007. “The rooms at the Village are a lot better than at the last Games in Khorat,” he noted. “At least we don’t have communal showers and toilets this time around. The Village isn’t fully operational yet because the Games don’t officially open ’til later, but the food’s OK, no complaints on that score, and the accommodation is OK too, and that’s what’s important for us.”

“It would be nice to have something to keep the players occupied in their free time,” he added. “In Khorat we had a games room and Internet. Here we have nothing like that, but it’s the same for every team. At least there’s a medical room, which is good, as some of the boys have been getting some [physiotherapy].”

The right diet and looking after themselves is a part of the players’ preparation that O’Donell has been keen to stress. “The food is good, a wide variety, and it’s nice,” he reported. “There’s pasta, rice and veggies, and all the boys are getting stuck in. They are starting to realise the importance of their diet, and they get a lot of fruit and veggies here, which is a good thing. I’m happy with it.”

The national coach claimed that, so far, the training facilities have been a mixed bag. “The first training session at the army stadium was fine. The next two at the television facility were absolutely terrible and simply not good enough. And today was perfect. So a mix of good and bad,” he commented as the team ended their first session at the Chao Anouvong Stadium, in central Vientiane where they will play three of their four group matches.



The accomodation block where the Cambodian U23 national team are staying in the players village on the outskirts of Vientiane.The Cambodian team watched both of the football competition’s opening games Wednesday and trained for an hour Thursday morning before making their final preparations for their first match against Thailand at 3pm Friday.

Source: http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Thousands of Thai tourists will cross the Mekong River to cheer on their athletes at the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane .


Representatives of travel agents from the Thai provinces of Nong Khai and Udon Thani paid a courtesy visit to Vice President of the Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) Mr Sila Mounthalavong in Vientiane on Tuesday to discuss arrangements for the expected influx of Thai tourists.

Udon Thani and Nong Khai are major gateways to Vientiane .

The Thai travel agents also held discussions with their Lao counterparts to arrange measures aimed at facilitating a pleasurable stay for Thai tourists, including guided tours, transport arrangements, and booking of tickets, hotels and restaurants during the event.

According to the LNTA, large groups of Vietnamese tourists are also expected in Vientiane during the games.

Mr Sila said Vientiane offers a warm welcome to all visitors during the sporting event.

He said there are sufficient hotels and guesthouses to accommodate more than 11,000 people and the LNTA has asked hospitality businesses in the areas surrounding Vientiane to prepare for more visitors.

“We expect that after the games many will want to spend some time somewhere like Vangvieng district in Vientiane province where they can enjoy some beautiful natural scenery,” he said.

Mr Sila said the LNTA has held discussions with hospitality businesses to ensure they maintain reasonable service charges during the games in an effort to lure tourists back for a second visit in the future.

He called on Vientiane and Nong Khai travel agents to continue cooperation efforts in the future to boost tourism in the neighbouring provinces.

He said Vientiane is not only the capital of Laos but also a gateway into Indochina as it has transport connections to major tourist destinations such as the World Heritage listed town of Luang Prabang, the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khuang province, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, Chiang Mai in Thailand and Siem Reap in Cambodia.

The tourism industry in Laos has increased rapidly in recent years due to rising visitor numbers and growing foreign investment in the country, he said.

Hotels in the major towns of Laos , such as Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak, have top quality hotels offering tourists excellent services and hospitality.

By Times Reporters