25th SEA Games, Laos

Lao Media Centre of the 25th SEA Games Committee will be publish Lao and English versions of the 25th SEA Games newsletter start from 2 to 19 December, .

Copies will be available at the Media Centre, Sport Stadiums and competition venues in Vientiane where sport events will take place. Copies will also be available at some of hotels and guesthouses where SEA Games guests from member countries and international sport organisations are accommodated.

The newsletter will contain the history of the SEA Games, result and plans for various sport events on a daily basis, and the activities of leaders from member countries.

We hope the 25th SEA Games newsletter will be a means to deliver information about the Vientiane Games and help people in the region to strengthen their friendship, solidarity and mutual understanding for the promotion of peace and prosperity throughout the world. The newsletter is also intended to develop sports and athletes so that better results are achieved at the Olympic Games.

The message is written by Mr Savankhone Razmountry, Head of the Lao Media Centre of the 25th SEA Games Committee.

Lao pencak silat athletes had the opportunity to test their skills at an event held at Lao-ITECC on Monday.

After training in Hanoi , Vietnam , for six months this year, the national team is currently finalising SEA Games preparations at the National Sports Training Centre.

At the warm-up meet, athletes in the 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70kg weight divisions contested the fighting event, while mixed doubles teams showed their skills in the dancing event.

The Lao Pencak Silat Federation's Deputy Technical Secretary, Mr Vanxay Baophom, said the event primarily included fighters listed as substitutes for the games, a move to ensure top-line fighters were not injured so close to the big event.

The federation has selected males in the 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 85kg weight divisions for the games, as well as females in the 50, 55, 60 and 65kg weight classifications. A number of substitute fighters have been named for each category.

The federation used yesterday's event to test the newly refurbished indoor stadium, as well as organisers' readiness for the games, by including announcements, a flag raising ceremony and medal presentations.

The federation declared the event a success, with just some minor adjustments to be made before the start of the SEA Games.

Lao-ITECC will host the sepak takraw, wushu and pencak silat events during the games.

The SEA Games Organising Committee has finished installing arenas, seating and sports equipment at the stadium. Each of the three arenas has seating for 400 spectators.

A total of 18 Lao pencak silat athletes trained in Vietnam from June to November under the guidance of Mr Nguyen Huy Dong from Vietnam and Mr Sulrianto from Indonesia .

The team has been supported by the Lao National Sports Committee and the Vietnamese government.

Mr Sulrianto coached the Lao national team during the last SEA Games in 2007 where they won a bronze medal.

Laos also won bronze medals in pencak silat at the 18th SEA Games in Thailand in 1995 and 19th SEA Games in Indonesia in 1997.

Competitions at this year's games will consist of a tanding (fighting style) event for men in the 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 85kg categories, and 50, 55, 60 and 65kg categories for women. There will also be single and teams seni (dancing style) competitions.

Vientianetimes

The SEA Games Organising Committee led Lao athletes yesterday in paying respect to the late president Kaysone Phomvihane.

“We wish for the spirit of the late president to protect our athletes and ensure the games are a success, just as the late president led us to success in the past,” said Standing Deputy Prime Minister and committee Chairman, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad.

The event took place at the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum in Xaysettha district, Vientiane .

It is common practice for Lao people to visit a place of importance to wish for good luck in the lead-up to a significant event.

The 25th SEA Games will take place from December 9 to 18 in Vientiane, consisting of 370 events in the 25 sports of athletics, swimming, archery, badminton, snooker and billiards, muay, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, pencak silat, petanque, fin swimming, diving and shuttlecock.

The games will involve athletes from Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysian, Myanmar , Philippine, Singapore , Thailand , Vietnam and Timor Leste.

Events will be held at the National Stadium in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district; the Chao-anouvong stadium in Anou village, Chanthabouly district; the International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre; Beungkhayong stadium; National University of Laos Dong Dok Campus, Don Chan Palace hotel and other venues maked with the SEA Games signage.


By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Vientianetimes

More than 20,000 spectators took their seats for a rehearsal of the 25th SEA Games opening and closing ceremonies at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Kaysone Phomvihane Avenue and Road No. 13 south were busy as the friends and families of more than 8,000 performers and other interested people drove to the stadium to watch the performance.


The event was arranged by the SEA Games Opening and Closing Committee as a practice run to test out both lighting systems and participants ahead of the big night on December 9.

The performance scheduled for the opening ceremony took place first, followed by the routines rehearsed for the closing ceremony.

The committee checked out all the lighting and sound systems as well as making sure the thousands of performers were step perfect.

For the most part, the performers did very well but some were obviously unsure and lost their way at times.

Many people who went to see the event told press the performance was the greatest show they had ever seen in Laos .

They were impressed with the colourful and traditional costumes worn, and fascinated by the skills of the many youngsters taking part.

Mrs Daoleuang of Nongbua village said if her daughter were old enough she would have let her take part in the performance.

“It's very beautiful. It's not the same as when I saw it on television during the last rehearsal. It was much better seeing it live at the stadium because of the great atmosphere and the good sound system.”

During the event, the SEA Games Organising Committee held a traditional ceremony to wish for good luck during the games. Leading the ceremony were committee Chairman and Standing Deputy Prime Minster Somsavat Lengsavad and other officials involved in the event.

There will be another rehearsal early next month before the start of the games.

Traffic police reported that more than 4,000 vehicles went to the stadium on Saturday, keeping police at work until midnight as they directed traffic to reduce congestion as people were leaving.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Vientiane Mayor Sombath Yialiher has asked businesses not to hike up their prices during the SEA Games, given the practice has been declared illegal by the organising committee.

Mr Sombath said the Vientiane Administration Office issued an announcement last week to all businesses in Vientiane to control the price of goods and services in Vientiane during the 25th SEA Games next month.

“The announcement will control the price of things including products on sale at markets, hotels, guesthouses and restaurants because we do not want complaints from visitors that prices were too high during the games,” he said. A survey conducted by Vientiane press last weekend found that some businesses were planning to increase their prices by almost 50 percent.

The press then interviewed the Mayor, who said he could solve the problem with other involved sectors.

“We also heard reports from staff about the problem, which is bad news for us, so I ordered a special unit of our staff to go down to the market and check the prices. They found the information that had been given to us was true,” Mr Sombath said.

He added that some merchants had raised their prices, but not all of them.

“Another problem is that guesthouses will increase their prices so we should hurry to try and stop them.”

The Vientiane Administration Office has started to crack down on the problem, and has ordered a special unit to inspect prices before the games start next week.

A restaurant owner told press that they didn't intend to raise prices during the SEA Games, but would be forced to because the price of vegetables and other products would increase.

Some accommodation providers also said it would be a good opportunity to earn extra income because there would be plenty of people needing places to stay during the games.

Mr Sombath said if businesses kept raising their prices the government had measures in place to deal with them.

The Vientiane Mayor asked everyone to respect the announcement because it would affect the reputation of the country if prices were too high.

He said people needed accommodation and other services and if they were forced to pay too much they would complain about Laos when they got back home and hinder the growth of tourism in the future.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Some of the Miss SEA Games this week completed the final touches to their outfits and hairstyles before they represent Laos at the SEA Games next month. Make-up artists and hairdressers from beauty salons in Vientiane demonstrated the looks that will be on show during the event, all in keeping with traditional Lao culture. Organising committee member responsible for Miss SEA Games, Mr Sopha Inthavong, said that to showcase Lao identity to visitors and guests, they had closely focused on unique Lao dress and weaving.

“We have had discussions with the Lao Women’s Union to come up with traditional clothing using Lao silk, which reflects traditional designs,” he said. “We also focused on the design and fabric used for making skirts. We are using traditional weaving styles because we want to promote the skills of Lao weavers.” Mr Sopha said the display of traditional Lao dress will show visitors a variety of Lao textiles and make the Miss SEA Games beautiful in a uniquely Lao way.

Apart from the aesthetics of the traditional costumes, the committee also wanted to focus on the natural beauty of the Miss SEA Games, so they chose eight beauty salons to pamper them, from polishing their nails to doing their hair and make-up. Hairdressers are very particular about the styling of buns because this especially shows off a woman’s beauty and the art of hairdressing Lao style. The 30 ladies who will carry placards in the stadium will bun their hair in the traditional style, adorned with real gold and vay flowers.

Those who lead the parade will have a similar bun but just a little bit lower and decorated with frangipani, the national flower. Six ladies who modelled their traditional costumes and hairstyles this week will have their photo taken for a calendar to be published by the Ministry of Information and Culture, which will be distributed during the games. Thirty costumes will be worn by the ladies carrying country name placards, while 100 costumes will be used for those presenting medals.

They will wear a different costume each day depending on the sporting event, but all of them will showcase Lao culture and beauty. The committee is ready for the games and is confident the government has provided sufficient effort and funding to make the Miss SEA Games a stunning success.

Source: Vientiane Times

(KPL) The HK Group Company Limited has provided 20 million kip for The National Tennis Federation to support the preparation of Lao tennis players for the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Laos next month.

The handover ceremony was held last Friday at the new National Stadium (km 16) in Vientiane Capital.

The donation was presented by Chairman of the HK Group Company Limited, Mr. Hongkham Souvannavong, and received by President of the Lao National Tennis Federation, Mr. Houmphone Bouliyaphon.

The ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Kasem Inthala, SEA Games Organising and Technique Committee, and officials concerned.

The tennis events during the 25th SEA Games will be from 10 to 18 December and will draw players from nine countries.

Photo: MC15, Mr Ananh Sengsavang

With the words flowing as clearly and adroitly as those of a seasoned professional, it's not hard to realise that 18-year-old Mr Ananh Sengsavang has real talent.

This acumen shone through at the SEA Games Announcers Contest, where he deftly answered questions and demonstrated his linguistic abilities on stage.

This was the moment when the young man could win over those critics who doubted that someone of such a tender age could master the microphone.

His clear Lao and English language speaking skills were foremost among the reasons why he has been selected as one of 10 announcers for December's games.

The young man is a Vientiane native, but is also a veteran of two years of language study in Australia .

Despite his youth he was able to withstand the pressure, managing to pull together a performance to woo the judges and assembled audience.

As he talked during this interview, Ananh partly hid face with his hand, covering his nervousness.

“I think it's incredible I could pass this test, pitted against 45 contestants with experience as TV and radio presenters.

“It's all the more surprising after I sent my picture to the contest organisers and some people said my candidacy was inappropriate due to my age.

“However, that was good for me, as it was the first step towards improving my mental toughness and developing my ability to do well in this contest.”

Talkative by nature, Ananh has enjoyed entertaining others since he was a child, which could be where his ambitions as an announcer have their roots.

More recently he has been seeking to increase his experience and has been hosting a radio programme after school.

This practice has undoubtedly proven its benefit in competition with contestants more senior and seasoned than he.

Ananh tried to explain what helped him to pass the test.

He said he was almost unable to control his poise during the selection interview.

However, there was a secret weapon at hand. He was lucky enough to have learnt to reduce stress by mastering his breathing.

“It was hard to believe but it worked. I knew that when I heard my name announced in the list of 20 finalists,” he recounted with a grin.

In that round he felt more confident. Coming up against 20 senior contestants at the National Culture Hall, he once again dodged the cut and was selected as one of the 10 announcers for the SEA Games.

Ananh said he had both excitement and fear of failure coming into the final round.

Presented with an article and only 10 minutes to prepare, he was competing on stage.

He also had to write scripts himself in a bid to communicate with the audience.

The most challenging task was to remain composed when dealing with an incident on stage.

Being able to handle unexpected occurrences on stage is very important if you want to be a good Master of Ceremonies.

The young man showed his problem-solving ability and gained experience from this challenge.

Ananh explained that although he had spoken on-air and received valuable advice from his seniors, he remained unsure of his success.

According to the young man, that's partly because addressing a large remote audience, as one speaks alone via radio, can seem like a solitary exercise.

Speaking on stage to an audience is what really gets his nervous energy up.

“However, you must learn to adjust, just take in the feel of the event.”

So, what was the most difficult part of the contest? Ananh confidently answered that everything had both simple and hard aspects, and it was up to the individual to overcome both.

Like many a proverb says, when one is patient, success is found.

“For me, the difficulty was like a challenge, and an opportunity to improve myself,” Ananh said.

Ananh is a student at the Faculty of Architecture at the National University of Laos.

While he has yet to formally do any media studies, he still loves speaking, providing information and entertaining other people. He hopes his experiences at the SEA Games will give him the opportunity to become a renowned presenter in the future, be it wooing the crowds in person or via the airwaves from a broadcasting studio.

By Ounkham Pimmata
Vientianetimes

The Government has urged completion of final preparations at the SEA Games Village in Vientiane , ahead of the arrival of the first wave of athletes and tournament officials this week.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister and SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman Mr Somsavat Lengsavad said at a meeting on Saturday that electricity, water and other facilities should be rechecked and any problems solved before the athletes arrive.

“Committees, construction companies and others should send their staff to solve any problems that arise during the games,” he said.

Mayor of the SEA Games Village Professor Lammay Phiphakhavong reported that there were still some small problems at the village that needed to be cleared up before the athletes arrived.

“There are still some small problems with electricity, water, room keys and the canteen. Some lamps are broken, there is sometimes no hot water on the second and third floors, some of the rooms don't have keys and there are some problems with the canteen toilets,” he said.

Mr Lammay said at the meeting that the construction company, electricity and water staff should stay at the village until the games are over so they could fix any problems as quickly as possible.

“If there is not enough space for all the guests and athletes at the village, we will take them to stay at the National University of Laos which is only 1km away,” he said.

Mr Somsavat asked electricity and water supply staff to fix any problems quickly, saying that because it was cool there should be hot water available.

Electricity workers should work with builders to locate the source of the problem and fix it this week, he said.

Representatives from both water and electricity companies told the meeting they had contacted the construction company and had found faults with their work, so they would need to sort out solutions this week.

Mr Somsavat said the SEA Games Village must test both water and electricity because when the village was fully occupied these utilities would be in full use.

All the lights must be turned on at the same time to see whether they are functioning or not, and if there is a problem it must be sorted out immediately, he said.

“They should also follow the same procedure to test the water. And all the other small problems should be fixed as well.”



By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

The indoor stadium at Lao-ITECC will host the sepak takraw, wushu and pencak silat events during the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane next month.

The stadium comprises two floors on which the SEA Games Organising Committee has modified two rings especially for the wushu and pencak silat events.

Each arena has seating for 400 spectators and offices for event officials.

The sepak takraw and wushu events will take place on the first floor of the stadium, while pencak silat contests will be held on the upper floor which is still undergoing renovations.

SEA Games Construction Project Manager Khiengkham Phouthchanhthavong said 750 million kip was spent on improving the indoor stadium and arenas.

Mr Khiengkham said the three arenas will be of international standard and have excellent facilities for athletes, officials and spectators.

The national pencak silat and wushu teams are currently training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district.

The wushu team won one silver and two bronze medals at the last SEA Games in Thailand in 2007, while the pencak silat team won a bronze medal.

Pencak silat events will consist of weight divisions ranging from 45 to 80kg for males and 45 to 65kg for females. The Lao Pencak Silat Federation has sent the national team to train in Hanoi , Vietnam , until the end of this month.

The 21 male and four female fighters are training in Vietnam under the guidance of Indonesian and Vietnamese trainers.

Eleven male and five female wushu fighters in various weight divisions are currently training at the National Sports Training Centre under the guidance of Mr Cui Jian Gong from China .

The Lao Judo Federation hosted the East Asia Judo Championships at the indoor stadium in August to test judo athletes and event organisers in the lead-up to the games.



By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

Health officials will continue to increase public awareness of HIV/AIDS before, during and after the SEA Games that take place next month in Vientiane .

A meeting of health officials and representatives from international organisations was held in Vientiane yesterday with support from UNAIDS.

Deputy Director of the Centre for HIV/AIDS/STI, Dr Phouthone Southalack, said a special campaign for use during the games had been submitted to the Ministry of Health for consideration.

“The campaign includes various activities to ensure athletes, officials and visitors understand how to protect themselves against the HIV virus,” he said.

In the lead-up to the games the centre plans to broadcast HIV/AIDS information on radio and television stations, including interviews with representatives from the National Committee to Combat HIV/AIDS, Centre for HIV/AIDS/STI, UNAIDS to Laos, Lao athletes and people living with HIV.

During the games, the centre and its partners plan to organise photo exhibitions highlighting the devastation caused by HIV/AIDS.

After the games, the centre will train 20 Lao medallists to take part in a programme to address young people in 20 upper secondary and vocational schools in Vientiane about HIV/AIDS.

The centre will also use World AIDS Day on December 1 to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS issues.

The centre also plans to prepare pamphlets about the virus for public distribution and set up a short message service (SMS) facility which people can use to ask any questions they may have.

Lao health officials have also learnt from Thai doctors who have shared their experiences on HIV/AIDS campaigns during similar events.

“I think Laos will be a good host of the games and the centre will continue to campaign on HIV/AIDS to make sure the number of new infections doesn't increase,” Dr Phouthone said.

He said that in recent years, the centre's HIV/AIDS campaigns have been well supported by the Ministry of Health, international organisations and various state-partner organisations, allowing Laos to maintain a low prevalence of the disease.

The centre regularly conducts surveys of at-risk groups which have shown that infection rates were 0.9 percent in 2001, 0.02 percent in 2004 and 0.4 percent in 2008.

According to the centre, from 1990 to 2008, out of a sample of 189,988 blood tests, 3,123 were positive for the HIV virus.

Of these, 2,011 people developed AIDS and 925 people died from the virus.

Worldwide, more than 33 million people are affected by the virus and an average of 14,000 people become infected every day.

UNAIDS Social Mobilisation Advisor Dr Khamlay Manivong also attended the meeting.



By Xayxana Leukai
Vientianetimes

Laos U23 team had their warm up match with HAGL club from Vietnam in preparation for the 25th SEA Games in Chao Anou football stadium, Vientiane.

In the first match which kicked off on Sunday 22nd November, Laos team trounced Vietnam 4:0. However, the match on 24th November, Vietnam hit back and won Laos with the score 3:1.

This will be the final warm up match for Laos U23 team.

In 25th SEA Games, Laos will first meet Myanmar on December 5th.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister and SEA Games Organising Chairman Somsavat Lengsavad has asked the committee concerned to replace the flowerpots that line the median strip on Souphanouvong Avenue in Sikhottabong district. Local people and officials have complained the shrubs and their containers were unsuitable and did not make the street look as attractive as it should be. Addressing the SEA Games Organising Committee last Friday, Mr Somsavat said that thousands of containers and shrubs should be removed and the committee concerned should find new containers and green trees to replace them.

“When something is not beautiful, we should make it better. In this case we need to use other containers with green trees to create a good environment with plenty of greenery,” he advised. After containers along the road were painted, so many people complained about the result that the committee agreed with the chairman’s suggestion and is now working to solve the problem as soon as possible. Other problems were also raised at the meeting. The chairman gave advice and told the committees to pay closer attention to their work before the SEA Games begin next month.

“From now on, I will be close to this work and control all the committees so they are successful in their activities. I will work at the Lao National Sports Committee as my temporary office so that if any committee needs advice I will be on the spot and they can ask me and we will work to remedy the situation immediately,” Mr Somsavat said.

He asked the various committees to nominate representatives to work with him in making decisions in the lead-up to the SEA Games. “We will make sure that work proceeds smoothly before the games.” Vientiane Vice Mayor and SEA Games Decoration Committee Chairman Bounchan Sinthavong said they had chosen the containers and shrubs because the median strip on Souphanouvong Avenue was very narrow and they couldn’t plant the same kind of shrubs as on Lane Xang Avenue. The Vice Mayor said decorative work around Vientiane was almost 100 percent complete. This included planting shrubs, displaying the national flag of each guest country and displaying the SEA Games logo. He urged everyone to help clean up and beautify Vientiane for the games.

“Five districts in central Vientiane have assigned village officials to sign contracts with people who have promised to clear and clean their land, which will help to spruce up Vientiane before and during the games,” he said.

Vientianetimes

(Kpl) A five star hotel Don Chan Palace will be a venue for the competition of snooker and billiard during the 25th SEA Games (9-18 December), according to a contact signed at the hotel last weekend.
Deputy President of the National Snooker and Billiard Federation has confirmed the readiness of the Lao players.

Signatories to the agreement on renting space and equipment of the hotel for hosting the snooker and billiard competition were Deputy President of the National Sports Committee, Mr. Somphou Phongsa, or Snooker and Billiard and Don Chan Palace?s Assistant Executive Manager, Ms. Angeline Khor. The ceremony was witnessed by concerned officials and press people.

?Snooker and billiard are among the 25 sports to be competed during the 25th SEA Games,? said Mr. Somphou. ?The government has agreed to choose the hotel because it is a standard hotel in Vientiane,? added Mr. Somphou.

Deputy President of the National Snooker and Billiard Federation, Mr. Pasithsay Luangkhoth, said that the federation so far had completed selecting 16 national athletes and they now were training.

More than 100 athletes from Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei will compete in many categories such as single?s snooker, billiard single, double, pool 9 single, double, pool 8 single, pool 9 women?s single, pool 8 women?s single and carom events. The competition will start on 10-17 December.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister of Laos Somsavat Lengsavad affirmed that sports delegations, fans and international guests to the 25th Southeast Asian Games (25th SEA Games) in Laos will receive good services and leave with lasting positive impressions of Laos.

Talking to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Vientiane on November 18, Deputy PM Lengsavad, who is also Chairman of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee, said that this was the first time Laos has ever hosted a large regional sports event, so the country has made an all-out effort to prepare for the games. Already, all preparations for the 25th SEA Games, including the construction of the National Sports Complex and the SEA Games Village, in where athletes will live during the games, have been completed, he said.

Security work and traffic arrangements in the capital city of Vientiane have been beefed up to ensure the best conditions for the region?s largest sports event.
Laos also sets up a health committee which has coordinated with relevant agencies to take measures against the A/H1N1 flu, added the Standing Deputy Prime Minister.

Medical and firefighting teams carried out an emergency response training exercise at the National Stadium on Saturday, as part of safety preparations ahead of the SEA Games in Vientiane next month.

Medical teams from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Security's fire brigade worked together on the exercise to ensure maximum cooperation between response teams in the event of an emergency.

A key aspect of the training was maintaining stadium access for ambulances and fire trucks to ferry the injured from such an emergency.

The Ministry of Health has held 10 training courses for medical teams in the run-up to the games, and Saturday's joint exercise with the fire brigade was the fourth of its kind.

The training activities were observed by Standing Deputy Prime Minister and SEA Games Organising Chairman Somsavat Lengsavad, Minister of Health Dr Ponmek Dalaloy and senior medical officials.

Vice Minister of Health and Chairman of the Medical Committee Prof. Dr Eksavang Vongvichit commented on the success of the test of coordination skills between the emergency teams.

“We are ready with ambulances and medicines to treat patients,” he said, explaining that each ambulance was fitted with a bed, oxygen supply, stethoscopes and emergency medical equipment.

The medical teams comprise 300 paramedics and nurses spread across the venues, who will provide treatment at the scene before patients are transferred to the care of special emergency teams at each hospital in the capital.

During the event medical teams will be stationed at the National Stadium in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district (km16), the SEA Games Village , Beuang Khayong indoor stadium, the stadiums and fields at the NUOL Dongdok campus and other sports venues.

Medical and fire teams are also preparing to assist increased numbers of people injured in road accidents during the games.

Further training was provided at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane yesterday for officials of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Works and Transport in the event of emergency air transport of patients.

Medical officials will also be on hand throughout the games to treat injured athletes. One such team is currently working at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district, to treat injured Lao athletes training for the event.

Lao sports coaches were given additional training last month at the Lao National Sports Committee office to assist in this capacity during the tournament.


By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

The Accommodation, Food and Tourism Committee (AFTC) has called on hotels in Vientiane to maintain high standards in the lead-up to the SEA Games next month.

Many hotels have begun to install decorations to welcome guests, including the flags of each nation participating in the event.

AFTC Director and Vice Mayor of Vientiane, Mr Somvandy Nathavong, said all hotels must maintain standards in all facets of their services to ensure guests enjoy their stay.

Mr Somvandy urged hotels to provide clean and nutritious food, while also offering good quality service and promoting Lao culture.

Ensuring visitors enjoy their stay during the games will encourage them to return in the future and help to boost tourism, he said.

The AFTC held a meeting yesterday at the National Culture Hall to report on preparations to welcome guests to Vientiane . In attendance were AFTC officials and members of the hospitality industry.

The meeting learnt volunteer and liaison teams are ready to assist in work relating to accommodation, dining and sightseeing.

The AFTC has assigned certain hotels to accommodate delegates and officials from different countries. Don Chan Palace will host guests from Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Thailand , Singapore , and Vietnam .

The Lao Plaza Hotel will accommodate guests from Japan , Mongolia , Brunei , Korea , and China , as well as Vietnam and Thailand .

Various other hotels will host referees and other organising officials, while athletes will stay at the SEA Games Village at the National University of Laos.

Health officials have carried out inspections of hotels and guesthouses in Vientiane recently to ensure they can provide high quality services during the games.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

The 25th SEA Games Accommodation and Food Committee reported last week that a large number of Thai and Vietnamese sports fans will attend the games in Vientiane next month.

Various committees involved with the organising the games met in Vientiane on Friday to discuss final preparations for the event.

Committee Vice Chairman, Dr Sila Mounthalavong, said the committee is working in cooperation with local hotels and restaurants to ensure that demand can be met during the event.

“Various associations have informed us that large groups of supporters from those countries have already booked accommodation and they're also expecting many visitors from Cambodia and Myanmar ,” he said.

“Sports clubs and fan associations in neighbouring nations have inquired about services at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge during the games, such as opening hours and expected waiting times.”

“We've also had requests for timetable and scheduling information so that visitors can plan their trips here,” Dr Sila said.

The SEA Games Organising Committee is currently in the process of compiling the relevant information which can be provided for distribution in neighbouring countries.

Dr Sila called on the relevant committees to publicise scheduling and other information as soon as possible.

“Some visitors will actually be coming to Laos over the next week or so because some sports events begin on December 2, so it would be good if such information was available for visitors when they arrive,” he said.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister and SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman Somsavat Lengsavad asked all committees involved with the games to cooperate to quickly produce scheduling information for visitors.

The committees pledged to ensure the required information is publicly available by the end of this week.


Vientianetimes

More than 1,300 cheerleaders from upper secondary schools throughout Vientiane will get together at Phailom School tomorrow for a final practice of their routine before taking to the SEA Games field next month. SEA Games Cheering Committee Chairman Mr Bounsouk Thilasack said yesterday that November 21 would be the final day of practice before the games, so it would be a big test for the students. “We have arranged for some of the cheerleaders to support athletes from other countries who have less people to cheer for them, so the students acting as cheerleaders will be well-mannered and friendly,” he said.

The SEA Games Organising Committee worked with the Ministry of Education from June this year to discuss the role of students as cheerleaders. The games committee allowed the Ministry’s Head of Office Mr Bounsack to close six upper secondary schools in Vientiane, including Phailom, Sathid, Phonsvanh, Vientiane, Phiavat and Xaysettha schools during the games. “After getting that permission, we discussed with the interested sectors and schools an appropriate time for the students to rehearse for the games. Funding for this has been provided by the government,” Mr Bounsouk said.

He said that during the rehearsals, the students had been trained in orderly cheering, the right and wrong things to do, fairness, manners and good conduct. “We had two training sessions - before the practice on the field and after the practice. We will have the real practice this Saturday, then on November 28, and then another training session on the right and wrong things to do before the games start on December 2,” he said. The cheerleaders will be present at the games from December 2-18, when the committee will allow them access to each sports venue including the National Stadium, Dongdok campus, Lao-ITECC, Buengkhayong, Don Chan Palace and others. “Each sports venue will have a leader to supervise each student group, and the committee will also monitor their work at each venue during the competition,” Mr Bounsouk said.

He said all the cheerleaders would have equipment such as horns, the Lao and SEA Games flags, shirts and hats. “They will use these to spur on the athletes during the competition,” he said. At a SEA Games Organising Committee meeting, the Chairman, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, said the students would be an important part of the games because they would create a more exciting atmosphere than if there was no one to cheer for the teams.

Source: Vientiane Times

The Lao Association of Travel Agents has confirmed its readiness to provide bus and hospitality services during the SEA Games next month. The association held a meeting this week to publicise its progress in the provision of services to guests as well as the performers, students and volunteers who will be involved with the games. Association President Bouakhao Phomsouvanh said that after the preparation of staff and vehicles, the association was now confident it would be able to provide convenient and friendly services for guests.

Tourism officials have been trained in foreign language and service skills. Drivers also play an important role in providing a positive impression and have been trained to provide the best of local hospitality. Mr Bouakhao said the games were considered an important test for member businesses as well as the association as a whole, as it was the first time they would be providing services at such a large event. They needed to be prepared and ensure the efficiency of their vehicles and personnel, he said. He said Laos had an ideal location and could offer many tourist attractions in terms of culture, history and natural beauty.

“We will take this opportunity to attract visitors through our tourism promotions to get guests to understand more about Laos, especially focusing on peace and security in the country.” From October 3 until the opening of the games, the association is using between 50 and 75 buses with a capacity of between 35 and 45 passengers to ferry volunteers between the city and outlying venues. During the games from December 9 to 18, the association will use 159 buses to transport athletes and performers. More buses will be used to take athletes to and from the borders of Vietnam and Cambodia.

The association has arranged for staff to be stationed at six key locations to provide information about tourism and advise guests how to get to their intended destination. These will also act as hubs for tours of the capital which will be available every day in the morning and afternoon.

The association is also promoting tours to other places in the nation prior to and after the games. Thirteen tours will be offered for those wanting to travel around Laos.

(KPL) The Wattana Hospital Group (Nongkhai and Udon Thani) presented one ambulance and medical equipment, totally worth 306 million kip, to the Ministry of Public Health to support the service of Lao medical officials during the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane on 9-18 December.

The handover of the package was held on 19 November at the Ministry of Public Health in Vientiane Capital and was witnessed by Deputy Minister of Public Health of the Lao PDR, Dr. Eksavang Vongvichith, Thai Ambassador to Laos Mr. Wiboon Khusakul and relevant officials of both sides.

The package was presented by President of Wattana Hospital Group (Nongkhai and Udon Thani) Dr. Phimphath Taugseubkoun and received by Head of the Secretariat on Medicine and Performance Enhancing Drug Control, Dr Chanphomma Vongsamphanh.
At the ceremony Dr. Chanphomma expressed his heartfelt thanks to the donor Wattana Hospital Group (Nongkhai and Udon Thani) for its assistance to support the 25th SEA Games.

The travel agencies in Vientiane were not able to reserve any room from any of the four and five-star hotels here, so that they could not entertain the requests from the big groups of SEA Games tourists who demanded to be housed in such high-end hotels.

This is because the SEA Games organising committee had ?blocked? or reserved all such rooms for their VIP guests.

The reservation manager of the Lao Youth Travel, located in Vientiane?s glitzy ?Khemkhong,? Mr Thonglith Thammavong told KPL News last week that he had hotel reservation requests from SEA Games tourist group, as many as 200 to 300 person groups from Malaysia and Vietnam, but he had to turn them down.

He added that he had made counter offers to them, for provision of rooms in one, two and three-star hotels, but as they were bent on being housed only in the most luxurious hotels in Vientiane and so he was not able to do any business with them.
While he felt sad at having to forego such lucrative business deals, but he was not deterred by the setback as he knew he could rely on the traditional tourist business and tourist arrivals to this capital city had been trending upwards for the past three weeks.

Working out in his mind on a gamut of tactics to tackle the new and novel situation, he decided on a plan of action to best serve the tourists during the SEA Games period.

He would advise them to fly from Bangkok to Luang Prabang (north) for a two or three-day stay and then relocate to Luang Namtha (north) for just one night. The next stage would be to fly from Luang Namtha to Pakse (southernmost Champassak province) for a four-night stay.

Another class of tourists, Mr Thonglith mentioned were the second tier ones who would be happy to stay in one, two and three-star hotels and any of the local travel agencies would be able to cater to their accommodation needs.

One source of business, he mentioned, would be those SEA Games tourists who come in small groups, who would not demand to be housed in five star hotels and he could house them in the second tier hotels.

Last but not least he said he would offer to help the loner or twosome walk-in tourists during the SEA Games period, by offering to house them in guest houses that charge 10 to 15 USD per night.

This is the fourth of the series of a journalist?s walkabout in Vientiane?s tourist belt to source for ?stories? from the tourist outlets, with emphasis on their modus operandi.

It so happened that the walkabout period coincided with the coming SEA Games and so this journalist walked into a travel agency.

More than 8,000 performers from Laos gathered at the National Stadium in Vientiane for the rehearsal of the opening / closing ceremony of the 25th SEA Games 2009 in Laos. Check out the clip below:

Vientiane Labour and Social Welfare Service has assigned direct call numbers for tracing beggars to ensure keeping orderliness within Vientiane capital during the 25th SEA Games which will fall on 9-18 December this year.

Individuals can inform village authorities, security officers stationed in nearby village clusters or dial or and 56 17 044 if they see beggars within the capital, said on Tuesday Mr. Khonesavanh Phommadouang, Head of Social Welfare Division, Vientiane Labour and Social Welfare Service.

Mr. Khonesavanh said that committees for dealing with beggars had been established at central and district levels as well as a taskforce to work with public security officers and grassroots political strengthening units in village clusters across the capital. According to Mr. Khonesavanh, beggars who are arrested will be sent back to their hometowns or to a detention centre at Somsa-nga village which currently houses 22 beggars from Vientiane province and Vientiane capita

Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad, Standing Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee, urged the transport committee to pay more attention to all liaison officers (LO) and volunteer officers (VO) to closely advise and organise a training course in term of theory and practice to ensure their responsibility and good performance.

Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad who talked to 4,261 liaison and volunteer officers in Vientiane on 18 November, highlighted the main duties and obligations of the liaison and volunteer officers, who will work to welcome sports delegations from 11 nations. He asked the committee to organise more training for them until the opening day.

The training should concentrate on LO's and VO's responsibilities and their work places. Mr. Somsavat also asked LOs and VOs to learn more about the culture, tradition and geography of the country of their guests to facilitate their coordination and communication.

Check out the badminton draw of the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane, Laos.
To view, CLICK HERE

(KPL) The Lao National Tennis Federation organised a tennis tournament on Monday in preparation for its athletes and judges for the 25th SEA Games, to be held next month in the capital of Vientiane.

Mr Hongkham Souvannavong, Chairman of the SEA Games Tennis Tournament Organising Committee, said ?We organise this tournament to test our judges and athletes and personnel concerned for their readiness for the Vientiane Games?.The Lao national teams had trained in Thailand and now they are training with Chinese coach. ?We hope to win one medal from the 25th SEA Games,? said Mr. Hongkham.

Ten tennis players have been selected as national athletes by the Federation for competing at the Vientiane Games. These players include Dala Nilasay, Dalavanh Singthin, Kethsiny Shaety, Phonnida Meksavanh, Vithaya Lasavady, Dondy Keodalasouk, Somchay Phaphithak, Sayalath Singthin, Ananda Khamphoumy and Bounthavong Silisack.

(KPL) The Public Health Service of Yunnan Province, China, presented two ambulances and medical equipment, totally worth one billion yuans, to support the service of Lao medical staffs during the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane next month.

The handover ceremony for the package was held on Tuesday at the National Sports Committee Office in Vientiane and was witnessed by Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad, and Chinese Ambassador, Mr. Pan Quangxue, among others.

The package was handed by Ms. Xu Heping, Deputy Head of Public Health Service of Yunnan province, and received by Dr. Eksavang Vongvichith, Deputy Minister of Public Health of the Lao PDR.

The opening match in Group B football of the 25th SEA Games in Laos will be played on 5 December considering that they are only four teams in the group as against five teams in Group A.

The first match in Group B at the National Stadium will be Singapore taking on Indonesia while hosts Laos will play Myanmar, who were the silver medallist two years ago in Thailand.


GROUPINGS

Group A: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Cambodia

Group B: Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia


FIXTURES

2 Dec (Main Stadium): Malaysia vs Timor Leste (1500hrs)/ Thailand vs Vietnam (1745hrs)

4 Dec (Chao Anu Vong Stadium): Thailand vs Cambodia 1500hrs)/ Vietnam vs Timor Leste (1745hrs)

5 Dec (Main Stadium): Singapore vs Indonesia (1500hrs)/ Laos vs Myanmar (1745hrs)

6 Dec (Main Stadium): Vietnam vs Malaysia (1500hrs)/ Timor Leste vs Cambodia (1745hrs)

7 Dec (Chao Anu Vong Stadium): Myanmar vs Singapore (1500hrs)/ Indonesia vs Laos (1745hrs)

8 Dec (Chao Anu Vong Stadium): Timor Leste vs Thailand (1500hrs)/ Cambodia vs Malaysia (1745hrs)

9 Dec: Opening Ceremony

10 Dec (Chao Anu Vong Stadium): Myanmar vs Indonesia (1500hrs)/ Laos vs Singapore (1745hrs)

11 Dec (Chao Anu Vong Stadium): Cambodia vs Vietnam (1500hrs)/ Malaysia vs Thailand (1500hrs)

14 Dec (Chao Anu Vong Stadium): Semi-finals

17 Dec: Third/ Fourth Placing (1500hrs at Chao Anu Vong Stadium)/ FINAL (1700hrs at Main Stadium)

The Stadium Sports Centre wants approval from the Vientiane Urban Development Administration Authority to promote the 25th SEA Games mascots in the lead up to the event, saying not enough people are familiar with the mascots and what they stand for.

The centre is responsible for distributing souvenirs and products promoting the games, and wants to promote the mascots to local and foreign visitors at major spots in central Vientiane .

The centre's manager Mr Viengsavanh Sengchanh told the press on Monday people might know a little from neighbouring media about the games, but the mascots had not received nearly as much attention as mascots in previous years.

The centre has allowed vendors from the provinces to bring products to sell in the run-up to the games.

Clothes have become popular products among customers, but the mascots were not attracting much attention because they had not been advertised well, Mr Viengsavanh said.

“The price of the mascots is reasonable. We sell small ones for 65,000 kip and big ones for 85,000 kip. I think most people don't know what they represent, while others are just buying them for their families in other countries,” he said.

Mr Viengsavanh said promotion of the SEA Games in some provinces was inadequate, and that people in Laos didn't even know the mascots existed.

“The games start in less than two weeks so we would like to see stalls and signs to promote the games,” he said.

The centre reported that products, including clothes, hats and other souvenirs, were being well received by shoppers from the central and other provinces.

Some customers told local press they thought the goods on sale were very expensive, with a normal shirt with a SEA Games logo priced at 50,000 kip, but the manager rejected the claim and said the shirt cost only 30,000 kip.

“Some businesses buy the goods from us and sell them at their shops for a higher price,” he said.

“Champassak is the leading province in which many of the SEA Games clothing is distributed, while people in Khammuan, Borikhamxay, Xieng Khuang and Luang Prabang provinces have also bought many items. But most of the items being sold aren't the mascots,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

He said the target for selling products, souvenirs and mascots was 30 million baht or more than US$900,000 (more than 7.6 billion kip).

Some of the goods were presented as gifts to the SEA Games Organising Committee but were not of high enough quality for distribution.

Mr Viengsavanh added that signs would help them to sell their products and achieve their target, in particular mascot sales.



By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

The Lao Tennis Federation is testing its players at a tournament being held at the Vientiane Tennis Club from November 16-20 in the lead-up to the 25th SEA Games next month.

Taking part in the event are six male and four female national level players who have been training with experienced players and former national team players at the club.

The federation has held two national level events this year to help boost the skills of tennis players around the nation.

There are a number of talented young tennis players ready to compete at the SEA Games, but they still lack international exposure.

The national team trained in Bangkok , Thailand , in September and October this year under the guidance of Chinese and Thai trainers.

The Chinese trainer has being working with the team since April, while his Thai colleague only joined the team last month.

The players improved their physical fitness and tactical skills during training in Thailand .

Director of the SEA Games Tennis Tournament Organising Committee, Mr Hongkham Souvannavong, said Thailand organised more than 10 tournaments to test their players, but unfortunately Lao players did not participate in the events.

Since ending their training in Bangkok , the team has been practising on tennis courts in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district.

Mr Hongkham said the Lao players are all the better for their training programme and expressed confidence they could pick up some medals at their home games.

Ms Dala Nilaxay, 18, competed in the 24th SEA Games in Thailand but was unable to claim a medal.

She began playing tennis eight years ago and is currently in her first year of study at the National University of Laos' Faculty of Law.

She said the Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese tennis players are very skilful and were the best performers at the 2007 SEA Games.

Ms Dala said all members of the national team are determined to do their best when Laos hosts the games and called on people to cheer on all Lao athletes during the event.

At this week's tournament, the federation will also try out 80 ball boys and girls and 50 assistant referees, who will participate in the SEA Games if they are up to standard.

The federation lacks an umpire with the required international certification, but 14 umpires from India , Malaysia , the Philippines , Thailand and Indonesia will adjudicate at the games.

The Lao tennis team consists of Mr Vithaya Laxavady, Mr Donedy Keodalasouk, Mr Somchay Phaphithak, Mr Xayalath Singthin, Mr Ananda Khamphoumy, Mr Bounthavong Silisack, Ms Dala Nilaxay, Ms Dalavanh Singthin, Ms Ketxiny Xaety and Ms Phonenida Meksavanh.

Vientianetimes

During the upcoming SEA Games 140 volunteers will ensure people are aware of smoking-free zones and promote the ‘Smoke-Free SEA Games' campaign in Vientiane.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency's Tobacco Control Programme Coordinator, Dr Maniphanh Vongphosy, said yesterday the National Sports Committee had granted permission for a booth to be set up outside the National Stadium to promote the campaign.

“During the games we'll have 120 volunteers walking around all the sport venues ensuring that smokers only smoke in the allocated areas and providing information on the dangers of smoking cigarettes. We'll also have 20 other volunteers providing free face painting of national flags and the smoke-free logo to interested people,” she said.

“We'll also organise quizzes at our booth, where people can win T-shirts and other items to show support for their team.”

Dr Maniphanh said the committee is currently considering a proposal by the programme to install signs bearing the smoke-free logo along roadsides throughout Vientiane .

The Comprehensive Tobacco Control Law is also currently being debated at the National Assembly's 8th ordinary session.

The enforcement of smoke-free zones during the SEA Games is in accordance with the World Health Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which was ratified by Laos in 2006.

The Philippines , Vietnam and Thailand all enforced smoke-free zones when they hosted past SEA Games.

On May 31, 2007, Luang Prabang province issued the first smoke-free regulations in Laos to mark World No Tobacco Day. The eighth National Games held in Champassak province last year was also a smoke-free event.

The Tobacco Control Taskforce of Laos is cooperating with the World Health Organisation, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance and the Lao National Sports Committee to reduce the use of tobacco products in Laos .

Every year some five million people in the world die from the effects of tobacco. About 14,000 people die each day, 600 each hour, 10 each minute, and one every three seconds.

In the next 20 years some 10 million people will die from the effects of tobacco use.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa
Vientianetimes

Mountain bike trails being prepared for the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane next month should be finished by November 25, according to the constructors.

When local press visited the trails in Houaynhang village, Naxaithong district, the head of the venue reported that both downhill and uneven trails were almost complete and would be finished next week.

The constructor, Mr Chanseng Panichith, said the downhill trail was 1.6km long and the uneven trail was 7km. Both trails will be used by cyclists from participating countries during the games.

“Construction began last month so we've had just two months to get everything done. We are clearing land to build a mountain bike track, which we have been able to do using the local natural features,” he said.

He was confident the trails would compare favourably with similar facilities in the region and that Laos would be successful in hosting international mountain bike events after the SEA Games.

The Union Cycliste Internationale has checked construction of the trails to guarantee the standard meets that required for the SEA Games.

“I believe cyclists and spectators will enjoy the competition here because the trails are set among big trees, rocky surfaces and other natural features,” Mr Chanseng said.

Cycling Federation Secretary Lassamy Soundara said 16 cyclists are ready to represent Laos at the SEA Games.

The federation selected its 16 national representatives following the Eighth National Games in Champassak province last year.

They have since been based at the cycling centre in Vatnak village, Sisattanak district.

“Since beginning training there, they have taken part in competitions in Thailand , including the Road and MTB Thailand Championship 2009 in Chainat province, and the 28th National Games in Trang province,” Mr Lassamy said.

Lao cyclists achieved second, third, fourth and fifth places in various events in those races.

“Currently our cyclists are training hard and we can see they are improving as they prepare for the SEA Games.”

Vientianetimes

(KPL)Vientiane Jamia Mosque welcomes SEA Games Muslim athletes, sports officials, supporters and tourists who would be here during the SEA Games period next month to do their Friday prayer and the five daily Muslim prayers (fazar, zohor, azan, magrib and isyak) in its premises.

This mosque is located in the tourist belt area and so it is right in the centre of this capital city. The newcomer Muslims could use the city?s iconic ?Namphu? (fountain) as a landmark, walk down Setthathirath Avenue for 40 metres until he reaches a directional sign, follow the arrow and he would come to the mosque, distinguished by its three spires.

Imam or religious teacher of this mosque is Maulana Nazimul Islam, who hailed from Assam province, India, and he leads the Friday prayer.

According to a committee member of the mosque. Mr Mohd Lokman bin Abdul Rahman, there are 900 to 1,000 Muslims in Vientiane. Quite a few of them originate from Pakistan and India. Another group are Lao Muslims and he said there are 200 of them. A small group are Muslims who are attached to the embassies here, such as Malaysia and Brunei.

He told KPL News on November 11 that he is happy to act as a guide to the Muslims who will be here in connection with the SEA Games and show them nice places in Vientiane. His contact number is: 020-5528-576.

Liaison officials encountered some problems during a golf practice run on Monday, according to one of those taking part in the exercise.

Liaison officials have been selected from among students at the National University of Laos and are charged with taking care of and assisting athletes and delegations during the 25th SEA Games next month.

The first rehearsal of their duties at the golf test event brought several problems to light, which will have to be resolved before the games get underway.

One of the group's duties is to get up very early to pick up players at the SEA Games Village at the university's Dongdok campus.

Before they set off on their practice run on Monday, they were given papers containing information about the players and how they were to help them.

“It would have been easier if we had been given the papers a day earlier. This would have given us time to find out who the players are and how we should take care of them. But the information was given to us just before we left, so we had no time to find out about everything in advance,” the liaison official said.

He said the rehearsal in general was rather confusing because they didn't know who the players were and where to take them. When they arrived at the village, there was more confusion as some group leaders told them to raise the country name of the players, while others told them not to, but to just go inside and ask for the players in their allocated group.

“Another problem was that we didn't know which bus our players would take. It took us quite a long time to find the bus and get on it before we went to the golf course,” he said.

There were also other difficulties concerning caddies, who were supposed to be prepared for the arrival of the golfers. But when this particular liaison official arrived with three golfers, there was only one caddy and no one else to carry the other golf bags.

A large contingent of volunteers from the university and colleges around Vientiane is helping the SEA Games Organising Committee with their work.

Most have been given training by the various committees involved on how to take care of guests and athletes during the games.

Monday's trial run was a valuable experience in preparing the helpers for the real event next month.

“We will note down all the problems and report them to our supervisors. They need to find solutions as soon as possible. Certainly this has been a useful experience because they've never put the system to the test before,” the liaison official said.

In spite of the problems, everyone left the SEA Games Village and arrived at the golf course on time.

Another liaison official told reporters her group had no problems because the players were already waiting at the collection point, but confirmed other groups had had trouble locating the players they were supposed to be meeting.

The practice run has given supervisors some food for thought and they can now streamline the procedure in the few remaining weeks.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

The Lao Women's Football Federation will organise a final test event for its players on November 18-19 before the SEA Games get underway in December.

After conceding several goals at the International Women's Football Tournament held in Quang Ninh , Vietnam , last month, the team will play against a club from Chonbury province, Thailand , as a final test before the games.

Assistant coach Mr Viengsavanh Sengchanh accepted yesterday that his team was not as strong compared with the Thai and Vietnamese teams because they didn't practise before the tournament.

“We had left early hoping to practise in Vietnam for 10 days, but unfortunately there was a big storm in Vietnam then so for those 10 days we just ate and slept. We returned home for five days but the tournament organisers invited us to participate in the event so we decided to go ahead even though the players weren't fit,” he said.

After coming back from the tournament, the team starting practising hard by using the experience of the loss, and now they are getting better and are ready to take on the Thai team this month.

The squad has been training since April this year, and the federation invited countries in the region to a tournament in Champassak province. The Lao women were runners-up in the event.

“We have 25 players who are strong and ready to play in the SEA Games; I think they will be able to hold their heads high next month,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

The test event on November 18-19 will be another trial run for the Chao Anouvong and Dongdok stadiums to see if they are ready for the SEA Games.

“Fans can go to cheer the team for free during the competition on both days,” he said.

Mr Viengsavanh also explained that after the match the federation will continue with training and will select the final 20 players for the SEA Games.

“We promise we'll get one of the three medals for Laos ,” he said.

The women's football matches will be played in a group comprising Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar , Vietnam and Laos .

“ Vietnam has the strongest team but we are trying our best,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

More than 100 hundred Lao athletes will continue to train in Vientiane in preparation for the 25th SEA Games next month after successfully completing training programmes in neighbouring countries.

Members of the pencak silat, fin swimming and wrestling teams are currently training in Vietnam and will return to Vientiane this month.

The swimming squad is training in Bangkok , Thailand , while the taekwondo team (artistic style) is practising in the Republic of Korea and divers are preparing in Beijing , China . All will return to Vientiane by the end of this month.

Lao athletes are eager to perform well at their home games after improving their skills at training camps abroad over the past year.

It is expected the fin swimming, swimming and diving teams will struggle to win medals at the event because they have only had a short preparation period and lack experience at the international level.

However, the martial arts teams are expected to perform well at the games and the Lao Wrestling Federation currently has 11 male and three female athletes training in Vietnam .

A member of the Lao wrestling coaching team, Mr Manolom, said the federation will select a final squad for the games when the team returns to Laos .

The national shuttlecock team concluded a four month training camp in Hanoi , Vietnam , this month. During that time the team won a bronze medal at a Vietnamese national event and two silver and two bronze medals in the Asian Indoor Games.

The team was buoyed by their recent successes and are confident of claiming medals when their nation hosts the regional sporting event in December.

The boxing, archery, taekwondo, karatedo, and athletics teams are currently training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeud village, Naxaithong district.

The petanque, table tennis, volleyball and other squads are training at camps around Vientiane .

It is expected all 25 national teams competing in the games will be training in Vientiane by the end of this month.

During the games, the track and field, swimming, fin swimming, diving, volleyball and beach volleyball, badminton, tennis, football, archery and shooting events will all be held at the National Stadium in Xaythany district.

The billiards and snooker contests will be held at the Don Chan Palace hotel, while the boxing and wrestling events will be held in the Olympasia gymnasium at the National University of Laos Dongdok campus.

The university will also host the table tennis and petanque events, while the weightlifting will take place at the nearby Phonsavanh School in Dongdok village.

The golf event will take place at the SEA Games golf course in Phokham village, Xaythany district.

The judo and karatedo events will be contested at the Lao-Japan Budo Centre in Anou village, Chanthabouly district, while the sepak takraw, pencak silat, and wushu events will be held at the Lao-ITECC.

The muay (kick-boxing) and shuttlecock events are to be held at the indoor stadium in Beung Kha Ngong village.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

The main Lao-Japan Budo Centre is complete and ready to host the judo and karatedo events at the 25th SEA Games from December 9-18.


The karatedo team gives a demonstration at the Budo Centre.

The Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) staged a budo exhibition at the centre after its construction was completed on November 6.

Construction took part in two phases at a cost of more than 600 million yen, funded by the Japanese government and people.

The contract for construction of the centre was awarded to Azusa Sekkei Co., Ltd. as the consultant and the Consortium of Kanto Construction Co., Ltd. in cooperation with Sanpo International Corporation as contractor.

The first Budo Centre in Laos is located in Anou village in Chanthabouly district, Vientiane .

The handover ceremony was attended by Standing Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the SEA Games Organising Committee, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, LNSC President Dr Phouthong Seng-Akhom, Japanese Ambassador to Laos Masaaki Miyashita, and senior officials from Laos and Japan .

Mr Somsavat said the centre was an important contribution to the success of the SEA Games. The Lao government considered it is as a special project of bilateral cooperation.

He expressed his gratitude to the government and people of Japan , specially the consultant company on behalf of JICA, and the Consortium of Kanto Construction and Sanpo International Corporation for their professionalism in ensuring the centre was finished on time and was of the highest standard

The centre has been fitted out to hold the judo and karatedo events at the SEA Games.

The Lao judo and karatedo teams will live and train at the centre in preparation for the games.

Until now, the karatedo fighters have been training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district.

Judo and karatedo are both Japanese martial arts. They were introduced to Laos in the 1960s and have seen gradual development through the assistance of Japanese volunteers.

The Budo Centre will be the main venue for aikido, judo and karatedo events and will also be used for other sports such as table tennis, badminton, and sepak takraw.

Seminars, conference and concerts can also be staged there to make money for administration and maintenance purposes.

The Lao government's contribution to the project was to demolish the existing building on the site, relocate a primary school, clean the site, erect fencing, hook up electricity and water to the site and do the landscaping, at a cost of 2 billion and 42 million kip.

The construction project is the largest the Japanese government has provided to Laos under its cultural grant assistance scheme. The Budo Centre is the first of its kind for the promotion of Japanese martial arts in the region.

The Budo Centre comprises a three-storey main building and two single-storey buildings with a total construction area of 1,796.2 square metres.

The main building comprises a practice and competition venue, the director's room, administration room, and aikido, judo and karatedo offices.

It has fixed seats for 436 spectators and 275 removable seats for activities such as concerts. After the handover ceremony, hundreds of aikio, karatedo and judo fighters at the junior and senior levels from Japan and Laos took part in demonstrations at the centre.

At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007, the Lao karatedo team won a bronze medal and the judo team two gold, one silver and three bronze medals.



By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Vientiane Vice Mayor and SEA Games Decoration Chairman Bounchan Sinthavong has urged everyone to help clean up and beautify Vientiane ahead of the SEA Games in December.

At a press conference, Mr Bounchan said cleaning was the responsibility of people who live along Vientiane roadsides, who should make sure their front yard and house is clean and free of dust.

“Five districts in central Vientiane have assigned village officials to sign contracts with people who have promised to clear and clean their land, which will help to spruce up Vientiane before and during the games,” he said.

The committee said more than 1,500 families lived along the 21 major roads in Vientiane , and that those people should share the workload to make sure the city presents a good image.

“As part of our mission, district and village officials will be checking to see that local people have cleaned up around their houses,” Mr Bonuchan said.

The vice mayor also reported that the decorative work around Vientiane was 95 percent complete, and this included planting shrubs, raising the national flag of each guest country and displaying the SEA Games logo.

“We have been putting up flags since Friday and the decorations are almost finished in Vientiane , to attract local and foreign visitors to the event. We also plan to install special lights in various parks,” he said.

He also reported on the construction of the major road link to the sports complex at the National University of Laos Dongdok campus, the SEA Games Village , and the major road from Donnoun to the National Stadium.

“This month the construction of the road, the installation of the lights and the planting of shrubs along roads from Phontong to Dongdok will be complete. Some parts of the road between Donnoun and the National Stadium are under repair due to damage from the rainy season,” Mr Bounchan said.

He added that if nothing went wrong, most of the work would be done on time or before the games. The vice mayor urged people to work together to keep cleaning from now on in order to welcome visitors from abroad to Vientiane next month.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

The Lao National Sports Committee held a test run of the SEA Games welcoming ceremony last Tuesday.

Female students from the National University of Laos practised holding placards bearing the name of each of the 11 participant nations, to welcome the athletes at the start of their stay at the SEA Games Village from December 9 to 19.

Some 300 volunteers and liaison staff from the National University of Laos took part in the exercise.

The test run started at Wattay International Airport and continued at the SEA Games Village .

Sports committees and officials from the university, who will work during the games, also attended the practice event.

SEA Games Organising Committee Vice Chairman Dr Souvannarath Saignavong said the sports committee would be able to improve the welcoming ceremony after analysing the first practice session.

On November 26, the sports committee will hold the final practice session.

It will do a test run of the flag raising ceremony at the SEA Games Village on Thursday.

Practising the welcome ceremony will test public security and transportation.

Dr Souvannarath said it was very important because Lao leaders and athletic teams would be able to see how Laos will welcome other athletes at the village.

He said male and female speakers would be careful to pronounce the name of each country accurately.

During training at the village, Lao dancers practised their performance to welcome the athletes.

Vice Mayor of the village Ms Keomanivong Phimmasen said athletes from six countries would stay at the village.

The six countries were Brunei , Indonesia , Singapore , Thailand , Malaysia and Laos , she said.

There are 77 coaches and athletes from Brunei , 389 from Indonesia , 376 from Singapore , 829 from Thailand , 667 from Malaysia and 612 from Laos .

Mrs Keomanivong said the number of athletes from the five other countries would be confirmed by the sports committee this week.

The Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) will raise the flags of the 11 participating countries at a ceremony to honour the 50th anniversary of the SEA Games Federation Committee at the SEA Games Village on December 8.

More than 4,000 athletes staying at the SEA Games Village are set to arrive in Vientiane in time for the ceremony. The village consists of eight 4-storey dormitories.

The flag raising ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the SEA Games Federation will be an important event.

This ceremony indicates that the athletes of the 11 countries have arrived at the village and will start preparing for the games.

As the host country Laos will stage performances and other activities on the opening night.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes