25th SEA Games, Laos

Video clips of the 25th SEA Games closing ceremony

2009-12-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

Let's watch video clips the closing ceremony of the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane, Laos 18th December 2009. See you all again in the 26th SEA Games in the Republic of Indonesia 2011.

SPECTACULAR END TO 25th SEA GAMES IN LAOS

2009-12-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

The 25th edition of the SouthEast Asian Games came to a spectacular end tonight where in true ASEAN spirit, songs from all participating countries marked the beginning of the closing ceremony at the Main Stadium. And as government leaders and VIP Guests slowly trickled into the gathering pace of songs, the marching in of the SEA Games flag began making their way into the stadium to the pace of the Laos Police Band. Athletes and officials in their different multi-coloured costumes but all in celebratory mood were then paraded in just prior to the giving of the official closing ceremony speech by the Laos Deputy Prime Minister, His Excellency Somsavat Lengsavad.

The flags of hosts Laos and also that of the SEA Games were lowered before the SEA Games flag was handed to the delegates from Indonesia to make their taking over of the next hosting job in 2011. That marked the start of the official cultural and artistic performance beginning with the 'Paddy Thrash Dance'.

Then came an ensemble of Laotian favourites of the 'Lao New Year' dance, the 'Rocket Festival' dance, the 'Boat Racing Festival' dance and which culminates in the 'Gather Together Again' dance - a performance from the delegation from Indonesia.

A spectacular display of fireworks to light the night sky then marked the end of the official closing ceremony and also a fabulous chapter to the 25th edition of the SEA Games when Laos played hosts to an incident-free meet.

SEAG

LAOS SEA GAMES: Games of many firsts

2009-12-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

The 25th SEA Games here in Laos will go down in history as the Games with many firsts. While Laos hosted the Games for the first time, this landlocked Indo-China nation has certainly left a big mark in the world of sports in this part of the world. A poor nation in terms of economy, Laos left no stones unturned in their bid to leave a lasting impression among the 11 participating countries that it has arrived to take on the best in the region - both in terms of sporting excellence and development. From the friendly people with an ever ready smile and greeting you with a warm sabaidee (Hello), the Laotians extended their hospitality to one and all who came to the country for the Games - as participants or as visitors.

More importantly, Laos shed its 'whipping boys' or 'minnows' tag and put up an impressive performance in the sporting arena with an impressive haul of medals won by their athletes. From winning just five gold medals at the last SEA Games in Korat, Thailand in 2007, Laos made every one sit up and take note of their athletes as they raked in 33 gold, 25 silver and 52 bronze medals - surpassing their earlier target of 25 gold medals.

As expected, Thailand topped the medal tally with a haul of 86-83-97 but the entire kingdom was left weeping by losing the football gold - dubbed the 'mother of all gold medals' in both the men's and women's football. Thailand had been winning the SEA Games crown in men's football for the last eight editions since 1993 while for the women, they were the defending champions.

Thai football has certainly taken a beating in Laos where it is the first time since 1973 that Thailand failed to make the final four in football.

At the same time, Laos are fast gaining on the football powerhouses in the region by reaching the semi-finals before falling 3-1 to eventual champions Malaysia. On the other hand, Malaysian regained their status as the SEA Games football champions with a 1-0 win over Vietnam in the final. Malaysia also knocked out Thailand from a place in semi-finals.

And Thailand's supremacy as the top sports nation in the South East Asian region have also come under serious threat. Vietnam finished a close second in medal tally with figures of 83-75-57.

Indonesia established themselves as the sprint kings with Suryo Agung Wibowo retaining his 100m with a new record of 10.17 (which is faster than winner 's time of 10.21 at the 2006 Doha Asia Games) and the 200m. Indonesia, who will host the 26th edition of the Games in 2011, also hailed little "wonder girl" Triyaningsih, who stands at 146cm and weighs slightly over 37kg, as the long distance queen. She retained the 5,000m and 10,000m golds with the latter in a record time of 32:49.47 (old record 33:50.06).

The 21-year-old from Salak Tiga in Central Java, is ranked eighth in the world in women's marathon. The men's 10,000m also went Indonesia's way with Agus Prayogo taking the gold. He also took the 5,000m gold for repeat his success he achieved in Korat. Malaysia's ended a 12-year wait in the men's 400m with Mohd Zafril Zulaisni taking the gold - after Romzi Bakar last won the gold in Jakarta in 1997. Vietnam broke the monopoly of traditional powerhouses Malaysia and Indonesia in pencak silat by taking six golds compared to the three gold haul in Korat.

Laos shooters and taekwando exponents were also on golden trail - sending out strong signals that their rivals will have to take note of their 'arrival' in the two sports. A big 'thank you' to the people of Laos. You made us all feel at home while showing true sportsmanship in the battle for the medals in what is a incident-free SEA Games when it comes to the subjective sports. Laos may have finished in mid-table in the medal standings but you were the big winners overall.

We are bound to hear of Laos in the coming future. A point to note is that every nation returned home with a medal to show for their participation where Timor Leste at least won three bronze medals - a significant showing of the Games anthem of Generosity, Amity, Healthy Lifestyle.

SEAG

Lao wushu fighters rake in the medals

2009-12-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

Lao wushu fighters smashed their medal target yesterday, winning three more gold medals to add to their tally in the sanshou finals on the last day of wushu events at Lao-ITECC.

The first gold came from Khamla Soukaphone, who beat Phan Vah Hau of Vietnam in the 52kg category. Phoxay Aphailath won the day?s second gold for Laos in the 56kg category, defeating the Philippines? Benjie Rivera, while a third came from Bouapha Valasith, who beat Junaidi Sukamto Rahmat from Indonesia in the 60kg category.
The President of the Lao Wushu Federation Mr Oudomsak Oudomthongkasem expressed his satisfaction that the Lao fighters had morethan doubled the federation?s medal target at the SEA Games, winning five gold, two silver and 4 bronze medals.

?Wushu is still a new sport in Laos, after this achievement our federation will expand in Vientiane and other provinces to draw on more resources and train good fighters to compete in the next SEA Games and do even better than in this event,? he said.

The Lao Wushu Federation entered 10 men and nine women in the 25th SEA Games wushu events, competing in men?s and women?s changquans (long fist, broad sword play and cud get), nanquans (southern fist and southern cudgel play), taijiquans (taijiquan and taijijian), duilian (barehand and weapon) and sanshou in weight categories of 45 to 65kg.

Their current successes build on those of previous SEA Games competitions, where in recent years Lao fighters have come away from the events with gold, silver and bronze medals.

Fans lend vocal support as Laos wins first judo gold

2009-12-17T17:04:00.000-08:00

Hundreds of fans packed the Budo Centre yesterday to cheer on 22-year-old Lao fighter Ms Phonenaly Sayarath who rewarded them with Laos ' first gold medal in judo.

As her supporters' shouts rose to a crescendo, Ms Phonenaly defeated her Thai opponent Sureerat Sadmaroeng in the final round of the women's under 52kg weight division.

Three Lao fighters competed in yesterday's final rounds at the Budo Centre.

The fans' enthusiasm was rewarded by Ms Phonenaly's gold medal and the efforts of two other Lao fighters, Ms Syamphone Phetnida in the women's under 48kg and Ms Chitchinda Bounphaaksone in the under 75kg, who both won silver medals.

Ms Syamphone and Ms Chitchinda were outmanoeuvred in their final rounds by their Vietnamese rivals Van Ngoc Tu and Nguyen Thi Kieu.

Ms Phonenaly's gold medal was her first and also the first for the Lao Judo Federation at this SEA Games c ompetition.

“I am really happy to have won gold at the SEA Games, especially since the event is taking place in my motherland. Thanks to all of my fans for cheering for me,” she said.

Ms Phonenaly has competed in the SEA Games on three occasions. The first was at the 23rd SEA Games in 2005 in the Philippines , and her second medal attempt was at the last SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

“I finally have the top prize after winning bronze at the last SEA Games and getting nothing in the Philippines ,” she said.

She believes her success at this year's games is the result of two years of hard training in Japan , where she is studying.

Judo fighters competed for seven gold medals yesterday. Vietnam won three gold medals, while Myanmar , the Philippines and Thailand received one each.

Today, seven more gold medals are up for grabs in judo.

Laos has high hopes for two in the men's over 100kg and under 90kg categories, according to Lao judo trainer Chittiveth Nouankhaising.

Media praised for SEA Games coverage

2009-12-17T16:56:00.000-08:00

The Media Communication Committee made a significant achievement in contributing to the success of the 25th SEA Games, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Prof. Dr Bosengkham Vongdara said yesterday at a press conference at the Media Centre.

Dr Bosengkham, who is also Media Communication Committee Chairman for the 25th SEA Games, said “Information from reporters and the media contributed greatly to the success of the SEA Games. We made an admirable and significant contribution to the promotion of the event. Lao people living in the provinces and overseas and all those interested in the games received timely information. We saw people living in Vientiane respond and actively take part by attending events and showing their enthusiasm.” Dr Bosengkham said reporters and media organisations had benefited and raised their skill level through their coverage of the games. Reporters now knew how to better cover, send news and coordinate among themselves and other countries. The government has invested a large amount of money in the media to improve infrastructure, training and equipment.

“Feedback from the public suggests they think the media have done a good job, with presenters and reporters in the field giving good information,” Dr Bosengkham said.

The Media Communication Committee consists of five sub-committees, which all started preparing for the SEA Games in August 2008. They have promoted the event from December 2008 right up to the opening day of the SEA Games on December 9.

The committee and media organisations across the country created several special programmes for radio and television and published newspaper articles to deliver information to the public in a timely manner.

“All media organisations performed well in the important tasks the government assigned them,” Dr Bosengkham said.

More than 700 local journalists participated in covering various areas of news relating to the SEA Games.

“Reporters have been actively reporting news since before the start of the games until the opening ceremony,” Dr Bosengkham said.

Apart from this, 1,600 foreign journalists from Asean countries took part in the SEA Games, writing many articles about the event. People in Asean countries received information about the opening ceremony and every sporting event from journalists doing an important job in Laos .

The foreign news agencies took SEA Games news and produced TV programmes. They also booked a live broadcasting room. This allowed people living in Europe and the United States to watch the games.

Dr Bosengkham said Lao Channel 1, 3 and Lao Star broadcast their programmes to the world and in the Lao provinces. Local people and Lao people living overseas all enjoyed watching the games on these channels.

By Phon Thikeo
Vientianetimes
Photo: VTC

More gold, but Laos ranking stays the same

2009-12-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

Despite gaining seven more gold medals yesterday, Laos remains at seventh place in the medal standings while Vietnam and Thailand are in a head to head battle for top honours.

The battle for medals will end this morning, with the afternoon set aside for preparations for the 25th SEA Games closing ceremony at the National Stadium.

The ceremony will begin at 5:10pm with musical entertainment, followed by a programme of performances and displays.

The first gold medals for Laos yesterday came in the morning thanks to experienced boxers in the muay Lao (kick boxing) ring with their haul of three gold medals in wushu sanshou at Lao-ITECC.

Some of the tactics used in muay Lao are very similar to those employed in wushu sanshou, which gave Laos the edge and brought them resounding success on home soil.

To date, the wushu team has taken five gold, two silver and four bronze medals. After the five muay Lao gold medals they earned earlier in the week, the team has become the most successful in Laos at the games.

The first gold of the day for Laos was a victory by Khamla Souphaphone after he easily beat Phan Van Hau of Vietnam in the men's 52kg boxing event. Khamla won the silver medal at the last SEA Games in 2007 in Thailand .

Khamla was the best boxer in the muay Lao ring with 70 fights to his credit. Muay Lao fans know him as Anantaxay Sor-souphaphone.

“This gold medal is a good token for me to welcome in the New Year of 2010 and also a wonderful reward after a long year of hard training,” Khamla said.

“I have to thank all of my supporters around the country, especially the people of my hometown of Nahai village in Hadxaifong district, Vientiane , for cheering me on to victory today.”

More gold medals in wushu followed from 2006 Asian Games silver medallist Phoxay Aphailath in the men's 56kg and Bouapha Valasith in the men's 60kg category.

Other gold medals taken by Lao athletes yesterday included one in the men's under 120kg judo event for Khemkham Kommanivong, one in the boxing ring for Vilasak Khouandy in the men's 64kg light welterweight, one in men's surface fin swimming 200m for Bounthanom Vongphachanh, and another in the men's pencak silat class I under 90kg for Pheumthavy Vongphackdy.

By Sisay Vilaysack

Laos achieves target of 25 gold medals

2009-12-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a day of victory for Lao athletes at the ongoing SEA Games on home soil when they reached their target of 25 gold medals, as some optimists had predicted ahead of the games.

The eighth day of competition will go down in the record books as being the day when the magic number of 25 gold medals for Laos was reached in 25 sports at the 25th SEA Games.

The first gold medal yesterday came at 5:31pm, after a long day of waiting, thanks to Phonenaly Sayarath who won the women's under 52kg division in judo.

Other gold medals that pushed Laos towards success came from the swimming pool at 6pm, when Chrichina Sindara won the women's 50m surface fin swimming event and Amdavanh Phanmibounkong won the women's 400m surface fin swimming event.

Despite having reached their gold medal target, Lao athletes will continue to pursue their quest for even more gold in the last two days of competition.

The petanque team, who were favourites to win a gold medal yesterday, managed only bronze.

Of the 11 gold medals up for grabs in petanque Laos is hoping to claim at least four. So far, they have picked up one gold, one silver and five bronze medals in the sport.

The gold medal was won in the women's doubles on Monday by Manivanh Souliya and Noitavane Pasert.

The final two gold medals in petanque will be there for the taking on Friday in the men's and women's triples events.

Yesterday afternoon Laos claimed a silver medal when 20-year-old Milvady Hongfa took second place in the women's light flyweight 48kg boxing event.

On the shuttlecock court where Laos hoped to win one gold medal from the two events being contested, the team scooped two silver medals, with both golds going to the more experienced Vietnamese team.

In the round robin competition in women's football, Laos came in fourth, while Myanmar took the bronze medal. The gold medal was won by Vietnam after they beat defending champion Thailand 3-0 in a penalty shootout at Chao Anouvong Stadium yesterday.

The last men's football matches will take place today. The bronze medal match between Laos and Singapore kicks off at 3pm at Chao Anouvong Stadium, while the gold medal match between Vietnam and Malaysia will begin at 5pm at the National Stadium.

By Sisay Vilaysack

Vientianetimes

Laos satisfied with silver, sepak takraw manager says

2009-12-15T21:32:00.001-08:00

Lao sepak takraw team manager Khamvanh Nanthavong said the main goal of his team was to be good hosts and they were not expecting any major triumphs at the SEA Games.

Mr Khamvanh was speaking after his team lost to Thailand in the final of the men's regu event in Vientiane yesterday.

“Our goal is to be a good host. We're not hoping for anything else so we got the silver medal today. But I was proud because our team still lacks experience. We can't compete with the Thai players because they have so much more experience,” he said.

In the final match of the men's regu event, Thailand took the gold medal 2-0 with scores of 21-16 and 21-12.

Mr Khamvanh said his team had only two years of experience but the Thai team had been in the sport for 10 years, so their levels were very different.

At the start of the game, Laos and Thailand were level and there was almost no difference in score. But the Thai team started to pull away and Laos lagged behind to finish in second place and take the silver medal.

“Before the next SEA Games in Indonesia , Lao sepak takraw players will get as much as experience as possible,” Mr Khamvanh promised.

The Lao sepak takraw team is now running fourth in the sport's medal tally with one silver and two bronze medals. Thailand has five gold medals, Myanmar has one gold, one silver and one bronze medal, and in third place is Vietnam with three silver medals.

In the women's regu event which took place on the same day between Thailand and Vietnam , Thailand beat Vietnam 2-1 with a score of 19-21, 21-8 and 15-9.

In today's events, the Lao women's and men's doubles teams will face Malaysia , Indonesia and Thailand at the Lao International Trade and Exhibition Convention Centre starting at 9am.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Extra buses laid on to carry fans home after SEA Games

2009-12-15T21:29:00.000-08:00

Spectators returning home after the SEA Games are assured there will be plenty of buses running to the north and south, when the games end on December 18.

Bus operators told Vientiane Times yesterday they had enough buses to provide everyone with a journey home, whether going north or south, and there was no need to worry about getting a seat.

An official in charge of bus provision at the Chitprasong Transportation Company (northern route), Mr Khamdy Phimmasone, said there would be about 100 buses available, including privately owned buses registered with the company.

“I believe this number will be sufficient to transport everyone in the rush to return home after the games,” Mr Khamdy told Vientiane Times.

The company has been able to provide extra buses at peak times in the past, especially at the busiest time of the year during Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) in the middle of April when many people travel, he said.

At that time there are more than 50 buses in service - double the number that normally run on regular routes.

Mr Khamdy was unable to say how many extra buses would be added to cope with SEA Games passengers, saying it depended on demand.

“We will organise extra buses depending on the number of passengers. We can have buses available if need be and can organise additional buses immediately if they are required,” he said.

The situation is similar going south, with the Chitprasong Transportation Company ready to get travellers home, according to Southern Terminal Transport Association President, Mr Khamsaen Thammavong.

Bus companies are expecting a surge in customers after the games. As well as a boost in Lao passengers they anticipate a rise in foreign visitors travelling onwards to other parts of the country.

Transport providers had their busiest time at the start of the games when supporters from the provinces flocked to Vientiane .

Extra buses were laid on between the provinces and the capital and they were always full, bus operators said.

Normal services are running at present with one bus departing for the southern provinces every 30 minutes from 4:30am to 8:30pm every day and one bus every one to two hours going north from 6:30am to 8pm.

The situation is fairly quiet at the moment.

“Fewer people are travelling these days because so many people are in Vientiane for the games. However, we expect a rush when the games are over,” Mr Khamsaen said.

He said more people were booking bus tickets these days, perhaps because they were afraid there would be a shortage of buses.

“No problem, we have enough buses available,” he said.

By Times Reporters

Vientianetimes

Five golds for Laos in muay, shuttlecock

2009-12-15T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Lao muay team became the most successful in the country's history when the close of competition at the ongoing SEA Games saw a haul of five gold medals around their necks.

Yesterday was the final day of the muay events at this year's SEA Games. The Lao team had four boxers in the ring competing in seven gold medal bouts. At the end of the day the Lao team took home three gold medals and one silver.

The team won two other gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal on Monday.

The three gold medals for Laos yesterday came from Phoutthasone Keosayavong in the female light flyweight 48kg, Thongbang Seuaphom in the male flyweight 51kg and Paylor Xaypao in the female featherweight 57kg division.

Thongbang Seuaphom said after the medal presentation ceremony “This gold medal is a great honour for me because it is my international competition debut.”

“My future now is to continue to have more international fights with the national squad and to win more gold medals for Laos ,” the 20-year-old Thongbang said.

On the same day, the shuttlecock team also had their best success by scooping two gold medals and one silver.

The first gold came in the men's doubles from Southisone Thonmanivong and Khamphong Phouthong.

Another gold medal was won in the mixed doubles by Ms Pathoumphone Phammachane and Mr Phongeun Kongmany, while the silver medal was won in the women's doubles by Ms Malaythong Daosisavan and Ms Khamkhoun Luanglath.

Yesterday's gold medals followed the first gold medal for the shuttlecock team on December 13 from Southisone Thonmanivong in the men's singles event.

Vice Minister and Head of the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Shuttlecock Federation, Prof. Dr Boviengkham Vongdara, said yesterday “After three days of competition our team has won three gold medals and one silver medal. This is a very great success.”

“Although today is the final day of the shuttlecock competition, there are still two gold medals up for grabs for the men's and women's teams. Our hope is to win at least one more gold medal.”

The latest medal standings updated at 7pm on Tuesday placed Laos in seventh position out of the 11 competing countries with 22 gold, 11 silver and 35 bronze medals. This was on the seventh day of competition since the official opening ceremony on December 9.

The best medal tally for Laos in any previous SEA Games was 5 gold, 7 silver and 32 bronze medals.

By Sisay Vilaysack
vientianetimes

Khamla shoots to stardom

2009-12-15T04:55:00.000-08:00

Khamla Xayavong, 21, has become the latest Lao hero after scooping three gold medals in shooting events.

Yesterday Khamla struck gold in the 10m running target mixed event.

She won the event with a score of 358, beating silver medallist Ha Dang Hong of Vietnam, who scored 353 points, while Khamla's team-mate Hongkham Xayalath took the bronze medal with a score of 352.

Khamla also bagged a silver medal in the mixed 10m running target category, scoring a total of 1,040 points.

The gold medal in this event went to Vietnam with 1,043 points, while bronze went to Thailand with 977 points.

“I am very happy and proud to win three gold medals and a silver for the home fans. In the future I will try to improve my shooting skills and hope to be a national shooter forever if the nation needs me,” said an excited Khamla.

Before picking up her third gold medal yesterday, Khamla scored 367.0 to set a new SEA Games record in the women's 10m running target event on Saturday. The previous highest score in this event was 358.0. She collected another gold medal on the same day in the women's 10m running target team event.

Now sports fans around the country are in awe of Khamla because it is the first time in Lao sporting history that one competitor has won more than one gold medal at the SEA Games.

Three gold medals is a wonderful present for Khamla as she approaches her 22nd birthday on December 30.

So far, Lao shooters have amassed three gold, one silver and one bronze medal.

25th SEA Games raises level of Lao sport, Chairman says

2009-12-15T04:46:00.000-08:00

SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman Somsavat Lengsavad said yesterday the games will raise Lao sport to a higher level because of the enthusiasm shown by local people in supporting Lao athletes.

“SEA Games fever has shown that people want to cheer for and support their athletes in popular sports so this leads me to believe Lao sport will improve,” he said.

Mr Somsavat said many foreigners had told him they couldn't believe that Lao people could be so interested in the games. “I don't want to congratulate my own country but many national leaders in this region have congratulated us on our good preparations and infrastructure which has contributed to the success of the games so far.”

He said many delegations had also congratulated him on the standard of the various sports venues including those used for shooting and table tennis, saying they were better than those in other countries in the region.

“They also said we should organise other international sports events in the future.”

Mr Somsavat said he was proud of the way local people welcomed various visitors during the games with warm smiles and hospitality. He also congratulated Lao athletes, saying the SEA Games was an important event in the history of Laos .

“Our athletes have done well, winning many gold, silver and bronze medals even though the games are still not over. Laos has never had such medal success. But this time we are the hosts so our athletes trained hard for this victory.”

Mr Somsavat talked about the Lao footballers, saying they had played very well to be in the semi-finals. In the past, Laos had never reached the semi-finals.

“Today, I can say our footballers have greatly improved because of their dedicated training. They are trying to do their best, especially as we are the hosts of this event.”

He urged people to continue to show their support for Lao athletes until the end of the games, saying cheering was the best source of energy and inspiration as they pursued their medal quest.

“All Lao people should show their support right up until the end of the games. And we should continue to give visitors a warm and polite welcome, as well as taking care of the environment so the country looks its best for all delegations, guests and tourists visiting Laos,” he said.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Vientianetimes

Khamla takes gold, makes shooting history for Laos

2009-12-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

Photo: Khamla Xayavong is delighted with her gold medal and a new SEA Games record.

Khamla Xayavong, 21, made sporting history for Laos after she won a gold medal on Saturday in the women's 10m running target shooting event.

Her gold medal is not only the first ever for Laos in shooting, but her score of 367.0 set a new SEA Games record. The previous highest score in this event was 358.0.

The gold medal is a wonderful present for Khamla as she approaches her 22nd birthday on December 30.

“I am very excited and happy to win this gold medal, which I hoped to win because I trained hard since earlier this year,” Khamla said.

Other records were set at the shooting range on Saturday.

Linn Aung from Myanmar won the men's 50m rifle prone event with 695.40 points (previous SEA Games record 592.0 points). Aung Nyein Ni also from Myanmar took the silver medal in the same event with 694.70 points (previous SEA Games record 592.0 points).

On Fri day, Tanyaporn Prucksakorn won the women's 10m air pistol event with 483.0 points (previous SEA Games record 481.5 points).

In the swimming pool, the Singaporean team set a new record in the women's 100m freestyle with a time of 03:45:73, beating the previous record of 03:51.86 set at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

Cai Lin Khoo of Malaysia won the women's 400m freestyle with a time of 04:10.75. The previous SEA Games record was 04:18.20.

Huu Viet Nguyen of Vietnam took gold in the men's 100m breaststroke with a time of 01:01.60, besting the previous SEA Games record of 01:01.92.

Yi Ting Siow of Malaysia won the women's 100m breaststroke, setting a new record of 01:09.82. The previous SEA Games record was 01:01.15.

Daniel Bego of Malaysia took gold in the men's 100m freestyle with a time of 00:50.16, shaving less than one second off the previous SEA Games record of 00:50.80.

In the men's 100m breaststroke Indra Gunawan of Indonesia took gold with a time of 01:02:59, breaking the previous SEA Games record of 01:02.96.

Other swimming records tumbled on Thursday. In the women's 100m freestyle Ting Wen Quah of Singapore set a time of 00:56.03, beating the previous SEA Games record of 00:56.05).

In the women's 200m individual medley Yi Ting Siow of Malaysia set a record of 02:14.57, breaking the previous SEA Games record of 2:17.17.

In the women's 200m freestyle the Singaporean team won in a time of 08:11.75, significantly cutting down on the time of 8:20.77 set previously.

By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes

Martial arts contestants impress Lao fans

2009-12-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

Spectators around the country have been impressed by the high standard of Lao martial arts fighters and proud of the medals they won have at the SEA Games so far.

Martial arts disciplines being contested at this year's games comprise taekwondo, wushu, judo, muay, boxing, karatedo, wrestling, and pencak silat.

Competing athletes reached a high standard of physical fitness ahead of the games, with many training in camps in neighbouring countries. They also reached higher standards in recent international competitions than in the past.

At the Lao-ITECC indoor stadium on Sunday, the Lao wushu team won two gold medals in the men's and women's doubles in duilian (pair) events.

Soudaphone Chanlapheng, 14, and Ketsuda Vongphakdy, 19, were both gold medalists in the women's duilian event, while Anousone Sasabo, 20, and Bountang Song, 18, won gold in the men's duilian event.

This has been the most successful start ever for the Lao wushu team.

Wushu competitions are taking place at the Lao-ITECC indoor stadium from December 13 to 17.

Taekwondo featured earlier in the games from December 10-12, with the Lao team taking three gold medals.

The Lao team has never won any medals at international level in the dancing style but at this year's games they have the home team advantage and are also much better prepared.

At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007 they won a gold and two bronze medals in the fighting style.

Tao lu events at the 25th SEA Games include changquan (long fist), nanquan (southern fist), taijiquan (shadow boxing), daoshu (broadsword), jiashu (sword), nandao (southern broadsword), jianjijian (taiji sword), qiangshu (spear), gunshu (cudgel), nangun (south-style cudgel), duilian (pair events) with and without weapons and jiti (group or team events).

Lao gold medallist in the men's 54kg flyweight division Phoutthavong Outhasak found it easy to beat his Cambodian opponent Chhoy Bouthorn 13-1 in the final at Booyong Gymnasium last Saturday.

Phoutthavong beat his Thai opponent Pen-ek Karaket 5-4 before going on to beat the Cambodian fighter.

Phoutthavong had earlier won a silver medal in the men's 58kg division in Thailand 's 24th SEA Games.

Still to come are the boxing, wrestling, muay, and judo events, which will be held at the Lao-Japan Budo Centre from December 15-17.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

THAILAND OFFER THE MOST MONEY FOR SEA GAMES GOLD

2009-12-11T18:47:00.000-08:00

Ten-times overall champions of the SEA Games offer the most money for winning a SEA Games gold with their winning athletes set to receive 200,000 baht (US$6,000) each. According to the National Sports Development Fund's scheme, the silver medallist will take 100,000 baht (US$3,000) and a bronze winner 50,000 baht (US$1,500). But it is not only the athletes who will enjoy the benefits, sports associations will also be rewarded where they will receive 60,000 baht (US$1,800) for each gold medal, 30,000 baht (US$900) for a silver and 15,000 baht (US$450) for a bronze.

The coaches will get 40,000 baht (US$1,200) for a gold, 20,000 (US$600) for a silver and 10,000 baht (US$30) for a bronze. In all, the Fund will have to pay a total of around 300,000 baht (US$9,000) for every gold medal won. 'It is quite a high sum compared to that offered by other countries,'' said Thai official Sakol Wannapong. But it is not easy to lower the bonus because this would face opposition from the sports associations.

For the SEA Games in Laos, the Thais are targetting 100 gold medals from the 377 at stake. In the meantime, Indonesia have allocated a fixed sum for all their successful athletes where should they meet their target of 62 gold medals, each gold medallist will get 50 million rupiah (US$9,000). Singapore will give a bonus to only the gold winners - with a carrot of S$10,000 (US$7,000) with a further US$3,500 for additional gold medals won.

A record-breaking feat will earn Singapore athletes US$3,500. For hosts Laos who target 25 gold medals, the Lao Telecommunications Company (LTC) will provide 30 million kip (US$3,600) for a gold medal, 20 million kip (US$2,400) for a silver medallist and 10 million kip (US$1,200) for a bronze medallist.

On the other hand, Cambodia's gold medal winners have been promised 24 million riel (US$6,000) and the coach will get the same amount. For winning the silver, an athlete will take home 16 million riel (US$3,800) with 8 million riel (US$1,900) for bronze.

Vietnam will pay a gold winner US$1,500 each with Myanmar paying the same US$1,500 while a Philippine champion will get 300,000 peso (about US$4,700) each.

Source: SEAG

Double joy for TING WEN from Singapore

2009-12-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

It was double joy for Quah Ting Wen, who not only swept the first gold in swimming for Singapore by winning the women’s 100m freestyle but also had the distinction of setting the first new Sea Games record in the 25th edition of the biennial Games with a time of 56.03s. She rewrote the 10-year-old record of 56.05s set by compatriot Joscelin Yeo in 1999 at the SEA Games in Brunei. Thailand’s J. Natthanan took the silver in 56.33 while another Singaporean Lim Xiang Qi (56.60) settled for the bronze.

“I was rather nervous in the final. There were many other good swimmers. But I was confident of setting a new record if I win the gold,” said Ting Wen.

In the men’s 200m backstroke Singapore struck gold again through Zach Ong with a time of 2:03.27 while the silver was won by Ryan Arabejo of the Philippines (2:04.36) as Rainer Ng also of Singapore won the bronze 2:06.10. Singapore ’s third gold came through Tao Li in the women’s 200m backstroke with a time of 2:17.12 – far below the existing record of 2:16.76 set by Akiko Thomson of the Philippines set in 1993. Thailand’s T. Chavisa settled for the silver with a time of 2:19.87 while Shana Lim of Singapore the bronze in 2:20.98.

Malaysia broke Singapore’s domination in the pool when Siow Yi Ting clocked a fast 2:14.57 on her way to the gold and new Games’ record in the women’s 200m individual medley. The old record stood at 2:17.17 set by Singapore’s Jocelin Yeo in 1999.

Thailand’s J. Natthanan (2:18.98) and Singapore’s Koh Hui Yu settled for the silver and the bronze respectively.

SEAG

Video clips the opening of the 25th SEA Games in Laos

2009-12-09T21:56:00.000-08:00

IT was a historic moment for Laos when the 25th South East Asian (SEA) Games was officially opened in a colourful ceremony steeped in cultural and historical significance at the new National Stadium in Vientiane last night.

Despite being a founder member when the Games debuted in 1959, Laos, known as “the ancient kingdom of a million elephants”, are hosting the biennial event for the first time.

The Games are also held in celebration of the 450th anniversary of Vientiane as the capital of Laos in 2010.

Tagged as the ‘Generosity, Amity, and Healthy Lifestyle’ Games, the hosts are keen to stress home the point that solidarity and friendship are more important than winning among the South East Asian neighbours.

About 7,000 students were involved in the cultural performances in the opening ceremony, which included dances titled “Welcome SEA Games, Sound of Jungle, Golden Rice Field, Fairness Candlelight, Sin-Xay the hero of an era, Bright Future and Binding Heart to Step Forward”.

The performances celebrated the abundance of cultural and ethnical diversity in the former French colony.

Among the dignitaries who graced the ceremony was Laos President Choummaly Sayasone and he was joined by the Prime Ministers of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Countdown the opening

Part I

Part II

Part III

Torching

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Part VIII

All video clips from langvannavong
Source: Thestar, Malaysia

Hearts of millions beat as one at Lao National Stadium

2009-12-09T18:24:00.000-08:00

The nation's most anticipated event finally unfolded last night when the biennial regional sports competition, the SEA Games, officially opened in the Land of a Million Elephants.

Some 8,000 performers put on an unprecedented display of pageantry for the 20,000 spectators attending the grand opening ceremony of the 25th SEA Games at the National Stadium in Vientiane on Wednesday evening.
This is a truly great opportunity for Laos to show the world, especially the Asean region, that we can host an event in a style that befits the 50th anniversary of the Southeast Asian Games Federation.

Over 20,000 people flocked to the National Stadium last night to share in a joyful occasion that united everyone lucky enough to be present.

Spectators joined with government members and foreign guests in welcoming the athletes from 11 nations to the SEA Games in Vientiane .

The crowd watched in awe as one wave of performers after another swarmed into the vast arena, heralded by a stunning light show. A total of 8,000 performers put on an extravaganza of dazzling grandeur.

At the same time, millions of people throughout the country and the region watched the glittering spectacle live on television.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister and SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, reported that this year's 25th SEA Games comprised 25 sports with the participation of 3,038 athletes from 11 countries.

Of special note is the fact that at this SEA Games Laos has the privilege of welcoming the prime ministers of four neighbouring countries as well as the Asean Secretary General. This is unprecedented in SEA Games history.

President of the Lao PDR Choummaly Sayasone concluded the speech-making by declaring the 25th SEA Games open.

Before the show began, spectators gave a standing ovation as the athletes from each participating nation paraded around the stadium, beginning with Brunei Darussalam.

Brunei Darussalam has brought 74 athletes and officials to take part in seven sports. At the last SEA Games in 2007, Brunei won one gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

Cambodia has sent a 214-member team, who will compete in 19 sports. In the 2007 games, Cambodia won two gold, five silver and 11 bronze medals.

The Indonesian team consists of 650 people, competing in 21 sports. Indonesia ended the last SEA Games with 56 gold, 64 silver and 83 bronze medals.

Malaysia 's team of 564 is competing in 21 sports. In the 2007 edition they won 68 gold, 52 silver and 96 bronze medals.

Myanmar has sent a team of 389, who will take part in 18 sports. In 2007, they went home with 14 gold, 26 silver and 47 bronze medals.

The Philippines has a team of 413 athletes and officials, who will compete in 23 sports. In the 2007 games, they won 41 gold, 91 silver and 96 bronze medals.

Singapore 's group of 413 members will compete in 19 sports. In 2007, they won 43 gold, 43 silver and 41 bronze medals.

Previous SEA Games host Thailand has sent an 816-member team who will compete in all 25 sports. In 2007, they topped the medal tally with 183 gold, 123 silver and 103 bronze medals.

Timor Leste's team of 61 will take part in nine sports. Competing in the SEA Games for the first time in 2003, they have yet to win a gold medal .

Vietnam has a 681-member team who will compete in all sports. In 2007, Vietnamese athletes took home 64 gold, 58 silver and 82 bronze medals.

This year's SEA Games host Laos proudly entered the stadium with the largest team, comprising 853 members. The home team will compete in all 25 sports at this year's competition. In 2007, Laos won five gold, seven silver and 32 bronze medals.

Among the seemingly endless array of surprises that awaited spectators was the sight of boxing superstar Vongkot Chinda running into the stadium and holding aloft a flaming torch.

A cheer went up as he paraded before the crowd before passing the torch to the sporting heroes of other countries who were gold medal winners at previous SEA Games.

Vongkot won the first silver medal for Laos at the 1989 SEA Games in Malaysia , and followed this up with a second at the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore . Another of his successes was a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Beijing , China , in 1990.

The SEA Games opening ceremony was devoted to promoting the various cultures of all participant nations, as well as friendship and peace.

Other themes included environmental and biodiversity protection and the need to sustain these priceless resources for the next generation.

The highlights of Lao history also took centre stage, with colourful displays reflecting the Lao people's long tradition of protecting and developing their beloved nation, always seeking peace and friendship.

As the stadium filled with the massed performers for the grand finale, a thunderous firework display exploded into the night sky.

The evening's truly incredible pageant set the scene for an even more wonderful sporting event in the days to come.

By Sisay Vilaysack

Vientianetimes

First gold for Laos in men's poomsae taekwondo

2009-12-09T18:23:00.001-08:00

Laos won its first gold medal in the men's singles poomsae (dancing style) taekwondo event at the Booyong Gymnasium at the National University of Laos yesterday.

Gold medallist Soukthavy Panyasit outside the Booyong Gymnasium.

At only 15 years of age, Soukthavy Panyasit won the medal in his first ever competition for the national taekwondo team in front of over 400 spectators.

Soukthavy, from Somsanouk village in Thakhaek district, Khammuan province, began training in taekwondo three years ago and showed sufficient promise to be selected by the Lao Taekwondo Federation for the SEA Games.

Soukthavy Panyasit and Soukthavone Manirard also won silver medals in the men's team poomsae event.

Soukthavy expressed his pride at winning the first gold medal for Laos and explained that he and his team-mates had gained much strength and confidence during a three month training course in the Republic of Korea in the lead up to the games. The team trained for five hours each day.

In the women's poomsae singles Kidavone Philavong from Xieng Khuang province won a silver medal for Laos .

This is the first SEA Games to feature the poomsae event, which consists of singles and team categories.

Lao taekwondo fighters won one silver and five bronze medals at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

During training in the Republic of Korea , the Lao taekwondo team competed in the Korean Open at the National University of Seoul, with two fighters winning gold medals in the poomsae event.

At the current SEA Games 135 fighters from 11 countries are competing in the taekwondo competition, which features both poomsae and fighting events.

Results of Wednesday's poomsae events :

Men's singles:

Soukthavy Panyasit ( Laos ): gold.

San Shein Thet ( Myanmar ): silver.

Daniel Danny Harsono ( Indonesia ) and Cheat Khemara ( Cambodia ): bronze.

Women's singles:

Ya Min K-khine ( Myanmar ): gold.

Kidavone Philavong ( Laos ): silver.

Lee Jeng Yen ( Malaysia ) and Lessitra Draningrati ( Indonesia ): bronze.

Men's team:

Vietnam : gold.

Laos : silver.

The Philippines and Thailand : bronze.

Women's team:

The Philippines : gold.

Thailand : silver.

Vietnam and Indonesia : bronze.

Mixed pairs:

Vietnam : gold.

Thailand : silver.

The Philippines and Myanmar : bronze.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

Vientianetimes

Laos emphatically beat Indonesia 2-0, Singapore edge Myanmar 2-1

2009-12-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

Photo: Lao fans enjoy their home team’ victory
(photo: Vnexpress)

Nhan Dan Online- Lamnao Singto’s brace helped hosts Laos trounce Indonesia 2-0 in an attractive game at Chao Anuvong stadium today.

This is a first victory for Laos at the 25th SEA Games, paving the way for young Lao footballers to reach the semi-finals.

Laos started confidently and brought pressure to bear on Indonesia. In the 22nd minute Kaysone powerful shot was saved by Indonesian goalkeeper Irawan. In the 32nd minute, Sayavuthi’s strike hit the crossbar.

In a counter attack, Yudi had a chance to score but his header was blocked by Laos defender in front of the goal.

After the break, Indonesia played better, intensifying their attacks but could not breach Laos solid defence.

In the 63rd minute Toni Sucipto’s free-kick shot was over the Lao crossbar. Four minutes later Laos took the lead when Lamnao Singto scored the opener from Sayavuthi’s cross. The goal made 20,000 Lao fans at the stadium exhilirous. It was Lamnao Singto who easily scored the second goal when Indonesian goalkeeper Irawan and defender clashed.

In the last 15 minutes Indonesia put pressure on Laos but could not create any real chance to score and conceded a 2-0 loss. Playing an attack game, Laos deserved a victory.

Earlier in another match, Singapore edged Myanmar 2-1.

As a result Laos and Singapore earned four points from two matches but Laos top the table due to a better goal difference.

Huy Nam

First SEA Games gold goes to Singapore

2009-12-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Singapore 's men's water polo team was the surprise winner of the first gold medal of the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane yesterday.

The Singaporean side dominated, remaining unbeaten in the round robin tournament by beating Indonesia 14-5, thrashing the Philippines 8-1 and finishing the job with an 8-5 win over Thailand .

There were only four teams in the event this year; the Philippines took silver and Indonesia won bronze.

Results of men's water polo

December 5:

Singapore vs. Indonesia (14-5)

Philippines vs. Thailand (6-4)

December 6:

Singapore vs. Philippines (8-1)

Indonesia vs. Thailand (11-8)

December 7:

Philippines vs. Indonesia (13-8)

Singapore vs. Thailand (8-5)

vientianetimes

Indonesia To Host 2011 SEA Games

2009-12-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

From Zulhilmi Supaat VIENTIANE, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- The next host of the SEA Games in 2011, Indonesia, have proposed to stage 37 sports, including two extreme sports.

Malaysia's representative in the SEA Games Federation (SGF) executive meeting Datuk Sieh Kok Chi told Bernama that Indonesia would drop petanque, fin swimming, muay thai and shuttlecock juggling from the programme.

"The two new sports included are wall climbing and roller-skating," said Kok Chi here Monday.

Among sports proposed by Indonesia are badminton, weightlifting, aquatics, football, archery, shooting, silat, taekwondo, athletics, squash, hockey, billiard & snooker, boxing, volleyball, basketball, golf, judo, sepak takraw, table tennis, wushu, cycling.

Among sports not contested in Vientiane but included in Indonesia are tenpin bowling, equestrian, gymnastics, fencing, chess, traditional boats, kayaking, rowing, sailing, soft ball and baseball.

Indonesia have also for the first time in the history of the SEA Games, proposed to include Kempo, a type of combat sport similar to fencing but using bamboo make weapons, a sport popular in Japan.

The 2011 host have also added powerlifting to the programme of normal athletes although the sport is normally featured in Paralympic sports.

Kok Chi added that Singapore had withdrawn from hosting the 2013 SEA Games and Vietnam had offered to host the Games.

According to SGF's allocation of the host job to countries, Singapore were given the opportunity to host the 2013 SEA Games and followed by Cambodia (2015), Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam respectively.

-- BERNAMA

Numbers of athletes from each country to join 25th SEA Games

2009-12-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

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.

SEA Games performances stress on culture dissemination

2009-12-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

(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.

Information and Photo Centre claims readiness for the 25th SEA Games

2009-12-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

(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.

Scratch lottery debut ahead of 25th SEA Games

2009-12-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

(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.

Vietnamese and Thai fans give festive atmosphere at competition venue

2009-12-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

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.

MEDALS FOR LAOS 25th SEA GAMES

2009-12-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

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

laosoc

Photo update from Vientiane in preparation of 25th SEA Games

2009-12-03T17:44:00.000-08:00

As the 25th SEA Games is approaching, all committee are rushing to have a final touch for the preparations. Check out some of these photos for the update at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seagamesupdate/

These photos are powered to you by djk

Lao table tennis team ready to serve up success

2009-12-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

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

The sight of Vientiane

2009-12-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

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

Competitors arrive in Vientiane

2009-12-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

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

Traffic routes to the national stadium announced

2009-12-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

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

Rooms still available for SEA Games visitors

2009-12-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

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

O'Donell happy with accomodation in Laos

2009-12-03T02:59:00.000-08:00

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

Vientiane braces for flood of visitors during 25th SEA Games

2009-12-02T17:11:00.000-08:00

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

Laos confident of SEA Games success

2009-12-01T07:38:00.001-08:00

Even though Laos has never before hosted the major biennial regional sports competition, the country is confident it will serve up a highly successful 25th SEA Games.

The flags of participating nations and welcoming banners along Vientiane 's streets show Laos is well prepared for the SEA Games. –Photo Sisay
To give everyone confidence, Mr Somsavat has confirmed that Laos is well prepared to host the games, and is more than ready to be off and running.

A meeting of SEA Games Council Members held in December 2003 in Hanoi, Vietnam, nominated Laos to host the 25th SEA Games this year because the country had never been given the honour before.

Laos is also counting down to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Vientiane as the capital of Laos in 2010.

The Lao government accepted the nomination and gave the National Sports Committee responsibility for planning and preparations. This included preparing sports venues, building athletes' accommodation and providing other services for use during the games.

After more than five years spent preparing infrastructure through several projects, everything is now finished and Laos is more than ready for the event to get underway.

Mr Somsavat said “It is Lao government policy that sports are part of human resource development. The SEA Games are very important in showing the development of Laos over the last 34 years.”

“In the sporting world, only in the Olympic Games are leaders from participating nations invited to attend the opening ceremony. This has never happened before at the SEA Games. But Laos will do something very special this year because participating nations' leaders have expressed an interest and willingness to attend the opening ceremony in Vientiane . So we have sent them invitations,” Mr Somsavat said.

Laos can confirm that the prime ministers of Cambodia , Timor Leste and Thailand will attend, while Vietnam is still deciding which of its leaders will come to Laos .

Mr Somsavat said the organising committee had also invited representatives of Lao families living overseas to attend the event, including groups in France , United States of America , Australia and Japan .

Laos has not only worked hard to prepare the necessary infrastructure for the games, but also to make sure referees and athletes are ready for the starting gun.

This time, Laos is setting its sights on winning more gold medals than at previous SEA Games, as the country's athletes will be competing on home soil.

Because it is the 25th edition of the SEA Games this year, Laos decided to organise just 25 sports, less than at the previous games held in Thailand in 2007.

This makes it easy to remember the event by the number 25, with the slogan ‘25 sports at the 25th SEA Games in Laos ' to become symbolic of the Vientiane Games.

This year's SEA Games is not just about winning, but also promotes ‘Generosity, Amity, and Healthy Lifestyle'.

While this is a simple expression, it is profound in meaning, Mr Somsavat said, and refers to Laos and the rest of the world. The official opening ceremony of the 25th SEA Games is scheduled for December 9, but the football matches will kick off on Wednesday, which coincides with the 34th anniversary of National Day on December 2.

Vientianetimes

Football tickets sell out on first day

2009-12-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

Tickets for football matches on the first day of competition in the 25th SEA Games have already sold out, according to distributors yesterday.

The 20,000 seats at the National Stadium will be packed with fans cheering for some of the region's most popular footballers on the first day of the games in Vientiane .

SEA Games ticket distributor, Mr Phankham Vongkhanty, also President of the Vongkhanty Construction Company, said many representatives from his company had reported selling all of their tickets, particularly to Vietnamese and Thai spectators.

“We have no tickets left for the match between Thailand and Vietnam or the Malaysia vs Timor Leste game, both of which take place on the first day of the games,” he said.

The first match will begin at 3pm when Malaysia takes on Timor Leste. The second game is the big match of the day and pits Thailand against Vietnam .

Mr Phankham said various Vietnamese tour companies had bought tickets for their customers, while Thai fans also took many of the tickets for the anticipated clash.

“Vietnamese fans will greatly outnumber Thai fans because our staff said the Vietnamese had ordered thousands of tickets from our company. So I think there'll be a lot more red shirts with yellow stars packing the stands.”

He said ticket prices ranged from 50,000 kip to 70,000 kip, which gave spectators the chance to watch both matches.

At the 24th SEA Games in 2007, Thailand and Vietnam played in different groups. In critical matches, Vietnam lost to Singapore 5-0 and Thailand defeated Myanmar 2-0 to win the gold medal. Timor Leste did not enter a football team, and Malaysia placed third in group B featuring Laos , Singapore and Vietnam .

Interviews with coaches at the weekend indicated Vietnam rated their hopes of victory at 50-50 while the Thai team had a firm belief they would contest the final.

Mr Phankham said tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies were already sold out, but he had 100 to 200 tickets that had been booked but not yet collected. If nobody claims the tickets they will be sold outside the stadium on the day of the opening ceremony on December 9.

“I want to remind ticket buyers that opening ceremony tickets can be used for the closing ceremony as well. One ticket will allow entry to both events. Our staff will tear off the top part of the ticket and the remainder can be used to gain entry to the closing ceremony.”

He warned that some ticket touts might tear off the top part of the ticket to sell for entry to the opening ceremony, deceiving people who did not realise the whole ticket was valid for both events. The touts would then sell the other half of the ticket separately for the closing ceremony.

“Our staff and other security personnel won't allow you to enter the stadium for either of these ceremonies if they see your ticket is not the right size,” he said.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

25th SEA Games newsletter is coming

2009-11-30T16:39:00.000-08:00

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.

Martial artists polish off preparations

2009-11-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

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

Lao athletes ask for blessings

2009-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

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

Thousands attend opening, closing ceremonies rehearsal of 25th SEA Games

2009-11-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

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

Mayor asks businesses not to take advantage of visitor influx

2009-11-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

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

Stylish preparations for Miss SEA Games 2009

2009-11-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

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

HK Group supports tennis players during 25th SEA Games

2009-11-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

(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.

Vocal gymnastics ensure young MC a starter at games

2009-11-25T17:11:00.000-08:00

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

SEA Games Village prepares for first guests

2009-11-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

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

Lao-ITECC stadium ready for games to begin

2009-11-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

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

HIV/AIDS campaign to be amplified in SEA Games

2009-11-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

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

Warm up match between Lao U23 and HAGL Vietnam

2009-11-24T03:57:00.001-08:00

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.

Flowerpots on Souphanouvong Avenue will be removed

2009-11-24T03:03:00.000-08:00

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

Don Chan Palace will host Snooker and Billiard competitions of the 25th SEA Games

2009-11-23T19:59:00.000-08:00

(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.

Laos affirms readiness for 25th SEA Games

2009-11-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

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, fire teams hold training exercise for 25th SEA Games

2009-11-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

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

Hospitality sector rolls out the welcome mat

2009-11-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

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

Regional sports fans set to flock to Vientiane

2009-11-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

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

Lao Cheer leaders have their final practices

2009-11-23T00:27:00.000-08:00

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

Buses warm up for 25th SEA Games service

2009-11-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Thai Wattana Hospital Group presents MoH with ambulance for SEA Games

2009-11-22T23:55:00.000-08:00

(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.

Travel agent uses gamut of tactics to cater to SEA Games tourists

2009-11-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

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.

Rehearsal of the opening and closing ceremony of the 25th SEA Games

2009-11-22T20:06:00.000-08:00

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:

Find beggars dial 21 26 09

2009-11-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

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

Lao LO and VO need to take more responsibility

2009-11-19T23:18:00.000-08:00

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.

Badminton draw of the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane

2009-11-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

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

Tennis players and judges tested for Vientiane Games

2009-11-19T20:06:00.000-08:00

(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.

Yunnan presents two ambulances for 25th SEA Games

2009-11-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

(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.

Timetables of football in 25th SEA Games

2009-11-19T04:02:00.000-08:00

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)

Sports centre bids for better mascot promotion

2009-11-17T04:09:00.000-08:00

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

Lao tennis players serve up test tournament

2009-11-17T04:04:00.000-08:00

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

Volunteers to promote smoke-free 25th SEA Games

2009-11-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

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 on track for completion next week

2009-11-17T03:56:00.000-08:00

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

25th SEA Games Muslim athletes and sports officials can pray in Vientiane Jamia Mosque

2009-11-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

(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.

Lao liaison officials identify glitches in first practice run

2009-11-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

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

Lao women footballers to play final test event match

2009-11-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

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.

Lao athletes return home after training abroad

2009-11-16T19:12:00.000-08:00

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

Lao-Japan Budo center is 100% complete

2009-11-15T03:20:00.000-08:00

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 urges residents to clean up

2009-11-11T00:26:00.000-08:00

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

Lao committee holds welcoming ceremony test run

2009-11-11T00:21:00.000-08:00

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

Only 1,000 tickets left for opening, closing ceremonies of 25th SEA Games

2009-11-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

The National Stadium will not have a booth selling tickets for the SEA Games opening and closing ceremonies tickets, as there are only 1,000 tickets left, the Vongkhanty Construction Company has said.

The company is responsible for ticket sales.

Company President Phankham Vongkhanty said at a press conference yesterday that people who wanted a ticket should hurry to reserve and buy one because they would soon be sold out.

“The SEA Games Organising Committee agreed to officially distribute the tickets on Monday. We started selling them for 200,000 kip on November 9 by calling people who had booked to come and collect and pay for their tickets,” Mr Phankham said.

The company continued to distribute tickets but raised the price to 300,000 kip yesterday.

“We've done it like this so the distribution process won't become complicated,” Mr Phankham said.

He also said each ticket had a stamp from the Ministry of Public Security and a 3D hologram sticker of the 25th SEA Games logo.

People who come to collect their tickets should look through the hologram, Mr Phankham said.

If there is no hologram, the ticket is not authentic.

The company reported that more than 13,000 tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies had been printed.

There were 5,470 tickets costing 500,000 kip, 4,102 tickets costing 400,000 kip, 3,418 tickets costing 300,000 kip and 684 tickets costing 200,000 kip.

SEA Games Organising Committee Deputy Chairman Dr Phouthong Seng Akhom said prices were lower than those charged by countries hosting the SEA Games in pervious years.

“We have prepared a VIP area of about 4,500 seats, but the committee will prepare some more seats for senior government officials,” he said.

The company had alerted provincial administration offices throughout the country that they had tickets set aside for them, but there are some who have not yet confirmed they will be buying the tickets.

“Many sports officials who are coming from other provinces to prepare for the SEA Games had tickets to distribute in their provinces,” Mr Phankham said.

The company reiterated to the press that ticket sales would be closing soon, and people should buy tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies before they sold out.

Mr Phankham said if people could not purchase a ticket, they could watch the ceremonies on television.

Alternatively, the committee plans to install a large screen outside the stadium to broadcast the ceremonies for people who didn't get a ticket.

Tickets are currently selling for 400,000 kip and 500,000 kip.

Anyone interested should contact the company on +85621 260458 +85621 260458 or +85621 260459 +85621 260459.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
(Latest Update Novembe 11 , 2009)

EDL set to power for 25th SEA Games

2009-11-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

Electricite du Laos (EDL) has guaranteed that electricity supplies will be in order for the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane from December 9 to 18.

Electricity production, transmission lines and distribution systems are all ready to go, according to EDL, with the power supplied by Nam Ngum, Nam Leuk and Nam Mang dams over the period of the games.

EDL Deputy Managing Director Sisavath Thiravong told Vientiane Times on Friday that the preparation of electricity generation is 100 percent ready, and that power outages will not occur during the games.

He said the electricity supply would be adequate due to a production capacity of around 300 MW, which exceeds the expected demand of 10 MW during the event.

EDL has already arranged a standby system to prevent any problems that may arise in case of emergency.

They have spent more than 13 billion kip on electricity generation and supply system improvements at the Nam Ngum 1 hydropower plant in Vientiane province.

Manager of the Nam Ngum 1 hydropower plant, Mr Phoummy Netibandith, told Vientiane Times in September that the improvements will ensure the supply of electricity during the SEA Games and other important events or government meetings is sufficient.

Work included repairs to power generator No. 5 and upgrading the substation, protection line system (relay), and online partial discharge monitoring (analysis).

Deputy Head of EDL's Xaythany branch, Mr Thavisit Insixiengmai, said last week “We have improved every system in the district to ensure there is enough generation of electricity to the National Stadium.”

“This stadium needs 1.4 MW during the games. Standby generators are also prepared for this event.”

The stadium at Km 16 on Road 13 South in Dongsanghin village will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies, held on December 9 and 18 respectively.

The stadium can hold 20,000 spectators.

The games will involve athletes from the 11 nations of Laos , Vietnam , Cambodia , Brunei , Thailand , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , and Timor Leste.

The 25 sports which will be competed at the games are athletics, aquatics (swimming, diving and water polo), archery, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, muay, fin swimming, petanque, shuttlecock and pencak silat.

By Times Reporters
Vientianetimes

Official group draw results of sports in the 25th SEA Games

2009-11-09T02:21:00.000-08:00

The official group draw results for of the 25th SEA Games is as follow

(Football)
Men Team:
Group A: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, Cambodia
Group B: Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia

Women Team:
Group A: Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar

(Volleyball)
Men Team:
Group A: Laos, Thailand, Myanmar
Group B: Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia

Women team:
Group A: Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam

(Table Tenis)
Men Team:
Group A: Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines
Group B: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar

Women Team:
Group A: Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines
Group B: Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar

For more information >>
http://www.laoseagames2009.com/v1/25thseagamesxdraw.asp

Committee allocates spectator parking for the 25th SEA Games

2009-11-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

The SEA Games Organising Committee has prepared 47 hectares of parking space at the National Stadium, where the main events will take place.

About 10 hectares of land owned by the Ministry of Information and Culture, and an additional 14 and 13 hectare lots are being operated by Vietnamese companies, said the Vientiane Department of Public Works and Transport's Deputy Director, Mr Chanxay Vinavong.

The car parks should hold around 10,000 vehicles, enough for the number of expected spectators.

On the busiest days, such as the opening and closing ceremonies or the most popular sporting events, vehicles including buses, vans and pick-up trucks wanting to access the city centre from the north of Vientiane should take Sithong Road or Souphanouvong Avenue , Mr Chanxay advised.

He said another approach could be via the Nongbeuk-Dongdok Road , turning right at Tanmixay crossroads. Sports spectators should take the new road through Oudomphon, Lathkuay and Dongbang villages, ending in a turn right at the stadium.

Vehicles coming from Road No. 10 (Ban Keun) into the city centre should pass Thangone village and turn right at Phonsavanh to the Tanmixay crossroads, via Huayteuay, Nonsengchan, Viengkeo and Natom villages.

Spectators wishing to get to the stadium should turn left into Oudomphon, Latkhuay-Dongbang Road then turn right at Km 19 on Road No. 13 south and park in the new car park.

Vehicles coming from other countries should also use this route, Mr Chanxay said.

Vehicles coming from Sangthong district and Xayaboury province should take Road No. 11 into the city centre, and then turn right at the Sikhay junction onto Souphanouvong Avenue .

Another route into central Vientiane would be along Tadmoon Road turning right at Nongtaeng junction, or from Road No. 13, turning left on to Sithong Road through Dongnaxok village.

Mr Chanxay said people wanting to get to the stadium should proceed along Kaoliew Road and turn left at the Sikhay junction, or take the Tadmoon-Nongtaeng road and turn left on Road No. 13 and then take the next right along the Nongbeuk-Dongdok road then turn left at Tanmixay crossroads into new road and take Oudomphon through Latkhuay-Dongbang Road then turn right at Km 19 on Road No. 13 south and park in the new car park.

People arriving from the south or from neighbouring countries should follow Road No. 13 south to the National Stadium.

Vehicles wanting to access the city centre should turn left at Km 21 and take Khoksa-aat Road through Nakhuay village to Huakhua junction, or take the Khoksa-aat-Ban Xok-Samkhe Road to Vangsai junction into Nongnieng village to Huakhua junction.

They could also turn right at Km 19, take the Dongbang-Latkhuay Road via Oudomphon crossroads and then take the new road to Tanmixay crossroads.

Trucks weighing more than 21 tonnes wanting to access the city centre should use the same route. To go north, should use this route then turn right onto Nongbeuk Road or turn right at Oudomphon crossroads.

Spectators taking public transport to the stadium would travel along Kaysone Phomvihane Road to Km 13 south then stop or turn at the stadium.

Mr Chanxay said private vehicles should take the Nongnieng or Huakhua route through Nakhuay or Samke-Ban Xok and Khoksa-aat villages then turn left at Km 21 onto Road No. 13.

Private vehicles could also take the new road at the Tanxixay crossroads through Oudomphon crossroads and Dongbang-Latkhuay Road , then turn right at Km 19.

Vehicles from neighbouring countries should use the same route.

For the Beungkhayong Sports Centre, spectators should park at Beungkhayong Park or Vat Phaxay.

For the Chao Anouvong Stadium, vehicles should park at the National Culture Hall, the National Museum or along the roadside, Mr Chanxay said.

By Khamphone Syvongxay

Vientianetimes

Golf: a medal hope for Laos at the 25th SEA Games

2009-11-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

The nation's golfers are better prepared than ever as they come out swinging for the 25th SEA Games in December.

Lao Golf Federation President Sounthone Sirisack said while the team was still young, they had gained valuable experiences and improved their scores since previous competitions.

With the golfers improving greatly, he raised the stakes by saying that golf will be a medal hope for Laos at the 25th SEA Games.

“We didn't perform well enough in previous SEA Games, but this time we are the host so our athletes have goodwill from the government, Lao people and their families to practise hard for these games.”

“Now they are better than ever and ready for the challenge,” he said.

After the announcement that golf would be included as one of the sports of the 25th SEA Games, the federation had gathered the nation's most experienced as well as up-and-coming players.

Trial matches were held to select the best golfers in Laos to prepare for the games in December.

“We had many of them prepare for the games, and now we have chosen 10 of them for the final team,” Mr Sounthone said.

“We have seven starting members including three women. The remaining three will be substitutes.”

During the preparations, the golfers received encouragement from the federation and the government as well as their families, who are eager to support them as they compete for the nation.

“We have had enough equipment during preparations and received great cooperation from the countries where we sent our players to practise. This was good preparation for them ahead of the games,” he said.

Mr Sounthone said the federation has found the popularity of golf in Laos to be increasing.

The SEA Games are seen as an opportunity for the federation to spark development of a new generation of Lao golfers.

The federation has also teed up financial support.

Assisting the federation financially are Beam Global Asia Pte Limited (US$15,000) and International Commercial Bank Lao Limited (US$5,000).

Both are hoping their support will translate into Lao success on fairways next month.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Lao committees put preparations of 25th SEA Games to the test

2009-11-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

After many months of preparations, the SEA Games Organising Committee has arranged a rehearsal session next week to put everything to the test.

The SEA Games Technical and Preparation of Sport Contingent Committee reported last Friday that all committees and federations will set up sample events on November 16-20.

This is seen as a valuable exercise to highlight any problems before the main event next month.

Technical Committee Chairman Somphou Phongsa told the local press it would be an important event and give participants useful experience.

There will be test events for some sports, after which all the committees and bodies involved will go to the field to see what aspects need to be improved or changed.

“This rehearsal will follow the plan for the games in December which the organisers have prepared, then all committees will follow up the plan,” Mr Somphou said.

Test events will include setting up equipment and systems such as timing and scoring, along with other practical aspects of the games.

They will also involve gathering athletes at the SEA Games Village , referees at hotels, transportation, traffic control, medical services, and security.

“For example, transport officials will pick up athletes and referees from various places and follow the planned route to each stadium. When they arrive, other committees will follow the prepared plan step by step until we get to the end of the games,” Mr Somphou said.

“Then we will practise raising the flag of the winner's country, presenting medals and other items on the agenda.”

The exercise would replicate the actual events that would take place during the SEA Games.

“If we find any mistakes, those responsible will correct the situation before the games,” he said.

The event will be the biggest test for all the committees involved and a useful experience in pointing out mistakes and any weaknesses in preparations. All of the committees and other bodies involved are now training their staff and volunteers who will work at the games.

“In the last few days many of the IT staff working at the games have had a training course from the National Authority for Science and Technology,” Mr Somphou said.

“Today there will be another training course for masters of ceremonies and presenters to make sure they know what they have to do and what their mission is, as well as how to collect information about the games for presentation during the main event in December.”

He said many of the trainees would appear on television so their dress, health and education as well as use of local and foreign languages should be perfect, so they could be understood by viewers and listeners throughout the region.

On the same day, other committees have a training session in flag raising and medal presentation.

The test event will answer questions posed by the games organising committee and members of the public about whether Laos will be a good host of the 25th SEA Games.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Laos ready to let the 25th SEA Games begin

2009-11-08T05:54:00.001-08:00

Laos is ready to host the 25th SEA Games, which is scheduled to open at the beginning of next month, according to a top government official.

“Judging from the progress made in various work activities, we can now announce that we are fully prepared to successfully host the 25th SEA Games,” Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Prof. Dr Bosengkham Vongdara announced on Wednesday.

He made the announcement during a briefing session on the SEA Games for ministers responsible for information from Asean and dialogue partners of China , Japan and South Korea who are attending the 10th Conference of Asean Ministers Responsible for Information and related meetings in Vientiane this week.

The briefing session was also attended by Minister of Information and Culture Mounkeo Oraboun.

Dr Bosengkham said the construction of the new National Stadium, which will be used to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the games, is 100 percent complete.

The sports complex, which is located some 16 km outside of central Vientiane , consists of a football stadium, two indoor stadiums, tennis courts, swimming pools, and shooting and archery ranges, and can seat 20,000 spectators.

The renovation of the Chao Anouvong Stadium (formerly the National Stadium) in the city centre is also complete, he said, and will host the qualifying rounds of the men's football event.

Construction of the boxing arena in Beungkhanhong village, the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, and two indoor stadiums at the National University of Laos Dongdok campus are all 100 percent complete.

Other sports venues, including the Budo Centre in downtown Vientiane , and the Indoor Sports Complex will be finished this month, he said.

Dr Bosengkham said adequate, secure, and comfortable accommodation facilities are in place for athletes, referees, tourists and media.

The newly built SEA Games Village in Nongviengkham village, Xaythany district, near the Dongdok campus can accommodate 4,000 athletes . The village also includes offices and a canteen.

The government has selected a number of hotels and guesthouses to accommodate more than 3,000 tourists and media representatives during the games, he said.

The government has also provided guidance to hotels and restaurants on observing strict hygiene practices and providing clean food.

Dr Bosengkham said the government has appointed a health committee to prevent outbreaks of influenza A(H1N1), and thermal scanning equipment has been installed at several international border checkpoints.

The government will also introduce measures to facilitate immigration procedures at border checkpoints in the lead-up to and during the games.

Dr Bosengkham said the government has exerted every effort to build the necessary infrastructure for the games.

A number of countries, in particular Asean nations and local and international companies, have lent their support to the government for the games, he added.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
Vientianetimes

Last 30-day work for 25th SEA Games

2009-11-06T01:22:00.000-08:00

(KPL) The preparation for the 25th SEA Games is coming to its last stage, which is the stage to finalise pending works by schedule.

To ensure the achievement of the historical inaugural event, a meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the 25th SEA Games and the Lao National Sport Committee was held at the Prime Minister?s Office, on 4 November, to assess each preparatory work because there remains only one month away before the inauguration.

All sport committees are speeding on the finalisation of pending details of the infrastructure construction and improvement of all stadium and facilities at due time.

The meeting under the chairmanship of Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad reported the progress in the construction of all sport arenas, which the majority of construction works has been completed as planned.

Presently, three projects of sport arena construction are at the last stage, including the Laos-Japan Judo Centre, the Laos-Thailand Friendship Indoor Stadium - completed by 97 per cent, and an indoor stadium complex now 95 per cent completed.
The athletes to take part in the competition of the 25 kinds of sports have been practising hard and systematically in the country and abroad.

The preparation of technical affairs and organising sport events have been broadly completed, especially the protocol officials from the SEA Games Federation to inspect the arenas and the training of all kinds of sport referees.

The rehearsal of the parades for the inauguration of the SEA Games is going on in full swing at the national stadium.

The organising committee convened a meeting with 79 hotels which will accommodate all athletic delegations to advise them about the hospitality and services and to emphasise on attention and care on delegates.

The meeting was also reported about the satisfactory result of the last tests of information technology facilities and other computer programmes for the reporting of the result of sport events at each arena.

Laos, Vietnam go ahead in volleyball friendship tournament

2009-11-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

Lao and Vietnamese men's volleyball teams defeated their respective Thai and Vientiane opponents on the first day of the three-nation Volleyball Friendship Tournament.

The tournament is taking place in Vientiane from November 4-6.

Laos narrowly beat Thailand in three of five sets with a score of 25-20, 25-23 and 25-22 in the first game played yesterday morning.

Vietnam beat the Vientiane players with a score of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-16.

Lao Volleyball Federation President Phengsangouane Chounlamany said at the opening ceremony that the tournament aimed to test the preparation and readiness of the competition venue and staff.

This would ensure the organisation of volleyball matches played at the SEA Games next month would meet international standards.

“The tournament is also a chance for our players to practise so they are better prepared to compete in the SEA Games,” Mr Phengsangouane said.

Federation staff had organised the competition very well considering it was their first experience of such matches, he said.

There had been a few small problems but the federation would work to remedy these in the coming days.

The federation reported they had trained their staff prior to the SEA Games and the tournament would be a valuable experience for them ahead of the main event.

The federation believes the men's volleyball team will be 100 percent fit. The players have promised to learn as much as possible from the tournament in a bid to improve themselves for the SEA Games.

Laos has taken part in previous SEA Games held in Vietnam and Thailand , but without much success.

This time, with Laos hosting the games, local players are practising hard to go further in the competition.

Federation Secretary Sichanh Chittapanya said “We have to accept that the opposition is professional, not amateur, so their skills and tactics might be much better. But this time is different so, who knows, we might get a medal in the SEA Games this year.”

“After this tournament we will know more about what to expect at the games and the extent of our ability to go through to the business end of the competition.”

Today's schedule sees Vietnam up against Thailand and Laos take on the Vientiane team.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

SEA Games promotion in Thatlaung festival

2009-11-04T00:25:00.000-08:00

In just less than a month, the 25th SEA Games will be kicked off, and every corners in Laos are full of SEA Games spirit. This video clip is a part of Thatluang festival, the biggest festival in Vientiane, and people gathered to enjoy the 25th SEA Games promotion concert. Please check out the video:

Lao wrestlers confident of snatching medals

2009-11-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

Even though Lao wrestlers will be up against many experienced opponents at the SEA Games next month, the Lao Wrestling Federation is confident its teams will pick up medals.

The federation's Deputy Secretary General, Mr Manolom Phinith, said yesterday many of the federation's athletes have been training and competing abroad.

Members of the national team participated in a competition in Mongolia earlier this year and won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal between them.

“After training in Mongolia for about a month they participated in the competition and were very successful, much to the delight of their Mongolian coach. The national coach has remarked that Lao wrestling could do with more exposure of such successes,” he said.

The federation reported six Lao wrestlers just returned from Mongolia last month and there are a further 15 currently training in Vietnam who will return home in mid-November.

“We will select the best 13 wrestlers, including three women, for the SEA Games, after they have all returned from training abroad,” Mr Manolom said.

The federation was established in 2002 and first selected athletes from martial arts and body building to train in wrestling. The federation has sent athletes to compete at past SEA Games in Vietnam , the Philippines and Thailand .

“Our wrestlers won a bronze medal in Vietnam and the Philippines , and we also won two bronze medals at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand ,” he said.

Mr Manolom said Vietnam is a strong wrestling nation, but Lao wrestlers remain confident of success at their home games. “On behalf of the host nation, we believe our athletes will compete hard to win medals for their country.”

The wrestling event at the games will comprise freestyle and greco-roman events. In the freestyle category fighters are able to make contact with every part of the body, while in the greco-roman style contact is limited to above the waist.

The freestyle event will consist of 50, 55, 60, 66, 74, 84, 96 and 120kg weight divisions. The men's greco-roman event will be contested in eight weight categories ranging from 50 to 120kg.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

25th SEA Games sport venues finishing line in sight

2009-11-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

Sporting equipment will be installed at almost all SEA Games venues by the end of this month, according to the SEA Games Technical and Preparation for Sport Contingent Committee.

The badminton court is almost ready for SEA Games matches.

Vice Chairman of the committee, Mr Phouvan Vongsouthi, said yesterday that 90 percent of the required equipment has already been fitted at each venue, except for the billiards and snooker venue.

The committee reported that most of the sporting equipment is already in Laos , while the rest has been ordered and is yet to arrive from abroad.

Equipment for the archery, badminton, swimming, football, muay, taekwondo, karatedo and shuttlecock events has been ordered but is yet to arrive. It should be received and installed by the middle of this month.

Mr Phouvan said many venues are just waiting for final pieces of equipment, such as the shooting range where most equipment is already installed and just running targets are yet to be delivered from Germany .

“Equipment for the swimming event has already been provided by China , but we had to order some chemicals to treat the water from another country,” he said.

He said officials overseeing the wushu, sepak takraw and pencak silat events are waiting for the That Luang Festival fair to conclude at the Lao International Trade and Exhibition Convention Centre where those events will be held before they install equipment.

The committee confirmed that 25 sports will be contested at the games. There are 370 events in the programme with 1,239 medals on offer, consisting of 370 gold, 370 silver and 539 bronze medals.

Events will be held at six venues in Vientiane - the National Sports Complex at Km 16, National University of Laos' Sport Centre, Chao Anouvong Sports Centre, Lao-ITECC Sports Centre, Beungkhangong Sports Centre and the Don Chan Palace hotel.

The main complex will host the athletics, aquatics, archery, badminton, men's football, golf, shooting, tennis and volleyball (indoor and beach) events. The National University of Laos' Sports Centre will hold the boxing, women's football, petanque, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting, and wrestling competitions.

Chao Anouvong will be the site for men's and women's football, judo and karate-do. Lao-ITECC will host the pencak silat, sepak takraw and wushu events. The Buengkhangong Sports Centre will see muay and shuttlecock action, and Don Chan Palace will hold the billiards and snooker events as well as serving as the start and finish points for the cycling races.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Tigo sponsors "Go Laos" music video

2009-11-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

This is a music video entitled "Go Laos" to encourage all Lao athletes to do their best in the 25th SEA Games. This music video is sponsored by "Tigo", a telecommunication company in Laos. To watch the video, click at the clip below

Committee waits to learn athlete numbers

2009-11-02T17:45:00.000-08:00

The SEA Games Technical Committee announced yesterday they still don't know how many athletes from Cambodia , the Philippines , Vietnam and Laos will take part in the SEA Games.

Committee member Mr Volavin Sibounnong said they were waiting for these four countries to provide lists of participants in each sport.

The other competing countries have already submitted the requisite forms to the committee after the SEA Games' Chef de Mission (CDM) meeting last month.

“We want these countries to send the completed forms to our committee before our meeting on November 9. We need to know the number so we can divide competitors into groups for each event, so it's important for us to know the exact number before the meeting,” he explained.

The committee reported on October 20, before the CDM meeting, that 4,278 athletes from 11 countries - Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand , Vietnam and Timor Leste - will attend the games.

“That was the number of athletes and officials that was submitted to the committee back then, but now four of those countries are sending entry forms to the committee with the names and exact numbers of competitors in each sport,” Mr Volavin said.

The proposed numbers showed Cambodia would send 224 athletes and officials, the Philippines 775, Laos 661, and Vietnam 600.

The committee said the numbers would be announced in full after the upcoming meeting, when it would be known exactly how many athletes will participate in the games.

SEA Games events will begin on December 2, with the opening ceremony to be held on December 9 and the closing ceremony on December 18.

The 25 sports to be contested are: archery, athletics, aquatics, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, muay, pencak silat, petanque, sepak takraw, shooting, shuttlecock, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

“After our meeting on November 9 we can officially announce the exact number of contestants. The IT Committee will upload the information onto the games' website and it will be announced in the media,” Mr Volavin said.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Pre-SEA Games volleyball match to be held in November

2009-11-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

Interest spikes for pre-games volleyball invitational

The nation's representative volleyballers' performances will be under close scrutiny as they line up against top teams from neighbouring countries.

Lao Volleyball Federation Secretary Sichanh Chittapanya said that while the country's top players had been training together since April, they had never been tested in competition.

“This event will be good for us in ascertaining their level and many other aspects of the game,” he said.

Thai and Vietnamese volleyball clubs will participate in the invitational event, to be held from November 4-6 at the National Stadium.

It will also be a test for both referees and the organising committee as they prepare for the 25th SEA Games next month.

There will be four teams participating in the test event including two men's teams from Laos , one from Thailand and one from Vietnam . Each team will have 12 men.

“We will see how strong the home side is, and this will be important for us as we learn from the experience of tackling these clubs,” he said.

The federation believes the men's volleyball team will be 100 percent fit for this event and promised to learn as much as possible from the experience in a bid to improve themselves prior to next month's main attraction.

The Lao side participated in previous SEA Games held in Vietnam and Thailand , but didn't find much success.

This time, with Laos hosting the games, local players are practising hard to go further in the competition.

“We have to accept that the opposition is professional, not amateur, so their skills and tactics might be much better, but this time is different so, who knows, we might get a medal in this SEA Games,” he said.

“After this tournament we will know more about what to expect at the games and the extent of our ability opportunity to go through to the business-end of the competition.”

The opening ceremony of the event will take place at the volleyball court at the National Stadium from 9 am, with the competition to continue through until 5 pm.

“This is free for spectators, so I would like to ask local people to come and cheer our athletes and give them encouragement,” Mr Sichanh said.

He said if locals supported the competition in the same way as they did the 4-Nations Football Tournament, the athletes would be lifted to greater performances on the day.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Some songs from the 25th SEA Games CD

2009-11-02T00:26:00.000-08:00

These are some of the songs out of the 33 songs on the 25th SEA Games music CD, covering topics such as friendship, encouragement for athletes and celebrating the sporting event in general. Please enjoy.

1. SEA Games Harmony

2. Welcome to SEA Games.

3. Gao Pai Sou Fun (By Ting Philavanh)

4. Go Laos Go... by Sam Intharaphithak, Nalin Daravong, and Kave

5. Sou Sou (by Cell)
http://www.imeem.com/people/DAtkYh/music/Saktm0_3/cells-sou-sou/

New transport routes to ferry spectators to SEA Games venues

2009-11-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

The Morning Market bus station will serve as a transport hub during the SEA Games.

The Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department is opening up six new routes to transport spectators to the various venues where the SEA Games events will be played out.

Their destinations include the National Stadium, Lao-ITECC, the National University of Laos' Dongdok campus and Don Chan Palace hotel, according to the department's Deputy Director, Mr Chanxay Vinavong.

Firstly, 21 buses will ply the route from the Morning Market bus station to the National Stadium, via the Patuxay Monument and Donnoun village, with one departing every five minutes.

Another 22 buses will run from the Morning Market bus station via Beungkhayong and Salakham villages to the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, with one departing every 15 minutes.

A third route takes passengers from the Morning Market to Lao-ITECC through Naxay village and That Luang Market.

Three battery-powered shuttle buses and 10 pick-ups will run from the Morning Market to the Don Chan Palace hotel via the National Culture Hall and Pakpasak Technical College.

Another route runs from the National University of Laos' Dongdok campus to the National Stadium at Km 16.

The sixth route has buses running from the Friendship Bridge to the National Stadium.

“We already have nine regular transport routes in operation, which all depart from the Morning Market bus station,” said Mr Chanxay.

The first of these runs to the Friendship Bridge along Thadeua Road through Beungkhayong and Suanmone villages.

Two buses run to the Dongdok campus and 10 battery buses run to the Patuxay Monument and the Ministry of National Defence out to Km 9.

A third route takes passengers to Tha-ngone.

Another route goes along Phontong Road to Dongdok via the Chao Anouvong Sports Stadium, Thongkhankham Market and the Friendship Hospital.

Buses also run to Nongteng village via the National Culture Hall, Wattay, Sikhay and Nongniew villages.

Another route goes to Dongkhamxang village via That Luang Market and Nonkhor village.

The seventh route runs to Donpamay village via Dongpalane, Phonthan and the Polytechnical College, the eighth goes to Thongpong village via the National Culture Hall, Wattay, Sikhay and Nongneiw villages, and the ninth goes to Km 9.

Mr Chanxay said the department has been working with the transport sector to arrange for companies and individuals to contribute vehicles to the temporary transport network.

He believes about 37 buses, with 35-45 seats each, along with 16 more vehicles will be enough to transport spectators to and from the various SEA Games venues.

So far 49 buses, including 13 battery-powered shuttle buses, 124 minibuses, 131 taxis, 500 tuk-tuks and 60 pick-ups are confirmed.

“For the opening and closing ceremonies we need 15 buses with 45 seats, and 20 pick-ups. We plan that every three minutes two vehicles will depart the Morning Market for the National Stadium,” he said.

Mr Chanxay plans to have 100 minibuses, 45 taxis, 50 pick-ups and 70 tuk-tuks running from the Friendship Bridge to the city centre.

From Wattay International Airport, he anticipates 30 minibuses and 45 taxis will be needed to transport spectators.

Spectators from the provinces are also being catered for, with 41 vehicles travelling from the northern provinces and 42 from the southern provinces.

The department is working with the transport sector to prepare vehicles for transport and rent, to make sure there are sufficient available.

All the vehicles to be used must be of good quality, mechanically sound, have good paintwork and must be clean. Every vehicle will bear the SEA Games logo.

The department will also check that drivers are qualified and experienced, to prevent the risk of an accident.

The department will continue to work with the SEA Games security, traffic and marketing committees to supervise routes and parking areas to ease congestion.

“As far as transport prices are concerned we will try to make them fair and will not take this opportunity to raise prices,” said Mr Chanxay.

This is the first report of its kind from the Public Works and Transport Department, agreed to by the Mayor of Vientiane. If more information becomes available, the department will make it known to the public.

By Khamphone Syvongxay
Vientianetimes

25th SEA Games golf course in Vientiane (Photos)

2009-11-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Check out some photos from the grand opening of the 25th SEA Games golf club in Vientiane, Laos.

More photos available at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seagamesgolfclub/

Credit: djk

Laos defeats Thai FA champ FA 1-0

2009-11-01T06:05:00.000-08:00

The Lao men's under-23 football team proved their metal again on Saturday when they overpowered Thai Port FC, champions of the Thai Football Association 2009, by a score of 1-0 at the Chao Anouvong Stadium in Vientiane .

Lao football superstar Lamnao Singto scored the only goal of the match in the 29th minute after receiving a pass from midfield which he controlled from the right wing into the penalty area. His shot put the ball in the back of the net and gave Laos the lead in the first half.

Both teams went on the attack, but no more goals were forthcoming even though Thailand tried hard to pull one back and Laos was pushing for a second.

Another chance for Laos came in the 66th minute. Left winger Kaysone Soukhavong looked certain to shoot from the Thai penalty area but Thai defender Nontapan Jieasatawong used his hand to push the ball away from the goal mouth.

This earned him a yellow card and Laos was awarded a penalty. But Laos squandered their chance when Dao Khodsaiya shot the ball straight towards Thai goalkeeper Chalermkiat Sombatpun who managed to steer it clear of the goal.

Lao coach Alfred Riedl told reporters he was usually unhappy after a match because he always saw so many things that could be improved, even if they had been playing better.

“This time they played well - better than in previous matches - but I still saw mistakes we'll have to work on in training,” he said.

He said he thought Laos would get at least 4-0 in this match because the Thai team they played against in the 4 Nations Football Tournament was better than Thai Port FC.

“But in this match our players couldn't control the ball well enough because of some problems with the field. Otherwise, I believe they would have done better,” Mr Riedl said. Laos wanted to give all the players some practice so in the second half the coach made several substitutions.

“We needed to test all the players before the SEA Games. The next tournament in Cambodia is the last opportunity for international level matches so we'll play everyone,” Mr Riedl said.

The Lao team will participate in the Cambodian International Football Tournament BIDC Cup 2009 from November 4-18 in Phnom Penh .

This tournament will be more of a proving ground than the match with Thailand because Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Vissai Ninh Binh - top teams in the Vietnamese league – will compete.

Lao Team Manager Viphet Sihachackr said the recent run of matches was a strategy to improve the players by pitting them against stronger teams so they could learn from the experience ahead of the SEA Games. In Cambodia , the tournament schedules Vissai Ninh Binh vs Laos and Hoang Anh Gia Lai vs Cambodia on November 8, Vissai Ninh Binh vs Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Cambodia vs Laos on November 10, Laos vs Hoang Anh Gia and Cambodia vs Vissai Ninh Binh on November 12. The finals will take place on November 14.

Mr Reidl said the team must take care of themselves during these matches because there is just over a month before the SEA Games begin in Vientiane . While the matches in Cambodia will be good experience, the players must be careful not to pick up injuries.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

Lao media at the ready in case of crisis during SEA Games

2009-11-01T05:44:00.000-08:00

With less than 40 days until the SEA Games kick off in Vientiane , government agencies are boosting efforts to make sure everything is ready for nation's largest ever sporting event.

Public relations are an important aspect of their work in ensuring the games run smoothly. To prepare the media, a course titled “Training for Journalists on Crisis Communication during the SEA Games” was held from October 29-31 in Keo-oudom district, Vientiane province.

The course was jointly organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, World Health Organisation (WHO) and National Emerging Infectious Diseases Coordination Office (NEIDCO).

Ministry of Information and Culture Office Deputy Head and NEIDCO committee member Vayolinh Phrasavath said at the course “The SEA Games will gather large numbers of people both from around Laos and from other countries. This increases the risk that an infectious disease such as influenza A(H1N1) might emerge.”

“The government is working hard with related organisations to prepare for such an occurrence and prevent disease outbreaks.

“This training course gathers together 41 journalists and TV and radio announcers from every media agency to discuss plans for crisis communication. We will explain various points of detail about how to report an energency and talk about public relations. It is important that everyone knows in advance about the good cooperation and preparations of public health agencies and the media. This involves how they will try to prevent a disease outbreak during the SEA Games and what they will do if people fall ill.

“I believe this short course will help participants to get a better feel for what is needed in the way of anticipating events and forward-looking reporting. You will learn a lot about communicable disease surveillance in Laos , and with good reporting you can make sure visitors to the SEA Games aren't concerned about falling ill,” Mr Vayolinh said.

Currently the Lao government is on the alert for seven communicable diseases - the H1N1 virus, bird flu, diarrhoea, dengue fever, smallpox, hepatitis and food poisoning.

The government is in constant communication with the communicable disease surveillance committee, so that any suspicious illnesses can be investigated, reported on and the necessary information passed on to reporters.

WHO Communications Officer Ms Catherine Cochran said “During a time of crisis people depend on the media to provide them with information about what's going on so they can protect themselves.”

“We have a major event coming up with the SEA Games. There will be thousands of visitors as well as international media coming to cover this event. We have all have been working hard to make sure the games run smoothly, but we must be prepared for something to go wrong. This could take the form of a disease outbreak or other emergency.”

“The media must be prepared to tell the public what's really happening and how to deal with the situation. In this workshop they will learn how to work together to help everyone be safe with the help of our communication skills. I'm looking forward to involving the media in the SEA Games communication network,” Ms Cochran said.

By Phoonsab Thevongsa
Vintianetimes

Home-made boxers win three gold medals in Lao Open Boxing Tournament

2009-10-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

(KPL) Lao boxers won three gold medals in 57kg, 51kg and 60kg categories after hard competition against fighters from Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore on 20-23 October in Vientiane.

Twelve boxers have been sent to compete at the Lao Open Boxing Tournament.
The Lao Amateur Boxing Federation organized the tournament to find the competitive athletes for the up-coming games, to be held in Vientiane from 9 to 18 December.

The first gold medal was won by experienced boxer Mr. Sayalack Chanthasone, who defeated a boxer from Thailand in men?s 57kg category. The victor hopes to claim another gold medal in his home games in this coming December.

The second gold medal was taken by Ms. Somphone Keosynang after beating a fighter from Indonesia in 51kg category and the third belonged to Mr. Khouthavysack Monboutsady who fought in 60kg division.