25th SEA Games, Laos

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

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

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/

Souvenirs. Every major event has them, and the SEA Games is no exception.

As you might imagine, there are already many mementos with which to memorialise the games.

Personalised stamps will provide a suitable souvenir for visitors.
These include everything from locally made handicrafts to mass-produced mascots and other products available for both interested visitors and locals alike.

The Lao National Post and Telecommunications Authority is one of many government sectors in Laos involved in promoting the games.

With this in mind, they have asked for permission from the SEA Games Organising Committee to use the SEA Games logo on special edition personalised stamps to sell as souvenirs for visitors to the games.

The authority's Head of Office, Mr Phueay Sadalom, said yesterday the stamps will be a perfect personalised souvenir for those seeking to preserve memories of the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane .

“Many people believe that stamps are only to be used for mailing letters through a post office, which of course is their primary function. However, they are also valued very highly by people who collect them,” he explained .

The authority is working with Thai British Security Printing in Bangkok , Thailand , to design the stamps.

The first set of one dozen will have four pictures of the National Stadium in the background, four SEA Games logo stamps and four bearing the picture of the purchaser.

The second set will feature four stamps with mascots in the background, with four SEA Games logo stamps and four purchaser pictures.

“Those two designs will be printed in an edition of 12,000 stamps, and will sell for 50,000 kip each,” Mr Phueay said.

Personalised cards with calendars and pictures of buyers, the stadium, and the mascots will also be on sale.

“We still don't know how many we can print because we are in discussions with the printing company. We do know that we will sell them for 30,000 kip each,” he said.

The authority plans to begin distributing the personalised cards from November 15, but the stamps will not be available until the opening day of the 25th SEA Games on December 9.

“We believe that these are great souvenirs that people will want to buy. No other country in this region has created such stamps for previous SEA Games, so Laos is the first to do this for the games,” Mr Phueay said.

Two booths will be installed at the National Stadium during the games to sell the products to visitors and athletes.

“Just take a good photo and we'll print it out. Within 10 minutes, you will get a great set of personalised stamps,” Mr Phueay said.


By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
October 30 , 2009

Lao teams emerged victorious from a four nations Sepak Takraw tournament held on October 16-17 in Vientiane .

The Lao Sepak Takraw Federation organised the tournament to test their athletes and officials before the SEA Games in December.

The event involved athletes from Malaysia , Thailand and Vietnam and was held at the Lao International Trade and Exhibition Convention Centre.

The Lao women's singles team defeated Malaysia 2-1, Thailand 2-0 and Vietnam 2-1 to be crowned champions, while the women's doubles team beat Malaysia 2-0, Thailand 2-1 and Vietnam 2-1 to finish in top place.

The Lao men's doubles team finished in second place after defeating Malaysia and Vietnam but falling to Thailand . The men's singles team took third place after a 2-0 loss to Malaysia , a 2-1 loss to Thailand and a 2-1 win over Vietnam .

Federation official Lamphone Souvanvong said the tournament attracted top athletes who are likely to compete at the SEA Games.

“We need further practice on our defence skills. Many of our players lack experience but we are proud to see their skills have improved a lot since they first started training for the games.”

The tournament allowed athletes, officials and organisers an opportunity to assess their readiness for the SEA Games as well as test the facilities to be used at the games.“The first day of the tournament was very busy, but things improved and the organisers managed to run a successful event,” Mr Lamphone said.

He said organisers received assistance from Thai officials to ensure the tournament went smoothly.

The federation has selected a final squad of 30 for the SEA Games. They were previously training in Savannakhet province, but have now moved to Vientiane in the lead-up to the games. Mr Lamphone said the federation is confident the team will perform their best in front of their home crowd and urged everyone to attend the games and support Lao athletes.



By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

(KPL) More than 320 track-and-field referees have been trained for serving the coming the 25th SEA Games, the biggest sporting event of Southeast Asia, which will be held in December this year.

The training was from 8 to12 October in Vientiane. The trainees underwent an intensive course by trainers from the International Track-and-Field Federation to ensure that their judgement conforms to international standards.

A trial competition to test the readiness of the national track-and-field athletes was also held at the National Stadium on Monday.

The National Track-and-Field Federation has also requested the 25th SEA Games? National Organising Committee to consider its facilitation of the federation?s personnel preparation for serving the 25th SEA Games.

Present at the closing ceremony of the training on Monday, were the Vice-President of the National Sport and Gymnastic Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa, and over 80 trainees and relevant officials.

(KPL) The 25th SEA Games Organising Committees held a discussion on safety, rules of law and other matters during the SEA Games period.

The meeting was held on 13 October, under the chairmanship of the Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Somsavat Lengsavad, who is also President of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee. The other people were Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom, President of the National Sports Committee and Deputy President of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee and Professor Bosengkham Vongdala, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture.

When the meeting was in session, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad heard reports on the ongoing work and they discussed on cleaning routine of the new national stadium and the need to regularly check the water supply system.

Mr Somsavat also drew up a guideline on how the Lao and Chinese engineers should work together to ensure the continuous operation of the water system in the stadium.
The President of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee also heard about the progress of the construction of Buengkhagnong stadium, which was nearly completed and what was just left another 10 per cent of construction work.

Another report dealt with the cross country bicycle track, which had been completed.
A group of people who were recruited as volunteer officials had gone through a training course and a report on their training and readiness was read out during this meeting.

During the SEA Games period there would be an urgent need to send visual and voice signals to the whole world and regarding this the IT State Enterprise of Thailand would be setting up its parabola antenna, with the cooperation of the Lao Telecom State Enterprise.

In connection with communication linkages, another report was read out and it stated that the construction of the road from Phontong to the National University of Laos had been almost completed and it was short of two per cent.

During this meeting, Mr Somsavat urged police officers to work hard and to be creative to ensure a smooth flow of traffic during the SEA Games period and related that there was a need to learn from the recent case of the occurrence of road accidents during the time of the four-nation football tournament.

The Lao post office has released the 25th SEA Game stamps to commemorate the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane, 2009. The stamps come in two prices of 5,000 and 7,000 kip
(1$=8,500 kip) and are available at the post office, and souvenir shops.

The Lao Sepak Takraw Federation and SEA Games committees have arranged a four-nations Sepak Takraw Test Tournament to give players a trial run and test their preparations for the games.

The federation held a press conference on Monday, urging the public to cheer on the players and give encouragement to all Lao participants in the event, scheduled for October 16 and 17.

Federation President Adsaphangthong Siphandone said the competing countries would be Malaysia , Thailand , Vietnam and Laos .

“Our objective is to test our players as well as the preparations of all the SEA Games committees involved. This will be another opportunity for our players to get more experience and the committees can also test out their arrangements and get some experience before the main event in December,” he said.

The tournament will comprise more than 80 people, including players and delegations from the participating countries. Events will consist of men's and women's doubles and men's and women's singles.

“We will follow the standard rules set by the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation. We'll also broadcast the tournament on Lao National Television and I hope everyone will cheer on our players,” Mr Ardsaphangthong said.

The Lao sepak takraw team recently competed in an international sepak takraw event held earlier this month in Vientiane , attended by teams from China , Japan , Malaysia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam . Laos won two bronze medals in the men's doubles and singles events.

The Lao team also took part in the 24th King's Cup Sepak Takraw World Championships 2009 in Bangkok , Thailand , in July, in which 21 countries competed.

Laos won one gold medal in the women's singles, two silver medals in the men's and women's doubles, and a bronze medal in the men's doubles. At last year's King's Cup, Laos won three medals - one gold and two bronze.

More than 40 sepak takraw players, 21 men and 21 women, have been training at the Savannakhet Sepak Takraw Centre since April in preparation for the SEA Games.

SEA Games Technical Committee Chairman Phouvanh Vongsouthi said this week's tournament was important because it would allow all committees involved in the games to check the progress of their preparations. If any problems arose they would be able to address them and smooth out any glitches before the games in December.

Journalists at the press conference asked the federation whether the players taking part in this week's tournament would be those selected to compete in the SEA Games.

Federation Secretary Somsavath Phongsa said Laos would certainly be entering its SEA Games team and believed that Vietnam and Malaysia would do the same, but could not speak for Thailand .

“We actually invited eight countries to attend the tournament but we received only three positive responses,” he said.


By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

The final number of athletes from each nation to compete in the 25th SEA Games will be announced on October 26.

Vice Chairman of the SEA Games Technical Committee, Mr Kasem Inthara, yesterday said Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand , Vietnam and Laos had all submitted athlete numbers to the committee, but a report had yet to be received from Timor Leste.

“We believe about 4,200 athletes from those 10 countries will compete at the games. Laos has the largest contingent at 661athletes, followed by Thailand with 637 and Vietnam with 600 athletes,” he said.

Although the countries had already sent figures to the committee, final numbers of athletes from each nation, and their names, will be reported at the end of the month.

The committee will organise a meeting between sporting officials involved in the games on October 23 to discuss any issues before the list of athletes is finalised.

The games will take place from December 9 to 18 in Vientiane, and will comprise 383 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.

As well as taking place at the National Stadium, events will be held at indoor and outdoor courts at Chao-anouvong Stadium in Anou village, Chanthabouly district, the International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre, Beungkhayong Stadium, Don Chan Palace hotel and facilities at the National University of Laos.

Vice Chairman of the SEA Games Organising Committee, Dr Phouthong Seng-Akhom, has said hosting the games is important for political matters, foreign affairs issues and socio-economic and cultural development, as well as national security and the promotion of a peaceful society.

Committees have been formed to oversee hospitality, transportation, travel arrangements and security during the games. They include representatives from the ministries of Public Works and Transport, Health, Public Security, and Information and Culture, the Lao National Tourism Administration and other organisations.



By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
October13, 2009
Vintianetimes

The 25 SEA Games in Vientiane is approaching, and all the sport avenues are now almost ready to welcome all guests. Check out photostream of SEA Games sport complex located at KM 16, Vientiane, Laos















More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/laostadium/

CANBERRA: Laos recovered from their thrashing at the hands of Australia to register a convincing victory of their own, over nine-man Malaysia in the AFC U-16 Championship 2010 Group H qualifying competition.


Laos, beaten 7-0 by the Aussies in their first match, were 4-0 up at half-time through Sitthideth Khanthavong, Lembo Saysana (two) and Nidnilanh Chanchaleune.

Lembo completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute before substitute Southinh Sayalath put the finishing touches four minutes from the end.

Malaysia were not helped by two sendings-off. First, Nur Areff Bin Kamaruddin was given his marching orders after only 11 minutes and Akmal Bin Ishak was red-carded in the 72nd minute.

Australia are still favourites to win the sole qualifying berth from the three-team group, which is employing a double round-robin system. The Aussies next play Malaysia on Saturday.

While only the top team qualify from Group H, groups A-G will see the top two teams and the best third-placed side reach the finals.

http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-u16-championship-2010/25568-laos-put-six-past-malaysia

Lao supporters are full of enthusiasm at the thought of cheering on their players at the SEA Games in December, the first time the country has ever hosted the event.

The jovial atmosphere in and around the National Football Stadium on Tuesday night saw everyone in high spirits and fervent about the 4-Nations Football Tournament.


One spectator, Ms Latsamy Xaysongkham, 22, attended every match of the tournament, which took place on October 2, 4 and 6.

Ms Latsamy said she was delighted to be part of the cheering squad during the tournament and hopes to do the same at SEA Games football matches.

During the events in December, she and her friends plan to be good cultural ambassadors and on their best behaviour for visitors to Laos .

She commented on the national team's progressive development and the beneficial experience to be gained from the 4-nations tournament.

She believes the team's success in the upcoming games depends largely on the encouragement they get from their fans. She expressed her readiness to display her enthusiasm and support for the players on the big day.

This ardent spectator is also an avid fan of sepak takraw and will show her support for the country's team during this event as well.

Ms Latsamy lives in Nongchan village, Sisattanak district, and graduated from Rattana Business Administration College in 2007. She now runs her own construction materials business.

She asks all Lao people to show support for their teams and accompany her in cheering them on during the important events.

Ms Anisa Phanthasombath, 18, is another devoted football fan.

She is also a strong supporter of the Lao petanque team, which has high hopes of a medal in the SEA Games.

Like her compatriots, she realises the games have been a long time coming for Laos and is relishing the huge build-up in anticipation of this historic occasion.

She too knows the importance of being a good spectator. Additionally, Ms Anisa recognises the significance of promoting local products, and the need for everyone's participation in keeping Vientiane and all the sporting venues safe and clean.

Ms Anisa is in her first year at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the National University of Laos and lives in Naxay village, Xaysettha district.

In the final match of the 4-Nations Football Tournament, Laos took first place after drawing with Malaysia 1-1. The first match on October 2 saw Laos draw with Vietnam 2-2, and beat Thailand 3-0 in their second match on October 4.

On the back of this success on home soil, the Lao Football Federation will work hard with the team, hoping to sustain this performance throughout the SEA Games.

The team will soon compete in a regional tournament in Cambodia in order to gain even more experience before taking on the challenge of the SEA Games.

During a press conference at the National Stadium after Tuesday's final, popular striker Lamnao Singto was interviewed by the Lao media.

He expressed the elation he felt during the tournament due to the vocal support of fans.

He thanked them for coming to the matches, saying “I will give my best to train and improve for future games.”

So polish up your vocal chords, everyone, and let's hear it for Laos .



By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

Vientianetimes

(KPL) 30 ladies who will be engaged in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 25th South East Asian Games (SEA Games) finished recently a course to upgrade their knowledge, particularly the principle, method and plan for the parade into the stadium.

A closing ceremony for the training course was officially held on 30 September at the National Sports Committee in the presence of Mr. Onesy Phamisay, Director General of the Mass Sports Department, National Sports Committee, who is also head of the sub-committee for opening- closing and culture, advisor for the parade, and torch for the 25th SEA Games. Ms. Phosay Phengphong, Deputy-Director of the Mass Sports Department, who is also Vice-Chairman of the Sub-Committee for Medals of the 25th SEA Games, and other high-ranking officials of the National Sports Committee were also present at the function.

On this occasion, Mr. Khamphanh Onphanh, Acting Director of the Sports Department, head of the flag holders for the 25th SEA Games, highlighted the activities of the course which are aimed to upgrade the knowledge and to review the activities made in the last period. He said that it also aimed to equip the trainees with the right ideology, fine discipline, good character, respect to organisation and high sense of responsibility.

During the training, the participants have learnt a number of lessons relating to the parade including the rule and method to hold the flags during their parade to the stadium.

At the end of the closing ceremony, Mr. Onesy expressed congratulations to all trainees for their great contribution to the course and asked all of them to further continue to learn more in order to bring the honour to the nation during the 25th SEA Games, which is scheduled to open in Laos on 8-19 December, 2009.

Photo: Lamnao Singto ( centre ) shows his fancy footwork as he attempts to get the ball past a Malaysian defender.

The U-23 Lao football team wrapped up an unbeaten run at the 4-Nations Football Tournament last night with a 1-1 draw with Malaysia in front of home fans at the new 20,000-seat National Stadium in Vientiane


About 16,000 supporters turned out to watch the match, including a contingent of Malaysian fans.

The Lao side started their attack early, but had difficulty penetrating the Malaysian defence. The first half ended in a nil-nil draw.

However, the home team's game improved in the second half, proving more dangerous for the Malaysian defenders. During the second half the U-23s had a lot opportunities to score and take the lead, but several of their shots were off target.

In the 53rd minute, Lamnao Singto dribbled the ball past three of the Malaysian defenders before hitting the back of the net, but the referee called him off-side.

In the 70th minute, Lamnao shot again, but this time the ball soared over the crossbar. Another salvo was stopped by an excellent save from Malaysian keeper Muhammad Zamir B Selamat in the 74th minute.

The first goal for the Lao side came in the 81st minute, when Paseuthsack Souliyavong put the ball past the Malaysian keeper and into the net, thanks to an accurate cross from Lamnao in the penalty area.

However, the Lao side and their fans were able to enjoy this goal-scoring display for only one minute, with Malaysian team captain Mohamad Muslim Bin Ahmad heading the ball into the net at the opposite end in the 82nd minute.

No more goals were recorded, and the game ended in a draw.

Lao team manager Viphet Sihachackr said his team needed further improvement.

“I can say that the team's performance in this match is not satisfactory for me because we can see our team is not as strong as Malaysia , as they couldn't vie for the ball. We will improve this in the 60 days before the SEA Games.”

Malaysia 's coach Ong Kim Swee commended the Lao team on its performance.

“This was a big game for Laos because of the new stadium and we can see that the Lao team is better than previously as they made our players so tired tonight.

“Many players in the team were nervous in the earlier games, with the new stadium and many fans, particularly on the first day,” striker Lamnao Singto said.

“So in the second match we were getting better, and then this match we tried hard to win, but could only draw.”

Despite the game ending with a draw and without a goal from Lamnao, thousands of Lao football fans will remember the talented striker who wears jersey No. 8.

After last night's showing, fans hope to see Lamnao lead the team to victory at the upcoming SEA Games in December. They also hope to see their team continue to improve on their performances in the 4-Nations Tournament.

Laos began the tournament with a 2-2 draw with Vietnam and followed this with a crushing 3-0 defeat over Thailand .

In another match yesterday, Thailand defeated Vietnam 3-1. The tournament was intended to include all U-23 teams, but Thailand , Vietnam , and Malaysia confirmed they would replace their U-23 squads with U-19s.

Despite failed hopes to see all four U-23 teams on the field, thousands of Lao football fans attended to cheer on the Lao team at all matches in the new stadium.

The Lao U-23 side is currently preparing for the SEA Games under the expert eye of Austrian coach Mr Alfred Riedl.

The Lao team hopes to battle to the semi finals against a raft of strong opponents at the SEA Games, having never reached this placing at previous games.

However, their latest performance at the 4-Nations Tournament has shown that the Lao team has greatly improved, while also highlighting areas that need more development before taking to the field in the fast-approaching SEA Games.

The 4-Nations was not only a vital warm up for the national football team, but also a test of the new stadium facilities and TV broadcast crew in the lead up to the games.

The next international game for the Lao side will be in Phnom Penh at the Cambodia Royal Cup from November 8-13.

Laos will take on the Cambodian U-23 team, who are also preparing for the SEA Games, and also Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Vissai Ninh Binh football clubs of Vietnam .

The prize at the Cambodia Royal Cup is US$20,000 for the winner and US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively for runners up.

The event was planned to help strengthen the countries' solidarity and friendly cooperation and mark the 56th anniversary of Cambodian National Day.

By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes

Check out some photos taken from the SEA Games village in Vientiane, Laos.
For more photos, check out at

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

Photo: Lamnao Singto, Lao football player

The second day for the PRE-SEA Games football match kicked off in Vientiane on Sunday, in which Laos played against Thailand, and Vietnam played against Malaysia.

The results are as follows:

Laos 3: Thailand 0
Malaysia 3: Vietnam 1

Watch the clip between Laos vs Thailand below

Vietnam’s U19 squad drew 2-2 with Laos’ U23s after failing to hold on to a 2-0 lead at the Pre-SEA Games tournament in Vientiane on Friday.

Ngo Hoang Thinh’s 13th minute goal took the lead early and Ha Minh Tuan’s 50th minute goal provided what should have been insurance for Vietnam’s U19 team.

But the Vietnamese side looked exhausted as the second half drew to an end and they lost control of the match. Laos took the chance and pulled one back with a goal by Kaysone Soukhavong in the 68th minute.

Vietnam still had the upper hand until a Vietnamese defender tackled a Lao player in the penalty area and Sangvone scored the equalizer from the penalty spot seven minutes from full time.

Earlier that day, Malaysia’s U19 squad and Thai U19s had also tied at the same score.

U23 squads from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Laos had originally signed up for the October 2-6 Pre-SEA (South East Asian) Games in Laos.

But Thailand decided to send its U19 players just a couple days before the competition started, prompting Vietnam and Malaysia to do the same.

In preparations for the 2009 SEA Games Laos, the Lao Football Federation, Lao National Television, and Crossfire Co. Ltd, are proud to announce the 2009 4-Nations Football Tournament. The national teams from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos are playing an AFC sanctioned tournament, to promote the SEA Games theme of Generosity, Amity, and a Healthy Lifestyle in live television broadcasts throughout the pan-Asian region.















Final score Laos 2: Vietnam 2

Photo: Thai U-23 team


Vietnam and Thailand have confirmed they will not send their national men's under-23 football teams to participate in the pre-SEA Games tournament here next month.

However, both nations will send their national U-19 squads to take part in the event.

The Football Association of Thailand confirmed that their under-23 team cannot participate in the pre-SEA Games event because many players are committed to playing in the ongoing Thai Premier League.

The Vietnam under-23 team is busy training for the SEA Games in December and does not want to disrupt its preparations.

General Secretary of the Lao Football Federation, Mr Soulivanh Xeunvilay, said yesterday “Despite Vietnam and Thailand confirming their intention to send their U-19 squads instead of their U-23 teams, the date and schedule of the pre-SEA Games tournament will not change.”

“ Malaysia has confirmed they will send their U-23 squad to compete in the event,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Malaysian national under-23 side completed a tour of the Middle East with a scoreless draw against Jordan , a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and a 1-0 defeat to a Saudi club side, according to the Asean Football Federation

The changes will see under-23 teams from Laos and Malaysia compete against under-19 squads from Vietnam and Thailand at the pre-SEA Games tournament next month.

The tournament is scheduled for October 2-6 with the aim of testing television broadcasting systems and facilities at the new national stadium, which has a 20,000 seat capacity and will also host the opening and closing ceremonies of the games in December.

On October 2, Laos will take on Thailand , and Vietnam will play Malaysia . October 4 will see Malaysia up against Thailand and Laos facing Vietnam , while the last day of the tournament will pit Laos against Malaysia and Vietnam with Thailand .

Games will kick off at 4:30pm and 7pm. All matches will be broadcast live on Lao National Television.

Tickets for the tournament will be sold for 40,000 kip for general admission and 80,000 kip for VIP seating.

The event presents a good opportunity for teams to catch a glimpse of the form of their opponents before the big event in December.

SEA Games rules mean players in the men's football event must be 23 years old or younger. The women's football event does not have an age limit for players.


By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes

During a four-nation friendly football tournament held in Vientiane from September 9-14, the Lao women's team demolished Malaysia in the final 6-0 at the Chao Anouvong Stadium on Monday.

Top Lao striker Ms Souphavanh Phayvanh hopes to lead the women's football team to victory in the 25th SEA Games in December.

She said the team has shown vast improvement since beginning training with a coach from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea .

At last year's SEA Games in Thailand , the team came in fourth place. The Thai female football team took first place, Vietnam 's team placed second and Myanmar came in third.

Ms Souphavanh said she is honoured to represent Lao women in the competition on home soil and will work to the best of her ability.

The accomplished forward, aged only 17, lives in Don village, Pakngum district, Vientiane , and recently graduated from Sathit Secondary School at the National University of Laos.

She said it will be difficult for the Lao team to best the Thai and Vietnamese teams, which are sure to be strong opponents at this year's games.

She believes she will receive strength from fans attending the games to support their team.

At the moment, the player is still experiencing pain in her left leg due to an injury picked up during training and the recent friendly football competition, which included the Malaysian team, two clubs from Thailand and the Lao team.

She said she gained important experience from the exhibition matches and will now concentrate on training for the SEA Games.

Unfortunately, Ms Souphavanh is still suffering from injuries acquired in last year's games, and has been receiving treatment through the Lao Football Federation. Luckily, she will have an opportunity to receive further treatment in Thailand before the upcoming events.

She hopes to be a part of the national team for a long time after SEA Games are over.

Even though she will take part in the football event, she will also show her support for the sepak trakaw team because she also enjoys the sport.

She will study Physical Education at the National University of Laos and wants to continue her involvement in sports after graduation, perhaps working with the Lao National Sports Committee.

Next year she starts her university course, and will look back on her years of success, which began on a football field at primary school in her home village.


By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes