25th SEA Games, Laos

Various Lao sporting committees and federations on Friday joined local media to view progress on the construction of the 20,000-seat 25th SEA Games stadium in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district, Vientiane .

Construction of the game's main stadium is now 90 percent complete and the construction company expects to hand over the facility to the Lao government in September.

Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Sports Committee, Dr Phouthong Seng Akhom, told media the stadium would be finished soon and the construction company will furnish and clean it before handing it over.

“More than 10 different events will be held at the stadium, including indoor and outdoor sports. The stadium is the first international standard stadium in Laos and will also host the opening and closing ceremonies for the games,” he said.

He said rumours that construction of facilities for the games will not be ready in time are untrue, as the main stadium is now 90 percent complete and overall preparations for the games are 80 percent complete.



Other indoor and outdoor courts at Chao-anouvong stadium in Anou village, Chanthabouly district, the International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre, Beungkhayong stadium and facilities at the National University of Laos are also close to completion and are waiting to be fitted out with sports equipment.



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.

“We have received reports from each committee regarding their preparation efforts and some areas are close to completion while others need further work,” Dr Phouthong said.

The 25th SEA Games will take place from December 9 to 18, involving 390 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.

Athletes from Laos , Vietnam , Cambodia , Brunei , Thailand , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore and Timor Leste will take part.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

(KPL) Bernama News Agency of Malaysia last week agreed to help Laos on Press Centre Administration Centre (Broadcasting centre) and to train media technique for Lao journalists for the 25th South East Asian Games 2009.

The agreement was signed on 6 May, at the National Sport Committee Office in Vientiane between SEA Games?s Organising Committees and Malaysian Sport Assembly Committees.

The meeting was chaired by the Head of International Sport Relation Department of the Lao PDR Dr Soulasith Ouparavanh, on behalf of Laos and Malaysian side was led by Head of Competition Organising Sector, Mr Abdul Jahrit Abdullah and the representatives from Bernama National News Agency and Lao Association.

The Bernama News Agency experienced in organising many events and been installed in the broadcasting centre in Malaysia and has cooperated with Vietnam on press during the 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam.

Bernama, the national news agency of Malaysia, is one of the country?s leading content providers of up-to-the-minute news reports, updates and analysis for newspapers, TV and radio stations, global wire services and the Internet.

It also provides, for subscription, real-time stock quotes and a business database accessed through personal computers. Its latest offering is real-time news disseminated through Blackberry devices.