25th SEA Games, Laos

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

(KPL) The members of National Assembly visited the sites of the opening and closing ceremonies of SEA Games in Saythany District (KM 16) to monitor the progress of the construction work, yesterday.

The entourage was led by the Head of National Assembly Office, Mr Thongtern Sayasen and they were welcomed by the Vice-President of National Sports-Gymnastic Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa and Manager of the SEA Games Construction Project, Mr Khiengkham Phoutchanthavongsa.

Mr Khiengkham showed the guests the sites for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 25th SEA Games, to be held on 9 and 18 December.

The national lawmakers also visited the Games Village, located in the vicinity of the National University of Laos.

He said the sports complex will have a high-quality electrical system in place before the games begin.

Mr Somphou Phongsa, said the football stadium and indoor courts are of high standard and have been surfaced with the finest imported materials.

At the same day, the Lao National Sports Committees and National Assembly members also visited athletes’ accommodation at the National University of Laos.

The committee and national sports federations will inspect the electrical system after work to bring it up to international standards is complete. Work began on the system in April this year.

The sports complex consists of the National Football Stadium, tennis courts, archery fields, swimming pool, shooting fields and indoor courts which will host the volleyball and badminton events.

The construction is almost complete in 100 percent just only some of decorating outside and installing the electricity system then it will be perfect stadium, which the stadium capacity contain 20.000 seats.

(KPL) The 25th SEA Games Committee for Accommodation, Food, Decoration and tourism is in need of financial support to cater to the domestic and foreign visitors as well as athletes, and they would boost the local economy by spending as much as four billion kip.

Deputy Mayor of Vientiane, Somvandy Nathavong, who is in charge of this committee, revealed that regarding the hosting of this sporting event here, the Lao government is making an effort to strengthen the solidarity, culture, economy and friendship among the participating countries.

He said this when he to the Vientiane executive broad on 24 April on the progress of the preparation for the upcoming 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane at the end of this year.

He said that the cost of the preparatory work for his committee is 4.8 billion kip.
At the present, 70 hotels in five districts in Vientaine Capital are considered fit to accommodate the visitors and athletes, he said to the executive board.