25th SEA Games, Laos

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

In the August 18th-19th ,Lao Football Federation (LFF) will orazine the warm-up matches with the papular clubs from Vietnam and Thailand at the provicial stadium of Champasak province, Southern Laos ,according to Mr Viengsavan Siengphachanh the football game organizing Manager reports the warm up matches ,Laos National football team will vesus three teams from vietnam and Thailand. vietnam will send the Hong an Ya Lai club and thailand will send RATHSANAVY LAYONG and TTM SAMODSAKHONE clubs to praticipate the game. as for Lao team now is training at the National traning center (syketh) ,Coach saysana Savathdee and Bounlap are resbonsible for training . Laos team has jointed the training at the Hong An Ya lai clubs of vietnam before returing to Syketh.

U23 squads have been selected the best players throughout the country and every boys are concentrate on training and enthusiasm,the target of training are to improve the enegy of players, strongness is very important and improve to shooting,especially the accuracy on goal according to a coach Saysana Savatdee told vientianmai , he also adds that the quality of our football at the 25th seagames will be better than before and he asks for all lao football fans to cheer up and to encourage the boys to success and the boys may make a new history of Laos football.

Tennis players test their power at Theun-Hinboun tournament

Lao tennis players are putting their skills to the test at the eighth Theun-Hinboun Tournament at the Vientiane Tennis Club from April 29 to May 28.

More than 100 tennis players from Vientiane and Savannakhet and Champassak provinces are competing in the tournament.

The Lao Tennis Federation (LTF) has entered seven male and four female players in the tournament.

The tournament's opening ceremony took place on Wednesday and was attended by Vice President of the Lao National Sports Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa, senior officials from the committee and tournament sponsors.

The tournament consists of events for U-12s, 15s and 17s, an open category in A, B and C grades, an open doubles event and over 55s' doubles.

General Manager of Theun-Hinboun Power Company, Mr Robert Allen, presented US$4,000 to LTF President, Mr Houmphone Bouliyaphon, at the ceremony.

Mr Houmphone said the tournament is a friendly event which aims to promote participation and fitness and was organised to coincide with the 123rd anniversary of International Labour Day on May 1.

He said the tournament will also help national players in their preparations for the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane from December 9-18.

Laos has never won a medal in tennis at the SEA Games level.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

(KPL) Technical Official of Asia Sport Development to Asia Region, Mr Suresh Mcnon and his delegations visited Laos and paid courtesy visit Vice President of Lao National sport-Gymnastic Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa last weekend at Lao National sport-Gymnastic Committee Office.

This visit was aimed at giving an advice about Tennis Development Project for young tennis players, especially a five-year tennis development project of Lao National Tennis Federation.

During the visit, Mr Mcnon visited and inspected the construction of Chao Anou Tennis court and tennis court of National University of Laos which will be used for competition for the 25th South East Asian Games at the end of this year.

New karatedo committee takes office

More than 100 people watched as the Lao Karatedo Federation announced the formation of a new committee last Sunday at the International Cooperation and Training Centre in Vientiane.



Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Sports Committee Dr Phouthong Seng-akhon adopted the measure aimed at improving the organisational structure of the karatedo executive board in April this year.

The new committee conprises five consultants of whom two hold honorary positions. There are also 11 administrators.

“The announcement of this new structure is part of the federation's development plans as required by the Lao National Sports Committee in preparation for the 25 th SEA Games, which Laos will host next year,” federation president Vilayvong Bouddakham said.

At the same time, members of the outgoing executive committee and donors to the federation received certificates of honour and congratulations.

Attendees then watched a karatedo demonstration led by federation advisor Phongsavath Boupha, in which more than 60 fighters took part.

Mr Vilayvong and President of the Yuuwakai Association of Japan, Mr Watanabe Shinichi, signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a karatedo practice centre and office.

Mr Vilayvong said the US$100,000 grant aid from the Yuuwakai Association would provide the federation with better training facilities and encourage more people to take part in the sport.

The association has been providing Japanese karatedo coaches for long term training programmes to help strengthen Lao players' skills.

According to a press release from the federation, the government has set a target for athletes to win 25 gold medals in 25 th SEA Games, including two in karatedo.

The federation plans to expand training for karatedo fighters nationwide in a bid to increase the number of players.

“The Eighth National Games is taking place in Champassak province in December. This is good preparation for Lao athletes taking part in the SEA Games,” Vice President of the Lao National Sports Committee Somphou Vongsa said.

According to 2007 federation figures, Laos has only about 100 karatedo fighters. This is much less than the estimated 25,000 in Vietnam, 10,000 in Myanmar, 3,000 in Cambodia and 100,000 in Thailand.

The federation was first established in 1998 when it was called the Karatedo Association. The Lao National Sports Committee later changed the name to the Lao Karatedo Federation.

Lao karatedo fighters have taken part in many international competitions, including the 22 nd SEA Games in Vietnam (no medal), 23 rd SEA Games in the Philippines (one bronze), the World Karatedo Championships in Germany in 2004 (one bronze) and a meet in Australia in 2006 (no medal).

Karatedo fighters also attended the 13 th Asian universities competition in Vietnam in 2006 (two silver and 10 bronze medals) and the 24 th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007 (one bronze).

By Vientiane Times

Annual sport events in Laos, Vientiane Games 2000

The National University of Laos is planning to build dormitories to accommodate the 4,000 athletes from 11 countries who will take part in the SEA Games, which Laos will host next year.

“We are waiting for a budget allocation from the government for construction of the dormitories before we start work,” the university's Vice President for Student Affairs, Professor Lammai Phiphakkhavong, said yesterday.

The Lao government will cooperate on the project with a construction company from Vietnam , according to an agreement by the two countries.

“We will be ready to provide accommodation for the athletic teams when the dormitories are built,” Professor Lammai said.

A 5.3 hectare site is available at the university for the dormitories and a car park.

Students will be able to live in the dormitories once the SEA Games have ended.

The Lao National Sports Committee and government organisations will also provide athletes with accommodation in hotels and guesthouses in Vientiane .

Champassak and Luang Prabang provinces are also taking steps to secure accommodation for athletics teams and visitors. These provinces will host the games' football matches.

The sports committee will open a Sports Training Centre in Sikhottabong district, Vientiane , in December, where Lao athletes will live and train in preparation for the games.

Construction of the training centre began in January and is due for completion towards the end of this year.

The Vietnamese government assisted in funding the project, providing more than 35 billion kip (US$4 million) to the sports committee.

Officials from the governments of Laos and Vietnam attended a stone-laying ceremony on May 19 last year in Sikeuth village, Naxaithong district, to mark the agreement on the construction of the training centre.

Source: Vientianetimes

Teachers from the Physical Education Teacher Training School and the National University of Laos met on Thursday to discuss how best to improve schools for participation in the 25 th South East Asian Games, which will be hosted by Laos in 2009.

Teacher Training School Director Intong Leusinsay said the school planned to allow staff with expertise in badminton, boxing, football, judo, karatedo, petanque, basketball, sepak takraw, wushu, shuttlecock and table tennis to assist at the SEA Games.

Mr Intong said for the Ministry of Education to achieve its Millennium Development Goals it would upgrade the training school to a college by 2012. This would enable it to have better resources for the teaching of physical education.

There are more than 1,000 graduates of the school since it was established in 1978, with most of them using their skills to teach in both public and private schools.

Mr Intong said in a bid to combat drug use in schools many teachers would continue with sports programmes that had been initiated, hoping to encourage better behaviour among students.

He said the aim of these programmes was to improve students' skills, develop their capacity and instil a greater sense of morality, so they would grow up to become strong athletes.

Another objective of the programmes was to teach children about the country's socio-economic development goals, and the importance of a clean school environment, a healthy society and good hygiene practices.

Mr Intong said the project also aimed to produce resources that would show schoolchildren the path to community and school leadership, give them the opportunity to protect traditions and culture, and achieve the standards set by the ministry's national education reform programme.

He said the ministry was developing education in keeping with the government's continuing strategic vision for the next 12 years.

“At present education is not well integrated between schools and families, and society contributes little to the stimulation of teachers, parents and children in regard to learning,” Mr Intong said.

He said teachers would set up groups of volunteer children to run activities in schools, including sports, game playing and art competitions.

By PHAISYTHONG CHANDARA
Vientianetimes

Photo: Plastic seats in the stadium of thailand

(KPL) The Saplast Vientiane Company, Vietnamese investor has hoped to produce plastic seats for equipping with in the new stadium for the host of 25th SEA Games.
According to Mr Huynhtan Phuoc, Director of Saplast Vientiane Company disclosed last week that our company sent a selling proposal of plastic seats and bins with a reasonable price to the Lao government.

He said that this proposal is a part of efforts to promote the domestic goods and also able to decrease the volume of imported goods especially plastic tools. One more reason if the Lao government adopted our proposal, the foreign currency would not flow out the country.

This company is currently the leading supplier plastic tools to local market, he said. All our products are high quality and international standard.
The company was established in Laos, January 2005 under bilateral cooperation between Vietnamese and Lao governments, with registered investment was around US$ 1.3 million.

PETALING JAYA: It is official. Bowling, gymnastics and squash will not be contested in the 2009 SEA Games in Laos.


In a SEA Games Federation (SGF) meeting last week, it was decided that Laos would stage only 22 sports.


The sports in the programme are aquatics (swimming and diving), athletics, badminton, boxing, football, golf, judo, karate, sepaktakraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, wushu, fin swimming, Muay Thai, petanque, silat, shuttle**** and traditional boat race.

Source: http://thestar.com.my

Photo: Meeting participants admire the design of the SEA Games stadium and environs, currently under construction in Vientiane

Laos yesterday presented its first proposal for a total of 22 sports to be included in the 25 th South East Asian (SEA) Games, to be held in Laos at the end of next year.

The proposal was made yesterday at the first 25 th South East Asia Games Executive Committee Meeting, which is taking place in Vientiane from April 22-24.

A member of the Sports and Rules Standing Committee of Laos, Mr Phouvanh Vongsouthi, presented the proposal to the meeting. The suggested sports are athletics, badminton, boxing, football, golf, judo, karate-do, muay, petanque, pencak silat, shuttlecock, rattanball, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, traditional boat racing, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, wushu and fin swimming.

Other countries taking part in the games proposed additional sports, including water polo, archery, billiards, snooker, basketball, bowling, gymnastics, cycling, canoeing, chess, body building, fencing, dance, rowing, weightlifting, vovinam, hockey, squash and kempo.

Responding to the proposal, meeting chairman Dr Souvannarath Saignavong asked executive committee members to put their proposals in writing to the Lao National Olympic Committee for reference and further discussion.

Final approval of the sports and specific events is expected to be given at a SEA Games Council meeting that will be held at the end of this year.

Dr Souvannarath informed participants the 25 th SEA Games' charter would be based on that approved in Manila , the Philippines , in 2004, along with some adaptations, such as the descriptions of the duties of each country's National Olympic Committee.

This year's charter states that the traditional combat boxing sport formerly referred to as “muay Thai” in the 24 th SEA Games held in Korat, Thailand, should be known as “muay”, according to the head of the meeting secretariat Soudthanom Inthavong.

Officials also presented the minutes of the Medical Committee Meeting held on Tuesday, which will also be presented at today's SEA Games Council meeting.

The medical committee presented its comments on four cases of doping at the last SEA Games, held in Thailand . Attendees approved the comments and the matter will be further addressed at the SEA Games Council meeting for final approval and public announcement.

An Indonesian participant proposed improvement of the standards of SEA Games' athletes, saying they lagged behind those of competitors in the Asian Games, whose member countries had taken steps to raise standards.

The Lao side presented its ideas for activities to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games - the origin of the SEA Games - including an Olympic Day run, in which each member country would send their athletes to participate, Mr Soudthanom said.

Today's SEA Games Council hopes to approve various issues discussed during the two-day executive committee meeting, among other issues.

The attendees toured the Lao National SEA Games stadium, which is under construction in Xaythany district, Vientiane . The stadium is now 35 percent complete and set for completion by June next year.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Vientianetimes

(KPL) The construction of new stadium for 2009 SEA Games is repeatedly confirmed to complete as scheduled, said a senior official who is responsible for the construction project last week.

Following a lot of criticisms in society involved to the construction of new stadium would complete on schedule or not? Because there is nothing progress so people have expressed concern over the construction of the 2009 SEA Games at the km18 on Road 13 South, might be not completed on time.

“Now the construction work is 30 per cent completed and expected to be completed on May 2009 and scheduled for inaugural ceremony of 2009 SEA Games, hosted by Laos,” confirmed Mr Khiengkham Phoudthavhanvongsa, Head of Construction Project for New Stadium.

He has expressed thanks people for expressing concern over the construction of new SEA Games and he also said that do not worry about that the new stadium will be scheduled for inaugural ceremony of the 25th SEA Games. Now the construction is 30 per cent completed and the structures of stadium would be completed in May this year.

This stadium comprises main stadium, three warming up fields, a shooting range, two indoor stadiums, swimming pools and tennis courts of world standard, which its structure would be completed and the rest of 50 per cent is decorated work.

The construction work will be completed as scheduled on May 2009, which is time that Chinese construction company has to hand over the stadium to Lao Government.

He explained that the construction delayed due to there was some problem with the passage of new stadium plan and many construction materials have to import. This matter made people in society misunderstood.

After receiving the stadium, Laos will rehearse athletes for the inaugural ceremony of 2009 SEA Games.

KPL

Photo: Vientiane in rush hour

(KPL) The coming 25th SEA Games which Laos will host in Champassak in 2009, is expected to have a monetary flow of at least USD 10 million in the southernmost province.

Mr Soukkaseum Phothisane, Deputy President of the Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) revealed that the preparedness of the upcoming 25th SEA Games saw progressively as the plan of the Lao government in its effort to strengthen the solidarity, culture, economy and friendship among different countries. Therefore the LNTA has also prepared various facilities for serving domestic and foreign visitors.
He said that we were disseminating the preparatory services for people who run tourism business to understand the importance of being the host of upcoming SEA Games in order to ensure that visitors will be satisfied with the service.

The Lao’s SEA Games will be conducted in four provinces of Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak province where are destinations of visitors.
He believed that at least 50,000 arrivals would visit the Lao PDR during the 25th SEA Games, which estimated one person would spend about USD 200.The 25th SEA Games event in the Lao PDR will be taken from 3 to 12 December 2009.

A taekwondo training centre and the new "Olympasia" indoor stadium at the National University of Laos will house the wrestling and sepak takraw events at the 25 th SEA Games in Vientiane in 2009.

The Booyoung Company from the Republic of Korea donated US$300,000 (about 2.7 billion kip) in July last year to the Lao National Sports Committee to finance the construction of the taekwondo training centre.

The Lao National Sports Committee is overseeing the building of the training centre, which is scheduled for completion in April this year.

The Lao taekwondo team will train there in preparation for the 25 th SEA Games.

However, work on the Olympasia indoor stadium has come to a halt due to budget constraints.

Its construction was planned in two phases, with the first from January to June, 2006, at a cost of US$140,000 (about 1.2 billion kip).

When more funding is secured, it is planned that the stadium will seat 700. It will be 36 metres wide and 42 metres in length, with a height of 18 metres.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Photo: Sengdara fitness center in Vientiane.

The National Olympic Committee of Thailand presented fitness equipment worth 650 million kip to the Lao National Olympic Committee at the Lao National Club on Tuesday.

Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Olympic Committee Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom received the equipment from the President of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, Mr Yuthasak Sasiprapha, during a handover ceremony.

The two countries will continue their cooperation in the sports sector for the 25 th SEA Games in Laos in 2009.

The fitness equipment will be installed at the new Lao National Sports Training Centre in Vientiane this year, once construction of the centre is complete.

Source: Vientianetimes

The government is planning to expand the road from Xaysavang village to Dongsanghin village in Xaythany district, Vientiane , this year in preparation for the 25 th SEA Games, to be held in December 2009.

The aim is to avoid traffic jams while the games are in progress. The six-lane road will be 4.5 km long and 21 metres wide, with lighting and parking places for a distance of one kilometre leading to the sports complex.

The complex is located in Dongsanghin village, at Km 16 in Xaythany district.

The upgrade will begin in February and is expected to take one year. The government will fund the project through a loan of 2.7 billion kip (US$300,000) from the Republic of Korea 's International Economic Development Fund.

The governments of the two countries will sign an agreement on the loan at the end of this month.

“A Korean company will design and build the new road and will send a proposal to the Roads Department of the Ministry of Works and Transport before approval is given,” said the Director General of the Roads Department, Mr Laokham Sompheth.

“We are also seeking funding to repair other roads in the area of the stadium,” said Mr Laokham.

The government spent about 34.8 billion kip (US$3.7 million) this month to relocate the residents of two villages in the vicinity of the sports complex.

At present, the road is about 7 metres wide, which is too narrow to cope with the large volume of traffic expected at the games.

The government of the Republic of Korea will begin searching for a Korean company to rebuild the road, which will be fully landscaped in time for the opening ceremony.

Deputy Mayor of Vientiane Somvandy Nathavong said at the Prime Minister's Office last week “We need to widen the stretch from Kaysone Phomvihane Road to the Dongsanghin village road into a six-lane highway to ease traffic congestion”.

He also intends that 5 hectares of land around the sports complex be made into a park.

At present, Vientiane has only one kilometre of road that is six lanes wide, Lane Xang Avenue , which runs from the Patouxay Monument to the Presidential Palace.


By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Photo: Lao-ITECC, one of the place to be used for the SEA GAMES 2009

HANOI, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Laos is constructing and upgrading its stadiums, training centers, accommodations, transport and tourism to host the 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2009, Lao newspaper Vientiane Times reported Monday.

The 25th SEA Games will take place next December in Vientiane capital and the two provinces of Savannakhet and Luang Prabang.

Vientiane, home to 97 hotels, 69 restaurants and 60 tourism companies, will spend more than 12 billion kip (nearly 1.3 million U.S. dollars) building accommodations, improving the city's appearance, and expanding its public transport network.

Savannakhet province is to spend over 65 billion kip (seven million dollars) upgrading infrastructure for hosting soccer events, and Luang Prabang province to rebuild its existing stadiumto host track and field events.

Laos is building a judo training center for the Lao Judo Federation with the assistance of the Japanese government, and a taekwondo training center with the help of a South Korean company.

The 25th SEA Games will comprise swimming, diving, wrestling, track and field, badminton, rugby, boxing, soccer, futsal, golf, judo, karatedo, petanque, sepak takraw, billiards, snooker, shooting, Muay Lao, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, boat racing, shuttlecock, wushu, pencak silat, volleyball, and beach volleyball events.

At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand last year, the Lao team was helped by trainers from Vietnam, China, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Mongolia and Thailand, and showed great improvements, the newspaper said.

Photo of indoor stadium, National University of Laos. This photo was taken during the International Table tenis competition in Vientiane. Laos will host a major international competition in 2009: the South East Asia (SEA) Games where table tennis will be one of the events.

This new national stadium has been constructed at Km 16 in Xaythany district on Road 13 South of Vientiane city and is expected to be ready 3 months before the SEA Games start. The swimming pools, golf and tennis courts of world standard will be built near the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre (ITECC).

The Lao national sport committee announced to organise some sports events in Vientiane, Luang prabang and Savannakhet provinces. The traditional boat racing, canoeing and other events will be held in Vientiane province. The first round of the men football competition will be held in Savannakhet because the new 15,000-seat stadium is completed. The new stadium in Luang prabang province will be used for women football competition.


Photo: New stadium used for the opening ceremony of the 7th National games in Savannakhet province, central Laos.



Photo: New stadium in Luang prabang province, nothern Laos.

Totally 25 sports will be competed at the 25th SEA GAMES in Vientiane, Laos including Lao traditional sports such as archery, top spinning and boat racing.

Reported by: Samakomlao