25th SEA Games, Laos

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 football federation invited the Chonburi club FC and TTM Samut Songkhram of Thailand and Hoang An Gia Lai club from Vietnam to join the warm up match of football championship in preparation for the 25th SEA Games at the end of this year.

Nivat Kaisang, Manager of Lao National Football Team, revealed that the football championship of four teams from three countries will be kicked off from 17-20 September 2009, in which Laos will use the national team that will participate in SEA Games, and famous football clubs from Thailand and Vietnam will be invited to join. The game will be held at the newly built stadium in Champasak province, southern part of Laos.

The objective of the competition is to warm up Lao national team in preparation for the 25th SEA Games, and to build up good relationship between the clubs in Thailand and Vietnam. In the near future, Laos also plan to organize similar football championshiop by inviting thai national team for SEA Games to join the match on October this year.

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