25th SEA Games, Laos

Hotel rooms are still available for SEA Games fans and visitors who want to cheer for their sports stars, even though many hotels are close to being fully booked.

Many hotel owners in Vientiane told Vientiane Times yesterday their rooms were almost all reserved, while some said they were already full.

Vientiane is the main venue for the games' official delegates and sports fans coming to Laos for the SEA Games, which are scheduled from December 9-18.

Hotel, Guesthouse and Restaurant Association member Bouloud Viengviseth said rooms in about 70 percent of hotels that are members of the association have been booked by official delegates.

Being tasked to host official delegates means these hotels are almost fully booked, he said, adding that the association has more than 40 member hotels and another 40 member guesthouses.

The capital has 118 hotels with 4,207 rooms, including 898 rooms that have been reserved for official delegates from foreign countries, according to the Vientiane Tourism Department.

However, hotel rooms to be reserved for Lao delegates have yet to be confirmed, said a department official.

Vientiane also has 184 guesthouses with 2,750 rooms, which can accommodate up to 4,000 people. However, many of these rooms have already been reserved.

Both hotels and guesthouses can accommodate about 10,000 guests, including those rooms already reserved for some 1,255 official delegates.

The tourism official was unable to say what percentage of this accommodation had already been booked as individuals have booked through many channels, so the information could not be collated.

“We don't know the exact number of visitors who have booked so far. Some booked through travel agencies,” the official said.

Many people also booked by themselves on the Internet or by telephone.

The Lao National Tourism Administration estimates that about 60,000 tourists will come to Vientiane throughout December, including those passing through on their way to the provinces.

Though the number of visitors to the capital during the games might exceed the available accommodation, the administration's Vice President, Mr Sila Mounthalavong, believed Vientiane will be able to cope.

H e said many visitors might stay only for a few days, while some will just pass through and travel to other provinces.

Lao Association for Tr avel Agents President, Mr Bouakhao Phomsouvanh, said several thousand tourists from Asean nations are in or on their way to Vientiane for the regional sporting event.

Officials said many SEA Games visitors would stay with relatives during their time in Laos .



By Souksakhone Vaenkeo

Standing Deputy Prime Minister of Laos Somsavat Lengsavad affirmed that sports delegations, fans and international guests to the 25th Southeast Asian Games (25th SEA Games) in Laos will receive good services and leave with lasting positive impressions of Laos.

Talking to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Vientiane on November 18, Deputy PM Lengsavad, who is also Chairman of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee, said that this was the first time Laos has ever hosted a large regional sports event, so the country has made an all-out effort to prepare for the games. Already, all preparations for the 25th SEA Games, including the construction of the National Sports Complex and the SEA Games Village, in where athletes will live during the games, have been completed, he said.

Security work and traffic arrangements in the capital city of Vientiane have been beefed up to ensure the best conditions for the region?s largest sports event.
Laos also sets up a health committee which has coordinated with relevant agencies to take measures against the A/H1N1 flu, added the Standing Deputy Prime Minister.

The Accommodation, Food and Tourism Committee (AFTC) has called on hotels in Vientiane to maintain high standards in the lead-up to the SEA Games next month.

Many hotels have begun to install decorations to welcome guests, including the flags of each nation participating in the event.

AFTC Director and Vice Mayor of Vientiane, Mr Somvandy Nathavong, said all hotels must maintain standards in all facets of their services to ensure guests enjoy their stay.

Mr Somvandy urged hotels to provide clean and nutritious food, while also offering good quality service and promoting Lao culture.

Ensuring visitors enjoy their stay during the games will encourage them to return in the future and help to boost tourism, he said.

The AFTC held a meeting yesterday at the National Culture Hall to report on preparations to welcome guests to Vientiane . In attendance were AFTC officials and members of the hospitality industry.

The meeting learnt volunteer and liaison teams are ready to assist in work relating to accommodation, dining and sightseeing.

The AFTC has assigned certain hotels to accommodate delegates and officials from different countries. Don Chan Palace will host guests from Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Thailand , Singapore , and Vietnam .

The Lao Plaza Hotel will accommodate guests from Japan , Mongolia , Brunei , Korea , and China , as well as Vietnam and Thailand .

Various other hotels will host referees and other organising officials, while athletes will stay at the SEA Games Village at the National University of Laos.

Health officials have carried out inspections of hotels and guesthouses in Vientiane recently to ensure they can provide high quality services during the games.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

The travel agencies in Vientiane were not able to reserve any room from any of the four and five-star hotels here, so that they could not entertain the requests from the big groups of SEA Games tourists who demanded to be housed in such high-end hotels.

This is because the SEA Games organising committee had ?blocked? or reserved all such rooms for their VIP guests.

The reservation manager of the Lao Youth Travel, located in Vientiane?s glitzy ?Khemkhong,? Mr Thonglith Thammavong told KPL News last week that he had hotel reservation requests from SEA Games tourist group, as many as 200 to 300 person groups from Malaysia and Vietnam, but he had to turn them down.

He added that he had made counter offers to them, for provision of rooms in one, two and three-star hotels, but as they were bent on being housed only in the most luxurious hotels in Vientiane and so he was not able to do any business with them.
While he felt sad at having to forego such lucrative business deals, but he was not deterred by the setback as he knew he could rely on the traditional tourist business and tourist arrivals to this capital city had been trending upwards for the past three weeks.

Working out in his mind on a gamut of tactics to tackle the new and novel situation, he decided on a plan of action to best serve the tourists during the SEA Games period.

He would advise them to fly from Bangkok to Luang Prabang (north) for a two or three-day stay and then relocate to Luang Namtha (north) for just one night. The next stage would be to fly from Luang Namtha to Pakse (southernmost Champassak province) for a four-night stay.

Another class of tourists, Mr Thonglith mentioned were the second tier ones who would be happy to stay in one, two and three-star hotels and any of the local travel agencies would be able to cater to their accommodation needs.

One source of business, he mentioned, would be those SEA Games tourists who come in small groups, who would not demand to be housed in five star hotels and he could house them in the second tier hotels.

Last but not least he said he would offer to help the loner or twosome walk-in tourists during the SEA Games period, by offering to house them in guest houses that charge 10 to 15 USD per night.

This is the fourth of the series of a journalist?s walkabout in Vientiane?s tourist belt to source for ?stories? from the tourist outlets, with emphasis on their modus operandi.

It so happened that the walkabout period coincided with the coming SEA Games and so this journalist walked into a travel agency.

Organisers plan for influx of foreign supporters

Popular hotels in central Vientiane are now ready to serve the best hospitality possible for guests attending the 25th SEA Games in December.


Ninety hotels are offering accommodation, including major hotels Don Chan Palace , Lao Plaza and Novotel, and are preparing themselves to make sure that guests will be happy with the standard of hospitality on offer during the greatest sports event ever held in Vientiane .

Vientiane Tourism Department Director, Mr Khampadith Khemmanith said more than 195 accommodation providers had been designated to host visiting officials during the games.

“The upcoming SEA Games has increased interest among those business in Vientiane to be involved in raising service standards for guests, and we really hope guests will happy with our hospitality,” he said.

“Only those that have the highest standards and quality of service are suitable for our VIP guests.”

Around 85 hotels will be set aside for the 2,000 media representatives expected to attend the games, and the remainder will be for general tourists.

“We will also prepare almost 180 guesthouses to accommodate visitors during the games,” Mr Khampadith said.

He added that the department usually organised a service standards and experience workshop for hospitality businesses so they know how to take care of guests and provide them with excellent service.

Lao Plaza Hotel Assistant Sales and Marketing Manager Thongphanh Thavisay thanked the government for trusting in the hotel's standards of service as they prepared to serve VIP guests from the region.

“We have a yearly budget to improve our hotel and we have improved many things here, now we are upgrading our restaurants and coffee shop and believe they will be complete by this October,” he said.

Don Chan Palace Hotel is one of three hotels which has been selected by the SEA Games organising committee to host the snooker competition, and expects 2,000 viewers for each game.

Hotel Director Beny Cheok said the hotel and convention centre would host the billiards and snooker events for this year's SEA Games, therefore conference facilities would also be being upgraded for officials and media.

“To compliment this special event, more than 20 extra pieces of fitness equipment have been imported from the US to cater for hotel patrons.”

“As this will be a hectic event, the hotel has specially opened Champa Kiosk, a convenience store, to cater to the needs of hotel guests after a tiring day.”

“The hotel rooms are being upgraded to provide delegates and participants with a more comfortable stay during this event,” Mr Beny said.

A representative of Novotel said the hotel aimed to raise the standard of food, security and other services.

Novotel Hotel Personal Relation Executive Aliya Panyaphon said the hotel cooperated with village security and district police forces to ensure security 24 hours per day.

They also continued to upgrade staff members' skills to ensure fine food and service for guests, both domestic and international.

“Every three months, we have a Novotel trainer from Thailand come to train our staff to ensure the standard and quality of services.”

“Some of them have trained in basic service with Vientiane Tourism Department, but most through the activities we are undertaking for the SEA Games.”

According to a Lao National Sports Committee paper printed yesterday, more than 5,100 people including 909 officials and 4,245 competitors from 10 countries in the region will attend the games. The committee is still awaiting the details regarding exact numbers of participants from Timor L'este.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

The 25th SEA Games being held this December will be the most important sporting event so far for Lao people to promote their country to the region

Representatives from several sporting, business and governmental organisations are involved in preparation work to welcome the games, which Laos will host from December 9-18.

Yesterday Vientiane Times reporters surveyed local people, business and government officials on their understanding about preparations for the games, and the results were enlightening.

Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC), Dr Phouthong Seng Akhom said yesterday this was an opportunity for Laos, as the host nation, to increase solidarity and friendship amongst Southeast Asian nations.

“The meaning of medals is not as important as the solidarity and the country's promotion.

We have hopes for it. While regional athletes seem to be stronger because they are professionals, I am sure Lao athletes will try their best for the nation,” he explained.

Many businesses, and the games committee itself, are promoting the event through local media, but it seems this is still not enough because the information has yet to catch on for all community members.

A teenager, who did not want to be named, shared her ideas with the press. She posed an interesting question.

To her way of thinking, if so many Lao viewers tuned into neighbouring countries' TV and radio stations, would it be possible to promote the games through the local media?

“We just know some information about the SEA Games through local radio, we listen at night when there is not so much news about the event,” she explained.

A student at Vientiane Secondary School, Ms Nilanda Lathsavong said if women took more care to wear a sinh (Lao skirt) when they go to religious ceremonies, offices or even shopping during SEA Games, this could teach tourists more about Lao tradition and culture.

“Smiling and greeting tourists with a “Sa Bai Dee” is very important to show we are friendly and the most important thing is that people should be enthusiastic about working for the nation and society in general, and take part in community activities,” Ms Nilanda said.

“Concerned authorities should provide information to residents to encourage them to cooperate with state and private organisations to make Vientiane charming and attractive.”

Many hope that Lao people will pay attention to being good hosts of the games.

Owner of Wasira Junction Beer Garden , Mr Wasira Chanthavongxai said as he was a proud Lao person, he usually followed Lao sports.

However, Laos sportspeople's amateur status put them at a disadvantage to professionals from other countries in this region.

However, all Lao people being of one heart would be sure to cheer them during the games, which would help a lot. “We're just proud to be the host, so don't think too much about victory.”

“Even if they win or lose, they will still have all Lao people and the government at their back, encouraging them through the games. I think this will be a good feeling for them,” he said.

Many Lao people are ready and eager to involve themselves in preparations in for the games.

With this in mind, spreading the information could bring many useful ideas for the committees or involved sectors as they seek to promote this unique opportunity.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

A Vientiane taxi company is improving services and increasing its fleet size to meet expected higher demand in the city during the SEA Games later this year.

Closed-circuit-televisions (CCTV), two-way radios and global positioning systems (GPS) will boost services and increase security for passengers and drivers, said Chief Executive Officer of the Taxi Vientiane Lao Group Company, Ms Bounmy Thepphavong last week.

“We can monitor all our cars through GPS and CCTV to ensure the safety of our customers. We also have a call centre with staff who can speak numerous languages, so that drivers can arrange for their customers to communicate with them via a two-way radio system,” she said.

“All these measures assist us to monitor the performance of drivers and help reduce security fears,” she said.

The company has supplied traffic police with a list of its registered vehicles so that police can inform them if one of their drivers is caught driving illegally or inappropriately.

“The SEA Games is very important for the region and attracts many visitors. Our company wants to provide customers with the best services possible,” Ms Bounmy said.

The company hopes to import a further 170 taxis from China before the games commence, as well as hiring more drivers to meet demand for services.

“After our pilot project ends, we hope to launch full operations with a further 170 cars,” Ms Bounmy said.

The company currently has 30 taxis on call 24 hours a day.

Each taxi contains information brochures on various hotels, restaurants and tourism sites in Vientiane .

A journey in a taxi costs 20,000 kip for the first kilometre and 2,000 kip for every 300 metres thereafter.

The company's headquarters is located in Saphanthong village, Sisattanak district, Vientiane .


By Souriya Meunviseth and Lourn Saboeun
Vientianetimes

Hospitality businesses in Vientiane have sent staff to a workshop to upgrade their service standards and experience in the lead-up to the 25th SEA Games this December.

Hundreds of employees from various hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in Vientiane gathered at the Vientiane Tourism Department yesterday in Vientiane to participate in the 15th annual workshop on high quality hospitality services.

Department Director, Mr Khampadith Khemmanith said at the opening ceremony that the upcoming SEA Games has increased interest in this year's workshop.

“In previous years there were not so many participants, but hospitality businesses are looking to improve their standards before the nation hosts this important event.”

The workshop is taking place from July 20-24 and will provide participants with the skills and knowledge needed to provide high quality services in hotels, guesthouses and restaurants.

“Some local services are not good compared with international standards, so the workshop will upgrade skills to ensure that guests at the games receive the best services possible,” Mr Khampadith said.

More than 195 hotels have been designated for visiting officials during the games. 90 hotels will be for VIP guests including Lao Plaza , Novotel and Don Chan Palace hotels. “Those have high standards and quality of service and are suitable for VIP guests.”

Around 85 hotels will be set aside for the 2,000 media representatives expected to attend the games.The remainder will be for general tourists.

“We will also prepare almost 180 guesthouses to accommodate visitors during the games,” he said.

“After completing this workshop participants will know how to take care of guests and provide them with excellent services so they enjoy their stay in Laos .”

In the lead-up to the games, tourism officials will inspect the standards of hotels, guesthouses and restaurants to ensure they are hygienic and suitable for guests during the games.

The department will also advise hospitality businesses of suitable prices to charge guests as well as producing guidebooks and improving sightseeing facilities.

Vientianetimes

Vientiane authorities are readying accommodation, food and tourism services for guests and athletes visiting Laos for the 25th SEA Games in December.

The capital will provide accommodation for about 4,000 athletes, and is making sure international-standard hotels and top end guesthouses are ready for visitors.

The Vientiane Tourism Department held a meeting at the National Culture Hall on Friday to discuss the preparations, as well as public security and public health.

The meeting was attended by Vice Vientiane Mayor and Vice President of the Lao SEA Games Organising Committee (LAOSOC), Mr Somvandy Nathavong, LAOSOC officials and staff from the department, hotels and guesthouses.

Mr Somvandy asked businesses to help in providing accommodation, food and tourism service during the games, which he said was a historical event for Laos .

He said Laos was satisfied its political stability would enable sound public security.

The Tourism Department has asked for more than 2 billion kip to redecorate and clean accommodations and provide food and tourism services.

Officials will check 12 hotels to make sure their standards are adequate. Hotels in five districts are still under construction but will be finished before the games. Officials will also inspect athletes' accommodation at the National University of Laos.

They will hold a meeting for businesses to respond to the call to support the SEA Games' effort and will continue checks of hotels and guesthouses for VIP guests, to be conducted by the Lao National Sports Committee and sports federation officials.

The Tourism Department will publish a Vientiane Tourism Guide Book and will hold two training courses for management staff in hotels, guesthouses and restaurants.

Hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in Vientiane will all be spruced up, with staff to wear traditional costumes to welcome guests and put Lao culture on display.

All sports venues, hotels, guesthouses, tourist facilities and other places will be tightly secured.

Public health officials will promote the need for cleanliness and hygiene and check the food provided by hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and markets in Vientiane for athletes and visitors.

Mr Somvandy said the games offered a good opportunity to develop human resources and businesses and for the Lao people to receive foreign guests.

He was confident the services offered would be up to international standards.

He advised business operators to take advantage of the event by putting up the price of rooms in hotels and guesthouses and raising meal prices.

The games represented the work of the Lao people and they should unite in hosting the event, he said.

The health unit would award certificates to restaurants if it could be determined they cooked clean food. Public health officials said they lacked money to buy some of the equipment they needed to carry out their work.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

The 25th SEA Games stadium will be used for an inauguration of 2009 SEA Games hosted by Laos, is confirmed that it would be completed in timely manner, said a senior official is responsible for the construction.

The new football stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies of the games will take place is 65-80 percent complete, the indoor stadium is 90 percent complete, the petanque field is 80 percent complete and the taekwondo court is 95 percent complete

“Laos has enough budget for the construction of 25th SEA Games stadium, thanks to the financial support of Chinese Development Bank worth about US$ 80 million,” Meanwhile the Government has already made a decision to fork out a minimum of 69 billion kip to improve old existed stadiums in Vientiane Capital. All of them would be used for the football competition.

The construction work is under laying out water pipe system, land clearance and road construction access to the stadium, which expects to be completed before inauguration on December 2009.

The Laos National Sports Complex is located about 20 Km from the centre of Vientiane City and comprises a 20,000 seating capacity main stadium, a 2,000 seating capacity indoor aquatics complex, with a outdoor warm-up pool, a Tennis centre consisting of 2,000 seating capacity centre court plus 6 other tennis court, two indoor stadiums each with seating capacity of 3,000 and a indoor shooting range with 50 seats.

The sports complex is in a sprawling 185 ha site, with an Olympic Park, adequate parking lots, lakes and open spaces. An archery centre could be constructed in the open space next to the shooting range. There is adequate space for a trap and skeet range to be added later, if required.

“The stadium will be competed three months in advance in order to inspect its standard,” Mr Khiengkham stated further.

The 2009 SEA Games in Laos is being kept over eyes on from many countries.



Scale model of the Laos national Sports Complex. The indoor aquatics complex is the the foreground, with the tennis centre on its right (marked as 6). The National Stadium with the warm-up track on its left. The two indoor stadia are on the right of the National Stadium, and are marked as 3 & 4. The shooting range is at the top of the model. The Olympic Park is at the top of the model.

A football stadium in Vientiane to be used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 25th SEA Games will be finished by March next year, according to officials.

The stadium is currently 70 percent complete. The Chairman of the 25th SEA Games Organising Committee is Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad. Mr Somsavat, ministry officials and senior officials from the Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) surveyed progress on construction of the site in Vientiane yesterday. Mr Somsavat said construction was on schedule and officials were pleased the facilities would be ready in time for the games.

The football stadium must be finished by July next year, under an agreement signed by the LNSC and construction companies. The Industrial Park Overseas Investment Co Ltd, China Yunnan Construction Engineering Group Corporation and China Development Bank are undertaking construction of the sporting facilities.

Mr Somsavat said the football stadium was an indication of the cooperation relationship between Laos and China and he believed athletes from other countries would be impressed by the facilities. He said officials were confident Laos would host a successful event, thanks to the support of China.

Industrial Park Overseas Investment and China Yunnan Construction Engineering Group have employed more than 1,200 personnel from China and 400 Lao labourers to work at the site. All the sporting arenas will meet requirements as stipulated by the Asian Athletic Federation. In addition to the football stadium, athletes’ accommodation, two multipurpose indoor stadiums, tennis courts, a shooting field, an archery field and a swimming pool are all being built on 1,000 hectares of land in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district, 16km south of the city centre.

A contract for the construction of the main stadium was signed between the Lao government and the China Development Bank in Vientiane in April 2007. The two Chinese construction companies have agreed to lease the land for 50 years from the Lao government. At the end of this period the facility will be handed back to the Lao people. Construction of the complex is projected to cost US$100 million. Mr Somsavat and his delegation visited the athletes’ dormitory at the National University of Laos’ Dongdok campus, which is currently about 15 percent complete and on track for completion in June next year. The taekwondo training centre at the National University of Laos is being built with funding assistance of US$300,000 from the Booyoung Company of the Republic of Korea. The Lao national taekwondo team will begin training at the centre in preparation for the SEA Games as soon as construction is complete.

The LNSC will use the centre to host future national and provincial taekwondo, wrestling and other martial arts events.

Vientianetimes

Under the original plan, the organising committee proposed Vientiane be the main venue for the games, with Champassak and Luang Prabang provinces hosting some events.

The technical committee has now said the government has decided all events will take place in Vientiane and the organising committee has now allocated venues for each sport.

A technical committee official, Mr Phouvane Vongsouthi, told the media the organising committee had called off plans for events to be organised in Champassak and Luang Prabang provinces because of budget constraints.

The organising committee said recent heavy flooding around the country had caused a great deal of damage and money that had been allocated for the SEA Games had been diverted to help flood victims. Committee members had decided not to continue with the construction of SEA Games facilities in the provinces, but to hold all the events in Vientiane .

The organising committee confirmed preparations for the SEA Games were on schedule and said all the venues would be ready on time.

The committee says athletics, swimming, diving, water polo, badminton, golf, shooting, volleyball, tennis and archery events will take place at the new sports complex being built at Km 16 in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district.

Table tennis matches will take place at the National University of Laos (NUOL) indoor court and taekwondo and wrestling events will also be held at the campus, in the Booyoung indoor stadium.

Pétanque matches will be at the Dongdok campus and boxing bouts will take place in the Olympasia indoor stadium at the campus.

Sepak takraw, wushu and pencak silat events will be held at the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Football matches will be played at four different venues: the National Stadium in Anou village, Chanthabouly district; the new stadium at Km 16; the NUOL stadium and the Army stadium at Km 5.

Judo and karatedo athletes will compete at the Chao-anouvong indoor stadium in Anou village.

Kick-boxing and shuttlecock events will take place at the Vientiane Sports Department in Beungkhayong village, Sisattanak district.

Billiards and snooker will be played at the Don Chan Palace .

These plans will be reviewed at a meeting of the SEA Games Council to take place in Vientiane from November 11-13. The meeting will be attended by representatives of various Southeast Asian sporting bodies.

The people of Laos are preparing to welcome visitors to Laos to cheer on their teams at the games. The games are held to build a bridge of friendship among all South East Asian nations.

By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes