25th SEA Games, Laos

The upgrade of Phontong Road, which runs from Savang village in Chanthabouly district to the National University of Laos Dongdok campus in Xaythany district, is set for completion well ahead of the SEA Games in December.

Project Manager Kounsombath Feaymanivong told media this week construction was nearly complete, with 5km of the new concrete surface laid and 3km remaining.

“We confirm that the project will be complete on schedule in October. This month, we are mainly working on paving and will concrete the remaining 3km next month,” he said.

The road will be open to traffic 10 days after completion.

Other work on the road involves the addition of decorative features.

“Next month, we will complete the aesthetic and safety features of the road such as footpaths, flower beds, and road markings,” Mr Kounsombath said.

Street lighting, footpaths along both sides, and a median strip will all help make the road safe for users.

“We are aware there is some concern that the road will not be finished in time for the games, but recent good progress will ensure our work is completed on schedule,” he said.

The government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, is investing more than 90 billion kip (US$11 million) to resurface Phontong Road.

Work on the project began in October last year, but exactly when the finishing touches can be made is dependent on the weather, as rainfall could hamper construction work.

When complete, the road will be 8.9km in length and 12 metres wide.

The road will ease traffic congestion during the games by reducing the amount of traffic on Kaysone Phomvihane Road – the main road to the stadium.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa
Vientianetimes

Information on a smoke-free SEA Games will be provided to all athletes at the residential village, sport facilities and venues during the games in December.

Programme Manager at Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Laos , Ms Karmen Till said yesterday that the publicity material would be directed at spectators and athletes including coaches, trainers, managers and supervisors.

A team of trained volunteers would monitor compliance together with security services at all sport venues.

“The Smoke Free SEA Games plan is to ban smoking in all SEA Games venues, indoor and outdoor, covering sport facilities, athletes' dormitories and offices,” Ms Till said. She explained that the programme will also ban cigarettes sales, all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and publicise the ‘No Smoking' message during the games.

The Smoke-Free Vientiane project began in May 2008. Early in 2009, the Vientiane Administration Office issued a smoke-free regulation and started campaigning before the official launch day last week.

The campaign has the support of the Vientiane Administration Office, Ministry of Public Health, Health Committee for the SEA Games and Lao National Sport Committee, while non-government partners include the World Health Organisation, ADRA in Laos and the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance.

“Before this project in Vientiane , we were successful in implementing smoke-free projects in Luang Prabang in 2007 and Champassak in 2008. As the first smoke-free city in Laos , Luang Prabang was nominated and received an award from the World Health Organisation on World No Tobacco Day on June 26 2008,” she explained.

The programme reported that smoke-free campaigns are promoted in various forms of media in both electronic and print. Sometimes websites help to reach different types of audiences, and stories or articles are submitted to the media. “We also provide information and knowledge directly to the audience by using printed materials such as fact sheets, guidelines, stickers, posters, banners, billboards and signs. Our aim is not only to have the public comply with the smoke-free regulations during the games, but to also create a norm of ‘No-Smoking' in Lao society,” Ms Till said.

The SEA Games is to be smoke free so that health and friendship is promoted during the competition. The Philippines , Vietnam and Thailand all enforced smoke-free zones when they hosted past SEA Games.

Ms Till added that the smoke-free regulation does not forbid smokers to smoke. It is to protect the health of non-smokers from the danger of second-hand smoke exposure that cause tobacco related diseases and death.

“If a smoker needs to smoke, he or she can do so away from the venue or where smoking is allowed. Smoke-free zones will help a smoker to reduce the number of cigarettes consumed per day. If all public spaces such as workplaces or homes are smoke-free, a smoker tends to finally quit smoking,” she explained.

ARDA reported that public spaces included all indoor and outdoor workplaces, hospitals, schools, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, shopping malls, temples, public transportation and stations, stadiums, parks and other public areas.

Smoke-free zones have been successfully implemented in many government ministries in Vientiane , hospitals, temples and schools.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

ORGANIZERS of the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos, which will be hosting the games for the first time, said they need at least two more months to complete the construction of the venues and other facilities.

This was according to Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the 25th SEA Games Organizing Committee Somsavat Lengsavad and senior LNSC officials following an ocular inspection they conducted on the main stadium, the golf course, the main access roads and the Athletes’ Village.

Work was supposed to be finished by March, but according to the Games’ official Web site, the Chinese and Korean companies involved in the construction work are having a difficult time completing the job at the main venue in the Saythany district.

The foreign contractors said the delay was caused by several factors, one of which is the dry summer season, which is not suitable for growing grass inside the football stadium. The grass will only be planted in June, which is the start of the rainy season.

Also, the land around the golf course have yet to be cleared because “some people have yet to leave their homes to make way for the construction.”

Lao Golf Federation president Songkham Silaphets said the course would be completed in May, “as long as plans don’t change.”

Meanwhile, the access road is reportedly 75 percent complete and will be landscaped by May, while engineers from the two companies said it is also difficult to dig drainage channels and install electricity around the main stadium and other venues, prompting Somsavat to ask the Ministry of Public Works and Transport committee to cooperate with the contractors regarding these problems.

More than 400 Lao workers are involved in the construction at a cost of more than $100 million.

A ceremony to hand over the stadium to the Lao government will take place in September.

The 25 events of the 2009 SEA Games to be held in Vientiane in December will be scattered around the eight stadiums. Peter Atencio

www.manilastandardtoday.com

Photo: New stadium for 25th SEA Games in Vientiane, Laos

(KPL) Laos has announced a series of venues for the 25th SEA Games, which will be held in the country at the end of next year.

Most of the infrastructure for the games are now under construction, said Chairman of the Lao National Sports Committee Phouthong Seng-akhom on July 15.

The main stadium is being built in Saythany district, 16 km south of Vientiane Capital, at a cost of over 100 million USD. Another three stadiums are also under construction in Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces.

Besides, Laos has arranged four more sporting facilities in Vientiane for the 25th SEA Games.

The Southeast Asia’s largest sporting event, is scheduled in Laos in December, 2009, with 25 sporting events.

Photo: Official mascot for the 25th SEA Games in Laos

Champa and Champi very pleased that our country “Lao PDR” has an opportunity to play host for Coming 25th SEA Games in the year 2009, which shall be the first times ever for our country .we, therefore, would like to take this opportunity to welcome our SEA Games Families and friends from various countries to visit “Laos”. Our country is full natural resources, green environment, national and natural cultures with variety of tourist destination. We, both Champa and Champi, shall assure all of our friends who shall visit us during this SEA Games, our best hospitalities and generosities.

We have full confidence that our friends shall have the most impression of our country “Laos”. This 25th SEA Games 2009 which is considered as the most spectacular multi-sports festival of this region shall certainly harmonized the frien-ship, international relationship, sincerity and joyfulness among our ASEAN member countries.

Don’t forget! Come and visit us in December 2009.
See you in the coming 25th SEA Games 2009.

Sabaidee

The Lao National Sports Committee on Tuesday met with officials from those national sporting federations that are not expected to pick up medals at the 25 th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane in 2009.

The meeting, convened to discuss possible improvements to the country's sporting competency, was attended by the Vice President of the Lao National Sports Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa, and officials from the golf, bowling, snooker, karatedo, swimming, football, athletics, badminton and tennis federations, amongst others.

“Every sporting federation must have a main sponsor that will support preparations for the games and organise the selection of our best athletes,” said Mr Somphou.

“Each federation must be equipped with an experienced adjudicator, trainer and team, and have secured sufficient funding to support the country's efforts at the games,” he said.

Athletes from a number of sporting disciplines are currently not performing at a level that will ensure success at the SEA Games. These teams were without medals at the 24 th SEA Games held in Thailand last year, and without improvements in training and skills, will find it difficult to compete at the international level again next year, warned Mr Somphou.

Teams competing in petanque, judo, Muay Thai, taekwondo, wushu, sepak takraw, wrestling, boxing, karatedo, pencak silat and rugby, however, are expected to go on to even greater heights, after winning five gold, seven silver, and 32 bronze medals at last year's games.

Source: vientianetimes

Two companies awarded advertising rights for the South East Asian (SEA) Games, to be held in Vientiane in 2009, have now sold part of their stake in the business to a Thai company.

Phetchampa Adverting Company of Laos and the RS International Broadcasting and Sports Management Company (RSBS) of Thailand were given sole advertising rights to the games last year.

The business comprises marketing, the opening and closing ceremonies and international TV broadcasts of the games, including advertising.

Phetchampa and RSBS signed an agreement on Friday in Vientiane with the Tee Ro Thai Intertrade Co Ltd of Thailand , selling them the sales' rights for the production of the games' mascots, Champi and Champa, for about 140 million kip (500,000 baht).

More than 50,000 units will be produced for sale.

In addition, RSBS plans to invest provide 560 million kip (2 million baht) for the production of medals and sportswear for Lao athletes and trainers.

The signing ceremony took place between the Director of the Phetchampa Advertising Company, Mr Khammoui Keomany, and the Managing Director of TRT Intertrade Co Ltd, Mr Praphan Prangla-or.

“We will also help with adverting for the sale of Lao handicrafts during the games,” said Mr Khammoui.


By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

The Lao Wrestling Federation is gearing up to host a major wrestling competition among South East Asian nations in Vientiane in December.

The federation wants the contest to be an opportunity to test the chances of the Lao wrestling team to achieve gold in the 25 th SEA Games in 2009.

The federation does not yet have a stadium for the competition due to a lack of funding, and there no plans for the construction of a stadium this year.

“We hope to hold the contest at the training centre of the Lao Taekwondo Federation, if we ask for assistance from them,” said the Vice President of the Lao Wrestling Federation, Mr Bouathong Southammavong.

The Booyoung Company from the Republic of Korea is already building a taekwondo training centre in Vientiane ; the company began work on the project in November last year, and the building is set to be completed by April. The Asia Association's Wrestling Committee President, Mr Chang Kew Kim, will present equipment to the federation in March. During this visit, Mr Chang will also survey the taekwondo centre for suitability.

“We believe that more people will be interested in wrestling after the competition in December, and we also want to promote the sport to increase our chances of selecting a good team for the 25 th SEA Games,” said Mr Bouathong.

Mr Chang will recruit a skilled trainer to help improve the Lao wrestling team ahead of the games.

The Lao committee and the head trainer, Mr Manolom Phinith, discussed with Mr Chang after the team's success in the 24 th games in Thailand last year the possibility of receiving help from the association.

The wrestling events in December will consist of men's and women's wrestling events in eight categories.

Four men and two women wrestlers competed in the 24 th SEA Games, when Khonekeo Thatthavong in the 74kg category and Vilakone Vongphachane in the 60 kg category both won bronze medals.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Badminton federation seeks rising stars

The Lao Badminton Federation is working hard to raise the standard of its players to international level before they compete in next year's South East Asian (SEA) Games, on home soil.

Although the team returned home empty-handed from the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand last month, the federation hopes to celebrate a medal at the 25 th SEA Games, to be held in 2009 in Laos .

Federation official Somsaveng Sengsilavong told Vientiane Times yesterday “The standard of our players is very poor compared to other countries in Southeast Asia , so we still have a lot of work to do.”

“I think we stand little chance of winning a gold or silver medal at the 2009 SEA Games, even though we'll be playing at home, because players from countries such as Indonesia , Malaysia and Thailand top the world rankings,” Mr Somsaveng said.

“But we're not completely despondent and feel we might get a bronze medal, because the host nation has the right to set the rules of competition. We're now talking with SEA Games council members about the rules concerning the inclusion of professional players.”

“Many members have said they want only amateur players to take part. This would improve the situation for us and other countries that don't have professional players,” he added.

He also said the federation was planning to organise several activities to improve the skills of its players, focussing in particular on two major tournaments.

The first will be the National Championships from January 25-27 in Vientiane . The tournament will comprise 12 events in three categories of competition: male and female single, and doubles for players in the under-14, -16 and -19 age groups.

The National Open will take place in April and invites all the best players in the country to compete, as well as those from overseas.

The federation will use both tournaments to select the best players to enter the national training camp, to prepare for the SEA Games.

Concerning a coach, Mr Somsaveng said the federation would ask the Badminton Asia Confederation to provide the best trainer it could.

According to the Badminton Asia Confederation's official website, it is the governing body of badminton in Asia . Today, it boasts a membership of 39 countries, including Laos , and aims to remain the benchmark for world badminton for many years to come.

By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes