25th SEA Games, Laos

The Morning Market bus station will serve as a transport hub during the SEA Games.

The Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department is opening up six new routes to transport spectators to the various venues where the SEA Games events will be played out.

Their destinations include the National Stadium, Lao-ITECC, the National University of Laos' Dongdok campus and Don Chan Palace hotel, according to the department's Deputy Director, Mr Chanxay Vinavong.

Firstly, 21 buses will ply the route from the Morning Market bus station to the National Stadium, via the Patuxay Monument and Donnoun village, with one departing every five minutes.

Another 22 buses will run from the Morning Market bus station via Beungkhayong and Salakham villages to the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, with one departing every 15 minutes.

A third route takes passengers from the Morning Market to Lao-ITECC through Naxay village and That Luang Market.

Three battery-powered shuttle buses and 10 pick-ups will run from the Morning Market to the Don Chan Palace hotel via the National Culture Hall and Pakpasak Technical College.

Another route runs from the National University of Laos' Dongdok campus to the National Stadium at Km 16.

The sixth route has buses running from the Friendship Bridge to the National Stadium.

“We already have nine regular transport routes in operation, which all depart from the Morning Market bus station,” said Mr Chanxay.

The first of these runs to the Friendship Bridge along Thadeua Road through Beungkhayong and Suanmone villages.

Two buses run to the Dongdok campus and 10 battery buses run to the Patuxay Monument and the Ministry of National Defence out to Km 9.

A third route takes passengers to Tha-ngone.

Another route goes along Phontong Road to Dongdok via the Chao Anouvong Sports Stadium, Thongkhankham Market and the Friendship Hospital.

Buses also run to Nongteng village via the National Culture Hall, Wattay, Sikhay and Nongniew villages.

Another route goes to Dongkhamxang village via That Luang Market and Nonkhor village.

The seventh route runs to Donpamay village via Dongpalane, Phonthan and the Polytechnical College, the eighth goes to Thongpong village via the National Culture Hall, Wattay, Sikhay and Nongneiw villages, and the ninth goes to Km 9.

Mr Chanxay said the department has been working with the transport sector to arrange for companies and individuals to contribute vehicles to the temporary transport network.

He believes about 37 buses, with 35-45 seats each, along with 16 more vehicles will be enough to transport spectators to and from the various SEA Games venues.

So far 49 buses, including 13 battery-powered shuttle buses, 124 minibuses, 131 taxis, 500 tuk-tuks and 60 pick-ups are confirmed.

“For the opening and closing ceremonies we need 15 buses with 45 seats, and 20 pick-ups. We plan that every three minutes two vehicles will depart the Morning Market for the National Stadium,” he said.

Mr Chanxay plans to have 100 minibuses, 45 taxis, 50 pick-ups and 70 tuk-tuks running from the Friendship Bridge to the city centre.

From Wattay International Airport, he anticipates 30 minibuses and 45 taxis will be needed to transport spectators.

Spectators from the provinces are also being catered for, with 41 vehicles travelling from the northern provinces and 42 from the southern provinces.

The department is working with the transport sector to prepare vehicles for transport and rent, to make sure there are sufficient available.

All the vehicles to be used must be of good quality, mechanically sound, have good paintwork and must be clean. Every vehicle will bear the SEA Games logo.

The department will also check that drivers are qualified and experienced, to prevent the risk of an accident.

The department will continue to work with the SEA Games security, traffic and marketing committees to supervise routes and parking areas to ease congestion.

“As far as transport prices are concerned we will try to make them fair and will not take this opportunity to raise prices,” said Mr Chanxay.

This is the first report of its kind from the Public Works and Transport Department, agreed to by the Mayor of Vientiane. If more information becomes available, the department will make it known to the public.





By Khamphone Syvongxay
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

The Accommodation, Food and Tourism Committee of the 25th SEA Games will organise free shuttle buses giving city tours for invited guests and athletes attending the event in Vientiane from December 9 to 18.

Deputy Director of the committee, Dr Sila Mounthalavong yesterday said the shuttle buses will be part of the committee's service to promote tourism during the games.

“Guests and athletes will be able to explore the city and visit famous historic and cultural sites, while also enjoying shopping at handicraft stores and malls in the capital,” he said.

Dr Sila, who is also Vice Chairman of the Lao National Tourism Administration, said the committee would organise for some hotels and the SEA Games' Athletes' Village to sell special tour programmes for various locations around Laos .

Domestic tour operators will also sell tour packages to regional and international visitors who want to see the games and travel through Laos , he said.

“We are in the process of sending information on our package tour programmes to SEA Games Organising Committees in other countries to help us promote the programmes in those countries in the lead-up to the games,” he said.

Dr Sila said the committee also plans to print tourist handbooks to provide information about entering Laos and other details on accommodation, food, shopping places and tourist sites.

In addition, the committee will print maps to facilitate visitors touring the nation.

“Upgrading the quality of services in hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour guides is also important so we can provide the best services possible for those attending the games in Vientiane ,” he said.

“Advertising the games effectively can not be achieved by one sector alone, but needs all sectors and people to get involved,” he said.

Popular historic and cultural tourism sites in central Vientiane include the city's oldest temple, Vat Sisaket, which contains thousands of miniature Buddha images, and the former royal temple of Vat Prakeo where the famous Emerald Buddha image was previously housed.

A visit to the nation's symbol, the sacred structure of Thatluang Stupa where Lao people from around the nation gather to worship on significant days of the year, should be on any tourists agenda.

A day in the city can be rounded off with a trip to Patuxay Monument , known as Vientiane 's own Arc de Triumph, and viewing the sunset by the banks of the Mekong River .

Buddha Park , or Xieng Khuan, is one of Vientiane 's major cultural tourism sites located on the banks of the Mekong River on outskirts of the city.

The park contains hundreds of statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities. On the pleasant 28km journey along Thadeua road to the park visitors will also pass the National Cultural Park and the Lao-Thai International Friendship Bridge.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa
Vientianetimes

Laos and Thailand signed agreement to open the new bus route Korat-Vientiane in order to promote tourism during the 25th SEA Games in Laos the end of this year.

The signing ceremony was held in Nakorn Rajsima province, norther eastern part of Thailand. The signing was conducted between the deputy director of the transportation department of Laos, Mr. Vilayphanh Xaiyavong and the transport expert from Thailand, Mr. Saivat Thongkhamkoun.

This is a sixth bus route between Thailand and Laos, after the opening of bus route from Nongkhai - Vientiane, Oudon Thany - Vientiane, Khon khaen - Vientiane, Oubon Rajthani - Vientiane, and Moukdahan - Savannakhet.

The new bus route from Nakorn Rajsima to Vientiane is expected to be finished by November this year.

Mr. Vilayphanh revealed that the preparation for the 25th SEA Games is going well and this new bus route will facilitate the tourism between Laos and Thailand, especially during the SEA games.

The bus service from Nakorn Rajsima to Vientiane can accommodate large group of passengers. The other bus route services between Thailand and Laos has become very popular among thai passengers who can visit Laos easily, and for Lao people who want to come shopping in Thailand, to work or to go to Bangkok.