Formerly an overnight stop for tourists travelling from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, today Vang Vieng is a destination for those who admire scenery and laid-back countryside. The popular activities include kayaking, rafting and swimming in the Song River while admiring the picturesque limestone karst terrain, and for those who enjoy adventures might also like to explore the caves.

“The bus links between the two countries is proof of the success of the friendship. Our service will not only benefit the tourism industry, but also trading and logistics between Thailand and Laos,” Wuttichat said.

The service will be the latest route to be available after the official launch of the Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang route in the middle of January. The company has joined hands with Naluang Company to offer the service.

The Luang Prabang route starts from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal (Arcade 2) with a second class air-conditioned buses. The 18-hour journey will make several stops including Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong then passengers need to board a ferry to cross to Bokeo where they need to switch bus to the service of Naluang Company. The bus also makes a stop at Luang Namtha in Udom Xai province before reaching Luang Prabang.

A one-way ticket is 1,200 baht. Passengers also have options to get off any of those stops and pay by destinations. When the fourth Thai-Laos friendship bridge is completed in 2013, the Transport Company will upgrade to a first-class air-conditioned bus, said Wuttichat, adding a one-way ticket would cost around 1,500 baht.

At present, the Transport Company provides eight routes between Thailand and Laos including Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang, Udon Thani-Vientiane, Nong Khai-Vientiane, Khon Kaen-Vientiane, Nakon Ratchasima-Vientiane, Ubon Ratchathani-Pakse, Mukdahan-Savannakhet and Nakhon Phanom-Thakhek.

Visit www.transport.co.th.

Source: BangkokPost

The central bank made the call last week after learning that a group of people were circulating large numbers of fake US$100 notes and other currencies in Laos. The bank is concerned about the damage this can inflict both on individuals and the national economy.

Currency Issuing Department Deputy Director General, Mr Phoukhan Sengsouliya, said yesterday the central bank wanted the public to be more cautious about accepting foreign banknotes and to report to the police immediately if any fake notes came into their possession.

“We cannot provide more details on the circulation of fake notes as the police are trying to trace the source of this crime”. Mr Phoukhan said the central bank could not give the media any information on the quantity of fake notes seized or the number of arrests for financial crimes in recent years. However, he said the circulation of fake foreign banknotes in Laos had been a problem for many years and this was not the first time the central bank had issued such a warning.

Some minimarts are now refusing to accept US dollar notes if a person simply wants to change money, which indicates that the general public is aware of the situation in the wake of the Bank of the Lao PDR’s warning.

Mr Phoukhan said the best way that people could help the central bank to stem the inflow of fake banknotes was to stop using foreign currencies and to only use kip.

Criminals aren’t interested in forging fake kip banknotes as their value is much less than US dollar bills and notes printed in most other currencies. This means the Lao public can feel confident about using kip as there are no fake notes in circulation.

Earlier this month the Bank of the Lao PDR put the first 100,000 kip notes into general circulation, to make it easier for people to carry out large transactions. The note carries various safeguards that make it difficult to copy.

It’s common for Lao people to use foreign currencies when making large payments as they can use fewer notes of high value, and don’t have to carry so much money around. Mr Phoukhan also said people should use commercial banks for making payments and for money transfers to avoid the risk of being given fake banknotes.

Source: Vientiane Times

Although there are buses travelling from Vientiane as far as Pakse departing every day, the best way to see the south from an expat’s point of view is to drive yourself. This way you can stop wherever and whenever you want so long as you have time on your side. It’s also the best way to appreciate the scenery. You could take your own car or rent a car through a trusted hire company such as Europcar.

Here’s an itinerary for a southern road trip I recently took that allowed me to see most of the south in a few days:

Day 1 – Konglor Cave and Thakhek

View Larger Map

Leave very early in the morning! If you leave Vientiane very early in the morning then you can visit the amazing Konglor Cave with enough time to make it to Thakhek by nightfall. Take the Route 13 South from Vientiane and you can’t go wrong if you follow the signs. The road near the Seagames stadium is still being upgraded and is full of potholes but once you pass this you’ll find the roads leading south are generally pretty good. A good place for a lunch stop is Pakading (see map here), although I found the food at the small restaurants near Konglor Cave itself to have tastier fare.

There are a few ways to get to Konglor but the best is to follow the signs and make the turn left after Nahin Village. Although newly constructed, the road is quite narrow and runs straight through the middle of local villages.

Hazardous Animals

As a result you’ll need to keep a watchful eye out for pigs, chickens, dogs, ducks, geese, buffaloes and children who cross the road without looking. Soon you’ll see the sign to get to Konglor Cave and eventually you’ll find a parking lot outside a restaurant guarded by a soldier with a boom-gate. Park here and walk the rest of the way to the cave. From here on signage is not easily visible but just follow the sounds of the cave guides who play Petanque as they wait for new customers.

Tickets to the cave are sold at a small hut overlooking a greenish creek that emerges from the cave itself. The small longtail boats which take visitors into the cave can hold only three people at a time and the fee for one boat trip is 115,000 kip. You’ll be provided with a lifejacket and can hire a headlamp or flashlight if you wish (a good idea in case you somehow get separated from your boat). Hop in the boat and away you go. The driver will go at a fairly steady pace most of the way through the pitch black cavern, however at times he will stop and the boat must be dragged along due to shallow depths.

The cave itself is approximately 7.5km long with an underground creek running the length of it.  The entire boat journey through Konglor Cave takes around two and a half hours excluding stops to admire certain stalagmites, stalactites and other interesting formations lighted by electrical cables running from outside. Steps and barriers have been erected in recent years making foot travel through the cave much safer than before. It is possible to stay at various guesthouses close to the cave so that if you want to spend more time there you can. Otherwise – on to Thakhek!

Thakhek is the beautiful riverside capital of Khammouane province which faces the Thai city of Nakhon Phanom across the river. The city used to be a major trading outpost under the French occupation and as a result many French colonial buildings, still quite intact, can be found around town. This makes Thakhek somewhat reminiscent of Luang Prabang but with a beach town sort of feel (without the beach, of course). There are more and more guesthouses cropping up in Thakhek but for a good night’s sleep, friendly staff and a nice morning breakfast you can’t go past the Inthira Thakhek.

Day 2 – Pakse, Champasak

A 400km drive now awaits you and will take most of the day. Again it’s best to set off as early as you can. The trip from Thakhek to Pakse is very scenic, however, and roads are good. You have the choice of stopping at either Savannakhet or the town of Seno, and I chose Seno in order to leave Savannakhet for the return journey. Seno is well situated for an early lunch stop, being only 103km away from Thakhek. You’ll find very tasty local fare here: sticky rice, grilled chicken or duck and papaya salad. You can also find fruits and vegetables at local markets.

Press on and eventually you’ll make it to Pakse by evening. I hadn’t been to Pakse since 2006 and was flabbergasted at the massive changes brought about by development in Laos’ second largest economy. Almost any large business that you might find in Vientiane also has a presence in Pakse: telecommunications companies have big local headquarters, banks such as ANZ and Indochina bank have Pakse branches and international names such as Shiseido have franchises there too. When it comes to dinner you can take your pick from Lao, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai or French at some of Pakse’s excellent restaurants. I’d suggest eating here and then heading to Champasak after dinner.

As the highlight of the south is the Angkorian ruins at Vat Phou, it is recommended to stay nearby. The recently built National Road 14A cuts the travel time in half and you can get to Vat Phou from Pakse in just over half an hour. Cross the amazingly lit new bridge and find your way from there. Whilst there are over 20 new boutique hotels operating near Vat Phou, ranging in price from small guesthouses to the exorbitant La Folie, I can safely recommend the Inthira Champanakone.

Inthira Champasak

This boutique hotel set in a refurbished colonial French villa makes for a very romantic stay in quiet Champasak. As in Thakhek, the staff at Inthira Champanakone are not only extremely friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable about the local area. The  future addition of riverside swimming pool is sure to make the experience even better.

Day 3 – Vat Phou

Depending if you’re a history buff or not, you might get super excited about Vat Phou or you might feel indifferent. Regardless, it is a very important historical site. The site housed a temple as early as the 5th century but the structures found now date from about 11th to 13th centuries, part of the Khmer Empire.

Vat Phou Ticket

As you enter the site you must purchase a ticket at a special booth where visitors are asked to stand under a security camera. Your photograph will be taken and you feel a little like you’ve just been registered for prison. But then your photo is printed onto your ticket as a special ‘souvenir’ just for you (but seems more like revenue raising to me). From here you can freely wander the grounds as long as you like.

At the entrance there is a museum which features many artifacts that have been excavated at the site; mostly statues as well as tens of lingas and religious symbols carved in stone. There’s a lot of reading to do at the museum with long explanations accompanying each artifact and you could easily spend an hour in the museum if you were inclined to educate yourself. I spent a bit of time there but lost patience after all the explanations began to meld together in my mind so I set off for the ruins themselves.

The ruins begin with a straight path leading to a flight of very steep stairs (much like Angkor Wat, the original inhabitants must have had very small feet). Climb the stairs, pass through a forest of extremely beautiful frangiopani trees, and you’ll turn around to find an unforgettable view. Suddenly all that work climbing up pays off. Get the camera out, snap a few shots and then explore the temple. There’s plenty of ruins to choose from and if you’re there at the right time there won’t be many other tourists around. The highlight of the place, for me, was a massive stone with a crocodile shape carved into it which has been speculated was at one time the site of human sacrifices. Eerie indeed. After taking millions of photos and enjoying the view you can then head back to Champasak town for lunch or dinner.

View from atop Vat PhouView from atop Vat Phou

The Crocodile

Day 4 – Bolaven Plateau

The Bolaven Plateau is an elevated region in southern Laos. It is located between the Annamite Mountain Range, along which runs Laos’ eastern border with Vietnam, and the Mekong River to the west. The plateau’s elevation ranges approximately from 1,000 to 1,350 metres above sea level. The plateau is crossed by several rivers and has many scenic waterfalls. The name Bolaven makes reference to the Laven ethnic group which has historically dominated the region. (Source: wikipedia)

If you travel from Champasak you can make a day-trip drive that loops around the entire plateau and have you back in time for dinner. Local maps will give you the directions for this. Along the way you can visit various waterfalls and coffee plantations as well as local ethnic villages (I passed coffee plants several times along the way without realising precisely what they were). We stopped to try a coffee at the Sinouk plantation, owned by none other than Mr. Sinouk who runs the Sinouk Coffee shops in Vientiane. The grounds were absolutely amazing, featuring a picturesque garden with its own little stream. There’s even a small hotel guests can stay at on the plantation site as well as interesting information on the process by which the little red beans are transformed into the brown wake-up juice we crave every morning. Maybe I visited on an off day, though, because the coffee itself when served at the Sinouk cafe was just not up to par!

Sinouk Plantation Gardens

Coffee (not grapes)

As you speed along the Bolaven loop you’ll pass several signs indicating the location of nearby waterfalls. It’s not always easy to stop and turn around so if you see signage coming up slow down if you can. The best and largest waterfall is supposed to be the Tad Lo, and it certainly is beautiful. This is pretty difficult to find because there’s so many other waterfalls about the place but fortunately being ‘Visit Laos Year 2012′ there are now more signs pointing the way.

don't go chasing waterfalls...

Day 5 – Savannakhet, Thakhek

Day 5 is the day to start heading back to Vientiane. It’s a long drive to do in one day so it’s a good idea to break it up into two days with an overnight in either Savannakhet or Thakhek. I opted to make Savannakhet into a lunch stop and have a bit of a look around. The town is quite large and boasts a dinosaur museum which definitely peeked my interest. Sadly when we arrived at the museum it was closed on weekends and we’d arrived on a Saturday. Nevertheless we headed to the casino instead. Looming on the horizon the Savan Vegas dwarfs all the nearby buildings with its impressive display of cement elephants. Not much of a player myself, instead I opted to stroll through the complex watching Thai and Vietnamese visitors gambling away at slot machines and ‘bok deng’ tables. Curiosity satisfied, I looked around the town at some of the historical buildings and had some pretty decent Pho Noodle Soup for lunch (might be particularly nice because of the large Vietnamese community in Savannakhet). Before heading off I also made sure to purchase a crate of Beer Savan to take with me back to Vientiane.

It then takes until early evening to finally arrive back in Thakhek.

Day 6 – Back to Vientiane

The drive back to Vientiane is pretty much the same as on the way there, however there is a detour you can take along the river where I noticed some new houses were already being constructed – holiday homes for the rich and famous, obviously. One stop that is pretty interesting is the mysterious Great Wall of Thakhek. This is a massive stone wall that stretches 15km through dense jungle from Northern Thakhek all the way to the Xebangfai River. It is up to 10m high at some points and strangely, nobody seems to know anything about it! Definitely worth a look before it one day becomes a major tourist attraction.

So, when you’re thinking about your next holiday destination, instead of Phuket or Kuala Lumpur, don’t rule out the south of Laos. There’s quite a lot to see and do and it’s almost worth it for the scenery alone. If my tales of adventure don’t convince you, try it for yourself!

Under Article 36 of the draft Law on Labour Management, the proportion of foreign manual labourers hired by a company should be no more than 10 percent of the total, while the proportion of foreign experts hired should not exceed 20 percent. However, if necessary, a company can request government approval to employ more foreign workers.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is expected to submit the draft law to the cabinet and National Assembly for consideration and approval in the near future, after completing a law consultation process with the parties involved, notably business operators, who will have to enforce the law.

The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the International Labour Organisation yesterday hosted a meeting to give 50 business representatives the chance to comment on the draft Law on Labour Management.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chamber representative Mr Onesy Boutsivongsackd said the occasion presented a good opportunity for businesspeople to contribute to the draft of the law, which will directly impact on their business operations.

He said the law should facilitate the government’s policy to encourage domestic and foreign investment in Laos, creating jobs and raising incomes so that the nation can graduate from least developed country status by 2020.

Mr Onesy added that the law should create favourable conditions for Lao businesses to compete with foreign companies.

Laos is expecting to be admitted to the World Trade Organisation at the end of this year and to join the Asean Free Trade Area in 2015, which will mean the removal of import duty on foreign goods.

At present, the government charges import duty on foreign products as part of its policy to protect Lao companies and generate revenue. A number of foreign businesses in Laos have called on the government to relax restrictions on the hiring of foreign workers, saying the skills of local workers are inadequate.

Policymakers have agreed to allow companies to hire more overseas workers if they cannot hire sufficiently skilled local labour so that work is not slowed due to the shortage of manpower.

Their hope is that foreign workers will transfer their knowledge and skills to Lao workers so they can eventually take charge of business operations here.

Under the National Socio-economic Development Plan for 2011/2012, the government expects to create new 55,360 jobs. This is thought to be possible due to the increase in domestic and foreign investment in Laos.

Source: Vientiane Times

Best Bank in Laos?

BFL’s win coincides with the opening of its new branch in Sihom Village, Chantabouli District. The official opening, attended by J&C on Friday 3rd February, saw the branch ready for service with a convenient ATM right outside. Sihom is the fourth business unit opened by BFL in Vientiane, the three other business units being in Si Khai Village, Talat Sao Mall, as well as a small unit in U Express which opened in November 2011.

BFL plans to expand further in 2012 by opening two more business units in Vientiane and also branches in Luang Prabang and Pakse. In the beginning of 2013 BFL will open a branch in Savannakhet. The bank intends to connect its ATM network in Vientiane to each business unit.

Mr. Guillaume Perdon Gives A Speech

BFL launched full Internet banking services in 2011, as well as private debit cards and a dedicated electronic transfer system for transferring from France to Laos.

2012 will bring more ATMs and POS systems and the bank hopes to a launch Visa card which can be used overseas and for Internet purchases. The bank also hopes to provide the first smartphone application in Laos for banking services.