Vientiane Bus Suspends All Services
Source: Vientiane Times
Vientiane State Bus Enterprise (VSBE) suspended its services on every route in Vientiane and to other provinces yesterday following the cancellation of international routes on March 23.
With the spread of Covid-19, the government has issued strict measures to monitor and control free movement warning people not to travel to other communities and provinces and advising them to work from home.
The governments of Laos and Thailand also announced the temporary closing of the border to passengers to prevent the virus from spreading.
The latest measures have caused the company to curtail services until the situation normalises, VSBE Deputy Director, Mr Bouapha Phetvixay, told Vientiane Times yesterday.
“Each day, the company usually earns more than 50 million kip in revenue from bus services in Vientiane and other provinces but in recent weeks that has fallen to only around 10 million kip,” he said.
Meanwhile, other public transport companies have also been impacted after the suspension of their services.
“VSBE provides bus services on 12 routes in the capital and six services to Khammuan, Savannakhet, Champassak, Saravan and Attapeu provinces as well as four routes to Thailand,” Mr Bouapha said.
He expected the company’s services would return to normal once Covid-19 disappeared from the country and the region.
Bokeo provincial Public Works and Transport Department last week announced that bus and van associations and public transport providers would suspend their services in the wake of the coronavirus.
Laos has nine confirmed cases of the virus which has, directly and indirectly, affected the country and people’s livelihoods.
The Covid-19 crisis is presenting immediate and severe financial challenges for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.
In response to the crisis, the government ordered all sectors and the public to implement a shutdown and to participate in the fight against Covid-19.
The government also continues to strengthen cooperation with various countries experienced in battling the virus
