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World Links, in collaboration with the Jhai Foundation, has granted funds of roughly 2.2 billion kip (US$240,000) through the World Bank to support the Asean Schoolnet project in Laos .

Mr Ouam Sengchandavong ( right ) shakes hands with Mr Ruwan Salgado after signing the project agreement.

A signing ceremony took place on Friday at the Ministry of Education in Vientiane to set the project in motion. The contract was signed by the Director General of Planning and International Cooperation, Mr Ouam Sengchandavong, and the Director of Operations of World Links, Mr Ruwan Salgado, and was witnessed by representatives from the World Bank and other officials.

The project will run for two years from 2007-08 and will select at least 10 secondary schools from urban and rural communities to equip with Internet-capable computers and training in information communication and technology (ICT).

Additionally, the project will choose at least three teachers from each school to train in the three modules of the World Links Professional Development training programme – which focuses on the use of the Internet as a teaching and learning tool.

Laos & Thailand Agree to Repatriate Hmong Refugees Regardless of CIA Connections 
(VOA) Lao-Thai ont mis accord pour rapatrier les réfugiés Hmong Lao, sans regarder leur lien avec la CIA-connection.
Lao and Thai authorities have agreed to proceed with plans to repatriate Hmong refugees in Ban Huay Nam Khao, regardless of their claimed CIA links and without monitoring by third parties. The agreement was reached at

Bush Invites ASEAN Leaders to Texas for Summit (VOA) By VOA News : 07 September 2007:

M.Bush va inviter tous les dirigeants du bloc d'ASEAN chez lui au Texas,même le Myanmar, a révélé par le VOA le 7.09.2007. Ce sera le grand tournant à 360° de Mr Bush ?

Mr. Bush issued the invitation Friday after a lunch meeting with seven leaders of the 10-member ASEAN bloc at an Asian economic summit in Australia.

The invitation would cover leaders from all ASEAN countries, including Burma.
  
US Says Laos Not Responding To Requests (ESI, ChinaPost)
Laos' government has not responded to repeated requests for information about three Hmong-American men who are missing in the country after reportedly being taken into custody by security forces, a U.S. Embassy official said Thursday (6 September). The three men from St. Paul,

 SOLVING THE HMONG PROBLEM 
(VOA) Bouasieng a dit pas besoin de tiers partis, que nos deux pays Lao-Thai suffisent pour résoudre le problème de rapatriement des réfugiés Hmong en Thailande au pays.

Brig-Gen Buasieng Champaphan, the Lao deputy chief of staff and co-chairman of the Thai-Lao general border sub-committee, talked about Laos' position in solving the problem of Hmong immigrants in Thailand in a meeting with journalists, including ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT. 
International agencies have called for Lao permission to observe the resettlement process to guarantee the rights of the returnees. Will Vientiane reconsider their request, or will the government allow the Hmong at Ban Huay Nam Khao to participate in the resettlement discussion?

Laos and Thailand will proceed with the bilateral plan to repatriate them with no need for third party involvement.Both the armies and governments have agreed that there should be no intervention from a third party. In the past, Lao did not want to take back these people since they illegally crossed the border and it was up to the Thai government to make any decision. But Thailand has sought cooperation from Laos, and we cannot let our neighbour and friend shoulder the growing problem alone any longer. We therefore agreed to take them back, no matter how many there are. If they are Lao nationals, we will receive them. 

Laos denies Hmong-Americans arrested (DPA/BP, Earth Times)
The Lao government on Wednesday denied reports that authorities had arrested three US citizens of Hmong decent in Vientiane, the capital. "I've checked with security authorities and they assured me that none of these people are being kept under custody in Laos," said Lao foreign ministry

US says Laos not giving information on 3 missing Hmong Americans 
BANGKOK, Thailand (Map, News) - Laos' government has not responded to repeated requests for information about three Hmong-American men from Minnesota who are missing in the country after reportedly being taken into custody by security forces, a U.S. Embassy official said Thursday.
The three men from St. Paul, Minn., were arrested Aug. 25 by Laotian military and security forces, according to Philip Smith, the Washington director of Lao Veterans of America. The government of Laos denied the allegations.
He said it wasn't clear why the men were arrested, and that they had no known political or family ties to dissident groups. Smith said the men were traveling in Laos sightseeing and looking to start businesses.

Three Hmong men from Minn. missing in Laos (AP/ST or PP)
Three ethnic Hmong men from Minnesota were missing in Laos on Monday after being taken into custody by security forces, according to an advocacy group and one man's wife. Philip Smith, the Washington director of Lao Veterans of America, said multiple sources in Laos said the men were

3e réunion nationale sur les préparatifs de la 23e session de la CMF
La 3e réunion du Comité national pour les préparatifs de la 23e Conférence ministérielle de la Francophonie (CMF), qui se tiendra au Laos les 21 et 22 novembre, a eu lieu mardi dernier à la résidence Maiteechith de Vientiane. Elle s’est déroulée sous la présidence du Dr Thongloune Sisoulith, vice-Premier ministre et ministre des Affaires étrangères, également président du Comité national pour les préparatifs de cette conférence, en présence des ministres, du chef du bureau près la Présidence et des représentants des parties intéressées.
Les participants ont écouté le rapport sur l’avancement des activités de chaque sous-comité, ainsi que le plan de leur travail à venir, afin d’assurer le succès de cette CMF.
A cette occasion, le président de la réunion a félicité toutes les équipes pour leurs initiatives et leur contribution active dans les préparatifs, leur rappelant néanmoins de continuer à soutenir leurs efforts afin que cette conférence soit couronnée de succès. Il a également souligné que l’organisation de la CMF à Vientiane était un honneur historique non seulement pour le Laos, mais aussi pour la région aséanienne qui accueillera bientôt les délégués venant de plus de 60 pays des cinq continents.

Au Laos, un barrage-laboratoire (Le monde) barrage hydroélectrique Nam Theun 2,

L’EFEO poursuit son soutien dans la recherche de stèles (KPL)
L’Ecole française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO) près le Laos poursuit son aide au projet de recherche des stèles existant à travers le pays et de leur impression. La signature de ce contrat de coopération a eu lieu lundi 27 août au ministère de l’Information et de la Culture, entre M. Michel Lorillard, représentant de l’EFEO près le Laos, et M
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Regional race for Laos' riches (Asia Times) Le Laos est plus que jamais en forme de son histoire en matière de reconstruction du pays, des investissements de capitaux dans les affaires, de relations internationales équilibrées selon "Asia Times". With global commodity prices soaring and improved regional road infrastructure, landlocked Laos has more trade and investment options today than at any time in its modern history. Market forces have gradually diminished the country's past dependence on Vietnam for its economic
Japan supports cable bridge construction (VT)
Residents of Sopsan village in Xiengkhor district, Huaphan province will benefit from a new cable bridge across the Namma River financed by the Japanese government, as was announced yesterday. The Japanese government will provide grant assistance worth more than 790 million kip
 China, Laos sign six deals for closer ties: (Xinhua) Updated: 2007-08-24 10:32:
BEIJING -China and Laos on Thursday signed six deals on cooperation in various fields in a bid to further boost their traditional friendship.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and visiting Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh witnessed the signing ceremony following their one-hour talks at the Great Hall of People in Beijing.The six deals involves cooperation in such fields as food safety, loans and aeroplane programs.
Soccer: Laos, Vietnam, Thai, Indonesia to fight in semifinals of ASEAN U-17 football championship (PD)
Vietnam will face Thailand while Laos takes on Indonesia in simultaneous matches in Phnom Penhon Thursday in the semifinals of the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Football Federation (AFF) U17 
Laos to launch stock market (DPA/Earth Times or DPA/BP) :  Le Laos va ouvrir le marché boursier l'année prochaine selon la radio nationale Lao et qu'en 2010 rien ne sera pas pareil aux bourses internatinales, mais on ne sait pas si on pourrait investir en ligne depuis l'étranger, si oui il pourrait y avoir de la coopération avec les marché boursiers des pays voisins tel que le marché de Hochimin-Ville, Bangkok,Singapour ou même Hongkong. Ainsi pour pouvoir attirer les investisseurs, reste à savoir le degré du développement et de la performance des entreprises au Laos. Land-locked Laos plans to open a stock market by next year in Vientiane, state radio reports said Tuesday. Laos' central bank governor Phouphet Khamphounvong said a stock market was necessary for the long-term investment climate of the country, said Radio Vientiane in a broadcast

IFC and BCEL to Help Lao Brewery Company Expand Its Vientiane Operations and Build New Plant:WebWire) 8/2/2007 12:46:50 PM
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao today announced that they will provide long-term co-financing to Lao Brewery Company, Lao PDR’s largest taxpayer and producer of the well-known Beer Lao brand. This will help the company expand and create more jobs in the capital city of Vientiane as well as in the country’s rapidly developing south. BCEL, Lao PDR’s largest state-owned commercial bank, will provide $11 million, with IFC providing the remaining $9 million. 
At a press briefing today, Kissana Vongsay, Managing Director of Lao Brewery Company, said, “We are pleased to have been able to obtain this $20 million financing from BCEL and IFC. This long-term financing, which has been difficult to obtain from local financial institutions, will help us improve our competitiveness in the local market as we expand our Vientiane brewery. It will support our second production facility, which will enhance our distribution in the southern part of the country, while helping us with our strategy to access export markets.”