VientianeThe First National English Language Newspaper established in 1994 Times TUESDAY AUGUST 17, 2021 ISSUE 159 www.vientianetimes.org.la and www.vientianetimeslao.la 4500 kip Inside PM pledges to quash Xekong’s first int’l border crossing to boost economic ties with Vietnam [Page 3] bribery, misconducts Times Reporters country’s financial and Assembly members monitor economic difficulties as the prime minister to see that Prime Minister Phankham well as measures to stem he is as loyal as he promises Viphavanh pledged to the use of and trade in to be.” suppress corruption, narcotic drugs. The head of government bribery, fraud and all “Those who do assured Assembly forms of misconduct by wrong things must be members of transparent state officials in his recent held accountable for practices within the address to the National their actions,” the prime advisory board he recently Geological study finds 13 Assembly (NA). minister said. appointed. The group settlements of Bahrabise Addressing an He called on lawmakers comprises experienced at high risk of landslides, extraordinary session of the and members of the public state officials and business to notify the government if floods NA’s ninth legislature, the executives. premier asked lawmakers they observe misconduct He promised that no [Page 6] to help monitor state on the part of state officials, special treatment would officials’ performance and including demands for be given to business to report any wrongdoing. money from businesses. executives who are board “Provide us with However, the prime members when it comes to information. The prime minister accused some approving new investment minister can never know businesspeople of proposals. who is engaging in fraud conspiring with state “No one is given a if such incidents are not officials, saying that they project. Monitor it. We are reported,” he said. gave bribes to officials. loyal,” the prime minister Vaccines helping Bokeo He was responding to Instead, he said said, adding that Assembly Savannakhet authorities set up a checkpoint for Covid-19 residents feel safer during members of parliament businesses should inform members were free to control. --Photo Lao Youth Radio the COVID-19 pandemic who demanded that state the government when they monitor the process. [Page 10] authorities take serious were unlawfully threatened Board members are not and transparent action with demands for money paid a salary but volunteer Xekong orders lockdown to fulfil the two national by state officials. to assist with state affairs. Ministry of Silk unveils its agendas. “Report their names,” he Mr Phankham reiterated until August 20 sister brand NEWNORM and The agendas, which said, referring to officials that all aspects of the their latest collections were recently adopted by who acted unlawfully. government’s performance Times Reporters allowed but those involved [Page 14] the National Assembly, “The government will would be trustworthy and must follow the rules laid outline solutions to the be loyal. May National transparent. Authorities in southern down by the provincial Xekong province have Covid-19 taskforce to ordered lockdowns until prevent the spread of the August 20 after locally- virus. Afghan president leaves country, transmitted Covid-19 In addition, barber shops, infections were reported, beauty salons, internet and have stepped up controls cafés, snooker clubs, sports Taliban controls capital Kabul in areas considered to be at facilities, tourist attractions, high risk of spreading the spas and football clubs have virus. been closed and deliveries Provincial authorities within the city are banned. have increased the number Restaurants and cafes can of checkpoints on roads remain open but can only that lead to other provinces, offer takeaway services. while gatherings of all In Savannakhet province, kinds have been banned, Kaysone Phomvihane city according to a provincial is under lockdown until official. August 23. Authorities have also Provincial authorities ordered many services to have classified Nonsavanth close, while entry to and village and the SOS school exit from red zone areas is as red zones and other banned. villages as yellow zones, In Lamam district, with entry to and exit from people may no longer enter red zone areas temporarily or leave the provincial banned. capital between the hours In Champassak province, of 9pm and 5am, unless Khong district authorities permission has been given have ordered a lockdown in An Afghan man rides bicycle on a road in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, August 15, 2021. --Photo Rahmatullah Alizadah from the district’s Covid-19 Na, Xiengdee, Hangkhone taskforce. and Donsahong villages KABUL (Xinhua) -- Afghan to prevent bloodshed. Afghan people, adding that destination remains unknown. Travel between Lamam until August 22, and Pakxe President Mohammad Ashraf “If there were still he will continue to serve the Meanwhile, the Taliban has and other districts and city is under lockdown until Ghani left the country on countless countrymen nation, he said. assured that all the diplomatic provinces is banned, except August 20 after locally- Sunday night, while the martyred and they would Ghani did not mention missions and foreign citizens for people who work in the transmitted Covid infections Taliban forces entered the face the destruction and his current location in the in Kabul will face no main town and have been were reported. capital of Kabul and took destruction of Kabul city, the Facebook post. Media reports dangers. Taliban spokesman given permission to travel Champassak province control of the presidential result would have been a big said he fled to Uzbekistan Zabihullah Mujahid said they by provincial authorities. has not recorded any locally- palace. human disaster in the city,” with his wife. A senior Interior are committed to ensuring Passenger transport transmitted Covid-19 cases Ghani confirmed on Ghani said. Ministry official said earlier in security in the Afghan capital. services from other over the past few days, while his Facebook page late on The Taliban is now the day that he was heading The Taliban forces entered provinces to Lamam district Savannakhet is still seeing Sunday that he has left the responsible for protecting for Tajikistan, while a Foreign Kabul city and took control of have also been suspended. cases despite a lockdown in country, saying the move was the honor and wealth of the Ministry official said his CONTINUED PAGE 6 The transport of goods is CONTINUED PAGE 3 2 Home news Tuesday August 17, 2021 Vientiane Times Internet café owners fined for violation of lockdown rules Phomphong Laoin open and were continuing to allow illegal online gambling, in Police in Naxaithong district, violation of the newly-issued rules Vientiane, have fined the owners to control the spread of Covid-19. of six internet cafés after they Police confiscated nine remained open even after computers and printers. authorities imposed a lockdown Ongoing inspections in the area. and crackdowns are aimed at The offenders were also preventing businesses from given a lecture on the importance breaking the rules on Covid-19 of obeying the law and were control. charged with permitting online The number of infections is Participants attend the 4th Scientific Biodiversity Conference in ientiane.V gambling in violation of continuing to rise, especially Resolution No. 828, Ministry of among migrant workers returning Post, Telecommunications and from Thailand, with cases National University, IUCN partner Communications, and violation increasing dramatically over the of Notification No. 20 on the past month compared to previous enhancement of measures to months, the National Taskforce on in biodiversity studies prevent and control the spread of Covid-19 Prevention and Control Covid-19. reported. Times Reporters and Wildlife Management The Faculty of Forest Science Head of the Public Security Health authorities now say Strengthening Project, which is has supported students and teachers Office in Naxaithong district, that people returning to Laos The Faculty of Forestry Science, funded by the World Bank through to participate in study tours as well Lieutenant Colonel Bounmy and entering state-run quarantine National University of Laos, has the Environmental Protection as other activities in Laos and Kantiyavong, said that after centres will be required to held talks with the International Fund with a total budget of more other countries under the Forest receiving instructions from the quarantine for 14 days at a state Union for Conservation of Nature than US$2 million from 2015 to Management and Biodiversity Chief of the Vientiane Public facility and another 14 days at a (IUCN) on getting more young 2020 under the Environment and Protection programme. Security Headquarters they carried district quarantine centre, thus people involved in research around Social Project in Laos. Speaking at the conference, out inspections and found that spending 28 days in quarantine biodiversity conservation. Over five years, the project NUOL Vice President Assoc. Prof. some internet cafes remained in total. IUCN is the world’s oldest supported training in three courses Dr Houngphet Chanthavong said and largest global environmental for teachers and state officials, the university will continue to organisation. while 30 scholarships were seek international cooperation to It works with a diverse awarded to undergraduate students broaden the knowledge of staff range of partners to deliver the researching