| A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT |
| As we come to the end of our financial year as a chamber, we can reflect on a good year despite the challenges from Covid, inflation and the weak kip. And July also means it’s time for membership renewal. I trust we will see all our members continue their support for the chamber as we ramp up our activities even further for the coming year. Along with planning many exciting social and educational events, I am delighted to say we can again look forward to our gold standard, highly anticipated AustCham ball, some details of which are provided below. Some of my favourite memories of mateship and sheer fun here in Laos are from this very special night. It’s also very heartening to see many mothballed tourism-based businesses gradually opening up in response to the burgeoning influx of tourists, which will no doubt benefit our hospitality and tourism members. It’s good to see some normality (and fuel) coming back into our lives here in this wonderful country. |
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Another newsletter, and another busy month for AustCham. The executive office has been busy planning out the events for the next year and the budget for the next financial year. The most exciting result of this planning is the announcement of the return of the AustCham Ball. A few more details about this are provided below, with more details to be released in the coming weeks. I have also been attending a number of AustCham events. I most recently attended the July Sundowner, hosted by Lao Ford City, part of RMA Group, an AustCham Silver Member. Here I was pleased to launch the new AustCham Website. We have been working on this for some time so we are thrilled to finally be able to unveil to the public. I encourage you all to visit the new website and explore some of the features. Finally I must give a begrudging congratulations to Queensland on their win of the third game of State of Origin and consequently the series. Despite what was a personally disappointing result, it was great to see so many members of AustCham and the Australian community come out. It was also great to watch the game at Sticky Fingers, an AustCham member and Vientiane institution. |
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| AUSTCHAM LAO LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE |
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After many months of work behind the scenes, AustCham Lao is proud to launch our new website. The new website features a new design, improved visibility for our members, and improved functionality for users. We encourage you all to visit the new website and explore some of these new features, including integration to Glue Up, our CRM platform. |
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Please join us on Wednesday 10 August for our monthly Sundowner Networking event. Next month, our Sundowner will be hosted by the Australian Embassy – a bronze sponsor and long-term supporter of AustCham Lao – at the Australian Embassy Recreation Facility.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of unbroken diplomatic relations between Australia and the Lao PDR. Trade and investment has always contributed to the strong relationship and the Embassy looks forward to celebrating this milestone with AustCham and the wider business community.
Please ensure that you register for this event by Friday 5 August.
Click on the link below to register now. |
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| August Sundowner | 
| Aug 10, 2022
(6 PM - 9 PM) (GMT+7) |
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| Australian Embassy Recreation Facility
Vientiane, Laos |
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| PAST MATE TO MATE INTERVIEWS |
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Watch last month's episodes of MATE to MATE, AustCham's topical interview series. |
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Mate to Mate 'A Diverse Workplace' Khamnoi Channavong, Senior HR Supervisor - Indochina from Boart Longyear. We hear from him about what strategies boart Longyear is putting in place to promote a diverse and more inclusive workplace.
Click on "read more" to play the interview! |
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Mate to Mate 'A Diverse Workplace' with Souliphonh Phengxay, Sales Training Manager from Prudential Laos. We hear from him about what strategies Prudential putting in place to promote a diverse and more inclusive workplace.
Click on "read more" to play the interview! |
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Mate to Mate 'A Diverse Workplace' with Paramy Vilayvong, Human Resources and Government Relations Manager at Vientiane International School. We hear from her about what strategies VIS is putting in place for 'Engaging and Empowering Staff’
Click on "read more" to play the interview! |
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Mate to Mate 'A Diverse Workplace' with Aphideth MINGBOUPHA, HR & GA Manager at Toyota Laos. We hear from him about what strategies Toyota Laos is putting in place for 'Engaging and Empowering Staff’.
Click on "read more" to play the interview! |
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| On the 26th June, AustCham Lao was pleased to host Game II of the NRL State of Origin at the Crowne Plaza Vientiane. After a slow start NSW obliterated QLD in the second half, while our guests did their best to obliterate the buffet while tackling the free flowing beers.
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| Breakfast Briefing: Attracting and Retaining Staff in the Tourism Sector |
| On Tuesday the 12th of July, AustCham hosted a Breakfast Briefing for the Hospitality and Tourism Sector, held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, an AustCham Gold Sponsor.
Participants heard from Philaprachith Prachittham, Business Operations Manager of the Inthira Group and Patria Puyat, the General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Both panelists spoke about the difficulties of attracting and retaining quality staff and shared different strategies to overcome these hurdles, both long term and post covid. |
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| State of Origin - Game III |
| On Wednesday the 13th of July, AustCham organized a viewing of the deciding match of the 2022 State of Origin Series, hosted by our member Sticky Fingers.
We were able to keep watching the game on a portable projector, despite a city-wide black out, thanks to the quick thinking of one of our audience members.
But the darkness couldn’t put a dampener on the mood of the Maroon supporters, as Queensland left the Blues battered, bruised, and beaten. In the words of AustCham Vice President “On a night of unbridled carnage, the defiant Maroons produced one of their most unforgettable performances to shatter the Blues and secure the Origin shield”
Thanks to all who attended the evening and a special thank you to Sticky Fingers and event sponsor Civitas. We look forward to celebrating more great Australian sporting events with you all in the future. |
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| First Aid and CPR Training in Lao Language |
| On Thursday 23rd June, AustCham was pleased to host a first aid training in Lao language in partnership with First Aid Solutions. The training was a great success with trainees getting lots of practical, hands on experience. |
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| Lao Ford City, a member of AustCham Silver Sponsor RMA Group, hosted the AustCham July Sundowner. It was a great event with excellent presentations from RMA Group and Lao Ford City. AustCham also used the event to formally launch the new AustCham Lao Website.
We would like to thank all those who attended the event, Lao Ford City and RMA Group for hosting the event, and a special thank you to the marketing team at Lao Ford City who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to pull off a great event. |
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AustCham Lao is pleased to welcome their new member, Doi Ka Noi Restaurant Doi Ka Noi restaurant offers a small weekly changing menu of fresh seasonal and authentic Lao cuisine. Chef/owner is Ponpailin ‘Noi’ Kaewduangdee showcases for the incredible diversity of regional Lao food through recipes inherited from her grandmother. Many of the ingredients used are foraged and seldom found on restaurant menus elsewhere – vegetable fern tops, wild ginger flowers, termite mushrooms, and so on. Proud of our rich culinary heritage, Noi is the first and currently only Lao member of the international food movement, Slow Food. The global, grassroots organisation was founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions. Noi was invited to present Lao food at the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, the Slow Food international event dedicated to food culture in Turin.
Doi Ka Noi is one of only two restaurants in Laos to be selected by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for a new initiative called Essence of Asia. This is a collection of Asian restaurants that embody the spirit of the region, its culture, and that have had a positive impact on local communities. In the words of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants selection team, “Using the recommendations of the chefs of Asia’s 50 Best and local experts in the region, Doi Ka Noi’s inclusion in the Essence of Asia collection recognizes the important part the restaurant plays in its local community.”
Currently Doi Ka Noi is only open Friday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., however, the restaurant is available for special events and private dining any day of the week. The weekly menu is posted on its Facebook page every Friday morning. |
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| AustCham Lao is pleased to welcome their new member, Laolive Import-Export Sole Co., Ltd.
Laolive is a small company which imports and distributes high quality food and beverages from Spain. They have 3 categories of products:
1) Fresh products such has ham, cheese, sardines,…
2) Conserves such as Olive Oil, Olives, canned vegetables
3) Wine and liquor
Laolive offer wholesale, retail and deliveries. |
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| Enjoy our special burger series at the Mosaic! Get a load of deliciousness in every bite, alongside a variety of flavours from the sizzling grilled BBQ style to the succulent slow-cooked taste. Available until 31 AUG 2022! Starts from 85,000 kips++ |
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| Discover BFL's unique offering: Banking on Women |
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𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗙𝗟'𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻
BFL provides Women Entrepreneurs in Laos access to dedicated financial services, distinctly designed to best accommodate their needs.
𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 BFL Banking on Women is to support our local community development by financing socially responsible, meaningful & sustainable projects, led by women entrepreneurs. 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 At BFL, we believe in investing in our communities to support long-term growth. This is why we decided to focus on women entrepreneurs as a key driver for development, by financing a meaningful project led by the next generation of business leaders.
In addition to offering dedicated financial solutions to women entrepreneurs in Laos, the bank is supporting a network of women-owned SMEs by providing affordable financing solutions in a sustainable and profitable way, as well as financial advisory and mentoring services. 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄! For more information, please contact BFL team at 021 285 444 or contact@bfl.la |
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| Jaguar Land Rover Laos launched the New Range Rover Evoque, the luxury compact SUV, on Friday 17th June 2022 at Lao Ford Luang Prabang, in Luang Prabang Province. This event aimed to launch the New Range Rover Evoque to show the luxury compact SUV for Luang Prabang customers and to experience the new Range Rover Evoque, while getting the details of this attractive vehicle. The Range Rover Evoque is a fully functional compact SUV, with cutting-edge technology and ease of use that enhances your perfect driving experience to a new level.
The New Range Rover Evoque launch event in Luang Prabang impressed customers with luxurious design, modern technology, and driving capability. This event brings was a great success, based on good feedback from excited customers, with a lot of customers reserving a Range Rover Evoque for a test drive.
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Rainy Season Promotion from Phongsavanh Insurance (APA)! Get special discounts with the extended period of the promotion Start from 1st to 31st July 2022
Customers who buy packages of health insurance, whether individual or family, will get 10% off. Rest assured with Health Insurance from Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) that you and your loved one can have a cashless treatment in both Laos and Thailand and each Health Insurance plans will cover both Inpatient and Outpatient benefits such as: - Hospital Service
- Operating Theatre
- Room and Board
- Surgery
- Daily allowance during hospitalization of up to LAK 350,000 /day
- And other benefits.
Discount 15% for SME insurance. As a business, we must be prepared to deal with many challenges and unexpected risk. To increase peace of mind Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) will be by your side to cover your business. We’ve designed The Small and Medium Enterprise Insurance that designed to provide the comprehensive coverage for SME as following: - Damage caused by fire, explosion.
- Damage caused by natural disaster such as: Lightning, Water Damage, Windstorm, Earthquake, Breakage of Glass.
- Electrical damage, Burglary and other benefits.
- In addition, this SME insurance also provides business interruptions coverage i.e., we will compensate your income in case your business cannot be operated as a result of such damages.
Most importantly, we also have sales tool that can issue instant real time quotation to our customers. So, let Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) be your cover for your SME.
Moreover, Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) has extended the current Special Promotion: Buy Health Insurance or Ezy Life Insurance (Annual payment) from 1st February until 30th September 2022 to have a chance to win a special prize (1 policy/ 1 coupon) - 1st prize: 2 nights’ accommodation in Luangprabang + free round trip train tickets (for 2 people) 1 prize.
- 2nd prize: 1 night accommodation in Vang Vieng (2 prizes)
- 3rd prize: Personal accident insurance (7 prizes)
For more information, please contact us via 1677 Facebook page: Phongsavanh Insurance APA |
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| BUSINESS AND ENVIROMENT INFORMATION |
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The Lao PDR Trade Portal — the first Trade Information Portal set up with support from the Trade Development Facility Project — turns ten years old in June 2022. In its first decade, the portal has become the template for global publishing of trade-related information in developing economies, helped the country join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and provided practical time-saving advice to millions of customers.
A Trade Information Portal is a web-based system that makes cross-border trade regulatory information available at the stroke of a key. Publishing regulations, procedures and forms online makes it easier for traders and investors to comply with regulatory requirements for importing and exporting. This ultimately lowers the cost of doing business and translates to economic gains, especially for smaller firms and new market entrants.
The Lao Trade Portal began with a small team in the old Ministry of Industry and Commerce building in Vientiane, identifying and digitizing the vast collection of laws, rules, regulations, and procedures that governed cross-border trade and deciding how to make it accessible. The project was supported by a multi-donor trust fund grant from Australia, the European Union and Germany, and administered by the World Bank from 2008-13. This effort was driven by Laos’ desire to accede to the WTO, ultimately making it possible for the country to achieve that goal in 2013.
The portal was designed to reduce the time and costs associated with cross-border trade and to overcome problems accessing the sometimes opaque and non-digitalized information on trade-related laws, regulations, procedures, tariffs, fees, charges, and forms.
The Lao Trade Portal has proved its usefulness to the trading community over a decade of service, and remains relevant today: the portal received well over half a million hits in 2021 and more than 100,000 visits in the first four months of 2022.
The experience gained in setting up the Lao Trade Portal was crucial in setting the standards and recommendations set out by the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business in its Recommendation No. 38, which describes good practice in developing a trade portal and underscores this “is an important trade facilitation measure which all countries should implement”. |
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What's changed? From 12.01am AEST 6 July 2022, you'll no longer need to: - fill out a Digital Passenger Declaration or Maritime Travel Declaration when entering Australia
- declare or prove your vaccination status
- seek exemptions to enter Australia.
Remember that destinations, airlines and cruise ships may have their own COVID-19 vaccination, testing and masking requirements you must meet. What's still in place?
You’ll still need to wear a mask on inbound international flights. State and territory orders mandating masks on domestic flights also remain in place. Before you go
It's exciting that travel is returning to a ‘post-COVID normal’. But there are still some things to consider before booking your flight. When you're planning your trip: |
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