| A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT |
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Having recently returned from an extended six week visit to see friends and family in a beautiful, but very damp Sydney, I was unable to join the first Sundowner of the year. While still in self-isolation at home I was delighted to see the return of in-person events, not only with the Sundowner, but also our well attended breakfast briefing on carbon credits. March has seen the terrible events in Ukraine and the continuing impact of Covid on the Lao economy combine to see record inflation. However, it’s pleasing to see the government take gradual steps to further relax travel restrictions, following the example of most of our close neighbours. I’d recommend taking some time to read the latest Provincial Facilitation for Investment and Trade (ProFIT) Index, which show some improvements in the ease of doing business (see the link later in this newsletter). There is however much work still to be done, and we have been working with other chambers on a joint lobbying paper to address some critical new import/export logistics and tax issues on our members’ behalf.
I am delighted to be back in Laos, and away from the torrential Sydney rain and floods. However I was able to squeeze in a trip to Bundaberg to escape the rain, and visit the home of one of Australia’s best exports! Best wishes for a safe and peaceful Pi Mai, and I look forward to meeting you in person at the next Sundowner.
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| A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
| It has certainly been a busy month for AustCham! The long awaited return of in person events kicked off with a very interesting Breakfast Briefing and the ever-popular AustCham Sundowner. It was great to see so many people turn out for these events and we hope to see more of you at the next event!
I have also been busy attending a number of private sector working groups hosted by the LNCCI on behalf of the Lao Business Forum. Here I was able to raise a number of issues on behalf of AustCham members, which will hopefully be incorporated into the upcoming Lao Business Forum. As you can read in the latest Provincial Facilitation for Investment and Trade (ProFIT) Index below, there are still a number of issues that need to be solved to increase the ease of doing business in Laos and encouraging Foreign Direct Investment.
For now I wish you all a great Pii Mai and the best of luck for the upcoming year. |
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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' with Ms. Dalyvone Soudachanh, Superintendent - Sales and Marketing talking about the theme for this year's International Women's Day; "Breaking the Bias"
Click on "read more" to play the interview! |
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| BREAKFAST BRIEFING ' CARBON CREDITS' |
| On Monday 4 April, AustCham Lao hosted its’ first in-person Breakfast Briefing for 2022. The Carbon Credits Breakfast Briefing was moderated by Hannah Wurf, from the Australian Embassy, and the panel was made up of Cliff Massey from Burapha Agro-Forestry, Rowan Fraser from GGGI, and joined virtually by Dan Heldon from the Australian Embassy.
The event also featured a pre-recorded presentation from BounEua Khamphilavanh, from the Ministry of Natural Resourse and Environment. The presentations and subsequent discussions touched on a number of subjects, including regulatory framework at a local, regional and international level. The event had significant interest from a number of sectors, and will hopefully be a precursor to a larger event sometime in the future. |
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| ENGLISH FOR BETTER EMAILS |
| On Thursday 31 March, we closed our six weeks course on English for Better Emails with Jo Lidbetter. The program focused on teaching participants how to write a professional email, improve the clarity of their communication, with tips on English grammar using practical examples. During the course, the students were given homework, writing their own emails following the guidance of Jo Lidbetter. The homework of each student was reviewed and graded by the trainer, allowing all students to practice their writing skills.
We would like to thank Jo and all the students for their hard work during the course. |
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| MANAGEMENT SKILLS UPGRADE |
| On Monday the 11th of April, we finished our training program Management Skills Upgrade, hosted by our member Katalyst Partners. This fantastic training was offered in Lao language, to upskill the next generation of Lao managers. Katalyst did a great job, with all the participants enjoying the course and providing positive feedback. We would like to thank Katalyst Partners and all the students for their hard work during the course. |
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| OUR FIRST SUNDOWNER FOR 2022 |
| AustCham was thrilled to host our first Sundowner for 2022 at the Crowne Plaza Vientiane on the 6th of April. It was fantastic event and enjoyed by all who attended.
A special thank you to Crowne Plaza for providing some lucky guests with vouchers for massages and a dinner for two at the 3 Merchants.
We look forward to welcoming you all to our next Sundowner. |
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| FOLK ART MARKET FAIR 2022 FOR LOCAL ARTISANS WAS A GREAT SUCCESS! |
| Crowne Plaza Vientiane, Ock Pop Tok, Jaguar and Land Rover, Beer Lao, Plan International and Yula.la bring to shoppers and visitors in Vientiane a setting for local artisans that showcases beautiful handcrafted products from all over Laos from 25 March 2022 to 28 March 2022. The fair stand for a strong commitment to providing the opportunity for local artisans to be able to receive a much-needed income and encouraging the start of a trend of local product consumption. The launch took place on 25 March 2022 consisted of fashion shows by Top Lao designers including Ock Pop Tock, Taibaan, Ministry of Silk, Khang and Tam to present the Lao Silk history from traditional wear to modern international wear with global appeal. |
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| AN AERIAL VIEW OF A CONCRETE ROAD IN BAN NAM MO ANOUVONG DISTRICT, XAISOMBOUN PROVINCE |
| Our Gold Sponsor Phu Bia Mining, a leading copper and gold producer in Laos, has supported the construction of concrete road in Ban Nam Mo, Anouvong District, Xaisomboun Province since 2020. As a proud mining investor in Laos, the Company’s investment is additional to its commitment under the Mineral Exploration and Production Agreement with the Government of Laos. With investment of US$1,422,500 to expand a concrete road of 2.728 kilometres and a width of 6 metres, the concrete road in Ban Nam Mo is significant for the future development of the Company’s host communities.
Visitors and residents in the province have been able to use the concrete road to access markets and business opportunities in Xaisomboun Province. The official handing over ceremony to the Xaisomboun Provincial Government will be held on 21 April 2022. Together, Phu Bia Mining also celebrate the investment in support of, and continuing the friendship between Phu Bia Mining and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. |
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Last chance to apply for your refinancing loan with our Silver Sponsor, BFL BRED Group.
We sometimes need a little help for new projects or business expansion. Liberate cash flow by applying for a #refinancing with BFL: Up to -2% compared to your current loan, no approval & no inspection fees*!
Lower then your monthly installments and put your plan into action.
If you are interested, please contact your Relationship Manager at 021 285 444 orcontact@bfl.la
*Terms & Conditions Apply |
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The all-Electric Jaguar I-Pace handover ceremony to the British Embassy in Vientiane was held on 25th February 2022, at the Jaguar Rover Laos showroom in Vientiane. Honorable Dr. Khampheng Saysompheng, Ministry of Industry and Commerce; Mr. John Pearson, British Ambassador to Laos PDR; Mr. Wayne McIntosh, Automotive Managing Director of the Lao Ford City; Mr. Biju Narayanan, General Manager of Jaguar Land Rover Lao and distinguished various embassies, government, the private sector, and international organisations participated in this meaningful ceremony.
The aim of the event was to congratulate Mr. John Pearson, the British Ambassador, and the British Embassy in Laos for being the first Embassy in Laos to have the vision of expanding their scope and promoting environmental policies by switching to an electric Vehicle that has zero-emissions. The Embassy now hopes that the government, the private sector, and international organizations will also try and switch to EV for a sustainable environment and to reduce emissions in Laos. Jaguar Land Rover Laos is committed to implementing the policy with a switch to zero-emission electric vehicle conversion and is ready to meet the needs for an electric vehicle such as charging stations and aftersales service across the country.
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Our Silver Sponsor Prudential Life Assurance (Lao) Company Limited (“Prudential Laos”) today announced the full launch of PRUBusiness, a group benefits product, had been completed in Vientiane Capital on 18 March 2022, and in Luangprabang province on 24 March 2022.
In the presence of business partners, multiple SMEs, corporates, and Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the launch successfully introduced an alternative protection solution to businesses for protecting their staff against death and disability in both provinces. With customizable benefits and flexible coverage, this product can help ease current challenges faced by employees today.
Veejay Madhavan, Leader of Prudential Laos said, “Our goal is to help people get the most out of life. We strive to provide peace of mind to businesses through our customisable health and protection solutions. With a range of protection benefits, business owners can support and meet the evolving needs of their employees, especially during these challenging years.”
Business owners who wishes to know more about the product can now access PRUBusiness information and submit their queries directly to the official portal www.prudential.la. Business owners can easily manage their employee’s policy information and benefits through the PRUBusiness platform, which will be launched later this month. This innovative solution will serve as a convenient support for their employees, including e-claims submission functions. |
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Whether Small or Medium-sized businesses may experience several problems such as buildings destroyed by natural disasters, or fires. These problems will not only affect your living but also the cost of repairs and disruptions to your business.
We can never predict when this will happen, but one thing we can do and be prepared to deal with is to insure the property itself.
Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) understands these issues and has designed a new bespoke product that covers and responds to SME because we see the importance of businesses that drive our country's economy today.
The Small and Medium Enterprise Insurance is designed to provide the comprehensive coverage for SME as following:
• Damage caused by fire, Explosion. • 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.
Let Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) be a part to cover your SME. For more details on Phongsavanh Insurance, Please contact us via: Facebook page: Phongsavanh Insurance APA Email: info@apa.com.la Website: www.apa.com.la Call: 1677 |
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| BUSINESS AND ENVIROMENT INFORMATION |
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The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) is proud to launch the second Provincial Facilitation for Investment and Trade (ProFIT) Index for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).
The project on the development of this index was financed with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The ProFIT index aims to measure how well provinces support private sector development, notably through economic governance measures that are under their mandate. ProFIT is a valuable addition to the set of tools with which LNCCI monitors how well provincial authorities facilitate and promote private businesses. It enables the private sector to conduct an informed dialogue with the Government of the Lao PDR.
This ProFIT report draws upon the views of 1,357 enterprises on provincial economic governance in six major categories: (i) ease of starting a business, (ii) transparency and access to information, (iii) regulatory burden, (iv) informal charges, (v) consistency of legal implementation, and (vi) business friendliness of provincial governments. The report shows that the Prime Minister Order No. 02 promulgated in 2018 had a positive impact on the business environment by reducing the cost and time required for business registration. Compared to the first ProFIT survey done in 2017, most provinces recorded better scores in 2019, indicating improved business environment and better local governance. |
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