Meeting to mark 100th birth anniversary of late President Souphanouvong

(KPL) A meeting was held on 7 July in the northern province of Luang Prabang to mark the 100th birth anniversary of beloved late President Souphanouvong ( 13 July 1909 – 13 July, 2009 ).
Attending at the meeting was Vice President Bounnhang Vorachit, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, ministers, deputy ministers, provincial governors from northern provinces, military officers , students and local people, totaling 2,000.
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Bounheaung Douangprachanh, Governor of Luan Prabang g expressed the Lao people’s and armed forces’ gratitude and respect for late President Souphanounvong who was a model leader of the Lao People ‘s Revolutionary Party and the Lao nation. He also said that President Souphanouvong was a senior leader who always paid attention to increasing the strength and influence of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.More Photos
Through his life, he was committed to solidarity and unity under the guidelines and policies of the party.In the morning session, the ceremonies to open the President Souphanouvong Monument, park and photo exhibition was also held with the participation of party and government leaders from central and local level.
Speaking at the ceremonies, Mr. Bounheuang Doungprachanh said that these would become a symbol of solidarity and unity amongst the Lao people of all ethnicities and will become a significant place for Lao people and a historical place foe new generations to study the revolutionary principles of President Souphanouvong.

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100 buddha statues steal away in Luang Prabang

Some 100 statutes of Buddha have been stolen or lost in Luang Prabang province over the past five years, according to a 2009 investigation report by the province's Heritage Department.

That Luang temple and Vat Si Phouttabath have suffered the largest losses.

The report stated about 16 statues had also gone missing from Vat Xiengthong, one of the oldest temples in the province.

Luang Prabang Provincial Heritage Department Deputy Director, Mr Bounkhoung Khouthao, said most of the statues were stolen in 2006, with most thought to have been crafted in the 14th century...

The stolen pieces were made of wood or bronze and were taken from 42 temples in the town of Luang Prabang .

“Unfortunately the thefts are continuing,” Mr Bounkhoung said.

The most recently reported theft took place last month at Vat Phousi in the heart of Luang Prabang.

Most people agree the scale of the thefts is reason for officials from the relevant sectors to cooperate more closely and take more steps to tackle the problem.

Some officials fear the mounting thefts could affect the overall image of the World Heritage Site and even the tourism industry.

High market demand for valuable artefacts is increasing the likelihood Buddha images will be stolen. Mr Bounkhoung said an old statue could fetch 200,000 to 300,000 baht (48 million to 72 million kip).

He said novices living in Luang Prabang temples had been assigned to sleep close to the rooms in which Buddha statues were housed, but this would only solve the problem in the short term.

What was needed, he said, was for village authorities and temple guards to take more responsibility in preventing the theft of the statues.

Mr Bounkhoung said very few stolen Buddha images had been recovered even though most of them were registered in the province.

He congratulated one British man who brought four Buddha images back to Luang Prabang in 2007 after buying them from traders.

Two of the four images were found in Chiang Mai , Thailand , one in France and another in the UK .

There are known to be at least 20,000 Buddha images in Luang Prabang province, most of them in the main town.

Officials say there are ongoing thefts of Buddha images from Ting Cave , none of which have been registered by authorities.

Officials have met on several occasions to discuss the problem but the thefts continue.

From January to March this year, more than 200 Buddha images were stolen from four temples in Savannakhet province.

Most of them were less than 100 years old, were made of bronze and weighed 100 to 300 grammes.

By Somsack Pongkhao
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A economics student crown Nang Sangkane 2552

Nang Sangkane 2552, the Luang Prabang traditional beauty pageant came to the conclusion last night, and this year a student at Soupanouvong University, faculty of economics, majoring in economics of information technology was crowned the title holder.

Noy, Alouny Manyvong, she's 19 year old, representing Naluang village become the new Nang Sangkane LuangPrabang. More photos Read more!

Good bye Miss Sangkane 2008

Pavenaphone Boupha was crowned Miss Sangkane on April 12, 2008. A student at Lao-American college came back from Vientiane in early April to participate in the events.

At the conclusion of the competition, She was crowned Miss Sangkane 2008, becoming the third person in her family to crowned the title of Miss Sangkane.
At Miss Sangkane in the past 34 and 29 years, in 1975 and 1980, her mother and mother's sister was crowed the title.

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