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Lao Dolphins Get More Turf
Champasak authorities and residents have agreed to broaden the Mekong River’s Irrawaddy dolphin conservation zone from 21 to 150 hectares to provide more food and room for less human disturbance. The move ultimately aims to conserve the dwindling population of the critically endangered dolphins in southern Laos near the Cambodian border. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature in Laos (WWF-Laos) has supported dolphin conservation since 2009, through funding and various activities and projects to manage and preserve the dolphin population. According to WWF survey teams from Laos and Cambodia, which recently conducted a dolphin survey, just four dolphins remain in Laos and 90 in Cambodia. The Vientiane Times reported that Head of the Fisheries Division, Agriculture and Forestry Department of Champasak Province, Bounkeuth Khamphithak, spoke about the situation during a visit by officials last week. Mr Bounkeuth has worked for the dolphin conservation zone since the start of the WWF-Laos efforts, and noted these four dolphins have not been breeding for several years, partly because their reproductive habits differ from other aquatic creatures. The conservation zone is adjacent to Hang Sadam and Hang Khon villages where all forms of fishing are banned. The village authorities have river patrols that police the zone to ensure compliance with the ban. Mr Bounkeuth urged people throughout the country, especially those in Champasak province, to help protect this rare animal, because they are an iconic attraction for tourists. The best time to see dolphins is from December to May in the early morning from 06:00-08:00 or in the evening. Source: Vientiane Times
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Tourist-Population Ratio Makes Laos a Winner: MoICT
The number of people visiting Laos is high compared to neighbouring countries if the nation’s population size is taken into account, as tourist arrivals are more than half the size of the total population of Laos, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Prof. Dr Bosengkham Vongdara, told the National Assembly last week. He also addressed the industry’s shortcomings, but remains hush on revenue, which, according to the ministry’s 2016 Statistical Report was a dismal $76.80 per day from international visitors, excluding Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Canada. When including the regional neighbours, revenue stood at $52.81. The 2017 Statistical Report has yet to be made public. Although the number of visitors has dipped slightly, the figure is still high compared to neighbouring countries when compared to the respective population size, Minister Vongdara said. The largest number of visitors to Laos was 4.6 million in 2015, which was equal to about 60 percent of the Lao population. No other country in the region could attract tourist arrivals in numbers that exceeded 50 percent of their population, according to statistics recorded by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. Vietnam had a population of more than 95 million in 2017 and received 12.9 million visitors that year, according to vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/cat/1501. To attract even more visitors, Laos has launched Visit Laos Year 2018 and prepared a raft of colourful activities which authorities are actively promoting in the media. Some 13 provinces have already staged activities for Visit Laos Year, incorporating a multitude of interesting events such as local festivals. These have attracted a large number of domestic and foreign visitors. Authorities in five other provinces are getting into gear to prepare similar activities, Prof. Dr Bosengkham told Assembly members. Tourism authorities have attended international events in Germany and France, as well as an Asean tourism fair in Thailand. They also arranged a festival in Japan to promote Lao tourism and Visit Laos Year, which sparked great interest among participants. But Laos still faces challenges in attracting visitors, with some people complaining they have been asked to pay unwarranted fees or fines at checkpoints on roads and at tourist sites, which is upsetting for both tourists and tour operators. In addition, transport charges by various service providers vary and tend to be expensive while the entry fees at some tourist attractions are unreasonable, Prof. Dr Bosengkham admitted. In general, prices in the provinces and in Laos as a whole are high compared to those in neighbouring countries. The minister added that many designated tourist sites do not have any facilities while some are unsafe, with the result that some foreign tourists have died or been injured. The tourism industry also suffers from poorly trained tour guides who have an inadequate grasp of the country’s history, especially the historical associations of some visitor attractions. There is also a shortage of tour guides who are fluent in foreign languages, the minister said. In the first three months of this year, Laos attracted more than one million people, an increase of about 2 percent compared to the first three months of last year. Last year, just over 3.8 million people visited Laos – a drop of 8.73 percent compared to 2016 – according to statistics recorded by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. Source: Vientiane Times
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Suntara Showcases Singapore Chefs
Suntara Restaurant hosted an exclusive Singapore Embassy dinner party on 9 June, featuring the island nation’s award-winning chefs Vincent Bio, Fabian Teo and Ronnie Seng Who Lee, who dazzled Lao guests with their culinary skills. The award-winning chefs, who have intensive experience in Michelin-starred restaurants in Singapore and overseas, spoiled diners with their nouvelle cuisine, which incorporated local ingredients. On the menu were starters of amuse, angel hair, and prawns, followed by beef and pumpkin. The amuse consisted of black and white fungus, jellyfish, aged balsamic and scallion, while the angel hair dish mixed capellini, white truffle oil, lumpfish roe and shio kombu. The torched prawn dish came with sticky rice, saffron cream, parmesan shavings and red radish, before a wonderful flamed grilled beef dish was served with charcoal pomme puree, carrot, black olives and uni emulsion. The chefs ended the party with a pumpkin dessert consisting of butternut squash, coconut ice-cream, black sticky rice and mango to please local Lao tongues. (From left) Chefs Ronnie Seng Who Lee, Vincent Bio and Fabian Teo take a break after serving the dinner party. The chefs greatly appreciated being able to serve their dishes to Lao people while diners were delighted and surprised with the wonderful array of platters. Vincent Bio is an innovative and creative chef with over 10 years of culinary experience. Since taking over as Executive Sous Chef at ME@OUE, he has stirred up and introduced a modern French and European cuisine that is enjoyed by many patrons. Prior to that he was Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine at restaurants in Singapore and Hong Kong. He learnt his culinary skills under the mentorship of many master chefs and Michelin chefs. Chef Vincent’s passion has seen him represent the Singapore National Culinary Team in many competitions and he has received gold medals as well as champion and even overall champion awards. With a love of leadership and perfection, Chef Vincent is constantly on the lookout for challenging growth opportunities and a chance to groom young chefs. He has set his heart on injecting creativity into everything he does – leadership, menus and culinary skills. He received Silver Medal, Overall 2nd Runner Up of Food Hotel Asia 2016 National Gourmet Team Challenge. He won Gold Medal, Overall Champion of HOFEX 2017 (Hong Kong) National Gourmet Team Challenge, Class 1 Plated Appetizers (Gold Medal), Class 22 Meat and Poultry Main Course (Silver Medal) Food Hotel Asia 2018 National Gourmet Team Challenge and received a Gold Medal, and Overall Champion Food Hotel Malaysia 2017. Chef Fabian Teo has extensive modern Australian and French cuisine cooking experience in Michelin star and upmarket restaurants. He said that being a chef is not just about cooking but recognising that “learning is a lifelong journey”. He believes that being humble while sharing and learning things along the way is what makes him a good chef. His achievements include Hofex 2017 Gourmet Team Challenge HKICC – Singapore National Team (assistant) Gold Medal, overall champion Food & Hotel Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 2017 – Singapore National Team, and Cold Display (individual), Silver Medal. Also, Food & Hotel Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 2017 – Singapore National Team, Hot Cooking (individual), Silver Medal and Food & Hotel Asia Singapore 2018 Gourmet Team Challenge – Singapore National Team (assistant) Gold Medal, Overall Champion. As a chef with 14 years’ experience, Ronnie Seng Who Lee still holds a genuine passion for what he does, believing that with great passion you can overcome and achieve anything. Chef Ronnie has mastered Japanese and French cuisine and worked in places like the Wasabi Bistro at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Me@oue. As a stickler for perfection, Ronnie has always been very careful about hygiene and sanitation during his duties which has earned him quite a reputation amongst his peers. Many commend him on his knife handling skills which show his manual dexterity and he has been asked to train other line cooks in handling precarious kitchen instruments. His achievements include receiving a Gold medal, Overall Champion in the Food Hotel Asia 2018, Gourmet team challenge (assistant) – Singapore National Team. Source: Sisouphan Amphonephong, Vientiane Times
