Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith chairs a meeting on preparation for Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 in Vientiane on Mar 23, 2023 (Photo: kpl.gov.la)
Vientiane (VNA) – A conference to discuss progressmade in preparation for Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 was convened in Vientiane on June 1.
𒆙 Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs SaleumxayKommasith who is also deputy head of the National Steering Committee onPreparation and Implementation of ASEAN Chairmanship of Laos 2024, themeeting was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and organisations.
During the conference, the national committee reviewedpreparations made with respect to ASEAN Chairmanship of 14 subcommittees interms of discussion contents, theme and logo design, accommodations for state and governmentleaders, delegates and foreign journalists, meeting venues, communicationand internet facilities, liaison officers and volunteers,tourism destinations, among others. The Deputy Prime Minister requestedsubcommittees to make efforts and accomplish their tasks, especially urgentones to serve the handover of the ASEAN Chairmanship from Indonesia atthe 43rd Summit which will be held in September this year. He also asked relevant sectors to continue preparing necessary works to ensure successof the ASEAN Summit and other related meetings which will be held in Laos in 2024./.
The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM), convened on May 8 in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, discussed the priorities of Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023 as well as preparations for the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting and the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has called for intensive action to develop three digital pillars – a digital economy, government and community - to give a big boost to the country’s socio-economic development, local media reported on May 29.
Laos welcomed over 1 million foreign tourists in the first four months of this year, according to the Tourism Development Department of Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith chairs a meeting on preparation for Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 in Vientiane on Mar 23, 2023 (Photo: kpl.gov.la) 
