Singapore’s Scoot Airlines will increase its flights to Laos from three to four per week beginning in December.
This announcement follows Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s choice to fly economy class with Scoot on his return from the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane on October 11. A video of Prime Minister Wong boarding the airline received positive reactions from Singaporean travelers, especially since tickets were priced at under USD 200.
His decision sparked widespread interest on social media across the region. According to Marketing Interactive, customer satisfaction for Scoot Airlines surged to 89.1 percent, largely attributed to the Prime Minister’s endorsement.
During the ASEAN Summit in Laos, Prime Minister Wong emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, despite geographical challenges. He highlighted Singapore’s commitment to support Laos in various sectors, including electricity purchases, leadership training for Lao civil servants, cultural exchange programs, and improvements in food security and healthcare. These initiatives aim to deepen long-term cooperation between the two ASEAN members.
In line with these efforts, Scoot Airlines’ increased flights will enhance travel options, supporting tourism and business exchanges between Singapore and Laos.
The United Kingdom’s Mission to ASEAN and the British Council have officially launched the ASEAN-UK Advancing Creative Economy (ACE) program, an initiative aimed at strengthening the creative economies across the region.
The program is designed to foster collaboration with the United Kingdom (UK) and focuses on key areas such as professional development, knowledge exchange, and networking among policymakers and creative practitioners.
The ACE program will be structured around three main strands. The first comprises a series of Professional Development Courses, which will target creative economy policy development and festival management. These tailored courses are designed to support the growth of policymakers, festival producers, and creative professionals by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to develop and manage creative economies and cultural events more effectively.
The second strand of the program emphasizes knowledge exchange between the UK and ASEAN. This will be facilitated through delegations to the UK for ASEAN festival managers and policy development roundtables. These exchanges will provide an opportunity for participants to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from the UK’s vast experience in fostering a successful creative economy. The goal is to establish strong, lasting partnerships between the two regions.
The third strand focuses on Research into the ASEAN Arts Sector. This includes initiatives such as conducting a regional perception poll and mapping the arts and creative technology landscape across ASEAN. Additionally, the program will map ASEAN festivals to gain valuable insights that will inform future collaborations and strategic decisions in the creative sector.
This new initiative aligns with ASEAN’s broader Connectivity agenda, specifically under the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity, which prioritizes people-to-people connections. By promoting engagement and cooperation between ASEAN and the UK, the ACE program aims to enhance the creative sector’s growth and integration within the global economy.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ASEAN-UK-Creative-Economy-Program-Launched-to-Boost-Regional-Ties.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2024-12-09 10:35:002024-11-01 10:36:32ASEAN-UK Creative Economy Program Launched to Boost Regional Ties
Recent data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry highlights significant strides in poverty alleviation across Laos, although challenges remain as the country aims for developed status.
In 2023, 83.13 percent of families in Laos, or approximately 1,026,083 households, were reported to be above the poverty line, leaving 16.87 percent, or 208,231 families, still living in poverty. Bouahong Khamha, Director General of the Department of Rural Development, announced, as reported by state media.
According to Bouahong, 5,855 villages—69.69 percent of the total—have successfully risen above the poverty line. Conversely, 2,547 villages, accounting for 30.31 percent, continue to grapple with poverty. The district-level data is similarly telling, with over 70 districts (48 percent) still classified as impoverished, while 77 districts (52 percent) have successfully transitioned out of poverty.
In terms of development, 841,454 families—68.17 percent—have been recognized as developed, with 2,828 villages, or 33.66 percent, achieving developed status nationwide.
Looking ahead, the government aims to enhance basic living conditions, focusing on nutrition, housing, healthcare, transportation, and other essential services. Bouahong outlined ambitious targets for the coming year, including lifting 100,000 families, 1,000 villages, and 25 districts out of poverty, while simultaneously establishing 200,000 developed families, 2,000 developed villages, and 20 resilient districts.
Despite these advancements, Laos faces ongoing challenges, including a predominantly agricultural economy and unstable incomes. Infrastructure remains inadequate in many areas, and access to essential services such as electricity and transportation is still limited for numerous communities.
Laos is classified as one of 45 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by the United Nations as of December 2023.
To graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, Laos must meet three criteria established by the UN: a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of at least USD 1,305 (Laos currently stands at USD 1,996), a Human Assets Index (HAI) score of 66 or above (Laos has achieved 72.8), and an Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) score of 32 or below (Laos is currently at 33.7).
Despite these achievements, challenges persist. Issues such as income inequality, limited access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), instability in exports of goods and services, fluctuations in agricultural production, and a need for improved data and qualified personnel hinder progress.
Recent data indicates that Laos has not yet achieved graduation from LDC status primarily due to its high EVI, which remains above the UN threshold. Nevertheless, the Lao government is committed to transitioning out of LDC status by 2026, as affirmed by Khamjane Vongphosy, Laos’ Minister of Planning and Investment. The government plans to focus on human resource development, economic regulation, and poverty reduction to meet its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve overall stability.
Scoot Airlines Expands Flights to Laos Starting December
Singapore’s Scoot Airlines will increase its flights to Laos from three to four per week beginning in December.
This announcement follows Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s choice to fly economy class with Scoot on his return from the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane on October 11. A video of Prime Minister Wong boarding the airline received positive reactions from Singaporean travelers, especially since tickets were priced at under USD 200.
His decision sparked widespread interest on social media across the region. According to Marketing Interactive, customer satisfaction for Scoot Airlines surged to 89.1 percent, largely attributed to the Prime Minister’s endorsement.
During the ASEAN Summit in Laos, Prime Minister Wong emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, despite geographical challenges. He highlighted Singapore’s commitment to support Laos in various sectors, including electricity purchases, leadership training for Lao civil servants, cultural exchange programs, and improvements in food security and healthcare. These initiatives aim to deepen long-term cooperation between the two ASEAN members.
In line with these efforts, Scoot Airlines’ increased flights will enhance travel options, supporting tourism and business exchanges between Singapore and Laos.
Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2024/10/16/scoot-airlines-expands-flights-to-laos-starting-december/
ASEAN-UK Creative Economy Program Launched to Boost Regional Ties
The United Kingdom’s Mission to ASEAN and the British Council have officially launched the ASEAN-UK Advancing Creative Economy (ACE) program, an initiative aimed at strengthening the creative economies across the region.
The program is designed to foster collaboration with the United Kingdom (UK) and focuses on key areas such as professional development, knowledge exchange, and networking among policymakers and creative practitioners.
The ACE program will be structured around three main strands. The first comprises a series of Professional Development Courses, which will target creative economy policy development and festival management. These tailored courses are designed to support the growth of policymakers, festival producers, and creative professionals by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to develop and manage creative economies and cultural events more effectively.
The second strand of the program emphasizes knowledge exchange between the UK and ASEAN. This will be facilitated through delegations to the UK for ASEAN festival managers and policy development roundtables. These exchanges will provide an opportunity for participants to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from the UK’s vast experience in fostering a successful creative economy. The goal is to establish strong, lasting partnerships between the two regions.
The third strand focuses on Research into the ASEAN Arts Sector. This includes initiatives such as conducting a regional perception poll and mapping the arts and creative technology landscape across ASEAN. Additionally, the program will map ASEAN festivals to gain valuable insights that will inform future collaborations and strategic decisions in the creative sector.
This new initiative aligns with ASEAN’s broader Connectivity agenda, specifically under the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity, which prioritizes people-to-people connections. By promoting engagement and cooperation between ASEAN and the UK, the ACE program aims to enhance the creative sector’s growth and integration within the global economy.
Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2024/10/16/asean-uk-creative-economy-program-launched-to-boost-regional-ties/
Laos Reports Progress in Poverty Reduction Efforts
Recent data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry highlights significant strides in poverty alleviation across Laos, although challenges remain as the country aims for developed status.
In 2023, 83.13 percent of families in Laos, or approximately 1,026,083 households, were reported to be above the poverty line, leaving 16.87 percent, or 208,231 families, still living in poverty. Bouahong Khamha, Director General of the Department of Rural Development, announced, as reported by state media.
According to Bouahong, 5,855 villages—69.69 percent of the total—have successfully risen above the poverty line. Conversely, 2,547 villages, accounting for 30.31 percent, continue to grapple with poverty. The district-level data is similarly telling, with over 70 districts (48 percent) still classified as impoverished, while 77 districts (52 percent) have successfully transitioned out of poverty.
In terms of development, 841,454 families—68.17 percent—have been recognized as developed, with 2,828 villages, or 33.66 percent, achieving developed status nationwide.
Looking ahead, the government aims to enhance basic living conditions, focusing on nutrition, housing, healthcare, transportation, and other essential services. Bouahong outlined ambitious targets for the coming year, including lifting 100,000 families, 1,000 villages, and 25 districts out of poverty, while simultaneously establishing 200,000 developed families, 2,000 developed villages, and 20 resilient districts.
Despite these advancements, Laos faces ongoing challenges, including a predominantly agricultural economy and unstable incomes. Infrastructure remains inadequate in many areas, and access to essential services such as electricity and transportation is still limited for numerous communities.
Laos is classified as one of 45 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by the United Nations as of December 2023.
To graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, Laos must meet three criteria established by the UN: a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of at least USD 1,305 (Laos currently stands at USD 1,996), a Human Assets Index (HAI) score of 66 or above (Laos has achieved 72.8), and an Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) score of 32 or below (Laos is currently at 33.7).
Despite these achievements, challenges persist. Issues such as income inequality, limited access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), instability in exports of goods and services, fluctuations in agricultural production, and a need for improved data and qualified personnel hinder progress.
Recent data indicates that Laos has not yet achieved graduation from LDC status primarily due to its high EVI, which remains above the UN threshold. Nevertheless, the Lao government is committed to transitioning out of LDC status by 2026, as affirmed by Khamjane Vongphosy, Laos’ Minister of Planning and Investment. The government plans to focus on human resource development, economic regulation, and poverty reduction to meet its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve overall stability.
Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2024/10/16/laos-reports-progress-in-poverty-reduction-efforts/