Population: 5.9 million (UN, 2005) Capital: Vientiane Area: 236,800 sq km (91,400 sq miles) Major languages: Lao, French (for diplomatic purposes) Major religion: Buddhism Life expectancy: 53 years (men), 56 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 new kip = 100 ath
The Lao People's Republic is one of the, if not the least modernized countries of the Southeast Asia region isolated by the communist government, so poor it makes Cambodia look industrialized. As such, the small country prides on rich culture and heritage as much as its pristine surroundings and solemn traditions. Why Laos? Why now? Why not? This is a place so mysterious, outsiders know next to nothing about it, and it is this potential that makes it so alluring. Travellers who have the privilege to explore this exotic and generally unexplored frontier enjoy this simplicity and solemnity while it lasts until the waves of industrialization taints the truth and ingenuity that is Lao, as it slowly becomes a sought-after tourist destination for the backpacker culture- the details will come soon.
GEOGRAPHY
Laos (18 00 N, 105 00 E) is a 236,800 km2 small landlocked nation sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam. The country is the mountainous former Kingdom with thick, plush, and high forests and jungles that shroud the majority of the land. Laos is mostly rugged mountains with the Phou Bia standing atop Laos at an altitude of 2,817 metres above sea level, while the Mekong River, the artery, the lifeline of Laos and of the greater SEA region, sits as the lowest point of the Lao terrain at 70 metres above sea. Lao also comes with only a few plains and plateaus, hence the serpentine rice paddies all across the land hill side.
CLIMATE
The climate here is generally tropical monsoon with three seasons: hot from March to May, rainy from June through October, and dry from December through February. The dry season is the high season for travel to Laos simply for the absence of extreme heat or precipitation that can obstruct whatever the traveller's plans. The extreme heat on April spirals the beyond tolerable temperature to 104 °F, unless the traveler will head up to the mountains.
PEOPLE
Laotian or Lao people are good-natured and generous people who are nice to foreigners for no apparent reason, it is an eye opener, even to, say Americans who are responsible for the 266 million bombs that have taken lives in this war-neutral country over the past 30 or so years. There are around 78 million bombs left unexploded that continue to threaten the lives of locals, where only 400,000 were found and detonated in the last 10 years. That is enough bombs to consistently explode every 9 minutes in 24 hours for 10 years. As an especially peaceful Buddhist nation, none can vex them. Kindness is a more familiar feeling than anger for these people, no BS. The kind of Buddhism in this country which accounts for the religion of 67% of the 6,834,345 population is Theravada, while Christianity is but an incomparable minority with less than 2% of the Laotians. In over 100 ethnic groups, the Lao have the most sizeable 55% or so demographic, then the Khmous and Hmongs, and de facto, LAO is the official language of the state. ENGLISH is growing more priority than the colonial language, FRENCH at the same, a few too many ethnic languages or dialects.
CULTURE
Situated and locked in the middle of the Indochina peninsula, Laos has beheld "crossroads" status. Romantic and mysterious, nice and cool, pristine but very adaptable, terrible past but bright future, simply breathtaking and gets more beautiful by the second, add very low maintenance- could have just described the "ideal" girl, but this is Laos. So if you want to keep coming home to this kind of girl, then Laos is the place for you.
The Lao culture is rooted on immense spirituality, particularly Theravada Buddhism with influences extending from architecture to daily living, as goes with the communal practice of alms giving every morning upon sunrise. But Laos, with its recently acquired accolade as the Ney York Time's best tourist destination in the World, a slow modernization is taking place posing great danger to the solemnity of some rituals such as the aforementioned daily alms giving to monks. For now, the Laotians' simple life is in control, in balance with the times in absolute no hurry to match the pace of its SEA neighbours.
ATTRACTIONS
Coming to Laos, no travel experience is complete without spending ample to excessive times in historical and sacred edifices. Not to be redundant or cheesy, Laos prides on these imperial and colossal structures that tell the great Lao tale of how it has become. The Pha That Luang, the Great Stupa, the national monument of Laos covered in gold is unprecedented and truly royal. The Buddha Park is also breath-taking and magical with but one phrase to describe it, "out-of-this-world". Hoi An is perhaps one of the places with the strongest resistance to change, thus its appeal to travellers with the taste for the old and authentic. Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage City, has more adventures in store with tremendous alternatives for fun and information for the independent traveller. The Plain of Jars are also a sought after place, esteemed to be as enigmatic as it is dangerous, for it is a site of undetonated bombs. River Mekong is a natural wonder beyond necessity and importance, it's downright fun. Lastly, home and paradise to the backpacker culture, there is Vang Vieng, so phenomenal, this, for many, can be the place they see on earth, and to some it happens, for it is the land where the waters are high, and the alcohol flows free. Tubing is, to many travellers one of the ultimate adventures in Laos, and is ultimately dangerous as well with 2 deaths reported and several other casualties from a simple gash to broken skulls- doesn't make the experience any less unless of course it happens to you.
FOOD
Food, food, Lao food- this is cuisine for foodies in search of new flavours. To a lot of insiders looking in, Lao or Khmer food is much a mystery as this whole country has been. Although its relatives are Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese food, imagine these marrying together. Lao or Khmer cuisine is perhaps the best vehicle to establish Lao connection. Lucky enough, Lao cuisine has not been side-swept by the wave of Western food chains, but to be sure, the streets will offer that most authentic Khmer cuisine from the Kingdom. A bowl of Kao Piak off the Daily Market, which is a bowl of steaming noodle goodness complimented by chicken, duck, and pork and condiments...lots of it from ginger paste, chilli, fish sauce, lemon, pepper, sugar, etc, is reminiscent of Pho. Khao jii pat-te is Laos' Bahn Mi, and tam maak hung is a doppelganger to Thailand's som tam. The fundamental characteristics of the cuisine are meat and fish are used sparingly, at least in contrast to the liberal use of fruits and vegetables. The use of coconut milk in cooking is adopted from Thai and Cambodian influences. Desiring something authentic? You want some Lao lao, that traditional home brewed rice whiskey? How about a little exotica- some crispy ant egg omelettes perhaps?
This place is a beautiful secret gem, which won't stay that hidden too long. Laos amongst all is a country the traveller will love for the sights and more so the smell that says "home".
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Laos is landlocked and lies between Thailand, Myanmar, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. The Mekong River forms the countries western border and the Anna Mite Mountains form its eastern border with Vietnam.
The total land area is approximately 237,000 sq km. An area similar to that of the United Kingdom. The main features of the country are its mountains and the Mekong River valley.
Laos has a monsoon climate of a dry and a wet season. The dry season lasts from November to May with the cooler period in December and January. At its coldest, the temperatures can fall to as low as 15. The cold periods tend to be at night and early morning with colder temperatures at higher altitudes. During the hot period of the dry season, between March and May, temperatures can reach the high 30s. The rainy season is a lot cooler, and rainfall varies according to altitude. Generally speaking, the monsoon season produces severe rain that lasts for short periods of time. The wet months vary according to location, in Vientiane, they are from May to September, in Luang Prabang, and August is far wetter than any other month.
Parts of the Anna mite chain are covered with tropical evergreen forest, where rainfall is highest and in the south, tropical pine forests can be found.
Laos, the land of a million elephants and one of the last places to see old Indochina. The pace of Laos is slow and its people relaxed and friendly.
There are 68 official ethnic groups in Laos, belonging to three main groups.
For much of its history, Laos has been under the thumb of its neighbours at various times the Cambodians, Burmese, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Siamese. The result is that Laos has experienced great difficulty in establishing a national identity.
Laos folk music uses the Khen a set of pipes. Lam Wong is a popular folk dance where couples dance in circles to Lam Vong music.
It has a large number of animal species, including as many as 500 different birds. Reptiles include many snakes, including king cobras. There are a large number of lizards. Mammals include wild cats, bears, leopards and tigers. There are up to 500 wild elephants, although more than twice those numbers are in captivity. There are a number of rare species which include rhinos and wild cattle.
The Lao language is a member of the Tai language group, sometimes known as Tai Kadai or Kadai.
laos government website="laos government website" Left for dead?
I am looking to join my local Rolling Thunder chapter and I saw something on their website that I hoping is not true (or that they are mistaken).
The website says:
"600 Americans were lost in Laos (The Black Hole), NOT A SINGLE MAN WAS EVER RELEASED. The Pathet Laos government stated on several occasions that they held prisoners, yet our government NEVER NEGOTIATED FOR THEIR FREEDOM."
Nations Band Together to Double Worldwide Population of Wild Tigers
The four-day International Forum on Tiger Conservation came to an end yesterday in St. Petersburg after successfully attracting officials from 13 nations to discuss ways to save the wild tiger population.
This is the year of the tiger in China, but the animal has been reduced to a worldwide wild population of just 3,200 – down from over 100,000 about a century ago. The fact that those numbers are also unevenly spread out and include all subspecies is a serious matter of concern for the long term health of the gene pool and the sustainability of the tiger in its natural habitat.
Officials from all nations where tigers are found, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam were present for the important summit, as well as representatives from leading wildlife organizations.
The forum passed measures which, if successful, aim to see the population of wild tigers double by the next Chinese year of the tiger, which occurs in 2022. Leaders such as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attended the forum, demonstrating the seriousness of the issue. The restoration of the animal's habitat coupled with an intensive breeding program needs to be worked on simultaneously and coordinated among all countries to achieve this goal, Wen said.
Additionally, man-made structures such as the border crossing between China and Russia are cutting off tigers from other breeding stocks, further depleting the gene pool and having the effect of creating small pools of tigers in areas too small to properly accommodate them. A single Siberian tiger for example needs a space of about 325 square kilometers to roam. The cutting-off of passageways is also making it easier for poachers to find them. Tigers, however, are relatively easy to breed in captivity (there are an estimated 5,000 tigers in North America kept in zoos, private zoos, or as exotic pets), but the goal is to ensure that breeding is carried out in a planned manner, recorded, and the animals then released back into a sustainable environment.
The age-old traditions of the Red Dao people, a hill tribe known for its medicinal culture and expert herbalists, infuse an all natural spa in the mountains.
After a long day of hiking the steep hills and terraced rice paddies of the mountains around Sapa, an all-natural herbal steam bath was just what my aching muscles needed.
At Red Dao Spa, I was led into a small bath full of fragrant steam wafting from the large wooden tub. First, I washed down with some herb-infused water, a dark reddish color, and then sat in the warm water for a 20 minute soak.
The Red Dao people in Sapa are known as the best herbalists in the area thanks to a vibrant medicinal culture centered on herbal remedies. Living near thick forests, Red Dao communities have taken advantage of the rich source of medicine to keep them healthy and full of energy. The Red Dao use herbs to treat everything from flu to skin diseases and muscle problems.
For generations, the Red Dao people have used traditional herbal spas to treat a variety of ailments. Their baths include ten different kinds of herbs collected fresh from the forest before each soak.
The leaves, some fresh but some dried, are boiled for 3-4 hours. Then they are mixed with fresh water at 30-37oC. The bathtub, put in a small room to keep the steam and fragrance of the herbs, is usually made from fir or another aromatic wood.
Therapy
Red Dao Spa is run by Sapa local Ly Lao Lo in Ta Chai Village, Ta Phin Commune, around 12 kilometers from the center of the town.
The spa is small and sparsely furnished, but welcoming and comfortable. I visited after a Sapa woman suggested the place.
Once I arrived, I was briefed about the history of the herbal therapies I would be given and the properties of each herb.
Then I had my soak. Sitting in the warm, red water, I felt all my senses tingle and my muscles eased and relaxed. A soothing feeling crept up and down my body. After 20 minutes, I was thoroughly relaxed.
Goldmine
The only problem with Sapa’s new Red Dao-style spas is that there are a lot of them and it’s not easy to tell which ones are authentic.
“The thing that worries me is if people sell the service when they don’t really understand it and do not use the herbs properly,” said Lo.
“It also saddens me to see villagers working very hard to collect the herbs when the spas don’t pay them very well.”
With help from doctors at the Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Lo has also established a small company producing soap with traditional Red Dao herbs and leaves. To make the product, which can be found in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Lo has hired some 40 families in his village to grow the herbs themselves.
Try the true Dao’s spa at:
Red Dao Spa: Ta Chai Village, Ta Phin Commune, Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province
ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA (ATA) offers a wide selection of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar adventure tours, including hiking and trekking, biking, motorcycling, overland touring and family travel packages.
Fall Quarter Battle 2010: Judge Showcase (Seton Chiang, Brian Lao; Vince Ngo)
laos history facts="laos history facts" what are some interesting facts on Laos?
i have a stupid history project due soon and i have no idea of any interesting facts on laos!!! need biiiiiiiig help.
Communist state Population 6,368,481 Ethnic groups Lao Lum (lowland Lao), including Lao and Tai 66 percent Lao Thoeng (Lao of the mountain slopes), including Khamu, Lamet, Laven, Sedang, and Nyaheun 24 percent Lao Sung (Lao of the mountaintops), including Hmong and Yao (Mien) 10 percent Languages Lao (official), numerous indigenous languages and dialects, French, English Religious affiliations Buddhist 49 percent Indigenous beliefs 42 percent Nonreligious 4 percent Christian 2 percent Other 3 percent Life expectancy Total 55.5 years Female 57.6 years Male 53.5 years
Thalia Dragonas: Ethnic Macedonians have the right to self-identification
India-asean Fta: Implications for India’s Northeast
Introduction
India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)[i] have concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after years of difficult negotiations. This agreement will be signed into a treaty at the India-ASEAN Summit to be held in Bangkok on December 2008 and will come into force from January 1, 2009 if everything goes as planned.
Expectations from the India-ASEAN FTA are high. The Joint Media Statement of the Sixth ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)-India Consultations stated that “the AIFTA could be a major avenue in harnessing the region’s vast economic potentials towards sustained progress and improved welfare not only for ASEAN and India but for the greater East Asian region as well.”[ii]
The India-ASEAN FTA is the result of many international and domestic factors. On one hand, the trend of international regionalisation and the proliferation of FTAs and the failure of the Doha round of multilateral talks to yield concrete results led both India and the ASEAN countries to consider alternative solutions towards freer trade. On the other, the adoption of policies by India and ASEAN to develop better cooperation with their immediate neighbours in recent years has helped accelerate this negotiation.
In this context, India’s Northeast came to be seen in a new light. Several steps have been taken to improve relations with India’s immediate neighbour Myanmar. India has also trade relations with Thailand and Singapore. India and Myanmar shared a 1643 km long border. Myanmar being a member of ASEAN, the north eastern states of India become an important link between the two parties.
This paper is an attempt to analyse what forebode India and its Northeast states in the light of the much-hyped India-ASEAN FTA. It will start by looking into the relationship between India and ASEAN and culminate with the present agreement. After that, the paper will analyse the implications the AIFTA can have on the north eastern states of India. It will, however, not delve into the security-insurgency dimension that has almost become an anthem for most writers on north eastern India except in giving some passing remarks. It will, instead, try to highlight the many projects, plans and proposals that has been undertaken in the north east during the past few years and explore possible opportunities, problems and solutions for this region and for the FTA.
India and ASEAN: Shared ties, divergent policies and convergence?
Although India and ASEAN countries have shared cultural and historical ties, India’s interactions with ASEAN countries was quite limited during the Cold War as the two pursued policies which were not very conducive to deep rooted interactions and commitments to each other. Soon after the end of the Second World War, India championed the process of decolonisation and drew recognition and appreciation from different parts of the world. It became one of the founding members of the Nonaligned Movement (NAM). Even though Indonesia was also a member of NAM alongside India, this relationship did not extend beyond that.
The arrival of bipolar politics in Southeast Asia, the Vietnam crisis and India’s close ties with the Soviet Union led to the adoption of divergent policies by both India and ASEAN. ASEAN was formed in 1967 during the Vietnam War primarily to diffuse regional conflicts and to promote better relations between members. Communist victories in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia soon worsened the already fragile security situation of Southeast Asia. Thus by 1976, ASEAN was forced to contemplate to become an association with security as its main concern. The reunification of Vietnam and the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia created another security dilemma. While ASEAN chastised Vietnam, India supported Vietnam. ASEAN’s suspicions of the Soviet Union and the paranoia it had with anything communist led many, including India, to regard ASEAN as allies of the capitalists or a pro-American bloc. Suspicion was so high during this time that India refused to hold dialogues with ASEAN twice in 1975 and 1980.
But with the end of the Cold War, interactions between India and ASEAN became more frequent; and relations between the two began to improve at a very fast pace. Following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, India began to adopt liberalisation policies. Meanwhile, ASEAN had also emerged as an important regional organisation with great potentials and opportunities for growth. The transformation of the international system and new outlooks led to the adoption of the Look East Policy by India. When India initiated its Look East Policy in 1991, it marked a strategic shift in its foreign policy and perceptions towards its eastern neighbours. ASEAN’s strategic importance in the larger Asia-Pacific region and the potentials it has in becoming India’s major partner in trade and investment also added an impetus to India to develop closer ties with it. In addition, considering that the proposed South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is unlikely to produce any solid outcome, this policy shift and agreement on the part of India is as strategic as it is important. The Indian Prime Mister Manmohan Singh commented thus, “This was not merely an external economic policy; it was also a strategic shift in India’s vision of the world and India’s place in the evolving global economy. Most of all it was about reaching out to our civilizational neighbours in the region.”[iii]
In continuance of India’s Look East Policy, the process of interregional cooperation was institutionalised with India becoming a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992; a full dialogue partner in 1995 and member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1996. India became a summit-level partner of ASEAN in 2002 and concluded the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity in 2004. India also became engaged in regional initiatives such as the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). India has now become a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS) since December 2005.
The deepening of relationship between India and ASEAN is reflected in the buoyancy of trade figures between the two. During April-September 2007-2008, trade grew from US$ 15.06 billion to US$ 17.02 billion, that is, trade grew by 13 per cent. India’s Foreign Trade with ASEAN, according to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), is also on the rise. During the period 2005-2006 to 2006-2007, India’s exports to ASEAN registered a growth rate of 20.67 per cent. Similarly, India’s imports from ASEAN during the same period registered a growth rate of 66 per cent. India-ASEAN trade stood at US$ 38.37 billion in 2007-2008 and is projected to reach US$ 48 billion during 2008-2009.[iv]
At the first India-ASEAN Summit held at Phnom Penh on November 5, 2001, India called for an India-ASEAN FTA within a 10-year time frame. In this context, the second India-ASEAN Summit held at Bali on October 8, 2003 was a significant landmark in India-ASEAN relations. This Summit saw the signing of the Framework Agreement for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between India and ASEAN. This agreement envisaged the establishment of an FTA within a period of ten years. In March 2004, an ASEAN-India Trade Negotiations Committee (AI-TNC) was established to negotiate the implementation of the provisions of the Framework Agreement. India has, since then, entered into numerous agreements with ASEAN. At the sixth India-ASEAN Summit held at Singapore on November last year, India proposed to increase its bilateral trade with ASEAN to the tune of US$ 50 billion by the year 2010. The latest agreement is therefore, the result of many years of tactful policies that led to the thawing of the ice between these two important emerging economic powers in Asia.
In addition to these agreements with ASEAN, India has also made consistent efforts to develop bilateral ties with ASEAN members. With Thailand, India has 61 years of diplomatic relations. India also has a Free Trade Agreement with Thailand that was signed in 2004. The framework agreement on bilateral FTA of 2003 was the basis of this FTA with Thailand. Trade between the two increased from a mere US$ 606 million to US$ 3.14 billion in 2006-2007.
With the CLV countries (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam), India entered into a number of bilateral agreements for cooperation in the fields of trade, science and technology , agriculture, defence, visa exemption, tourism, IT and culture. India has major projects in the fields of education, entrepreneurship development and IT in these three countries. In 2004, India extended a credit line of US$ 27 million to Vietnam.
Malaysia is a major source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for India, particularly in the areas of LPG, power plants and highway constructions. Trade between the two rose from US$ 2.2 billion in 2002-2003 to US$ 6.6 billion in 2006-2007. Indian public sector undertakings such as BHEL and IRCON have also undertaken and completed a number of projects in Malaysia. Presently, after the India-ASEAN FTA negotiations, it is reported that about 150 Indian engineering firms are eying to diversify their export base in ASEAN markets and are planning to make Malaysia the regional hub to penetrate the region.[v] Many of these companies are exploring the possibilities of joint ventures, technology transfers and investment opportunities.
It was mainly because of the insistence of Indonesia that India became a part of the East Asia Summit in 2005. Relations between the two had been very good for many years. Bilateral trade between the two increased by 44 per cent from 2005-2006 to 2006-2007.
India has a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Singapore since 2005. This agreement included bilateral investment promotion treaty, double taxation avoidance agreement, an air services agreement and an FTA. Singapore, along with Indonesia had been an important factor for India’s inclusion into the East Asian Summit. In addition, it was Singapore’s role that paved the way for India’s association with the ARF. Singapore is the biggest source of FDI for India among ASEAN countries. During the period 2000 to 2008, the cumulative FDI of Singapore into India was worth a whooping US$ 4.35 billion. Concurrently, over two thousand Indian companies were based in Singapore.
India also has plans for a free trade area with Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia by 2011 and with the remaining ASEAN countries by 2016. Since 1995, India had actively engaged Myanmar in trade. It has signed several agreements and MOUs including the Tripartite Maritime Agreement with Myanmar and Thailand, Border Trade Agreement and for cooperation between civilian authorities between India and Myanmar. Since 2000, a number of high level visits have taken place. During these visits, several agreements and MOUs have been signed in areas ranging from hydroelectric projects on the Chindwin River and IT cooperation to cultural exchange programmes. In the year 2003 alone, seven Agreements/MOUs were signed to promote trade and communication facilities. By 2006-2007, bilateral trade between India and Myanmar reached US$ 650 million as compared to US$ 341.40 million in 2004-2005.
India-ASEAN FTA, Look East Policy and the Northeast
The announcement came after the conclusion of the 6th ASEAN AEM – India Consultations held at Singapore on 28 August 2008. The text of the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement will be finalised before the India-ASEAN Summit to be held in December 2008 at Bangkok where it will be formally signed into a treaty and will come into force from January 1, 2009. This Summit will be attended by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
This agreement, it is expected, will bring a free trade regime to about two billion people from 11 countries with a combined GDP of $2,381 billion as of 2007. The agreement covering billions of dollars in trade in goods but not in services was supposed to have been concluded last year but talks were bogged down because of differences over products that India wanted excluded from tariff cuts. India had submitted a list of 1,414 products but ASEAN’s target was only 400. In the end, the agreement permits India to have 489 products in the ‘exclusion list’ and 606 sensitive goods that will come under partial duty reductions.
This agreement is to be viewed against the backdrop of the long drawn-out Doha round of multilateral talks. As the Doha talks continue to drag on, this agreement between India and ASEAN can be seen as a natural course of action for countries refusing to entangle themselves in the protracted Doha round of talks. This agreement, along with the comprehensive FTA between ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand (AANZ FTA), became the first major trade agreement in the post-Doha era of trade policy negotiations.
The India-ASEAN FTA is also the result of recent changes in ASEAN’s policy towards its immediate neighbours and other important trading partners all over the world. In recent years, ASEAN has been involved with its major trading partners in concluding FTAs. In 1999, the ASEAN+3[vi] was formed for the establishment of a common market and a currency. China was the first to conclude an FTA with ASEAN followed by Japan and South Korea. The present FTA between India and ASEAN, and the AANZ FTA completes this trend. ASEAN will now be able to strike a fine balance in trade among its immediate neighbours.
The India-ASEAN FTA also needs to be viewed in the broader context of global trends towards regional or bilateral trading arrangements (RTAs/FTAs). Out of the 108 RTAs notified to the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) over the period 1948-1994, 33 of them had been established in the early 1990s. By the year 2000, almost half of the 220 RTAs notified to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are initiated after the Cold War. Such is the importance accorded to RTAs or FTAs in recent times that no country can ill afford to ignore it. Till July 2007, some 380 RTAs have been notified to the WTO.[vii]
For India, this agreement will be a major milestone in its Look East Policy that began after the collapse of the erstwhile Soviet Union. The current agreement will take India far beyond its existing trade agreements with Myanmar, Thailand and Singapore.
It is in these contexts that India’s Northeast came to be seen in a new light. Rajiv Sikri, the Secretary East of the Ministry of External Affairs remarked that the Look East Policy “envisages the Northeast region not as the periphery of India, but as the centre of a thriving and integrated economic space linking two dynamic regions with a network of highways, railways, pipelines, transmission lines crisscrossing the region.”[viii]
Myanmar, now being a member of ASEAN and having shared a 1643 km long border with India, is now becoming the major link between India and ASEAN countries. The Northeast states of India have now also been seen as the ‘gateway’ to the ASEAN countries.
One early outcome of the Look East policy was the Indo-Myanmar Trade Agreement signed in 1994. According to this agreement, border trade between the two is to be conducted through Moreh in India and Tamu in Myanmar; Champhai in India and Hri in Myanmar and other places that may be notified by mutual agreement. Several Indian companies are also engaged in oil and gas exploration in Myanmar.
In 2001, India upgraded the 160 km long Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo highway. Plans for a 1400 km long trans-Asian highway that will connect India, Myanmar and Thailand is now being finalised. A railway link that will extend up to Imphal in Manipur in the first phase and up to Myanmar in the second phase is also being planned. Bilateral trade between India and Myanmar has also been expanding at a significant rate since 2001. India has extended a number of general and project-specific credit lines in the last few years. Some major projects between the two, besides the ones already mentioned include the Rhi-Tiddim and Rhi-Falam Roads in Myanmar, the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project and the Tamanthi Hydro Electric Power Project.
The Kaladan Multimodal Transit-cum-Transport project agreement was signed in April this year. Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of State for Commerce said that the Rs. 548 Crore project will help increase connectivity between the two countries. This project will link Kolkata and Sittwe, Kaleutwa in Myanmar by road and would go through Mizoram in India. It also envisages the development of a 225 km waterway on the Kaladan River and the construction of ports along the way. The minister said that north eastern India will be able to boost its border trade with Myanmar. We will also consider opening up of trading points in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. At present, we have only one trading point at Moreh in Manipur. This project will also help India to effectively integrate with the ASEAN region through Myanmar.[ix] Plans to allow free movement of Myanmarese citizens up to Moreh town in Manipur is also afoot. The Manipur Government has also submitted a Rs. 200 Crore project proposal to the Central Government to develop infrastructure at Moreh.
In 2006, a proposal for a bus service between Imphal and Mandalay was considered and accepted by the Indian Government. But till now, no such service has been undertaken. But during the September 2008 visit of a 17-member trade delegation from Myanmar at Imphal, the Myanmar trade delegation expressed their desire to implement the proposed Imphal-Mandalay bus service definitely. This visit was a reciprocal visit after a trade delegation from Manipur visited Mandalay during the month of April 2008. After holding a series of meetings, both the sides agreed to put pressure on their respective governments to improve the existing border trade between India and Myanmar.
Earlier in April 2008, after the visit of a strong Myanmar official and business delegation to India, both the two countries had agreed to increase border trade that is restricted to only 22 items, all being agricultural products. There are now plans to free more items including life saving drugs, fertilizers, garments, x-ray papers and motor parts.
The latest agreement signed between India and Myanmar is the four-point economic cooperation agreement signed in June this year. This agreement was signed by the Indian Minister for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh and the Myanmar Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha. First, the Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement (BIPA) was signed to encourage investment between the two countries. Second, a credit line agreement between the Exim Bank of India and the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank was signed to finance three 290 kv transmission lines in Myanmar. This US$ 64 million project will be executed by the Power Grid Corporation of India. Third, a credit line agreement for US$ 20 million between the Exim Bank of India and the Myanmar Trade Bank was signed to finance the establishment of an aluminium conductor steel reinforced wire manufacturing facility. This facility will be used for the expansion of power distribution network in Myanmar. Fourth, the United Bank of India (UBI) and the Myanmar Economic Bank signed an agreement to encourage border trade through Moreh. There are also plans to expand trade centres to include Arangkhu and Lungwa in Nagaland, Zokhawthar in Mizoram, Pangsan Pass in Arunachal Pradesh and Behiang, Skip and Tusom in Manipur.[x]
At present, only Moreh border trade centre in Manipur is functional with other centres becoming non-functional.
Till now, results are far below expectations, especially for the Northeast. In practice, the agreements between India and Myanmar do not extend much beyond granting formal sanctions to the already existing exchanges between the local people. In effect, border trade remains insignificant and did not contribute much towards economic growth for neither country. Among the many problems faced by both countries, security concerns and the poorly developed infrastructure for trade are the most acute. For trade and commerce to flourish, the entire network of transport and communication, industries and agriculture throughout the Northeast also needs to be revamped and developed. Unless this is done, the much touted India-ASEAN FTA will be just another statistics in the minds of a very few researchers, academicians, scholars and administrators in Northeast India.
An important point to note is that although trade performance has improved with India’s eastern neighbours, many of these exchanges had been done through seaports, leaving the northeast states in the lurch. If the northeast is to benefit from any improved trade relations or any present or future FTAs, the numerous plans and proposals that has been put forth and are in paper only must be implemented and brought to fruition first. The very few roles that the northeast states are playing right now should also be promoted to a more central role so that the north east states could reap the fruits of its own fields.
In a nutshell, Northeast India, a storehouse of great natural resources but very backward economically, needs to be built up and readied if it is really going to be the ‘gateway’ or ‘centre’ of trade between India and East Asia. Unless the region is developed to catch up with the rest of the country in its growth rate and development, it will be hard to achieve what the people aspired for – peace, security, prosperity and all round development. To make this possible, substantial investment in infrastructure, construction of roads, bridges, communication networks, harnessing of the region’s vast natural resources and other physical infrastructures that will facilitate trade and economic progress needs to be developed.
With the impending AIFTA, India’s Northeast region has suddenly become the centre of focus once again. But this region has been lacking behind other Indian states in most respects in spite of its vast natural resources and strategic position as a link between India and Southeast and East Asian countries. The main reasons why this region remains backward are the lack of any infrastructure that could facilitate any development in the region, poor market access and, to some degree, security issues.
The Indian government also concedes that the Northeast has a long way to go to achieve the national growth rate of nearly 9 per cent. The growth rate of Northeast is only 4 per cent. To increase the growth rate and economy of this region will be an important step because herein lies many solutions to some pressing political and security problems.
Therefore, in the context of the present FTA, the author is of the opinion that unless the Northeast region is developed wholeheartedly, neither India nor ASEAN will really benefit from it.
Concluding Remarks
Lately, there has been a flurry of activities that are of great importance to the north east states with some conscious efforts being made to develop this region. The Union Minister for the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Mani Shankar Aiyar said that the Centre is aiming to promote the region as a major FDI destination and an export centre. The minister added that these are all attempts to make the region the arrowhead of India’s future economic growth. On July 2, 2008, the Indian PM released the North Eastern Region Vision 2020 document which contained detailed reports for the development of the north eastern region. The PM gave his assurances that the visions contained within this document will be made a reality. To quote him extensively, he said, “Infrastructure deficiency remains a major concern of the Government. You will be happy to know that we have decided to link all State Capitals with railway lines. These projects have been given the status of National Projects with a special funding pattern. Airports are being modernized and new ones are being built. An ambitious programme of road building has been taken up under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North East (SARDP-NE) and an amount of Rs. 31,000 Crore is being invested on roads in the 11th Five Year Plan. There are relaxed guidelines for rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) so that even the farthest hamlets on the border are linked by road. Within the 11th Plan period, these interventions will begin to show positive results. To bridge the infrastructure gap in the region, our Government has taken several initiatives. Work on the Tipaimukh and Loktak Downstream Hydro Electric Projects, costing about Rs.6,000 crores and Rs. 800 crores respectively, has been expedited. The 726 MW Palatana Gas based Power Plant, with an outlay of Rs.3,000 crores, a 750 MW Thermal Power Plant at Bongaigaon with an outlay of Rs. 4375 crores, and the Assam Gas Cracker Project have all broken ground. The Kumarghat-Agartala railway line has been approved as a National project, with an outlay of Rs. 750 Crores. The Jiribam–Tupu-Imphal railway line, which will put the Manipur valley on the rail map of India, has also been sanctioned as a National project for Rs. 727 Crores.”[xi]
On September 12, 2008, Lt. General ML Naidu visited Imphal and discussed with the Manipur Chief Minister issues pertaining to security, law and order situation in Manipur. It is still not clear if this visit has any significance in the context of our current discussions, but is certainly significant if we take into account the timing of the visit and the rank of the visitor.
End Notes
[i] ASEAN was formed in 1967. Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines constituted the five original members. Brunei became a full member in 1984; Vietnam in 1995; Laos and Myanmar in 1997; and Cambodia in 1999.
[ii] http://www.aseansec.org/21895.htm
[iii] Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's address at the 16th Asian Corporate Conference driving global business : India's new priorities, Asia’s new realities. URL: http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/press_release/2006/Mar/35.asp
[iv] India’s trade statistics and other commercial information can be had from the DGCIS website at http://www.dgciskol.nic.in/
The author has a Ph. D. in International Politics from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His areas of interest are Southeast Asia, Southern Africa and Latin America and writes mainly on the politics of regional integration in these areas. He also writes on issues pertaining to South Asia, particularly on India's Northeast.
The essence of Yin and Yang from a Chinese perspective is that we live in an ever-changing world. The qualities of change that exist within us and around us can be described and understood by applying the principles of Yin and Yang. These qualities of energy underpin all traditional Chinese practice and are applied in: acupuncture, acupressure, Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese astrology, martial arts and Feng Shui.
Early Chinese sages acknowledged that humanity was affected by two dominant forces. Namely: Heaven and Earth. Heaven was regarded as the space above us, incorporating the stars and the Chi from the cosmos, and was given the term Yang, which also represents Father. Its dominant force is that of a descending tendency towards the earth. Earth was regarded as the source of Chi beneath the ground that rose up vertically and returned to the cosmos. This Earth Chi represents the landscape, our environment and the food we eat. It was also given the feminine connotation of Mother.
The first sage to write about Yin and Yang was Lao Tzu in his classic, the Tao Te Ching, written 500 BC. In his poetic prose, Lao Tzu describes how all human affairs are governed by the changing world in which we live, which can be categorised by the forces of Yin and Yang.
Lao Tzu gives many practical examples of this working dynamic. For example, it is impossible to understand heat (Yang) without having any knowledge of cold (Yin). How is it possible to describe the daylight (Yang) without any knowledge of the dark and the night (Yin)?
History of the famous Yin/Yang Symbol
Historically, the followers of Lao Tzu, known as Taoists, are acknowledged as the authors of the Yin/Yang symbol. The symbol itself beautifully expresses the concept of a universe with two dominant forces – Yin and Yang and their perpetual motion.
To begin with, the circle represents the ‘wholeness' of the entire universe. Next, the circle can also represent a cycle. As far as the symbol is concerned, the cycle begins at the bottom, which from a Chinese perspective represents the night or the winter, and when the forces of Yin are at their peak. The colour black always represents Yin – the night and the winter, whereas the colour white represents Yang – the daytime and the summer.
As you progress clockwise around the cycle from the bottom, after the peak of Yin, the tail or the beginning of Yang starts to form and rises towards the top of the cycle, which represents the noon and the mid-summer. It is at this point that the white (the Yang) sector of the cycle is at its peak. At the top of the cycle, the tail of the Yang – the beginning – starts to form and as it descends, on the right side of the cycle, towards the bottom, the Yin is becoming stronger.
Within each half of the symbol appears an eye with the opposite colour. This represents another facet of the Taoist philosophy, that nothing is totally Yin or Yang. In other words, within the Yang there is always a small amount of Yin, and within the Yin there is always a small amount of Yang.
Practical examples of this thinking would be to take extreme Yin (cold) which ultimately freezes and becomes hard or sharp (Yang).
These principles of Yin and Yang are used as the basis for the oldest system of astrology in continuous use today, I Ching Astrology.
Yin & Yang in your living environment
The location of our home or office and its surrounding landscape can have Yin or Yang qualities that can affect us. Within our homes, the colours, the interior design and the layout can create and embody qualities of Yin and Yang – stillness or activity.
Making Balance with Yin and Yang
One of the earliest mentions of Yin and Yang in relationship to Feng Shui appeared in the 6th century A.D. regarding Landscape of Form School Feng Shui. Yin and Yang were simply epitomised by the location of a dwelling on the shady (Yin) side of the hill or the sunny (Yang) side of the hill.
The attributes of Yin and Yang. It's important to remember that all the qualities of Yin and Yang are tendencies and would have been drawn from the sages' experience of the natural world in which they lived and that we continue to do so also. These tendencies or qualities can be classified as follows.
Yang
Hot
Day
Summer
Faster
Active
Bright
Harder
Practical
White, red, green
Rigid
Masculine
Yin
Cold
Night
Winter
Slower
Passive
Dark
Softer
Spiritual
Black, blue
Flexible
Feminine
The Principles of Yin and Yang
There are two vital dynamics of Yin and Yang that are well worth noting and remembering.
1. If there is a dominance of one of the Yin or Yang characteristics present in your life or your environment, it will ultimately make you take on that quality. For example, if you live in a cold, damp, dark basement (Yin), this Chi will affect you and you will become cold, passive and unenthusiastic.
2. At their extremes, Yin turns into Yang and vice versa. For example, if you apply extreme heat to a rock or a piece of metal it will ultimately Yin-ise and become fluid and flexible. If, on the other hand, you apply the principle of extreme Yin – cold – to water, it will freeze and become hard. If you take a holiday in a very hot Yang climate, you will become very relaxed and lethargic (Yin). On the other hand, if you live in the extreme cold mountainous regions of the world, you will become very active, focused and resilient (Yang).
Yin & Yang and Feng Shui
Generally speaking, our home is a more Yin environment compared to the workplace. Our home is where we retreat, where we relax and recover our strength and energy. To help achieve this, we bring many Yin qualities and features into our homes. These include: soft furnishings, softer lighting, mellow colours, soft carpets, music, plants and artwork that is either comforting or relaxing. Conversely, within the work environment, where our Chi needs to be more Yang, we tend to bring in more: brighter lighting, clear and practical furnishings, Yang colours, in particular white, imagery that is focused and practical, e.g. wallcharts and calendars, fewer plants, harder floors, and less music.
Even within the home, we can create more Yin or more Yang rooms or themes within the house. If you are raising healthy, young, boisterous children, they need a more Yang and uplifting environment. This can be achieved with brighter lighting, brighter colours and stimulating imagery. If, on the other hand, the home is occupied by elderly people, they prefer a more Yin environment where the lighting is softer and darker, imagery is peaceful and the general ambience is more mellow.
Making Balance
A useful tip using Yin and Yang is always to bring in a little of the ‘opposite' into your environment. For example, if you occupy a Yang bright office, bring in a touch of Yin – a plant, a flower, an image that is either romantic or mellow. On the other hand, in a Yin darker room at home, use brighter colours, a bright light.
About the Author
Published eight books on and around the subjects of Acupressure, Feng Shui Astrology, The 10 Day Re-Balance Programme, Piatkus Guide to Feng Shui, Feng Shui Journey, Macrobiotics for Beginners, Zen and the Art of Cooking, The Authentic I Ching and I Ching Astrology.
I Ching Astrology Ltd Name Jon Sandifer Email ichingastrologyva@gmail.com Web Address http://www.iching-astrology.com
vaccinations for laos="vaccinations for laos" Vaccination for Asia..?
Japanese encephalitis. I could really do with some advice on whether or not I should have this vaccination?? I am visiting HK, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, Maybe Malaysia and Singapore. I have done my research and have found that the transmisson season is May to October, I will be there from Novemeber to April.. I was wondering if anyone can confirm this? And/or offer me advice??
Ps. Thanks to all the people who have been answering my questions concerning my travels!
Ta. Chris
My doctor never bothered telling me to get it. I asked him about it and he said it's not needed because it's such a rare virus for tourists.
Of course, this was my doctor, and he might be a bit dodgy, but I dont know many people who have been there that have bothered to get the shot.
Apparently the disease is a problem if you're going to be spending large amounts of time off the beaten track. That is, you're an aid worker or missionary etc. But if you're just doing a holiday type trip - even if you will be heading to some remote areas from time to time - it's probably not that crucial.
Of course, it all comes down to how you feel about it. Personally I dont think it's needed, but if you're concerned about it then get it done.
Do I need to take anti malaria tablets for my trip to Thailand & across Mekong river?
I'm travelling to Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and also travelling across the Mekong river for a day trip & stopping off on a Laos island. Is there any need to take anti malaria tablets or is the risk small? Thanks, Steven
Local health authorities do not recommend travellers to take antimalarial tablet in Thailand. Their reason include small malaria risk, efficacy and side effect of the tablet.
There is an interesting article "Should I take antimalarial tablet in Thailand?" from a teaching hospital in Thailand. You may have a look.
"The River of Tranquility" Claude_and_iain's photos around Nong Khai, Thailand (epic biking)
Considered one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia, you may think that Laos has nothing to offer being a tourist destination. That didn't hinder tourists to discover this archaeological wonder that has the makings of being an asia travel spot. Haven't you heard, there's this historical landmark that consists of thousands of jars scattered in the highlands of Laos called Plain of Jars. Situated at Xieng Khouang plain, this Laos pride consists of thousands of stone jars big and small distributed in the place.
It is believed that this stone jars ages from 1,500–2,000 years and older. According to a local folktale, the emerging of jars began when the king of the giants Khun Jeuam fought and won a battle against the evil ruler Chao Angka. The king, whose fond of throwing parties brew and store huge amounts of lao lao rice wine in this huge stone jars. When the archaeologists studied the jars, they have found burned bones, beads and iron tools leading them to the conclusion that these jars were used as giant urns to bury the dead. Another mystery yet unsolved is how the jars are made. Locals believed that these jars were made from clay, sand, sugar, and animal products mixing together to form a cement-like mixture.
Since the time of Pathet Lao-American war began, most of the jars were destroyed by bomb explosions leaving bomb craters and trench systems in the area. This makes the area dangerous until today due to unexploded bombs that was a result of massive bombardment of the recent wars. In fact only three sites of the plain is safe for visitors and locals alike. Aside from the huge stone jars, you can also found original artifacts like Buddhist statues, colonial items and scraps from the exploded bombs in the US war. Like no other, Plain of Jars is the mute witness of Laos' historical occurrence in the past and in the years to come.
working in laos="working in laos" How long can I stay in Thailand on a single entry non-immigrant visa?
I am going to the embassy tomorrow and was wondering what the best option is for me if I would like to stay in Thailand for 6 months (as a tourist, won't be working or studying). I was told by a friend that you can go on a single entry then after 60 days you apply for another 30 days at immigration in Thailand. After the 90 days you can then go to Laos or Cambodia and re-enter on another single entry non-immigrant visa. Is this correct? If not please advise.
You are not looking for a non-immigrant visa you are looking for a tourist visa, which will give you 60 days on arrival and can be extended an additional 30 days at immigrations for a cost of 1,900 baht.
What you can do is apply for two tourist visas, and use them back to back, after you use the first tourist visa you do a visa run at the nearest border crossing and return and use the second visa. to get an additional 90 days without going to a Thai consulate for another visa. You may even be able to get three tourist visa if you want. Just ask at the consulate when you go.
I have a thing for clouds, especially when they are gorgeously white and fluffy. Everytime I look up at the bright blue sky, I want to reach up to one of those clouds, climb on top of it, and fall asleep basking in the warm sun.
Random, lucky shot taken at the sheep farm on Qing Jing Mountain
In Taichung, I came real close to living this dream. We were on a mountain named Qing Jing, which means "peace". What an apt name; you almost want to whisper it into a mini gourd bottle, cap it forever, and keep it close to your heart. On Qing Jing mountain, we kinda stumbled upon a cosy little homestay resort named Guan Xing Yuan - a place for star gazing. Nothing fancy, but the heartfelt little efforts put in by the owners in sprucing up the place for their guests were what made us fall in love with this treasure find.
The viewing platform at Guan Xing Yuan
Guan Xing Yuan was a three-storey homestay hotel owned by an elderly couple, whom we affectionately called Lao Ban (boss) and Lao Ban Niang (lady boss). The hotel was surrounded by a vast garden, adorned with delicate plants and dainty pots of purple and white flowers which only bloomed in winter. In front of the hotel building, was a platform that extended out beyond the mountains into the open air.
We were hoping to see the yun hai at Guan Xing Yuan. Translated as "sea of clouds", yun hai is a natural phenomenon that depended on the right climate and humidity. It doesn't happen all the time and when it does, you literally get a sea of white, fluffy clouds floating below you, much like what you think you might see when you die and go up to heaven.
Our cosy little room at Guan Xing Yuan
Waking up in the morning at Guan Xing Yuan was surreal. Despite the heated mattress I felt extremely cold and absolutely refused to get out of bed for fear that my persistent cough would act up again. That is, until Jason the tour guide phoned in to our room. Little piggies, time to wake up! He urged. Come downstairs and take a look at this. Hurry!
And then I heard my friend Jezz yell, Oh my god guys, you have to see this!
Gazing far and beyond the yun hai
We tossed away the heavy blankets and scrambled to the window, and collectively gasped. We are definitely on heaven, I thought. I'm so glad I worked on my karma. Suddenly, it didn't feel so cold anymore. We threw on our coats and made a beeline for the door. By the time we got to the viewing platform, we couldn't stop squealing in delight at what was before our eyes. It wasn't a sea of white, fluffy clouds - it was a whole universe of them. And they were all so crowded together and tightly-knit, it looked like a sheer, humongous trampoline made out of billions of bales of cotton wool. You could have thousands of fat Angels wearing heavy Dr. Martens jump on them and they would never give way.
Having Lao Ban's homemade breakfast on a sea of clouds
My legs went wobbly, and I had to lean over the platform railings for support. How lucky am I to be able to witness this? I thought. I gazed far and beyond what was in front of me, tears welling up in my eyes. I felt small, tiny, puny, standing in the middle of this spectacle. I closed my eyes and prayed: Whoever created this magnificent, breath-taking work of art, please... take me away.
Upon request, Lao Ban specially brewed coffee for us
Lao Ban and Lao Ban Niang were nice, homely people who loved making new friends from other countries. We asked Lao Ban if he accepted little helpers, for we would be most happy to come back again and help out at Guan Xing Yuan for free. Maybe give the rooms a fresh coat of paint, or help out with the gardening and cooking. Come back in the summer, he smiled, both eyes crinkling in delight. The weather will be nice, around 15-18 degrees, and you can see even more flowers blooming in the season.
Mesmerizing fireworks at night, at Guan Xing Yuan
Is it right, that I secretly wished for this enchanting little place to be my personal hideout?
About the Author
I realize that in my writing there exists two instincts, in English and in Mandarin. I'm not sure which I am more comfortable with; sometimes they take on different and dual roles in my expressives. So I want this to be the USP of my work. I will try not to give my writing a split personality, in case my readers turn schizo.
SAVE OUR PLANET - Germany funds climate change project in Vietnam and Laos
A new milestone has been reached by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the evolution of disaster management for the region. Recently, the Philippines’ Senate ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), and with that the agreement is expected to enter into force by the end of 2009. The ratification marks a significant highlight in ASEAN’s collective efforts to build a disaster-resilient community by the year 2015. The agreement binds ASEAN member states into legal responsibilities to promote regional cooperation and collaboration in reducing disaster losses and intensifying joint emergency response to disasters in the ASEAN region.
Margareta Wahlström, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction described the agreement as the first of its kind in the world, an agreement that oblige Asian states together to address disaster risk reduction and improve their preparedness for response. It also provides for the establishment of an ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) to undertake operational coordination of activities under the Agreement. Since the signing of the AADMER agreement in 2005, ASEAN has put into place measures for standard operating procedures, training and capacity building, disaster information sharing, communication network, and rapid assessment team. Cyclone Nargis which affected Myanmar last year became a test bed for ASEAN coordinating mechanism and its role as the humanitarian bridge between the international community and the affected population.(i)
The ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) was established in 2003. Its formation elevated the institutional mechanism which has existed since the 1970s and comprised of experts group. The ACDM consists of heads of national agencies responsible for disaster management of ASEAN member countries. With the objective of having disaster-resilient nations and safer communities, ACDM developed an ASEAN Regional Programme on Disaster Management (ARPDM) which provided the framework for cooperation for the period 2004-2010. This regional programme consequently became the platform for cooperation and collaboration with ASEAN Dialogue Partners and relevant international organizations. Its regional strategy on disaster management identified priorities encompassing response action plan, capacity building, information sharing and communication network, partnership with pertinent stakeholders, funding support, and generating public awareness including activities for disaster risk reduction. The programme , launched in May 2004 became the structure for concerted regional cooperation in disaster management in the ASEAN region fitting in well with the regional strategy for disaster reduction.(ii)
In the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, ASEAN leaders held a special meeting to strengthen measures for emergency relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and prevention. The meeting adopted a declaration of action in these areas notably of mobilizing the international community to support national relief emergency programme. Of significance was the call for the development of a regional instrument on disaster management and emergency response, the establishment of tsunami early warning system for the Indian Ocean and the Southeast Asian region, and implementation of preventive measures including public awareness and capacity building. (iii)
An interesting feature in ASEAN’s evolution of disaster management was the tacit acceptance by member states for the utilization of military together with civilian personnel in disaster relief. The establishment of a centre to coordinate regional disaster response was also agreed upon and is now ongoing.
The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) which was signed by the member countries in July 2005 in Vientiane, Lao PDR, established the mechanisms for achieving substantial disaster risks reduction and emergency response. A salient feature of this accord is that the agreed framework for disaster risk reduction is based on the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005 -2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.
ASEAN conducts annual disaster simulation exercises to enhance the capacities and capabilities of member countries in joint disaster management operations. These simulation exercises organized in conjunction with contingency planning workshops facilitated the implementation of the AADMER and also the development of the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Procedures (SASOP) for regional disaster management. (iv)
The logical progression in its evolution apparently is broadening regional cooperation in disaster management and this is borne in the agenda of the fourth East Asia Summit (EAS) held in Hua Hin, Thailand.
References:- (i) Press Release. ASEAN Disaster Management Agreement to Enter into Force by End of 2009. ASEAN Secretariat, 16 September 2009. (ii) Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response. (iii) Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ASEAN Standby Arrangements for Disaster Relief and Emergency Response (iv) Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ASEAN Disaster News Watch. 6 September 2006. ASEAN to test regional emergency response and humanitarian assistance capacities in a simulated flood disaster in Cambodia.
Note: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
About the Author
Author had extensive experience in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance with 28 years service with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Involvement included assignments to Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, China, Mongolia and also emergency missions to Pakistan, Romania,and Sri-Lanka.
Louang Phrabang Pak Ou Cave Laos (Sept 2009) part 1
laos interesting facts="laos interesting facts" What are some interesting facts about Laos?
Laos border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km.
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.
The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with possible support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food processing and mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on exports. This new status may help spur growth. In addition, the European Union has agreed to provide $1 million to the Lao Government for technical assistance in preparations for WTO membership. If the avian flu worsens and spreads in the region, however, prospects for tourism could dim.
Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border.
Supasang - Brush Them Haters Off on Nobody Cares Show #174
Jaypee Greens - Pioneered The Concept Of Integrated Townships
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step” Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu said.
Jaypee Greens under the flagship of India’s foremost infrastructural group, Jaypee Group has accomplished massive milestones with each step taken forward strategically and intelligently. The company believes passion to be the single fastest way to spur oneself to immense success. A can–do- attitude and a spirit of cooperation has propelled Jaypee Greens to achieve its goals and accelerate the path towards correct action.
Jaypee Greens has pioneered the concept of integrated townships, and carrying this forward as a trend, the company has established itself as one the largest urban real estate developers with three massive projects under implementation in NCR. The total area under development is around 4100 acres of land. For Jaypee greens, new launches and the tremendous response from the market do make a landmark but not a complete success story. The story would be complete once the customers get timely possession of their property and Jaypee Greens is putting forth its best efforts to meet its construction timelines, with 3 crore sq ft of residential estate already under construction.
Spread over 1162 acres, Wishtown, Noida is India’s largest township with an 18+9 hole Graham Cooke golf facility combined with world class residences, thematic gardens, neighborhood social clubs, outdoor sports facilities, town center, spiritual center, schools, hospital, commercial areas. After the huge success of Aman, where 3300 apartments were sold in a day, Jaypee Greens once again is proud to speak about its another breakthrough, Kensington Park- Residential Plots, where 1400 residential plots again sold out on one day. This overwhelming response has propelled the company to come up with Kensington Park Apartments, another set of residential apartments and plots to meet the demands of its enthusiastic set of customers.
Our latest venture Jaypee Greens Sports City is diverse, progressive, vital community spread over 2500 acres and comprises of motor racing track & other sports facilities, commercial zone, educational facilities, medical facilities and numerous recreational options along with various thematic residential districts such as the lake district etc. The company has also started with the construction of Jaypee Integrated Sports City– a cornerstone project of Jaypee Greens. Jaypee Sports City would also have country’s first ever International Motor Racing tack for which the construction is under rapid progress.
Driven by core values of loyalty, integrity and commitment to customers, Jaypee Greens has built a strong customer base of 18000 families in just two years of its business. The company values its customers and the rapid growing client base with countless satisfied people reflect the strong foundation that Jaypee Greens as a company possesses.
The maiden project of Jaypee Group- Jaypee Greens Noida has been awarded “Best Golf Development- India”, by CNBC Asia Pacific property awards 2008, the highest possible accolade in the international property arena, Jaypee Greens has already confirmed its position amongst the finest golf-centric property developer in Asia. Along with this, the Sun Court Apartment at Jaypee Greens Greater Noida has also been honored with the “Best Apartments – India”, again by CNBC Asia Pacific property awards 2008. The project also boasts of its International Sports Complex-India’s largest private multi-discipline sports facility.
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For more information on Jaypee Greens visit http://www.jaypeegreens.com.
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