ASEAN Secretary General visits victims of Lao dam collapse
A delegation led by Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on July 29 visited people who were affected by the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in Sanamxay district of Laos’ Attapeu province.
A delegation led by Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Lim Jock Hoi (L), on July 29 visited people who were affected by the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in Sanamxay district of Laos’ Attapeu province (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – A delegation led by Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary General of the Ass🍰ociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on July 29 visited people who were affected by the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in Sanamxay district of Laos’ Attapeu province.
The ASEAN Secretary General extended his sympathies to people who had to leave their home and suffered losses due to the incident. He also handed over some relief items to the head of Sanamxay district. During the visit, Lim expressed his appreciation for the support of other ASEAN members and dialogue partners for Laos. He stressed the important role of all stakeholders, particularly the private sector in helping assist those in need. The SK Engineering and Construction (SK E&C) of the Republic of Korea will build three houses as temporary shelters in Sanamxay and a food storehouse, according to the Lao News Agency (KPL). Rescue operations are underway in the district to search for missing people. SK E&C is a partner in the Sepien-Senamnoi Power Company (PNPC) which is constructing the Sepien-Senamnoi hydroelectric power plant. The other partners are Korea Western Power (KOWEPO), Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (RATCH) and Lao Holding State Enterprise (LHSE). Construction of the project, which is estimated to cost 1.02 billion USD, began in February 2013 and commercial operations were expected to begin this year. The Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam collapsed at 8:00pm on July 23, causing flash floods which completely isolated Sanamxay district. Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said at a press conference on July 25 that the dam break ravaged 13 villages and affected six others. He told reporters that 587 families with 3,060 people were made homeless, while 131 people were reported missing. Lao authorities confirmed that no Vietnamese citizens were reported missing after the disaster. Some 15 households of Vietnamese citizens living in flooded area were evacuated to safety. -VNA
Lao authorities have warned that spreading fake news and photos of the crumbling of the dam collapse disaster in southern Laos violates the country’s laws.
The Lao Government will work with countries whose companies are stakeholders in the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower project to investigate the cause of the dam break, said Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on July 29.
The government of Thailand on July 30 called on all Thai people to donate cash or relief items to survivors of the dam collapse in Attapeu province, southern Laos, which occurred last week.
The Vietnamese Government has so far donated 200,000 USD sourced from State budget reserves and 100 tonnes of rice to the Lao Government in order to help the neighbouring country overcome the aftermath of the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
A delegation led by Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Lim Jock Hoi (L), on July 29 visited people who were affected by the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in Sanamxay district of Laos’ Attapeu province (Photo: VNA) 
