‘Army marches into future with radio launch’, caught my attention in the Wednesday 26th January edition of the Vientiane Times. As this blog has a focus on media and development this was an article that couldn’t be missed.
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Lao People’s Army the new radio station, ‘responds to the modern political requirement to spread Party directives and policies, and forms part of the government’s socio-economic development plans in line with armed forces principles’. According to the article, the radio broadcasts are being transmitted by fibre optic cable from the station in Vientiane to 16 transmitters in provinces across the country.
The company who installed the radio system was not named but their representative Mr Li Hui, who it could be assumed comes from north of the border, was quoted as saying that, ‘the Radio represents the voice of the Ministry of Defence in responding to political needs’.
On the same day the front page of the paper carried the President’s instructions to central government and provincial authorities to define their efforts in addressing poverty in their regions, particularly in mountainous areas.
On the same day the front page of the paper carried the President’s instructions to central government and provincial authorities to define their efforts in addressing poverty in their regions, particularly in mountainous areas.
It is widely agreed that for Laos to realize the MDGs by 2015 and exit Least Developed Country status by 2020 it needs to ensure that even those living in the remotest areas are reached and benefit from development. Around 80 percent of the population still lives in rural areas.
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