Seminar on Promotion of
Cruise in Mekong River
Japan, 10 September 2010
Development of Ports and Cruise in
Mekong River, Lao PDR
Prepared by:
Somphone LOUANGLATH
Acting Director of Inland Waterways Transport Division
Department of Waterways, MPWT
Content
™ Introduction
™ Cruise tourism in Lao PDR
™ Current Condition of Ports in Laos
™ Policy of Port and Cruise Tourism
Development
™ Conclusion and Recommendation
INTRODUCTION
• Name:
Lao People's Democratic
Republic.
• Area:
236,800 sq km.
• Population:
6.5 million (2010).
• Population density: 23 persons/km2
• Capital:
Vientiane.
• Bordering:
China, Myanmar, Thailand,
Cambodia and Vietnam.
• Rivers:
Mekong River, through Laos
about 1,898 km
• River Port :
27 ports along the Mekong
River
Introduction (Cont)
™ The Lao PDR is among the world least developed
countries and is also the sole land-lock country in
the South East Asian Region and one of the thirty
land-locked countries in the world.
™ The policy of our country is to transform the country
from landlocked to land-linked, particularly in the
Greater Mekong Sub-region.
™The Mekong river is the sole international river
connecting six country in Asia (China, Myanmar,
Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia) and it is
very important for navigation in Laos.
Location of Lao PDR
Current Situation of Cruise Tourism in Lao PDR
™ The Lao government has signed a member of
bilateral and multilateral agreement and has prepared
to ratify international conventions related to cross
border and transit transport to facilities the trade and
tourism.
™ 5 local ports in the north have been promoted to
international port and tourism, reduction of visa fees.
following the agreement on commercial Navigation on
the upper Mekong River between the 4 countries
(China, Lao, Myanmar and Thailand). As: Xiengkok,
Ban Mom, Huay sai, Pak beng and Luangprabang
™ The cruise and tourism only stretch for Houay Sai to
Louang Prabang is still famous for passenger and
tourists transport, at present we have plan to improve
some locations for cruise tourism between LPB-PB-HS
such as Luang Prabang.
There are 29 River ports along the Mekong River
Xieng Kok port
Ban Mom Ports
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Huay Sai port
Louang Prabang port
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Pak Bang port
Vientiane port
Current Situation of the Cruise Tourism in Lao
PDR (con’t)
™ Distance cruise from Luang Prabang port to Pak Beng
port is about 160 km, 304 km to Houay Sai port and 363
km to Chiang Saen port (Gold-triangle) the tourism region
in Thailand.
™ Tourism route in upper Mekong, a cruise down stream
started from Hoeui Sai and Luang Prabang stop for one
night in Pakbeng, on the way to Luang Prabang visit Tam
Ting Buddha’s cave.
™ Another way the scenic link between Chiang Mai and
Luang Prabang by plane. A cruise up from Luang
Prabang via Pak Ou (Ou river mouth) stop for one night
in Pakbeng, and continue to Hoeui Sai and proceed to
Chieng Rai (Thailand) by ferry crossing.
™ This market is also expanding due to the increasing
number of cruises between Laos, Thailand and Yunnan
as well as the development of new tourist attractions in
the golden triangle.
About Luang Prabang
™ Louang Prabang is world heritage town and located in
northern part of Laos far from Vientiane about 400 km by
road and take 35 minute by plane, it is good place for
tourism. This province is well-known as Laos’s ancient
capital and Buddhist center about 25 temples in the town,
Every morning more than hundreds of monks from the
various monasteries walk through the streets collecting
alms.
™ It is really one of Laos’s tourists attraction: beautiful
landscape, pleasant climate, elegant amenities, natural
waterfalls, temples and former king palace, its proper
extending along the left bank side of Mekong river and
enjoying an overlooking of water.
™ Tam Ting Buddha cave was located Mekong River side
about 26 km up stream from Luang Prabang, there is
more than thousand Buddha's in the cave.
Current Situation of the Cruise Tourism in
Vientiane capital, Lao PDR
™ Situation of cruise and tourism are still limited from the
section of Luang Prabang to Vientiane Capital and the
southern part of Laos (Champasack Province).
™ A cruise and tourism in Vientiane capital are only short
distance from up to downstream of Vientiane capital
aera about 50 km.
™ The foreigner tourists come from Nong Khai province
(Thailand) via friendship bridge Thanaleng took the bus
or taxi to Vientiane town center about 25 km.
™ After the excursion at beautiful historical places in
Vientiane town and cruise along the Mekong river or go
upstream to Xayaburi and Luang Prabang province.
Current Situation of Cruise and Tourism in
Champasack province, Lao PDR
™ The tourists come from Ubon
province Thailand via Mekong
bridge to Pakse district.
™ A cruise down from Pakse for
Champassak obout 50 km, take
local
long
tail
riverboat,
zigzagging through mild rapids
and sand banks. visit Vat phou
temple.
™ Departure from Pakse by road
about 130 km to Nagaseng river
port and take a local long tail
riverboat cruise to Dondet a
tourists region, visit the area of
fresh dolphin in the Mekong.
™ Visit one place for tourism in the
southernmost of Lao (Cambodia
border) visit beautiful natural
Khone fall
Number of passenger in IWT, Lao PDR
2005-2010
™
™
™
™
Growth international tourists arrivals in 2005 is 268,000 persons
forecasts for 2010 is 387,000-466,000 persons
And in 2015 is 667,000-980,000 persons
Annual growth figures are between 7% and 10%.
Statistic of fleet in 2009
™Laos possesses a total of about 1,626 ships
on the Mekong River, of which passenger
ships account for 60% and cargo ships 40%.
™ The passenger ship’s passenger capacity of
50-150 seats is 206 ships, the ship with
capacity of 16-50 seats is 244 ships, the
capacity less than 15 seats is 215 ships and
speed boat are 374 boats.
™There are only few luxuries tourist boats,
normally used passenger boat for cruise along
the Mekong.
Current condition of port in Laos
™ There are 27 ports along the Mekong River. Only a
few ports are located along tributaries.
™ Some river ports are still in their natural condition
without concrete ramp often difficult to berth. Example
is Xieng Kok port which is an open port and
international check point for Vessels from four
countries (China, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand ).
™ Some ports are generally simple infrastructures and
consist mainly of a reinforced concrete ramp only 10
to 12 %, it is parallel to the river bank, either sloping
up or downstream for ferry landing and including
building border check point facilities, immigration,
custom port and offices.
Xieng kok port without ramp
Ban Mom port with ramp
Houay sai port with ramp
Luang Prabang port with ramp
Current condition of Port in Laos
(Con’t)
™ The majority of existing river ports in Laos are under
the responsibility of the provincial department of
Public Works and Transport (DPWT). Only one
exception: the port which is operated by the private
sector: Kao lieu port in Vientiane capital.
™ The rehabilitation of ports is still limited and also
passenger port, suffers from lack of human resources
in engineering, lack of technical specification and
budget.
™ Many ports do not have facility equipment for
Loading and Unloading cargo, which is usually done
by manpower. Only in the Vientiane port (km4 port)
such equipment facilities are available. (Funded by
Japan)
Policies of ports and cruise development
™ The Ministry of Public Work and transport (MPWT),
especially Waterways Department responsible for
IWT and Sea transport and have direct responsibility
for the river work implementation.
™ To build the rule and regulation for management of
inland waterways transport (IWT)
™ Rehabilitation the international ports with concrete
ramp, easy to berth for the ships.
™ install new pontoon for passenger port or tourists
resource/spot such as LPB port, Tam Ting area,
Pakbeng port and port in the south.
™ Install facility communication equipment trough the
reform of document checking system into
international standard.
Policies on port and cruise
development (Con’t)
™ Conduct feasibility studies for new port construction
on the tributaries to connect the transportation, cruise
system with the Mekong River ports and sea port to
promote the cruise and tourism.
™ Construction of new ports as: the port of Xieng kok
Pak Bang and Louang Prabang port to promote
waterways transportation, trade and tourism, logistic
and supply chain.
™ Set up the navigation training and research center to
develop the pilot and inland waterways transport for
future.
™ Improve the shipyard to build the ships into
international standard.
™ Improve the navigation channel in upper Mekong and
connect to the south and link to neighboring countries.
Policies on port and cruise development
(Con’t)
™ Institutional Organizations (DOT, DOW, DOAMPWT and LNTA-PM Office)
™ Decentralisation and Deregulation (reduction for
the fees Visa at the port)
™ Cooperation with MRC to improve the
environment and water resource along the
Mekong.
™ Eco-tourism promotion for the sustainability.
™ Connecting the tourism rout from north to south.
™ Improvement to River Ports along the Mekong
River.
™ Personnel Development and Training.
Conclusion and recommendation
™ An annual budget for port development and
navigation channel improvement are limited.
™ Lack of rules and regulations such as: ships
registration, ships inspection and ships survey, ship
classification and technical specification of ship
building.
™ Lack of communication instrument (between port and
ship)
™ Seasonal services
™ Lack of Infrastructure and Facilities equipment
™ Lack of Data collection system
™ Capacity Building limited
Conclusion and recommendation
™To Install the pontoon into the tourism spot such
as: port in Luang Prabang, Tham Ting Buddha
cave and Pakbeng port.
™To improve the passenger port a long the Mekong
River and facility equipment.
™To improve the navigation channel for cruise
safety and navigation and aids to navigation
installation.
™Human resources in cruise and engineering for
port and navigation channel improvement.
™ Now we are still in a great need for assistance and
support from our neighboring countries and from
international donors
™ For more information of cruise and tourism in
Mekong River, Lao PDR please go to: www.lao
cruise.com
Luang prabang passenger port
Cruise at Pakbeng port
Pakbeng port area
Hotel at Mekong River side in Pakbeng port
Cruise down from Pakbeng to LPB
The passenger at Houei Sai port
Passenger port in Luang Prabang
Cruise in Houei Sai port
Thank you
For
Your Kind Attention