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Vientiane Mayor Mr Soukanh Mahalath yesterday asked Vientiane residents to sympathise with the difficulty of simultaneously managing widescale road building and repairs and the resulting traffic delays.
“We hoped the roads we're working on in Vientiane would be finished by October, but there have been some delays. We apologise for the inconvenience. However, we will attempt to make things better,” Mr Soukanh said.
Vientiane Mayor Mr Soukanh Mahalath.
One example is the road from That Luang market to Nakhuay village linking to the 450 Year Road, which was expected to be finished a year ago.
The road will now be finished after the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in November, the mayor said.
Prior to the 7th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP7) in Vientiane next month and the ASEM meeting in November, the dirt road will be temporarily surfaced with large stones, and later with smaller ones.
This will help drivers on this road, who are used to negotiating potholes and dust, until the paving begins.
Currently, the road between That Luang market and Nakhuay village is muddy when it rains and dusty when it's dry.
Mr Soukanh told the press that most road works are on schedule, and some are nearly complete. He said Vientiane residents can expect to be travelling on a number of new roads by next month.
He singled out the construction of a concrete road that starts at the junction outside Lao National Television, to Nongnieng village and through to the National Convention Centre, which will be finished by the end of September.
Vientiane authorities are working to clean and tidy up roads and public parks in order to beautify the capital in the lead up to the ASEM Summit.
To transform Vientiane into a permanent clean and green city – not just for ASEP7 and ASEM – the Vientiane authorities are encouraging locals to assist with the beautification process.
“We believe that everyone can contribute to making the city clean and garbage free, in a bid to not only impress ASEM delegates and visitors with a beautiful and healthy city, but to provide a pleasant and healthy environment for residents and visitors alike,” Mr Soukanh said.
Residents have been asked to repaint and repair their houses if they are old or in disrepair. It is not mandatory, as authorities understand that not all families can afford the repairs, but they are still encouraged to keep their houses as clean as possible.
Authorities are also encouraging households to plant shrubs, fruit trees or flowers around their houses.
They're also campaigning for Vientiane residents to separate their household rubbish into recyclable and non-recyclable garbage. This is an important step in making Vientiane a sustainable city.
During the ASEP7 and ASEM meetings, the Vientiane authorities will plant flowering shrubs along sidewalks, and install special lighting, as well as hanging up the flags of the countries attending the meetings.
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