Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone addresses local authorities during his working visit to Xienghon and Xayabouly districts in Xayabouly province on July 30.

PM reviews development, inspects flood-hit districts in Xayabouly

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on Wednesday (July 30) visited Xienghon and Xayabouly districts to assess local development and to support communities severely affected by recent floods, which impacted nearly 3,700 families and caused losses estimated at 54.7 billion kip.
Upon arrival in Xienghon district, the Prime Minister was welcomed by the Governor of Xayabouly province, Mr Phongsavanh Sitthavong, and senior provincial and district officials.
During a briefing session, the Prime Minister was informed that the district had been affected by serious flooding on two occasions in July. The first, occurring during July 16-17, was triggered by heavy rainfall and resulted in flash floods that inundated homes, infrastructure and farm land across 30 villages. The flooding affecting 1,877 families and the total damage was estimated at more than 17.7 billion kip.
The second spell of floods, caused by Tropical Storm Wipha during July 22-23, brought further destruction to residential areas and public infrastructure, with losses estimated at more than 4.6 billion kip.
In addition to assessing the damage caused by floods, the Prime Minister reviewed the district’s socio-economic progress. He was informed that during the first half of 2025, the local economy grew at a steady pace. Revenue collection reached nearly 3 billion kip, representing 64.93 percent of the annual target, while expenditure stood at more than 1.3 billion kip, or 47.06 percent of the plan.
Xienghon district placed strong emphasis on agriculture and infrastructure development to enhance food security and expand export-oriented production. Rainy season rice cultivation was completed across 3,358.2 hectares, along with upland rice on 320 hectares, cassava on 1,500 hectares, and other crops on 600 hectares.
As part of his visit, Mr Sonexay and his delegation inspected the strategic Thongkarb–Houaytong road and met residents of Thongkarb village, which has been designated for establishing a new sub-district. He stressed the importance of strengthening disaster preparedness, accelerating development and increasing agricultural productivity to improve livelihoods and build community resilience.
The Prime Minister also presented consumer goods and a desktop computer for use at the sub-district administrative office.
In Xayabouly district, the Prime Minister continued his inspection of flood-hit areas, including the damaged suspension bridge in Nator Yai village. The district’s disaster management committee reported that the floods had affected 40 villages and 1,820 families, with total losses estimated at more than 32.4 billion kip.
In response, the Prime Minister provided financial assistance of more than 10 million kip to support recovery efforts in Nator Yai.
The working visit highlighted the government’s commitment to supporting rural communities, promoting sustainable development, and strengthening resilience to natural disasters.

by Times Reporters
 (Latest Update August 1, 2025)