Gymnasts from Laos and Vietnam give a performance at the National Circus in Vientiane last week, organised by the Vietnamese Culture Centre to Laos and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to mark the 135th anniversary of the birth of President Ho Chi Minh. Dignitaries present at the show included Laos’ Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Suanesavanh Vignaket, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Mr Nguyen Minh Tam, and other senior officials from the two countries. --Photo Pathetlao

Viengphoukha district authorities in Luang Namtha province last week hand over newly built houses to impoverished women in Nongkham village. Construction of the houses was funded by Phu Tho province’s Women’s Union in Vietnam, which provided 600 million dong (542 million kip) for the project through Luang Namtha province’s Women’s Union. The Luang Namtha Women’s Union arranged for the houses to be built in five districts of the province, with two houses provided for each district.       --Photo Pasaxon

Officials from the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism last week give a tourism map showing links between Laos’ four southern provinces to staff at the Saravan provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department to assist with tourism development.                                      --Photo Pathetlao

Authorities in Pakxe city, Champassak province, organise a clean-up of a drainage channel in the provincial capital to get rid of bad smells emanating from unclean water and remove weeds and debris to enable water flow during the rainy season. --Photo Champamai newspaper