Champasak province, 19 October 2017.  The Lao Business Forum (LBF) Secretariat and its government focal point organized a consultation meeting with line government agencies and the private sector in Champasak province to discuss key challenges and doing business related issues faced by the business community.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Phouvieng Phongsa, Deputy Director of Department of Planning and Cooperation, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and co-chaired by Mr. Khamper Taixayyavong, Vice President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Champasak province; Mr. Phouxay Thepphavong, Secretary of Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mr. Khammun Phunthala, Deputy head of Department of Industry and Commerce, Champasak province.

Representatives from various line government agencies in Champasak including Division of Culture and Tourism, Division of Agriculture and Forestry, Division of Education and Sport and private sector, Division of public works and transport, Division of taxation, Division of customs and Division of public security attended the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to continue discuss and prioritize the private sector issues selected by the private sector working groups on Tourism and Agribusiness in July 2017 with line agencies from the government in order to prioritize issues that will be further raised at the Steering Committee Meeting tentatively scheduled in late December 2017 in Vientiane Capital.

At the meeting, representatives from private sector presented their respective sectoral issues that are obstacles to and impede their business operation in the province. For instance, overall infrastructure development such as roads and waste water management system, government support and promotional policies on tourism sector as well as lack of skillful workforce in tourism industry. Also, some issues are common issues that are also being raised at the central level such as issues related to taxation, excise tax on internet service charge and roadside checkpoints by traffic police across the country. The results of the meeting and priority issues would further be reported Lao business forum Steering Committee meeting scheduled in late December 2017 in preparation for the Eleventh Lao Business Forum tentatively scheduled in March 2018.