Vientiane Times-Apr 19
The government has announced that three districts will be upgraded into cities, a move aimed at advancing the administration and development of new cities.
The districts of Luang Prabang, which is the capital of northern Luang Prabang province, Kaysone Phomvihane, the capital of central Savannakhet province, and Pakxe, the capital of southern Champassak province, met the criteria for being upgraded into cities.
The upgrading of their status will see them being given more responsibilities and a bigger decision-making role in managing works and revenue collection.
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith issued three Prime Ministerial Decrees approving the upgrades.
Luang Prabang held an official ceremony on April 15, in concurrence with the celebration ofPi Mai Lao (Lao New Year), to mark the official declaration about the upgrade, government spokesman Dr Chaleun Yiapaoher said last week.
Savannakhet and Champassak will organise separate official ceremonies to mark the official declaration at later dates, he told Vientiane Times.
Under the Local Administration Law, the new cities will be equivalent to a district, and the head of the city will be equivalent to a district governor.
To be classified as a city, a municipality must have a population of 60,000 and be financially self-sufficient with regard to administration costs.
The law stipulates a city can include urban and suburban areas. However, the urban area must have a population of more than 25,000 people and farmland must comprise less than 25 percent of the total area.
The new cities will remain under the administration of the three provinces. Though the cities are technically equivalent to a district, their status will be higher, Dr Chaleun said.
The roles, mandates and responsibilities of the new cities are detailed in a separate Prime Ministerial Decree, according to the spokesman.
President of Luang Prabang provincial Council, Mr Saysamone Khomthavong, said more works and responsibilities will be delegated to the local City Administration to enable it to become financially self-sufficient.
Officials believe the upgrade will help speed up socio-economic development in the new cities. It will also strengthen their cooperative relations with other cities in countries in the region.
It is hoped that the upgraded status of these three areas will motivate residents to keep their neighborhoods clean and livable as well as play a greater part in socio-economic development.
The new Luang Prabang City covers 761 Square km and has a population of 97,760 living in 114 villages.
Kaysone Phomvihane City covers 776 sq km and has 125,726 residents living in 67 villages. Pakxe City has an area of 125 Square km with a population of 81,579 living in 42 villages.
Luang Prabang, Laos’ first World Heritage Site, has been recognised as a world-class tourism hot spot, while Savannakhet and Champassak provinces have increasingly become economic hubs of the country – all boasting investment potential to drive socio-economic development.
