The first round the clock night bazaar in Vientiane to serve SEA GAMES 2009

(KPL) The Hong Thong Development Project (or Night Bazaar)would be operational on a round the clock basis to serve the tourists, commencing from the later part of the year and the purpose of this kind of operational hours is to attract more tourists to Vientiane capital.

This project, presently under construction, is located in Chanthaboury district, in front of Lao National Stadium.

President of Hong Thong Development Project, Mr Khamphay Somsana said that when the project was first proposed it was meant to serve the tourists and to offer them round the clock service.

Construction started in May 2008 and now 30 per cent of the building had been completed., the president of the project said.

“The project is part of Vientiane’s plan to generate more income to the city, especially to the business operators,” he said.

He added that the project would be opened as early as the opening day of the 25th Sea Games.

Funding for this project was made by four local investors, whose combined total investment was 25 billion kip and the authorities granted them a lease of 40 years, Mr Khamphay commented.

“We decided to construct the Night Bazaar because we found that the majority of tourists who visited Vientiane would not spend much time in it and as a result some of the Lao money goes to foreign countries,” said the president of Hong Thong Development Project.

The Night Bazaar would have 10,700 square metres of land, seven two-storey buildings, one restaurant, a public park and parking lot area, he
said.

The restaurant would offer a whole range of Lao food and the prices would be affordable, he added.

The handicraft products, he said would be on sale in the Night Bazaar in order to introduce to the foreign tourists the traditional culture of Laos and the products can be gifts to them, he said.