31st October 2016
Vientiane, Laos
As the Chinese government in recent years clamped down on illicit wildlife trade (IWT), smugglers and buyers have shifted much of their business to China’s small southern neighbour – Lao PDR. The Lao government is struggling to develop effective measures against the growing trade and the involved international syndicates. The United Kingdom together with other […]
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10th October 2016
Vientiane, Laos
In 1973, the Oxford-educated economist E F Schumacher published his seminal work, “Small is Beautiful”. It was an early critique of globalisation and a clarion call for sustainable development. Over the years, his iconic title has also stirred broader discussion about the comparative merits of smaller and larger organisations. Each has advantages, in my view. But […]
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29th June 2016
Vientiane, Laos
Birthdays and anniversaries always make me think of the famous quote from Geoffrey Chaucer – like Shakespeare one of the giants of English literature – that “time and tide wait for no man.” And no woman either. It was a thought firmly in mind when we at the British Embassy hosted a 90th Birthday Party […]
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2nd February 2016
Vientiane, Laos
This year is the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, an event the UK government, including my Embassy, is commemorating in a series of activities (check out our Facebook page UKinLaos for more details). He is perhaps England’s earliest, and certainly greatest, cultural export. One element of the commemoration is to invite individuals to share […]
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9th November 2015
Vientiane, Laos
Buddha’s famous quotation is a sentiment that the government of this predominantly Buddhist nation has taken to heart in transforming the educational prospects of Lao youth over the last two decades. The results are impressive. Primary school enrolment has reportedly touched 98.5% in 2014, meeting Laos’ MDG target of universal coverage. In 1991, the rate […]
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11th September 2015
Vientiane, Laos
I am happy to be finally able to post my first blog as an UK Ambassador to Laos, and my first blog ever! I come from a generation that grew up without social media, and I am often wondering how we ever managed without it, seeing how much of an important role it now plays […]
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30th March 2015
Vientiane, Laos
In 2015, England marks two major anniversaries. It will be 800 years since the Magna Carta was sealed and 750 years since the formation of the first English parliament. Anyone who is interested in seeing the document that has been described as England’s greatest export need only visit the British Library, where not one but […]
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25th February 2015
Vientiane, Laos
2015 is under way and is already shaping up to be another big year for us at the British Embassy. We’re well into our third year of operation since our historic re-opening in 2012. When I look at the range and breadth of our activity in recent months, I’m reminded of how well established we […]
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5th September 2014
Vientiane, Laos
It’s been a busy few months and a while since my last blog posting. So I wanted to give an overview of the key recent events at the Embassy and a look ahead. In May, I travelled back to the UK to attend the Leadership Conference; an annual event hosted in London and attended by UK […]
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5th May 2014
Vientiane, Laos
April 2014 View our activities this past month! Visit from Warwick University James Kennedy, Director of the International Office of the University of Warwick visited us again, sharing information about studying at Warwick and the UK government’s scholarship programme with Lao students from Soutsaka College and Oxford Education. #OneGreatYear On 2 April, we marked exactly one year since we […]
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