Lao News - Lao Newspapers

Lao News
IN accordance with a decision of the president of the central Neo Lao Haksat (LaoPatriotic Front), Khaosan Pathet Lao (KPL) was established on January 6, 1968 in Viengsay, northern Houaphanh province. Its first director was Mr. Sisana Sisane.

Then, it was a small news agency, staffed with only a dozen of reporters and technicians. Their task was to collect, process and supply news to the Pathet Laoradio and the "Lao Haksat" newspaper, the mouthpieces of the revolutionarymovement. To reach the outside world, the news agency transmitted news in English through short wave radio.

After the establishment of the Lao People's democratic Republic on December 2,1975, KPL, in addition to publishing its bulletin in the Lao language put out daily bulletins in English and French.

In April 1979, the agency launched its first issue of the quarterly "Pathet Lao" magazine and in 1987 its first quarterly English version appeared. Since 1997, the magazine comes out monthly.

At the initial stage, news transmission was done by means of telegraphic machine (Morse). In the 1970s, teleprinter T-51 was introduced for news transmission to outside world. However, telegraphic machines still played their role in news transmission within the country.

In the 1990s the agency's technical facilities have gradually been updated. News transmission system between and among the provinces, which used to be out-of-date by using telegraphic means, now applies walkie-talkie, computer and facsimile. News reception from and transmission to other countries was sped up by replacing the T- 51 teleprinters with newer models. T-100 then T-1000. Eventually, teleprinters became obsolete and computerization has been introduced. News transmission by means of short wave transmission has been replaced by satellite system.

At present, E-mail has been introduced for domestic and international transmission of news and information. computerization is under way with in KPL. Authorization has been granted for the use of internet.

KPL has its own branches in all the provinces and sub-branches in all the districts cross the country.

KPL has signed bilateral agreements with a number of national news agencies and is a member of the News Pool of Non-Aligned Countries and of the Organization of the Asian and Pacific News Agencies (OANA)

KPL is the main information source in the country. It conllects and supplies news to newspapers, radio and TV stations. KPL as well as other media are state owne institutions.Therefore, KPL depends on government's input, which is limited.