NA Chairwoman extends sympathies over Laos’ dam collapse
Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has sent a message of condolences to her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou over the collapse of the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in Attapeu, Laos on July 23.
Villagers are evacuated after the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy hydro-power dam collapsed in Attapeu province, Laos. (Photo: KPL/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has sent a message ofcondolences to her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou over the collapse of the Xe Pian-XeNam Noy hydropower dam in Attapeu, Laos on July 23.
“On the behalf of theNational Assembly and people of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, I convey myheartfelt and deepest sympathies to you and the people of Laos, particularly thefamilies of victims and those affected,” Ngan said in the message.
“I am confident thatunder the leadership and interest of the Party, State, and National Assembly ofLaos, the fraternal Lao people will soon overcome the losses and surmount theaftermath of the incident,” she added.
The Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noyhydropower dam burst at 8pm on July 23, discharging 5 billion cubic metres ofwater, causing flash floods in 10 low-lying villages and completely isolatingSanamxay district. Five of Sanamxay district’s villages – namely May, Hinlath,Nhaythe Sanong Tay, Thasengchan, and Thahin – were entirely submerged.
The disaster has left at least 18 dead, around 200 people still missing, andmade over 1,300 families of 6,600 people homeless. No Vietnamese casualtieshave been reported so far.
The Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower plant is being constructed by the Xe Pian-Xe NamnoyPower Company (PNPC), a joint venture between the Republic of Korea’s SKE&C and Korea Western Power, Thailand’s Ratchaburi Electricity GeneratingHolding, and Lao Holding State Enterprise.
The project, estimated to cost 1.02 billion USD, is the first build-operate-transfer(BOT) model to be undertaken by Korean companies in Laos. The dam is 90 percentcompleted and operation was due to start in 2019.
On July 24, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding issued a press releaseannouncing that unexpected heavy rains caused the dam to collapse. High volumesof rainwater fractured the dam and caused a deluge in the downstream area ofXe-Pian River, it said. –VNA
The Lao government on July 24 declared Sanamxay district in Attapeu province an emergency disaster zone after the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam flooded the district.
Tran Thanh Man, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, on July 25 sent a message of sympathy to President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Xaysomphone Phomvihane over the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in the Lao province of Attapeu on July 23.
No information related to Vietnamese citizens was reported after the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in Attapeu province’s Sanamxay district of Laos on July 23, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos.
Shortly after receiving information about the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in Laos, the High Command of Military Region 5 of Vietnam asked its South Laos Friendship Co. Ltd. to send 10 medical workers and hundreds of personnel to join rescue and relief efforts.
Local firm CMVietnam has expressed its readiness to partner with its major contractor, Korean SK Engineering & Construction, and Lao authorities in the search and rescue efforts following the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in the Lao province of Attapeu on July 23.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
Villagers are evacuated after the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy hydro-power dam collapsed in Attapeu province, Laos. (Photo: KPL/VNA) 
