Farmers who once cultivated opium poppies in villages in Oudomxay
province are enjoying a better quality of life and more income,
provincial Deputy Governor Khampheng Chittavong said.

Mr Khampheng was speaking during a visit by the Chairman of the Lao
National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision, Mr Soubanh
Srithirath, who last Thursday and Friday led 14 ambassadors and United
Nations representatives on a tour of the province's Drug Treatment
Centre.

The Director of the Post-opium Surpass Poverty Project in Oudomxay
province, Mr Houmphan Bouphakham, gave a presentation on the project's
activities and showed guests goods for sale at the centre.

Mr Houmphan told the visitors that products for sale include brooms,
vases, po sa paper handicrafts, lau khao (rice whisky), and weavings.
The products are made by drug addicts being treated at the centre.

The group was visited by the head of Had-aen village in La district, a
particular target of the project.

"We are quite happy to tell visitors coming here that our farmers are
ready to give up opium poppy cultivation," Village Head Khamhak
Vilavongsa told the guests.

On Mar 3, 8:02 pm, ດອກກະຈຽວ gmail.com> wrote:

On Mar 4, 5:27 pm, ລາວພວນ ລາວຮັກຊາດ gmail.com> wrote:

On Mar 5, 12:23 am, brushoff aol.com> wrote: