Laos devalues its currency 13 percent

    BANGKOK, Thailand, May 29 (UPI) - Laos has devalued its 
currency about 13 percent and introduced new bill 
denominations as it struggles to cope with the delayed 
effects of Southeast Asia's financial crisis.
   Lao National Radio, monitored in Bangkok today, says the 
tiny land- locked country's National Bank of Laos had 
decided to devalue the currency, the kip, to 3,120 to the 
U.S. dollar, from its previous rate of 2,700 kip to the 
dollar.
   Laos also introduced 2,000 and 5,000 kip notes.
   Lao officials said the devaluation was necessary to 
bring the official exchange rate closer to the black market 
rate.
   The black market rate had recently crept up to as high 
as 3,200 kip to the greenback.
   Laos, along with most of the other countries in 
Southeast Asia, has been having increasing financial 
difficulties since last July, when the sudden devaluation 
of the Thai baht triggered panic in the region.
   Laos, which has a nominally communist government, is 
dependent on cross-border trade with Thailand.
   

From: akm74@aol.com (AKM 74) 
Date: 29 May 1998 21:45:25 GMT  

National Youth Football squad bound for Asian Under-16 
tourney  

By Sisay Vilaysack  
     THE Lao National Football Federation will send the 
National Youth Football team to compete at the 8th Asian 
Youth Under-16 Football Championship'98. Thirty-seven 
countries in Asia will participate in the championship.
    The teams are divided into nine groups:
    Group-1: Oman, Kuwait,Turkmenistan and Palestine.
    Group-2: Iran, United Arab Emirates and Tajikstan, 
Yemen.
    Group-3: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan.
    Group-4: India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and DPR Korea.
    Group-5: Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Guam.
    Group-6: Uzbekistan, Iraq, Maldives and Bhutan.
    Group-7: Korea Republic, China, Chinese Taipei and 
Philippines.
    Group-g: Laos, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Myanmar.
    Group-9: Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.

    The first round winning team of each group will move on 
to play in the next round.
    The Lao team will play in Group-8. First round play for 
Group-8 will be held in Yangon, Myanmar from May 25 to June 
2. The Lao national team is comprised of players selected 
from various youth clubs all over the country. 

    The following are the names of the Lao National Under-
16 Football team

    Goalkeepers:
    -Vilaya (Faculty of Law) Thanongsone Vongdala (Ministry 
of Interior)
    Defenders:
    -Vilasith (Faculty of Law)
    -Sinakhon (Electicite du Laos) -Inthavong 
(Communication Transport, Post and Construction)
    -Chanesouk (Champassak)
    -Aer Amnad (Champassack)
    -Bandith Sithanyalath (Savannakhet) Saysamone 
Phothilath (Khammouane)

    Midfielders:
    -Tingkham (Communication Transport, Post and 
Construction)
    -Anousack (Communication Transport, Post and 
Construction)
    -Aksone (National University of Laos)
    -Chorlaka (Champassak)
    -Sonsan Bounlamy (Khammouane)
    -Vongsackda (Khammouane)
    -Chanethy Souksombath (Luang Prabang)

    Strikers:
    -Viengsavanh, striker (Friendship Bridge)
    -Damlong Santi, striker (Champassak)

    Coaches:
    Mr Southsakhone Oudomphet
    Mr Soulivan Sieunvilay

    The team will head off to Yangon on May 23 and will be 
lead by the head of the team, Mr Somphou Phongsa.

    Upcoming matches of the tournament:
    May 25: Japan vs. Hong Kong, at 15:00pm Laos vs. 
Myanmar, at 17:00pm
    May 27: Hong Kong vs. Malaysia, at 15:00pm Laos vs. 
Japan, at 17:00pm
    May 29: Malaysia vs. Myanmar, at 15:00pm Laos vs. Hong 
Kong, at 17:00pm
    May 31: Japan vs. Malaysia, at 15:00pm Myanmar vs. Hong 
Kong, at 17:00pm
    June 2: Laos vs. Malaysia, at 15:00pm Japan vs. 
Myanmar, at 17:00pm