A few big name for Laos' April poll
Only a few big names in Laos' ruling communist party are contesting the April 30 general election, as many senior members are preparing for a power struggle during the eighth party congress, sources said yesterday.
Former National Assembly chairman Saman Vinhaket has decided not to run this time amid reports in Vientiane that he was prepared for an important post in the Lao People's Revolutionary Party after the congress. The ruling party is due to hold its congress in the third week of this month, party sources said. Saman is the chairman of the election commission conducting the poll to fill 115 seats for parliament from 175 candidates in 17 constituencies throughout the nation. Only three out of 10 members of the party's political bureau will toss their hats in the ring. They are deputy prime ministers Bouasone Bouphavanh and Thongloun Sisoulith, who run in Vientiane, and Vientiane municipality governor Thongsing Thammavong for Luang Prabang. They would get endorsed by voters for sure as the communist party has no competition in the election. Thongsin is tipped as the chairman of the new National Assembly. The candidates are relatively young, averaging 52 years. The oldest is 69 while the youngest is 36. And 13 candidates come from business, including four from the private sector. Supalak Ganjanakhundee The Nation
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