Vietnam gifts Laos its new parliament building

Built at a cost of $111 million, the building will serve parliamentary functions and also be a cultural research center.

Somphanh Phengkhammy, Deputy Chairman of the Lao National Assembly and head of the project steering board, expressed high regard for the investor of the house, the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction.

The ministry and other relevant agencies had persisted with work on the building despite the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the supply of equipment and workers for the project, he said.

The House would be ready to host the first session of the 9th Lao National Assembly from March 22 to March 26, he added.

Following the session, work on the House will continue and be completed for full use by the end of June, said Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Construction, Le Quang Hung.

Construction of the Lao National Assembly House, which can accommodate 800-1,000 people with five stories and one basement, began in 2017.