Laos awarded the Issara (Freedom) Order, the Labour Order and the Labour Medal to 46 staff members of Vietnam's Nhan Dan (People) Daily in recognition of their contributions to Laos's national liberation, defence and development struggle as well as to the Lao party's newspaper, the Pasason.

At the award presenting ceremony in Hanoi on February 26, Lao Minister of Information and and Culture Mounkeo Oraboun expressed his gratitude to the Nhan Dan newspaper which has since 1983, sent many experts to Laos to help their colleagues at the Pasason improve their professional skills. The leading Vietnamese daily also received reporters from the Pasason to train in Vietnam and gave technical assistance to the Lao daily.

The current Editor-in-Chief, Dinh The Huynh, and five former Editors-in-Chief of the Nhan Dan were awarded the Issara Order, second class, while six former Deputy Editors-in-Chief received the Issara Order, third class.

Editor-in-Chief Huynh said that the awards would encourage Nhan Dan's staff to continue close coordination with their Lao colleagues, contributing to expanding relations between the parties and governments of Vietnam and Laos. (VNA)