Bidding process for Lao leaders’ vehicles begins next week
A bidding process to sell 15 cars withdrawn from government leaders is expected to be organised next week in Vientiane as part of the commitment leaders have made to stop driving expensive luxury cars and save the government money.
The cars comprise seven BMW/Series 7/730li and eight Mercedes Benzes S350, according to a committee in charge.
The cars are being displayed at the National Convention Centre (NCC) and those interested in bidding and need detailed information can visit the NCC and also take a look at the cars first hand on official working days.
Bidding documents are expected to be sold next week. Precise dates to sell the documents and the announcement of the bid winners will be made soon.
“The bidding is wide opened for all interested parties. It will be carried out in a transparent manner in line with the relevant law,” the committee said in a press release.
The committee members yesterday visited the NCC to review preparations of the cars and the bidding process.
The withdrawal and the planned bidding process came after the leaders of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the government agreed not to drive luxury cars like BMWs, or Mercedes Benzes in a bid to cut lavish spending on vehicles and related costs.
The cars will be replaced by cheaper brands of vehicles.
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith last month issued a Prime Ministerial Decree to replace the old one promulgated in 2001 with the new decree to cut spending remarkably.
Luxury cars will no longer be used for state affairs and excessive numbers of cars previously provided to leading officials will be taken back.
The committee said the upcoming bidding will just be the first batch of cars withdrawn from the leaders at level I and level II categories.
The level-I leaders include the President, Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly, Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and members of the Politburo. The level-II leaders comprise the Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Vice President, Vice President of the National Assembly and Deputy Prime Minister.
Another bidding process will be organised at a later date as a number of Mercedes Benzes purchased for state affairs services by many state departments and excessive cars provided previously to the leading officials have not yet been withdrawn.
In total, 36 Mercedes-Benz comprising 15 S-Class and 21 E-Class Mercedes-Benz have been purchased for use in state affairs by central and local departments, such as receiving foreign guests, while some have been provided for high-ranking officials. These numbers included those already withdrawn.
