12 January 2015 - The Lao Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) chose Academic Officer Maykham Tongvongkham and Deputy Director for Research Division Phetsalinh Douangsonthy to participate in the Module on Protocol, Diplomatic Decorum, and Conference Management conducted by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) from November 17 to 24, 2014. This is the third batch of Lao junior diplomats to have availed of this FSI offering in implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign Service Institute of the Philippines and the Institute of Foreign Affairs of Laos which was concluded in May 2012 during the official visit to the Philippines of Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong. 

During the said module, Mr. Tongvongkham and Ms. Douangsonthy joined the newly-recruited Foreign Service Officers from the Philippines and took part in the lectures and workshops dealing with proper protocol and social etiquettes, nuances in diplomacy and diplomatic settings, as well as procedures for undertaking diplomatic conferences and meetings. These topics will be useful to the Lao diplomats as their country prepares for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2016.

Mr. Tongvongkham, Ms. Douangsonthy, together with another IFA official, Mr. Khamla Khoutlavong, were hosted to a lunch by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jose Carlo Morales before their flight to Manila to start their FSI training. END