Thavichanh Thiengthepvongsa

Deputy Director General

Investment Promotion Department, Ministry of Planning and Investment

Mrs. Thavichanh THIENGTHEPVONGSA, Master in Economics, Deputy Director General, Investment Promotion Department (IPD), Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI). Mrs. Thavichanh’s current key role is supervising two main areas, the International Investment Cooperation (IIC) Division and the Pubic Private Partnership (PPP) Division. Right before that she had a role as the Director of the Concession Agreements and Projects Management Division of IPD, MPI. In the past she was appointed for various tasks: starting from being a junior official, in mid 1990s, in the Project Screening and Evaluation Division, Committee for Promotion and Management of Domestic and Foreign Investment, Prime Minister’s Office. After some years, she became a senior project analyst for large scale development projects, where she had significant contribution to some major project development decision and concession agreement negotiation, particularly in the mining and hydropower sector. In 2004, she was assigned as the Deputy Head of Investment Promotion Division of IPD to oversee the international cooperation relations. During this period she took her active role in leading bilateral, regional and international agreements and treaties negotiations, including bilateral investment treaties (BITs), ASEAN Framework Agreement of Services (CCS) and WTO accession negotiation. She also worked with international organizations like UNDP to promote quality investment under the Poverty Environmental Initiatives with UNDP and ASEAN-integration with GIZ. In mid-2000, as environmental issues arising from economic development, particularly in mining, hydropower, and agricultural sectors, has gradually spelt out; she turned her keen interest to the environmental and social impacts safeguards and management work. In late-2000, she spent her time dedicatedly to work in the field, in the four Provincial Departments for the Planning and Investment and the Natural Resources and Environment of Laos, where she dynamically worked with provincial authorities, local communities and international experts, under the Lao Government and Sida Program. In early 2010s, she was promoted to be the Director of Legal Division of IPD. Soon after, she actively worked on the development and amendment of investment policy, laws and regulations. The most pronounced work during the period was her leading role in revising and amending Investment Promotion Law (version 2009), which has been endorsed by the National Assembly in 2016 and enforcing until today and the development of a brand-new legislation, Governmental Decree on Public Private Partnership (PPP). Now, she is, with her team, working on the improvement the Decree on PPP to a Law on PPP. To fulfill her given tasks she has been working closely with concerned line agencies at different levels, as well as international organizations like ADB, WB, IFC, UNDP, EU, JICA and etc. Mrs. Thavichanh was promoted to be the Deputy Director General of Investment Promotion Department of Ministry of Planning and Investment in 2015.