Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Peace Independent Democratic Unity and Prosperity

Ministry of Post and Telecommunications            No. 168 / MPT
Vientiane Capital, Date:  23 January 2017

Decision
On Prohibited Items in Postal Service

  • Pursuant the Law on Post, No. 45/NA, dated 25 December 2013,
  • Pursuant the Prime Minister’s Decree No. 303/PM, dated 26 September 2011, on the organization and responsibility of Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.

The Minister hereby issues the Decision:

Chapter 1
General Provision

Article 1 Objectives

This decision defines the principles, regulations and measures for prohibited items in postal service in order to prevent smuggling, sneaking in, carrying, delivering and distributing illegal items and against postal regulations; ensuring the operation of postal service complies with the laws and regulations; aiming to implement compliance with policies of Universal Postal Union (UPU); contributing to national defense and public security activities, ensure order in socio-economy and decent culture of Lao PDR.

Article 2 Prohibited Items in Postal Service

Prohibited items in postal service are items found illegal against postal law, other related laws and regulations of Lao PDR, internal regulations of the destination country and international postal regulations.

Article 3 Definitions

The terms used in this Decision have the following meanings:

  1. Military weapons means ammunitions, explosive elements, weaponry and their parts, firearms, gears and any weapons serving war;
  2. Dangerous goods means items or materials that have chemical or physical reaction by itself or when impact with other substances (air, water, and etc.) leading to danger in lives, properties or environments;
  3. Antique items means ancient items, including Buddha image, idol, sacred items, national heritage items that carry historical, archeological and cultural value that are aged 50 years or older;
  4. Drugs or addictive substances means drug, chemical, plant or any item from the nature or from synthesis, using in medical purpose for relieve or alleviate any paint; of which, overdosing it or not being prescribed by doctors will lead to effects to health and emotion, such as sadness, sleepy, memory loss and health deterioration, character change.
  5. Substance impacting mental-nerve means drug, chemical, plant or any item from the nature or from synthesis, using in medical purpose and others, for sleeping, alleviate anxiety and other paint in body and other; of which, overdosing it or not being prescribed by doctor will lead to stimulation in body and emotion to become active, excessive mental pressure, hallucination or other symptoms similar to using drugs; 

Article 4 Scope of Applicability

This decision applies to individuals, legal entities, domestic and international public and private organizations that provides and uses postal service in Lao PDR.

Chapter 2
Types of Prohibited Items in Postal Service

Article 5 Types of Prohibited Items in Postal Service

There are two types of prohibited items in postal service as the followings:

  1. Prohibited Item Type 1;
  2. Prohibited Item Type 2.

Article 6 Prohibited Item Type 1

Prohibited Item Type 1 is illegal item against laws of Lao PDR and international laws, including the followings:

  1. Military weapons;
  2. Explosives, flammable, infectious items, chemicals and other hazardous dangerous items;
  3. Newspapers, magazines, printings, photos, cassette tapes, videos, CDs, DVDs and others, that are printed, written, recorded or stored messages, photos, voices that advertise against Lao PDR, misleading the vision of the party and government policies; pornography, indecent against decent national culture; misleading Buddhist morals.
  4. Drug or addictive substance, all types of substance impacting mental-nerve, medicine prohibited in Lao PDR in accordance with the list of addictive drugs, material impacting mental-nerve and chemical substance; prohibited drug list in Lao PDR as stipulated by Ministry of Health;
  5. Controlled import and export commodity as stipulated by Ministry of Industry and Commerce;
  6. All antique items as stipulated by Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism;
  7. Rhino horn, elephant ivory, tiger’s part and all wildlife, wild wood and live or death plant as stipulated by Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment;
  8. Money printing paper, ink, machine and milled coinage as stipulated by Bank of Lao PDR;
  9. Items prohibited for imparting and distributing in the destination country;
  10. Other items prohibited and against the laws on postal and the other laws and regulations of Lao PDR.

Article 7 Prohibited Item Type 2

Prohibited Item Type 2 is items not illegal but not following postal regulations and regulations of related sectors, including the followings:

  1. Live animals, parasitic plants, plants, hazardous goods, radioactive items, biological items that are not approved for scientific research and analysis as regulations stipulated by relevant authorities; 
  2. Dangerous goods;
  3. All kinds of batteries as stipulated in the regulation of International Air Transportation Association from time to time;
  4. Sharp items, fragile, liquid and easy-to-spoil items that are not well packed, that will lead to danger to postal staffs or may cause damage to or cause stain to other packages or postal equipment;
  5. Items prohibited for import and export as stipulated in the announcement of relevant sectors from time to time;
  6. Valuable items, such as: silver, gold, diamond, gemstone or other valuable items that sender has not informed postal staffs on the detail;
  7. Money cheques and any type of monetary transaction documents that sender putting in a regular envelop through a regular postal service;
  8. Letters or items being sent via postal service that the addresses of sender and receiver have been written incorrectly, incompletely, unclear, incompliant with technical standards of postal.

Chapter 3
Exemption

Article 8 Exemption

Prohibited items defined in Article 6 and 7 of this Decision are not allow to be sent, received and distributed via postal service, except it is authorized and approved by related authorities.

Article 9 Request for Exemption Procedures

Any individual, legal entity, public and private organization within and outside the country, that has purpose to import and export any prohibited item, must submit request document together with documents describing necessity to related sector for consideration.

The procedures and required documents are based on regulations of related sector.

Chapter 4
Measures for Good Performers and Violators

Article 10 Measures for Good Performers

Individuals, legal entities or organizations that cooperate with postal staffs, custom staffs or policemen in reporting smuggling, sneaking, sending and distributing activities for prohibited or illegal items and are able to detain, seize, get hold of such items, are able to bring the violator to educate or go through jurisdiction process, will be considered for an honor award, be rewarded appropriately in case by case basis.

Article 11 Measures for Violators

Individuals, legal entities or organizations that violate this Decision shall be undergoing educated measures, warned, punished, fined, have their postal service license suspended or withdrawn or receive criminal punishment depending on the severity level of each case as well as be liable for compensation for the loss incurred.

Chapter 7
Final Provision

Article 26 Implementation

Ministry of Post and Telecommunications assign Department of Post in cooperation with other relevant strictly implement this Decision.

Article 27 Effectiveness

This Decision shall come into effect upon the date of signing and after fifteen days of publication in the Official Gazette;

This Decision supersedes the Announcement on Prohibited Items in Postal Service, no. 578/PMO.PTA, dated 10 June 2009;

Minister

[Seal and Signature]
[Thansamay KOMMASITH, PhD]

 

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