Abstract
This study investigates the main problems related to the quality of current construction projects in the Lao PDR and suggests solution to these problems. The study focuses on four fundamental factors which can lead to the successful construction with the achievable objectives: 1) architectural designs of buildings and monitoring quality standards, 2) the materials, equipment, and machinery, 3) the skills and capacity of human resources and 4) the management of the implementation.
The study suggests that there are ten problem that are consistently seen in construction projects in the Lao PDR. 1) construction companies often don’t have secured finances to complete projects and 2) there is sometimes a lack of financial accountability in projects. 3) There is a problem about the level of knowledge and skill to be able to handle large-scale projects. 4) Qualifies people are often allocated to incorrect positions (e.g. electrical engineers are given the work of mechanical engineers). 5) There is a lack of skilled or qualifies workers 6) Inadequate construction engineers and experts in Lao PDR. 7) Lack of adequate construction materials testing before they are use and 8) low standard materials 9) low standard of monitoring the use of construction materials and 10) the ignorance of the monitoring of the quality standards implementation. Overall, our findings suggest that the issue of Human Resources is the most important factor with the overall mean score of 3.54 covering 50% of projects reporting the problems with the mean scores bigger than 3.5. The least important factor is relating to architectural designs of buildings and monitoring quality standards with the overall mean score of 3.3 covering 10% of the projects reporting problems with the overall mean score of the problem bigger than 3.5.
In summary, these problems are mainly related to the contracting company conditions such as a lack of financial accountability, less experience to manage the implementation of large-scale projects and a lack of a strict monitoring system of quality standards. In order to improve the quality and standards of the construction projects in the Lao PDR, these is an urgent need for better cooperation and dialogue between construction companies, architectural and design consultants and related state agencies.