Laos began using the magnetic card system installed by Tamura in 1992, with the issue of a first series of three values (100, 300 and 500 units); about fifteen other cards were issued later, until 1998, when the chip card system took the place of the Tamura one.
It should be noted that a few months earlier, two cards produced by Anritsu ($ 50 and $ 100) had been issued by Telecom Australia, with images of the details of a temple, bearing the words “This phone card is for use in Lao”: however, these cards were never used in this country, but were provided to the Australian troops stationed in Cambodia.
