Laos is facing issues in managing its state budget, with billions of kip unaccounted for, according to the Vientiane Capital People's Assembly on 19 December.
President of Central Region Audit Office No.1, Khammone Bouaphanh revealed that LAK 4.77 billion (about USD 217,000) had not been transferred to the official state budget. Of this, LAK 3.62 billion (USD 165,000) was spent outside the national budget system, while LAK 1.15 billion remains in unauthorized treasury deposits.
Meanwhile, He also identified several factors including weak law enforcement, poor cooperation among budget units, and delays in adjusting revenues and expenses for the discrepancies.
In a related report, investigations into corruption uncovered losses of USD 2.2 million...
Laos is facing issues in managing its state budget, with billions of kip unaccounted for, according to the Vientiane Capital People's Assembly on 19 December.
President of Central Region Audit...
National Assembly Representative for Vientiane Capital, Valy Vethsaphong, has called on the Lao government to address the rising prices of essential goods, despite the stability of the country’s exchange...
Vientiane Capital's economy grew by 5.85 percent, surpassing the National Assembly's initial target of 0.30 percent, according to the city Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone.
Atsaphangthong reported on 16 December that this...
On 18 December, Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports and President of the Lao-Japan Friendship Association, received Japan's prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star.
The...
On 2 to 5 December, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2024 brought together 100 young leaders from across ASEAN and Timor-Leste in the World Heritage Site...
On 12 December, Seno Grilled Chicken was officially recognized by Savannakhet authorities, becoming a new symbol of the central Lao province.
It all started in the early 1990s at a...
Starting 1 September, the Lao government began collecting a fee of LAK 10,000 (USD 0.46) from all domestic and international tourists, including group tours and individuals, at all international border checkpoints.
This fee will be processed through the electronic banking system (Easy Pass) and is intended to contribute to the tourism fund, according to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICT).
The government introduced this fee to ensure transparency in income and expenses while transitioning to a fully digital payment system.
As per the new system, foreign tourists will pay the fee upon entering the country, while domestic tourists will be charged when exiting. The fee is set at LAK 10,000...
Laos continues to shine on the global tourism stage, earning 219 ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards for its dedication to sustainability and exceptional travel experiences.
On 26 November, Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Suansavanh...
Laos has recorded over five million tourists this year, exceeding expectations and generating more than USD 1 billion in revenue, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone announced on 18 November.
According to the PM, domestic tourist...
On 13 December, medical staff at the Laos-Luxembourg Heart Institute performed Laos’s first-ever cardiac surgery.
A team of cardiac surgeons from Laos and Luxembourg performed the surgery at Vientiane’s Mahosot Hospital using the "beating-heart surgery" technique, a type of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) that does not require stopping the patient's heart.
Unlike traditional CABG, which requires halting the heart and using extracorporeal circulation, the beating-heart method keeps the heart beating throughout the procedure, reducing both trauma and costs. Experts say...
The Lao youth football team, with three groups of players from the WIG NAGA club, competed in the 2024 Jaifa King’s Cup in Lopburi, Thailand, on 5 December.
The tournament saw teams from ten...
Two Lao bodybuilders, Chintana Khambounheuang and Khamla Samavong, each won a gold medal at the 15th World Bodybuilding Championship held in the Maldives from 5 to 11 November.
Chintana claimed gold in the Swimming...
On 2 to 5 December, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2024 brought together 100 young leaders from across ASEAN and Timor-Leste in the World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang, under the theme "Connecting the Creative Economy."
The event, supported by the US Department of State, the US Embassy in Vientiane, and YSEALI, was implemented by STELLA and Quack, two youth empowerment groups in Laos.
One of the key highlights of the Summit was the opportunity for participants to engage in masterclasses on cutting-edge topics such as "Creative Economy and Strengths of ASEAN's Creative Industries."
But what exactly is the creative economy, and why is it important for the ASEAN region, especially for Laos?
For Phetmany Viyadeth, the Founder of UTD Education Centre in Laos, the creative economy holds immense potential for the country.
"I've met so many talented and kind individuals from various creative careers who share a creative mindset, and we share a common interest in supporting our community. I've learned that collaboration and shared ideas are key to driving change, especially in the creative economy," she said.
From the perspective of Keopanya Sengsoulivong, Manager of Pakse Youth Power, the creative...
