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Laos Arrests 5,168 in 2024 Drug Crackdown

Laos reported 3,395 drug-related cases processed this year, leading to the arrest of 5,168 individuals, including 199 foreigners. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security, General Vilay Lakhamfong, provided these statistics during a National Assembly session on 20 November, emphasizing the ministry's continued efforts to combat drug addiction and trafficking. The minister highlighted significant drug seizures made by authorities, including nearly 381 kg of heroin, over 81 million amphetamine pills, 4,800 kg of crystal meth, 84.86 kg of opium, 3,600 kg of cannabis, and more than 10,000 kg of other drug-related substances. Additionally, items allegedly linked to drug offenses were confiscated, such as 77 cars, 480 motorcycles, 10 guns, and...

Economy

Lao Coffee: A Journey Through Flavor, Heritage

In Laos' Bolaven Plateau, Champasack Province, the air is often filled with the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans.  There, each cup of coffee reflects generations of tradition and craftsmanship....

Laos Welcomes Over Five Million Tourists in 2024, Generating Over USD 1 Billion

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...

Lao National Assembly Opens 8th Ordinary Session to Address Key National Challenges

The 9th-tenure National Assembly (NA) opened its 8th Ordinary Session on 18 November in Vientiane. Under the leadership of Xaysomphone Phomvihane, the assembly convened to address mounting economic pressures,...

ASEAN Policy Forum Paves Way for Transformative Education Reforms

Laos hosted the ASEAN Policy Forum on Higher Education 2024 in Vientiane Capital from 11 to 12 November, bringing together representatives from ASEAN member states, the European Union, and...

OP-ED: A New Chapter for Laos – Harnessing Global Expertise for Local School Meals

By Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports, Laos and Marc-Andre Prost, World Food Program (WFP) Representative and Country Director in Laos, with inputs from the Embassy of France...

Nam Theun 2 Power Company Earns Laos’ First International Anti-Bribery Certification

Nam Theun 2 Power Company Ltd. (Nam Theun 2) became the first company in Laos to receive the ISO 37001:2016 or the Anti-Bribery Management Systems certification on 6 September. This...

Travel

Lao Coffee: A Journey Through Flavor, Heritage

In Laos' Bolaven Plateau, Champasack Province, the air is often filled with the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans.  There, each cup of coffee reflects generations of tradition and craftsmanship. Renowned for its high-quality Arabica beans, Lao coffee is earning global recognition for its unique flavor and cultural significance. The southern Lao province is responsible for over 80 percent of the nation’s coffee output. This high-altitude region, reaching 1,300 meters above sea level, features mineral-rich volcanic soil, cool temperatures, and ample rainfall, ideal conditions for cultivating premium coffee beans. Farmers in Champasack employ traditional coffee-growing practices, handpicking beans to ensure only the ripest cherries are harvested. Wet processing is widely used in...

Laos Welcomes Over Five Million Tourists in 2024, Generating Over USD 1 Billion

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...

Laos Extends Visa Exemptions to Boost Visit Laos Year 2024

ARTICLE UPDATED ON 27 JUNE, 2024 AT 4:04 PM To bolster tourism in the second half of Visit Laos Year 2024, the Lao government is set to introduce a new policy granting free visas...

Health & Environment

Laos, United Nation Team Up on Youth Empowerment, Gender-Based Violence Initiatives

On 12 November, Lao Women Union, Lao Youth Union, the United Nations agencies and key development partners came together to discuss groundbreaking initiatives aiming to empower youth and address gender-based violence in Laos.  The meeting, titled “Briefing Meeting with Development Partners on UN Joint Programming Areas to Advance Youth Empowerment and Address Gender-Based Violence,” provided a platform to highlight the significance of joint planning.  The goal is to harmonize efforts, focus strategic interventions, and accelerate progress in realizing Sustainable Development Goals...

Sport

Lao Bodybuilders Shine at World Championship, Claim Two Gold Medals

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...

Lao Judo Championship Unites Lao, Thai Teams in Vientiane

The 13th Lao Judo Championship drew a large audience in Vientiane last weekend, as athletes from Laos and Thailand participated in the competition at Vientiane’s Budo Center from 26-27 October. Lao athletes won...

Politics

Lloyd Austin Strengthens US-Laos Ties as China Declines Meeting

Laos and the United States are set to deepen their development cooperation within the framework of US-ASEAN relations, as...

Laos, Japan Partner to Develop Advanced Digital Identity System

The Lao and Japanese governments are collaborating to develop and implement a digital identity system in Laos through a...

Lao National Assembly Opens 8th Ordinary Session to Address Key National Challenges

The 9th-tenure National Assembly (NA) opened its 8th Ordinary Session on 18 November in Vientiane. Under the leadership of...

OP-ED: A New Chapter for Laos – Harnessing Global Expertise for Local School Meals

By Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports, Laos and Marc-Andre Prost, World Food Program (WFP) Representative and Country...

Feature

Lao Coffee: A Journey Through Flavor, Heritage

In Laos' Bolaven Plateau, Champasack Province, the air is often filled with the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans.  There, each cup of coffee reflects generations of tradition and craftsmanship. Renowned for its high-quality Arabica beans, Lao coffee is earning global recognition for its unique flavor and cultural significance. The southern Lao province is responsible for over 80 percent of the nation’s coffee output. This high-altitude region, reaching 1,300 meters above sea level, features mineral-rich volcanic soil, cool temperatures, and ample rainfall, ideal conditions for cultivating premium coffee beans. Farmers in Champasack employ traditional coffee-growing practices, handpicking beans to ensure only the ripest cherries are harvested. Wet processing is widely used in the region, where beans are fermented and sun-dried to enhance their complex flavors and aroma. Highlighting its global recognition, Laos’ renowned coffee brand, Lao Mountain Coffee, won Continental Awards for Asia at the 2022 World Coffee Challenge in Spain. Competing with the finest coffee varieties worldwide. For travelers seeking to experience the essence of Bolaven Plateau coffee, Weekend Café and Camping in Paksong is an ideal first stop, conveniently located near most popular tourist sites in Champasak. Sokxay ‘Mee’ Yotsopha, 23, owner of...

Lloyd Austin Strengthens US-Laos Ties as China Declines Meeting

Laos and the United States are set to deepen...

Laos, Japan Partner to Develop Advanced Digital Identity System

The Lao and Japanese governments are collaborating to develop...

Lao National Assembly Opens 8th Ordinary Session to Address Key National Challenges

The 9th-tenure National Assembly (NA) opened its 8th Ordinary...

OP-ED: A New Chapter for Laos – Harnessing Global Expertise for Local School Meals

By Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports, Laos...

Laos, Russia Team Up on Unexploded Ordnance Clearance in Houaphanh Province

Laos’s Ministry of Defense and the Russian Embassy in...