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Sunday, October 19, 2025
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Tropical Storm Kills Family of Five as Hits Philippines

AFP - Tropical Storm Fengshen killed a family of five Sunday as it ploughed across the Philippines' main island Luzon, police and disaster officials said. The family, including two children aged two and 11 years old, were crushed to death when a tree fell on their house at daybreak, police official Sonny Ombajino told AFP by telephone. The incident occurred at a village near the town of Pitogo, about 153 kilometers southeast of Manila, as the storm raked across the southeastern section of Luzon overnight. Fengshen hovered over Manila Bay late morning Sunday with gusts of up to 90 kilometers an hour and was poised to strike provinces north of the capital...

Economy

Vientiane Capital Speeds Up Road Repairs in 2025 with LAK 20.91 Billion Budget

Vientiane is fast-tracking repairs on several major roads in 2025 using a budget of LAK 20.91 billion (around USD 1 million), supported by the Ministry of Public Works and...

Laos Offers Incentives, Scholarships to Strengthen Education in Remote Areas

Laos is introducing new incentives and scholarships to improve education in rural areas, linking teaching with military service to address ongoing teacher shortages.  The government’s latest plan provides a comprehensive...

Work to Start on Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway Section Two, Completion Expected by 2030

Construction of Section 2 of the Vientiane-Hanoi expressway, which will connect Paksan district to the Laos-Vietnam border in Xaychamphone district, Bolikhamxay, is set to begin immediately. On 13 October, the...

Laos Targets 90 percent Urban Water Access by 2030

Following the recent announcement of major transport and city infrastructure projects, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) is now turning its focus to urban water access, positioning...

Luang Namtha Sees Nine Percent Growth in Tourist Arrivals in First Nine Months of 2025

Laos’ northern Luang Namtha Province recorded a steady increase in tourism in 2025, welcoming 985,322 visitors from January to September, a 9 percent rise compared to the same period...

Lao Authorities Confirm International Economic Growth Forecasts in Newly Released Outlook

Lao officials have formally confirmed earlier international projections for the country's economic performance, forecasting GDP growth of around 4.0 percent by year-end.  The figures, published in the third-quarter “Lao PDR...

Travel

Travel Giant Tiket.com Eyes Collaboration in Laos, Cambodia

UPDATED on 19 October at 12:54 PM Jakarta-based online travel platform Tiket.com is exploring opportunities for collaboration and partnership in Laos and Cambodia as part of a broader effort to strengthen its presence across Southeast Asia. While some reports suggested an imminent market entry, the company clarified that it is not launching operations in either country at this stage. Currently, Tiket.com’s platform already lists hotels and flights in Laos and Cambodia, allowing users to book accommodation and travel within both destinations. Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Gaery Undarsa said that Tiket.com views Southeast Asia as a single, integrated travel market and remains open to future expansion based on a deeper understanding of...

ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor Takes Center Stage at Mekong Tourism Forum 2025

Laos hosted the Mekong Tourism Forum 2025 in Luang Prabang from 24 to 27 June, spotlighting the proposed ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor (ARTC) as a key initiative to boost regional travel and connectivity. Held...

New Eco-Tourism Project Aims to Protect Wildlife, Boost Jobs in Luang Namtha

Luang Namtha Province is set to transform Xang Boten village into a conservation-focused tourist destination through the newly launched Xang Boten Tourism Project, a joint initiative between the Lao government and a Chinese...

Health & Environment

Laos Targets 90 percent Urban Water Access by 2030

Following the recent announcement of major transport and city infrastructure projects, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) is now turning its focus to urban water access, positioning it as a cornerstone of sustainable development. Urban Water Access Expansion The 2026–2030 Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Development Plan aims to provide 90 percent of residents in provincial and district municipalities with safe, piped water. At the same time, it strengthens wastewater management, climate resilience, and overall urban livability. On 15 October,...

Sport

SEA Games Mascot Redesign Sparks Debate Over National Identity

The redesign of the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2025 mascot has stirred debate in Thailand, as organizers replaced the original seven colorful characters with two new figures featuring the colors of the...

Thailand Cleared to Host Petanque at SEA Games After World Federation Reversal

Thailand will host the pétanque competition at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games this December, following a reversal by the World Pétanque and Bowls Federation (WPBF) of an earlier suspension over regulatory violations. As...

Politics

Thailand, Laos Set USD 11 Billion Trade Target by 2027, Eye New Infrastructure to Boost Border Economy

In his first official visit abroad as Thailand’s prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul pledged to deepen economic ties with neighboring...

Laos Signs Agreement to Build Longest Highway Connecting Laos, Vietnam

The Lao government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Phongsavanh Group Co., Ltd. to develop the country’s...

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul Arrives in Laos for 75th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties

On 16 October, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrived in Laos for an official visit, marking his first bilateral...

Laos’ First Consultancy Leads ASEAN Diplomacy Program Engages 19 Nations

A youth-led Lao consultancy has made history as the first Lao team to lead a major regional diplomacy program.   The...

Feature

Laos Wins Best National Costume at Mister Global 2025 with Mani Khot Tree-Inspired Design

The ancient Mani Khot tree, a sacred symbol rooted in Champasack Province, southern Laos, has taken the global spotlight, inspiring the Best National Costume award at Mister Global 2025 in Thailand and earning Laos a place of pride on the international stage. Representing Laos, Youphalayth ‘Bobbie’ Phethany, Mister Global Lao 2025, brought home the award with the costume titled “The Guardian Angel of the Mani Khot Tree.” The sacred Mani Khot Tree of Champasak, Laos, is revered in legend as the Tree of Destiny.  Believed to possess magical powers, the tree is said to bring prosperity in the direction its branches point.  While Bobbie did not design the costume himself, he played a central role in developing the idea and overall concept. Deeply connected to his Champasack roots, he wanted to wear something that would stand out and reflect Laos’ rich culture and mythology. The ancient Mani Khot tree, known in Lao legend as the Tree of Destiny, became the core inspiration. “I’ve spent two weeks thinking about the concept, but I couldn’t think of anything until one night I dreamed of Khon Phapheng Waterfall, where the tree is located,” Bobbie said. That dream sparked...

Laos Signs Agreement to Build Longest Highway Connecting Laos, Vietnam

The Lao government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding...

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul Arrives in Laos for 75th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties

On 16 October, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrived...

Laos’ First Consultancy Leads ASEAN Diplomacy Program Engages 19 Nations

A youth-led Lao consultancy has made history as the...

Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia Strengthen Defense Ties Amid Trilateral Military Exercise

On 14 October, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence, General...