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East Asia Pacific Growth Slows in 2025, World Bank Says

East Asia and Pacific has led in economic growth, but to sustain momentum and create jobs, countries must address global uncertainties. Key challenges include shifting global integration, climate change, and demographic trends. According to the World Bank Group’s latest 2025 Regional Economic Update , it is expected to slow to 4.0 percent in 2025, affected by global conditions and domestic policies.  China's growth will decelerate to 4.0 percent due to trade restrictions, policy uncertainty, global slowdown, and property sector weakness. Growth projections vary across the region: Mongolia 6.3 percent and Vietnam 5.8 percent lead, followed by the Philippines 5.3 percent, Indonesia 4.7 percent, Cambodia 4.0 percent, Malaysia  3.9 percent, and Laos...

Economy

East Asia Pacific Growth Slows in 2025, World Bank Says

East Asia and Pacific has led in economic growth, but to sustain momentum and create jobs, countries must address global uncertainties. Key challenges include shifting global integration, climate change,...

Thailand-Cambodia Crime Pact Shouldn’t Undermine Human Rights, Says Right Group

Thailand and Cambodia’s new agreement to combat transnational crime must not come at the expense of human rights, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on 22 April, ahead of a...

Lao, China Bilateral Trade Increases to USD 8.23 Billion in 2024, Marking Significant Growth

In 2024, Laos and China achieved a significant milestone in trade, with a total value of USD 8.23 billion, marking a 15.91 percent increase compared to 2023. This growth...

United States Plans to Hit Southeast Asian Solar Imports with Tariffs as High as 3,400 Percent

On 21 April, the United States Department of Commerce announced its final decision in a major trade investigation targeting solar imports from four Southeast Asian countries.  As a result, the...

Foodpanda to Cease Operations in Thailand, Parent Company Announces

Foodpanda will cease its operations in the country on 23 May, its German parent company Delivery Hero announced on 23 April.  The decision is a major shake-up of Thailand's competitive...

Lao-Thai Health Project Trains More Than 1,170 Professionals Under Princess Sirindhorn’s Initiative

Over 1,170 Lao health professionals have been trained through a long-running initiative led by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand. Now nurturing a new generation of trainees, the project...

Travel

Luang Prabang Surges Past Tourism Goals with Over 1.1 Million Visitors, Fueling Economic Growth

Luang Prabang experienced a tourism boom in the first quarter of the year, generating USD 584,665,369 million in revenue, marking a 162 percent increase in tourist numbers compared to the same period last year. Between January and March, the province welcomed 1,167,581 visitors, including 459,091 domestic travelers and 708,490 international tourists.  This represents a significant increase of 722,679 visitors year-over-year, according to Soudaphone Khomthavong, Director of the Luang Prabang Provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department. In 2024, Luang Prabang saw a total of over 2.3 million tourists, far exceeding its original target of 900,000. This influx played a key role in driving the province’s GDP to LAK 3,989 billion (approximately USD 183...

Luang Prabang Earns Global Recognition for Sustainable Tourism

Laos’ popular world heritage town of Luang Prabang has clinched third place in the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards for “Destination Management” at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany, on 4...

Vientiane Launches Sustainable Tourism Initiative with Innovative Technology for Growth

The Lao government has announced plans to boost tourism in Vientiane Capital with the theme "Vientiane's Sustainable Tourism," The initiative aims to incorporate innovative technologies into tourism management and create new attractions for...

Health & Environment

Thailand-Cambodia Crime Pact Shouldn’t Undermine Human Rights, Says Right Group

Thailand and Cambodia’s new agreement to combat transnational crime must not come at the expense of human rights, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on 22 April, ahead of a high-profile diplomatic meeting between the two countries in Phnom Penh. During the summit, held on 23 April, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced plans to dismantle organised criminal networks and enhance joint operations along their shared border.  Key measures include strengthening security cooperation, improving intelligence sharing,...

Sport

Laos Climbs the Ranks in Asian Grassroots Football

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially upgraded the Lao Football Federation to Silver Level Membership in 2025. Currently, with this upgrade from the 2019 Bronze, the Lao Football Federation becomes the 11th Silver...

Nam Theun 2 Marks 15 Years with Golf Classic in Vientiane

On 15 March, Nam Theun 2 Power Company Limited (NTPC) celebrated its 15th anniversary with the Nam Theun 2 Golf Classic, held at the Lao Country Club in Vientiane.  The event brought together over...

Politics

Thailand-Cambodia Crime Pact Shouldn’t Undermine Human Rights, Says Right Group

Thailand and Cambodia’s new agreement to combat transnational crime must not come at the expense of human rights, Human...

Vietnam Pledges USD 3 Million Hospital for Laos During State Visit

Vietnamese President Leung Cuong made a donation of a district-level hospital construction project to Laos worth USD 3 million. In...

Thai Princess Sirindhorn Concludes Visit to Laos

Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has concluded her official visit to Laos, held from 21 to 24 April, following...

Lao, China Bilateral Trade Increases to USD 8.23 Billion in 2024, Marking Significant Growth

In 2024, Laos and China achieved a significant milestone in trade, with a total value of USD 8.23 billion,...

Feature

“Ni Hao” or Not: When Misplaced Greetings Become a Flashpoint for Racism in Thailand

A simple greeting has sparked a complex debate in Thailand — is saying “Ni hao” to a Southeast Asian person, who isn’t Chinese, an innocent mistake, or a subtle form of racism? The debate began on 20 April, after an incident involving Siranath Bhiromphakdee, also known as Sai Scott, a 26-year-old Thai environmentalist and social media figure, went viral. At the time, he was still serving as the former advisor to the Director-General of Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The confrontation, caught on video, happened on a beach in Krabi province, where Scott came across a Russian couple who had entered an island that was temporarily off-limits for conservation reasons. When he informed them they were violating conservation rules, the Russian man replied with “Ni hao,” the Mandarin Chinese greeting for “hello.” Scott, upset by the greeting, firmly told the couple to leave immediately.  “I don’t care if you come from anywhere in the world, but to come to Thailand and not even have the respect to know the difference between Thailand and China is extremely racist,” Scott later wrote in a Facebook post to his 213,000 followers. “Something as small...

Thailand-Cambodia Crime Pact Shouldn’t Undermine Human Rights, Says Right Group

Thailand and Cambodia’s new agreement to combat transnational crime...

Vietnam Pledges USD 3 Million Hospital for Laos During State Visit

Vietnamese President Leung Cuong made a donation of a...

Thai Princess Sirindhorn Concludes Visit to Laos

Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has concluded her official...

Lao, China Bilateral Trade Increases to USD 8.23 Billion in 2024, Marking Significant Growth

In 2024, Laos and China achieved a significant milestone...

Lao Deputy Calls for Climate, Trade Cooperation

Laos’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maithong Thammavongsa reaffirmed...