Officials in Viengphoukha district, Luang Namtha, destroyed 15 hectares of opium poppies across 33 plots of land. The operation, conducted from 7-8 January, targeted fields in Namvang, Namon, and Namkheuang villages.
Using wooden sticks, authorities smashed the poppy plants, while younger plants were uprooted to stop regrowth. Thuangxay Duangmala, Deputy Director of the Public Security Department, confirmed that the landowner was arrested, issued a warning by police, and the incident formally recorded.
The operation involved officials from the provincial Narcotics Inspection and Control Department, alongside soldiers from the National Defence and Security Force.
In a similar case, in 2024, authorities cleared 15 hectares of opium poppies from 47 plots of land. Despite...
On 14 January, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Champasack Province reported significant damage to coffee plantations in Pak Song district caused by frost and fog over the...
The Lao government is striving to surpass its state budget revenue targets for a fifth consecutive year,
With a vision toward an independent and self-reliant economy, Laos is aiming to...
Laos is leveraging satellite remote sensing technology to calculate carbon stocks across nine forest areas in the country totaling 170,556 hectares.
The objectives of this project are to unlock the...
Nine Lao university students will soon travel to Japan to participate in the ASEAN-Japan Students Conference as part of JENESYS, an exchange program supported by the Japanese government. The...
On 12 January, an overflow of wastewater from an iron ore washing reservoir in Viengxay district, Houaphanh Province, turned the Nam Xang River dark red. This prompted residents to...
Vietnamese airline Vietjet has signed an agreement to support Laos in advancing its aviation infrastructure.
The partnership, announced on 10 January, was overseen by Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and...
In 2024, Luang Prabang welcomed more than 2 million tourists, surpassing the initial goal of 900,000 visitors.
According to data provided to the Laotian Times by the Luang Prabang Department of Information, Culture, and Tourism, a total of 2,306,375 tourists visited the UNESCO Heritage Town last year, with 1,532,394 being foreign visitors.
The top 10 countries contributing to this success with the highest number of visitors were China, Thailand, South Korea, the United States, France, Japan, Germany, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
China led the way with a significant 438,355 tourists, followed by Thailand with 175,575, and South Korea with 151,189.
This growth was already evident in 2023, when Luang Prabang attracted...
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...
Additional reporting by Souliyasone Ngotsyoudom
Vientiane Province is once again in the spotlight with a fresh tourism draw—the newly upgraded Nam Ngum 1 Reservoir Recreation Area, also known as "Nam Ngum 1 Reservoir" or...
On 14 January, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Champasack Province reported significant damage to coffee plantations in Pak Song district caused by frost and fog over the past few days.
The cold snap, which affected both the crops and farmers’ livelihoods, has hit 37 families across 32.6 hectares of coffee fields.
Among the hardest-hit areas are Houaysan village, where 13 families manage 11.7 hectares, and Setapoung Village, home to 15 families overseeing 7.6 hectares.
Other affected villages include Nong Ya...
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...
Additional reporting by Souliyasone Ngotsyoudom
Vientiane Province is once again in the spotlight with a fresh tourism draw—the newly upgraded Nam Ngum 1 Reservoir Recreation Area, also known as "Nam Ngum 1 Reservoir" or “Thalay Lao,” meaning the Lao Sea.
Located in Keooudom District, the reservoir officially reopened on 3 December after a three-year closure for extensive redevelopment.
“We are expecting at least 1-2 million visitors to visit this place in 2025,” said Sisavath Sengphachan, Vientiane Province’s Head of Information, Culture, and Tourism, who oversees the facility. “We have it all here—nature, food, interesting historical background, and, of course, it’s all environmentally friendly.”
The reservoir’s main area, the marina, now boasts 36 boats connected to on-site restaurants.
Visitors are greeted by an entry gate, parking facilities, and a circular viewing pavilion. For those seeking scenic views, the site offers three viewing points, a stepped viewing platform, and walkways leading to boat restaurants.
Redevelopment, Compensation, and Green Efforts
This redevelopment not only enhances the tourism appeal of Vientiane Province but also brings upgrades to surrounding infrastructure. The 6.3-kilometer access road to the site has been transformed into a concrete pathway, linking the reservoir to Highway No.10. Internal...
