Laos has received a credit rating upgrade after issuing a USD 500 million international bond and signing a tax agreement with Hong Kong aimed at reducing costs for cross-border investors.
On 29 October, S&P Global Ratings upgraded Laos’s long-term credit rating from CCC+ to B-, with a stable outlook, indicating that the government is now considered better able to repay its debts, although significant financial risks remain. The S&P cited tighter government spending, efforts to stabilize the Lao kip, and recovering foreign exchange reserves following the balance-of-payments crisis of the early 2020s. It also noted 10 percent growth in international tourist arrivals in the first half of 2026, alongside activity...
Laos has received a credit rating upgrade after issuing a USD 500 million international bond and signing a tax agreement with Hong Kong aimed at reducing costs for cross-border...
Laos is eyeing a major expansion of its clean energy exports following a proposed agreement to supply up to 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity to Singapore.
On 30 October,...
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has ordered trade offices nationwide to stop imposing measures that restrict business competition or obstruct the movement of goods.
Issued on 28 October, the...
Laos’ inflation edged down to 7.7 percent in October from 7.8 percent in September, but households continue to face higher electricity bills and other everyday expenses.
Prices rose 0.9 percent...
Laos will suspend access to South Korea’s seasonal work program for 3 years if the nationwide overstay rate reaches 70 percent, under new rules introduced as the country expands...
Laos has banned the production, sale, and advertising of crafts made from kip banknotes, including money bouquets and decorative money trees, under a new directive issued by the Ministry...
The number of foreign nationals living in Laos has nearly doubled over the past decade, led by a sharp increase in Chinese residents, even as hundreds of thousands of Lao citizens live abroad.
Laos recorded 79,827 foreign residents in its 2025 census, up from 45,538 in 2015. The census also counted 313,766 Lao citizens living abroad, as the country faces slowing population growth and labour shortages.
Chinese nationals accounted for much of the increase in the foreign population. Their numbers rose from 1,825 in 2005 to 13,400 in 2015 and 25,492 in 2025. Vietnamese nationals remained the largest foreign group, with 28,269 residents in 2025.
Thousands of Lao Citizens Seek Work Abroad
The...
Laos expects to welcome between 5 and 6 million international tourists in 2026, with Chinese visitors projected to account for around 2 million of that total, according to government estimates.
The numbers will be...
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...
Researchers have found a new kind of venomous snake living in caves in Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province. The snake has a bright yellow-orange snout.
The study, published in the journal Herpetozoa, describes the species from one adult female collected near Khan Kham Cave in October 2024. The researchers also photographed three other snakes of the same kind in nearby caves. All four were on cave surfaces, such as walls, stalactites and bare rock.
Khan Kham Cave is a long, wide natural...
Laos is preparing to compete in 12 sports at the 14th ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur next October.
The Lao team has proposed entering athletics, swimming, powerlifting, boccia, women’s goalball, men’s blind football,...
Laos continues working to develop chess among younger generations.
A group of young Lao players has returned from Singapore with 12 medals after gaining international experience against competitors from across Asia and beyond.
Team Laos...
On 11 October, Laos hosted the "Capital Links Forum" at the Souphattra Hotel in Vientiane, bringing together financial institutions, investors, policymakers, and fintech innovators. The event focused on the significant barriers hindering capital mobilization in the country, sparking critical discussions about how to unlock Laos’s economic potential.
Laos has long been an attractive economic and infrastructure partner for its neighbors, thanks to its strategic location in Southeast Asia. Many see great potential in Laos as a connecting hub for regional trade and investment. Recent initiatives, such as the "Land Locked to Land Linked" project—part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative—aim to enhance infrastructure and promote economic integration within the ASEAN region.
“The first time I came (to Laos), over a decade ago, there wasn’t much infrastructure development,” said Hongwei Wang, CEO of CGIF, a collaboration project involving ASEAN +3 and the Asian Development Bank. “Importing goods was challenging. Now, improved connectivity makes a big difference.”
Despite these advancements in physical connectivity, the financial landscape remains underdeveloped, especially in rural areas. Many residents lack access to formal banking services, resulting in what participants at the event referred to as a "capital lock." This...
