An employee of a foreign company operating in Laos was fined LAK 63 million after being caught dumping garbage.
Head of Vientiane City Office for Management and Service (VCOMS), Mr. Bounchanh Keosithamma, told the media that authorities conducted a one-month investigation following video evidence submitted by concerned citizens.
VCOMS, in coordination with the Foreigner Control Department, under the Vientiane Capital Office of Public Security, was able to identify a Chinese national responsible for the illicit dumping.
After being apprehended, the man confessed to officers that he had dumped over seven tons of garbage, spreading it at sites in Nong Beuk and Nong Bua Thong villages. He also made a second attempt with another six tons of waste.
VCOMS says those who report waste dumping will receive 30% of fines levied against offenders.
Waste management has become a critical issue in Vientiane Capital, where much of the population continues to illegally burn or dump waste.
Collection services are being privatized in some areas of Vientiane Capital, although residents have reported waste collection services failing to collect for weeks in a row.
In 2021, Vientiane Capital had a population of over 900,000, including 481 villages and 173,840 households, with only 22,393 of these households able to access waste services.
