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Thursday, May 1, 2025
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Social Media Users Question Government Report Claiming Poverty Eradication in Vientiane

This Week

A recent government report claiming that 99.43 percent of families in Vientiane Capital have been lifted out of poverty has sparked widespread skepticism on social media, with many users reacting with the laughing emoji on several Facebook posts.

The report was presented on 1 April by Soumaly Thammavong, Head of the Vientiane Home Affairs Department. 

According to the statistics, 155,493 families have successfully emerged from poverty, leaving only 899 families, or 0.57 percent, still classified as impoverished. Among these, 142,698 families (91.24 percent) are now considered developed, while 10,268 families (6.57 percent) have yet to reach development status.

Additionally, the report stated that 379 villages (78.79 percent) in Vientiane Capital have achieved development, whereas 102 villages (21.21 percent) have not yet met the required standards. Furthermore, all nine districts in the capital have been officially certified as having eradicated poverty, reportedly reaching a 100 percent completion rate.

Despite these optimistic figures, the Lao public has met the report with skepticism, especially after it was shared on social media by Lao Phattahana. The post received approximately 1,600 reactions, including 951 laugh reactions, as users questioned the legitimacy of the statistics.

Many commenters openly mocked the claims, arguing that they still struggle with financial difficulties and basic living conditions.

“Eradicated poverty? Give me a break. I still need to boil an egg to eat at work because the price of other goods is so expensive,” one user wrote.

“I feel like my house is still poor as my family is still struggling with a water shortage,” another commenter added.

The overwhelming response from social media users suggests a disconnect between official reports and the lived realities of many residents in Vientiane. As economic challenges persist, the debate over poverty eradication in Laos continues.

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