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Friday, July 4, 2025
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Laos Orders Suspension of Potash Mining Projects in Vientiane Capital

This Week

The Lao government has ordered the immediate suspension of potash exploration and mining projects in Vientiane Capital due to serious environmental and safety concerns, including recent land collapses in residential areas.

The decision was announced in an official notice from the National Assembly on 1 July, the same day it took effect. 

Previous reviews by the Vientiane Capital People’s Assembly and the Committee on Economy, Technology, and Environment flagged major concerns about the project’s execution and its potential impact on surrounding communities.

The issue escalated after a land collapse on 1 June in Thong Mang village, Xaythany district, which damaged homes, farmland, and property. Authorities warned that more land failures could follow, threatening the capital, Laos’ political, economic, and cultural center.

In response, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee halted all potash-related exploration, surveying, and mining in the capital, including projects still under review. Officials will now inspect active projects, and any found to violate the law will be disqualified from compensation.

The Assembly directed the Ministry of Industry and Trade, along with other relevant ministries, to enforce the resolution. 

It also assigned oversight duties to the Committee on Economy, Technology, and Environment, other Assembly committees, the National Assembly Committee for Constituency I of Vientiane Capital, the Vientiane Capital People’s Assembly, and local authorities.

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