Namfon Chanthavong

Rescuers Pull First Survivor Alive From Flooded Cave in Laos

One of the villagers trapped for more than a week inside a flooded cave in Xaysomboun province was brought out alive on Thursday evening,...

Seven Villagers Remain Trapped in Xaysomboun Cave Amid Alleged Illegal Gold Mining

Seven villagers remain trapped inside a remote cave in Xaysomboun province, six days after entering the site, as Lao authorities and international rescue teams...

Laos Halts Fossil Fuel Vehicle Imports, Sets Price Controls for Electric Cars

The Lao government has announced the suspension of imports of most fossil fuel-powered vehicles until the end of 2026 and imposed strict price controls...

Bank of Laos Maintains 7-Day Base Interest Rate at 8% Amid Rising Inflation

The Bank of Laos (BOL) confirmed it will maintain its 7-day base interest rate at 8 percent per annum following a half-day Monetary Policy...

Laos Signs Concession for 80MW Xekaman 4 Hydropower Project to Export Power to Vietnam

Laos has formalized a build-operate-transfer (BOT) concession for the 80-megawatt Xekaman 4 Hydropower Project in Sekong province, with all electricity generated designated for export...

ASEAN Pushes Shared Fuel Reserve as Laos Emerges Central to Regional Energy Plans

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are discussing a regional fuel reserve system following recent oil supply disruptions linked to the...

Lao Electricity Exports to Vietnam Surge as Regional Energy Trade Expands

Electricity exports from Laos to Vietnam rose sharply in early 2026 as Vietnam increased purchases to support growing energy demand and strengthen supply stability. Vietnam...

Laos Steps Up ASEAN Diplomacy Ahead of Regional Summit

Laos is intensifying its regional diplomacy efforts ahead of the 48th ASEAN Summit, with senior officials engaging partners across Southeast Asia to strengthen cooperation...

Resettlement Progresses in Oudomxay as Dam Project Moves 845 Families

Authorities in Oudomxay confirmed on 2 May that 845 families, 4,252 people, in Nga district face impacts from the ongoing construction of the Luang...

Laos-China 500 kV Power Transmission Line Now Operational

Laos and China have put their new 500 kV cross-border power transmission line into operation. It went live on 20 April, following test runs after...

Vientiane Court Sentences Drug Trafficker to Death, Two Others to Prison

The Vientiane Provincial People’s Court sentenced one man to death and handed prison terms to two others in separate drug cases on 2 April,...

Vietnam Introduces Pre-Arrival Digital Declaration for Foreigners at Ho Chi Minh City Airport

Vietnam has introduced a mandatory digital pre-arrival declaration for all foreign nationals entering on a visa through Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho...

Xayaburi Cracks Down on Shirtless Celebrations, Roadside Water Guns, Inappropriate Behavior

Authorities in Xieng Hon district, Xayaburi Province, have issued a notice outlining strict rules for Pi Mai Lao celebrations, including bans on roadside water...

Laos, China Launch New Cross-Border Bus Route Linking Yunnan to Luang Namtha

Laos and China have launched a new international bus route connecting Xiang Hung City in Yunnan Province to Xiang Kok village in Luang Namtha,...