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Saturday, November 1, 2025
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Phontham Visapra

In the Black: The Business of Mourning Thailand’s Queen Mother

AFP - In a bustling Bangkok market, hundreds of wholesale vendors have been selling black clothing since dawn -- several with hefty discounts --...

Lao MSMEs Struggle with Financing, Bureaucracy Despite Economic Growth

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Laos face ongoing challenges, including limited access to finance, complex administrative procedures, and poor business documentation, according...

Luang Prabang Scores Silver for Sustainable Tourism 2025–2027

Luang Prabang has set a new benchmark for sustainable tourism in Laos by earning the Green Destinations Silver certification for 2025–2027.  Soudaphone Khomthavong, Director of...

Record Vietnam Rains Kill Seven, Flood 100,000 Homes

Flooding triggered by record heavy rains in central Vietnam this week killed at least seven people and inundated more than 100,000 homes, the environment...

Myanmar to Invite Foreign Media Coverage of Upcoming Election

AFP - International media will be allowed to cover Myanmar's upcoming military-run polls, election authorities said on 29 October. The military-stacked Union Election Commission said...

Philippines to Take ASEAN Chair With Focus on South China Sea

By Martin Abbugao/AFP - Malaysia handed over the chairmanship of Southeast Asia's regional bloc to the Philippines on 28 October, with territorial disputes in the...

Contamination Detected in Popular Thai Herbal Inhaler, Nationwide Recall Issued

On 28 October, Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that Hong Thai’s popular Formula 2 herbal inhaler failed safety tests due to contamination,...

ASEAN Summit in Malaysia Highlights 0% US Tariff, Regional Cooperation, Myanmar

The 47th ASEAN Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 26–28 October, brought together leaders from Southeast Asia and partner countries to discuss trade,...

Leaders Tackle Regional Conflicts, Expansion on First Day of ASEAN Summit

Laotian Times, Isabelle Leong and Jan Hennop/AFP - Southeast Asia’s leaders gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 26 October, marking the start of the two-day...

Laos Signs UN Cybercrime Convention to Boost Digital Security

Laos has formally joined the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, signaling its commitment to global cooperation in combating cyber threats and advancing its digital...

Year-Long Funeral Starts for Thailand’s Former Queen Sirikit

Thousands of grieving Thai royalists lined the streets of Bangkok on 26 October, saluting a procession bringing former queen Sirikit's body to lie in...

East Timor Formally Joins ASEAN as 11th Member

East Timor joined the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc as its 11th member state on 26 October, after 14 years of...

Lao Ambassador Appointed as Personal Representative of President Thongloun to Francophonie

On 21 October, Kalamoungkhoune Souphanouvong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos to France, presented his credentials to Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of the International Organization...

Four Dead in Xieng Khouang Linked to Illegal Gold Mining

Xieng Khouang Province has reported four deaths in 2025 related to illegal gold mining, highlighting ongoing safety and regulatory issues in the region. The...