Feature

Lao Scholar Draws on History to Explore What Makes a Country ‘Great’

In many Lao communities, temples are among the cleanest places around. People sweep the grounds, tend to the gardens, and take care of the buildings. There is a shared understanding that these places are sacred, belong to everyone, and that caring for them is a collective responsibility. But why doesn't...

The Photographer Who Speaks for Laos’ Forests

In the forests of Laos, observation comes before words for Souksamlan “Toun” Laladeth. That idea...

Deported to Laos, US Returnees Find Their Way in an Unfamiliar Home

The men behind a barbecue grill in Vientiane speak English more easily than Lao. Some...

Seven Lao Artists Are Taking Life Advice From Cats

Cats spend much of their day sleeping, stretching in the sun, at times hunting,...

Young Lao Footballers Win International Titles as World Cup Fever Grows

While the FIFA World Cup dominates football headlines, a Lao youth footballers has returned...

Young Luang Prabang Artisan Wins Global Award for Lao Embroidery

Lao handicrafts shone brightly on the global stage, as a unique embroidery technique by a young Lao artisan won the Youngest Artisan award at...

Back in Business: How Tourists Are Reviving Laos’ Hotels, Restaurants, Communities

After years of pandemic-induced quiet, Laos is seeing its hotels fill up, restaurants reopen, and communities come back to life, thanks to a new...

World Suicide Prevention Day: Lao Expert Urges Early Support as Challenges Remain

Today, 10 September, marks World Suicide Prevention Day, and like in most corners of the world, in Laos, death by suicide remains a major...

Lao Transgender Queen Turns Struggles Into Pride on Global Stage

Taneung Inthavong Chanthasenesack, recently crowned Miss International Queen Laos 2025, will represent Laos at the world’s largest transgender beauty pageant in Thailand this September.  Her...

Dog Poisoning Crisis in Laos: One Man’s Fight for Justice

Dog poisoning has long been an issue in Laos, with cases of pets being poisoned and kidnapped continuing to put owners on edge.  On 12...

On the Frontlines of Crisis: Why Health Workers Need Urgent Protection and Funding

On World Humanitarian Day, 19 August,  Pio Smith, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific,...