Business

Laos Tightens Foreign Borrowing Rules as Debt Risks Persist

Laos has tightened controls on foreign borrowing as the government seeks to limit debt risks and reduce pressure on foreign-currency reserves and the Lao kip. Under a new Bank of Laos decision issued in August, individuals and companies must obtain central bank approval before taking certain loans, guarantees, trade credits...

Laos Cuts 7-Day Base Interest Rate to 7% as Economic Risks Persist

The Bank of Laos (BOL) has cut its seven-day base interest rate from 8...

Laos Studies USD 1 Billion Vientiane-Lidu Industrial Park in Pakngum

On 13 August, Laos agreed to study the development of a new industrial park...

Vientiane Halts New Microfinance, Pawnshop Licenses Amid Regulatory Review

On 31 July, the Bank of the Lao PDR (BoL) suspended applications for new...

Lao Authorities, Lao Bank Seek Legal Action Against Thai Media Over Money Laundering Claims

On 31 July, Lao authorities and Lao Development Bank (LDB) met with Thailand's Central...

Laos Falls to 113rd Place in Global Competitiveness Ranking

Laos has slipped down to a ranking of 113rd out of 141 surveyed countries in the annual Global Competitiveness Report 2019, while several neighboring...

Laos’s Major Telecom Operators Gear Up for 5G Network

Laos is gearing up to roll out a 5G network, with the country’s two leading telecom operators, Lao Telecom and Unitel, testing or planning...

BCEL, EV Laos to Launch Payment System for Electric Vehicle Charging

Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL) and EV Lao Company have teamed up to launch a smart card system for the payment...

Laos’s KiwiPay to Launch Cashless Visa Payment Service in Africa

KiwiPay, a Laos-based payment solution provider, is set to launch its cashless visa payment system in up to seven African countries, in a move...

Quality Comes First at the Meuang Nong Banana Plantation

In Meuang Nong, banana plants sprawl as far as the eye can see, leafy and vibrant green, until they meet with the wild shrubbery...

LXML Handover Artifacts Discovered in Sepon Mine to Government

Today, Lane Xang Minerals Limited Sepon (LXML) handed over more than 7,800 artifacts to the Lao Government. These artifacts – made up of copper,...