Development

Laos Collects USD 12 Million in Digital Taxes From Global Tech Companies

Laos has collected approximately USD 12 million in digital taxes from global technology companies since introducing its digital tax system in late 2024, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Santiphab Phomvihane. The tax applies to foreign digital service providers without a physical presence in Laos, including Microsoft,...

Vietnam, Philippines Reach Upper-Middle-Income Status as Laos Eyes 2035 Target

Vietnam and the Philippines have been reclassified as upper-middle-income economies by the World Bank,...

Vientiane Completes New 9.3-Kilometer Mekong Embankment

On 1 July, Vientiane officially opened a new 9.3-kilometer stretch of Mekong riverfront featuring...

Laos Reports Economic Growth as Inflation Slows to 7.4 Percent in June

Laos recorded 5 percent economic growth in the first half of 2026, while inflation...

Japan Approves USD 2.3 Million Scholarship Grant for Lao Civil Servants

Japan has approved JPY 378 million (USD 2.3 million) in scholarship funding to support...

Work to Start on Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway Section Two, Completion Expected by 2030

Construction of Section 2 of the Vientiane-Hanoi expressway, which will connect Paksan district to the Laos-Vietnam border in Xaychamphone district, Bolikhamxay, is set to...

Lao Authorities Confirm International Economic Growth Forecasts in Newly Released Outlook

Lao officials have formally confirmed earlier international projections for the country's economic performance, forecasting GDP growth of around 4.0 percent by year-end.  The figures, published...

Lao President Calls for New Generation of Lao Diplomats on 80th Diplomacy Day

Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith has called for the rise of a new generation of Lao diplomats, urging them to become strategic and trusted advisers...

ADB Lowers Laos’ 2025 Growth Forecast to 3.7 Percent Amid Economic Challenges

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered Laos’ 2025 GDP growth forecast from 3.9 percent to 3.7 percent, citing debt vulnerabilities, weak demand, and...

Young Barista Crowned at First International Coffee, Tea Day in Luang Prabang, to Compete in South Korea

From 3 to 5 October, Luang Prabang hosted the International Coffee and Tea Day (ICTD) 2025, the first-ever joint celebration of International Coffee Day...

Vientiane’s ‘Girls Takeover’ Wraps Up, Giving Young Women a Real-World Leadership Experience

Plan International Laos - A youth leadership initiative involving ten adolescent girls and young women has concluded in Vientiane, giving participants the opportunity to...