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...

Laos to Boost Digital Skills with USD 9.9 million Support from South Korea

Laos is set to accelerate its digital transformation with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which has pledged USD 9.9 million to...

Laos Grants Land to South Korea for Tourism Project in Phonhong

The Lao government has granted 500 hectares of land to South Korea’s Oriental Pearl Company Limited to develop a modern, full-cycle tourism hub in...

Plans Advance for New Vientiane-Nong Khai Railway Bridge

Laos, Thailand, and China are discussing plans to advance the construction of a new Vientiane-Nong Khai railway bridge crossing the Mekong River. The trilateral meeting,...

Vientiane Prepares for BRT Launch with New Parking Rules

Vientiane authorities implemented new no-parking regulations along sections of the capital’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor ahead of its September debut. No-parking rules are now...

Schools in Vientiane Province to Ban Student Phones Starting September

Starting 1 September, Vientiane Province will ban students from bringing phones to school to reduce distractions and help them focus on their studies, the...

Laos Starts New Academic Year Amid Worsening Teacher Shortage

As schools across Laos reopened on 1 September for the new academic year, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone urged the public to embrace the new...