Development

Laos Advances Land Compensation for Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway

Bolikhamxay is finalizing land compensation rates for the Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway, pushing forward a major infrastructure project designed to link landlocked Laos with Vietnamese seaports. Local officials met with affected households in Pakxan district, on 23 September to outline payment structures for residential plots, rice fields, and agricultural land.  The draft framework...

Vientiane’s Smart Road Cleaning, Cooling Pilot Project Nears Completion

Vientiane’s Smart Clean-Cooling Road System pilot project has reached 95 percent completion, and contractors...

Vietnam Emerges as Laos’ Second-Largest Foreign Investor with USD 8 Billion in Projects

Vietnam has become Laos's second-largest foreign investor, with more than 400 projects worth a...

Laos, China Launch Digital Payment Link For Cross-Border Transactions

Laos and China have launched a new digital payment link that allows Chinese visitors...

Lao, Chinese Energy Firms to Study Battery Storage System for Laos Power Grid

On 11 September, Électricité du Laos (EDL) and Chinese energy company Shenzhen Yichu Smart...

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...

Cross-Border Wind Power Project in Laos to Begin Supplying Vietnam by End of 2025

A major wind power project backed by Vietnamese investment in Laos’ Bolikhamxay Province is now 80 percent complete and is expected to begin full...

East Asia, Pacific Face Slower Growth Without Job-Focused Reforms

World Bank Laos - East Asia and the Pacific continue to grow faster than most parts of the world, but countries need stronger reforms...

Lao Prime Minister Visits US to Strengthen Economic Ties, Seek Tariff Reductions

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone concluded a high-level working visit to Washington D.C., United States, from 27 to 30 September, aimed at deepening economic cooperation...