Development

Former MRC Chief Anoulak Kittikhoun Named First Lao Head of Mekong Institute

Former Mekong River Commission (MRC) Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun has been appointed Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong Institute, becoming the first Lao national to lead the regional organisation. The appointment was announced during Mekong Forum 2026, held in Bangkok on 22–23 July, where the institute...

Trade, Energy, Tourism Drive Laos-Vietnam Economic Ties Past USD 1.3 Billion

Trade between Laos and Vietnam reached USD 1.305 billion during the first six months...

Laos Must Spend More on Healthcare as Costs Rise, World Bank Says

Healthcare in Laos is under growing financial pressure, and the country can no longer...

Thailand, China and Vietnam Fuel Laos’ Tourism Growth in 2026

Laos welcomed nearly 2.6 million international tourists in the first half of 2026, up...

Laos Launches Cultural Association to Preserve Heritage, Build Soft Power

On 16 July, Laos established a new cultural association tasked with preserving national heritage...

Bokeo Launches Task Force and Watchtower Amid Surge in Methamphetamine Seizures

Bokeo Province has intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking and related crimes with the launch of a special task force and the completion of...

Laos Improves in Corruption Index but Still Ranks Among Southeast Asia’s Lowest

Laos has made noticeable progress in the fight against corruption, improving its score by five points in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released...

Laos Shakes Up Cabinet in Sweeping Reform, Names New Central Bank Chief

Laos has carried out a sweeping government reshuffle, replacing or reassigning nine ministers along with the governor of the central bank.  The move follows a...

Eight Companies Vie to Renovate Luang Prabang International Airport

On 3 June, seven international and one local company submitted preliminary qualification documents for the Luang Prabang International Airport Improvement and Development Project, a...

Vocational, Language Education to Grow Under New National Cooperation

A new partnership is set to expand access to education and training for young students across Laos, especially those from ethnic communities. The Research and...

Laos Targets Five Percent Annual Growth by 2030 Amid Economic Reforms

The Lao government has unveiled an ambitious strategy aimed at boosting national growth and modernising key sectors as Laos continues to recover from years...