Economy

Prime Minister Calls for Tighter Oversight of Boten SEZ Amid Development Challenges

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has called for stronger management of the Boten Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Luang Namtha as Laos seeks to expand the border area as a trade and investment hub. Laos began developing the Boten SEZ in 2012 to attract investment in finance, trade, industry, transport and...

Laos-China Railway Trade Surges as Cross-Border Freight Hits New Highs

Trade along the Laos-China Railway continued to grow sharply in the first half of...

Laos Identifies Two New Rare Earth Target Areas Across Four Provinces

Laos has completed field surveys and identified two major potential rare earth target areas...

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...

Laos Border Checkpoints Report Strong Revenue Growth in First Half of 2026, Exceed Targets

Laos’ international border checkpoints collected strong state budget revenue in the first half of...

Laos, China Set Four Strategies to Hit USD 20 Billion Trade Target by 2030

Laos and China have agreed on four strategic pillars to boost bilateral trade and investment, with projections suggesting the figure could reach up to...

Laos, Thailand Sign New Cross-Border Fuel Supply Deal

Laos has secured a formal petroleum supply agreement with Thailand’s state-backed PTT Group, reinforcing fuel security amid uncertainty in regional energy markets. The Lao State...

Vang Vieng Gears Up for USD-216M Tourism Overhaul as Old Airport Transforms

Preparations are underway for a USD 216 million tourism complex at the old airfield in Vang Vieng. Lao Yijin Group Co., Ltd. is leading the...

Bank of Laos Responds to EU Sanctions Against Lao Bank

The Bank of Laos (BOL) has publicly addressed European Union (EU) sanctions imposed on the Joint Development Bank (JDB), which threatened the bank’s international...

Laos Inflation Drops to 9 Percent, But Living Costs Remain High

Laos recorded an inflation rate of 9 percent in May, down from 10.2 percent in April, marking the first slowdown in consumer price growth...

Laos, Cambodia Advance ASEAN Power Grid

On 25 May, Laos and Cambodia signed a joint framework agreement in Phnom Penh to launch a feasibility study on a cross-border power grid...