Economy

Laos Economy Grows 5% in Year’s First Half, Government Holds to 6% Target

Laos’ economy expanded 5 percent in the first half of 2026, helped by a strong tourism season and growth in services, but slowed in the second quarter as the government works to meet its 6 percent target for the year. Growth reached 5.5 percent in the first quarter before easing...

Attapeu Looks to Job Support as School Dropouts Rise

Attapeu is expanding its employment services as the province seeks to respond to labor...

Laos Moves to Update Electricity Law for Energy Sector Shift

Laos is moving to update its electricity sector as the government prepares to adopt...

Laos Cuts 7-Day Base Interest Rate to 7% as Economic Risks Persist

The Bank of Laos (BOL) has cut its seven-day base interest rate from 8...

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...

Lao Government Plans Salary Hike, Sectoral Staffing Increase for 2024

During its monthly meeting on 24 October, the Lao government announced 2025 plans to raise civil servant salaries, expand staffing quotas across various sectors,...

Laos Expresses Interest in Joining BRICS at Recent Summit

At the recent BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia, from 22 to 24 October Laos formally expressed its interest in joining the group of...

Lao Students Head to Japan for Sports, Sustainability Exchange

A delegation of nine Lao high school students and one supervisor are headed to Tokyo and Fukushima, Japan to participate in the ASEAN-Japan Sports...

Lao Durian Sector to Focus on Export Growth to China

On 24 October, government officials, agricultural experts, and representatives from the private sector gathered to discuss enhancing the Lao durian sector for export to...

Japan Supports School Improvements in Bokeo to Reduce Dropout Rates

The Government of Japan has awarded a grant of USD 107,000 to improve schools in Bokeo Province, Laos, with the goal of reducing student...

Vientiane Special Economic Zones Attract Over USD 622 Million in Investment in First Nine Months of 2024

During the first nine months of 2024, Vientiane’s five special economic zones (SEZs) attracted investments from 39 new domestic and foreign companies, totaling USD...