Economy

Laos Cabinet Approves New Draft Laws Amid 7.6% Inflation, Reviews Economic Priorities

Laos's Cabinet approved 12 draft laws and proposals during its August 24-25 meeting, as the government reported average inflation of 7.6 percent and reviewed economic, social and disaster-related challenges for the second half of 2026. The drafts cover government administration, public procurement, alcohol control, civil law, health insurance, social security,...

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...

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...

Dengue Fever Education Sessions Boost Awareness in Two Xaysomboun Villages

Local communities in Nam Mo and Nam Gnone, Xaysomboun Province, should now be better prepared to fight Dengue Fever thanks to recent education sessions...

Bank of Laos Raises Interest Rate to 10% Amid Economic Challenges

The Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) has announced an increase in its interest rate for short-term loans from 8.5 percent to 10 percent...

Global Reading Crisis: 300 Million Children at Risk by 2030, Report Says

More than 300 million children, representing 37 percent of all young people worldwide, will fail to achieve basic reading proficiency by 2030 if immediate...

Crackdown on Corruption: Lao Officials Push for Severe Penalties

The government has lost significant sums of money to corruption, with the State Inspection Authority identifying development and investment projects, especially roads and bridges,...

Chinese Girl Sparks Debate After Entering Global Math Contest Finals

Jiang Ping, a 17-year-old student in China, has sparked debate on mathematics and education after she was shortlisted for the 2024 Alibaba Global Mathematics...

Laos, Vietnam to Launch Cross-Border QR Payment Service in August

Laos and Vietnam will launch a cross-border QR payment service to enhance tourism and economic exchanges between the two nations. The service is expected...