Economy

Laos Attracts USD 8.5 Billion in Investment Projects in First Seven Months of 2026

Laos attracted over USD 8.5 billion in investment approvals during the first seven months of 2026, with officials greenlighting 34 projects in concessionary businesses and controlled business lists. The figures mark a 68 percent increase over the same period last year, and actual capital inflow from these projects has already...

Laos State Utility Revenue Grows 9.4 Percent in First Half of 2026

Electricité du Laos (EDL), the state-owned power utility, grew its revenue by 9.4 percent...

Laos Considers VAT Exemption to Subsidize Electricity for Low-Income Households

Laos’ National Assembly (NA) is considering a proposal to exempt subsidized residential electricity from...

Oudomxay Seeks More Railway Services to Boost Investment

Authorities in Oudomxay Province, northern Laos, have announced plans to expand railway services and...

Vientiane Halts New Microfinance, Pawnshop Licenses Amid Regulatory Review

On 31 July, the Bank of the Lao PDR (BoL) suspended applications for new...

Laos-China Railway Opens Ticket Office at Khamsavath Station

The Laos-China Railway launched its new ticket reservation office last week at the soon-to-be operational Khamsavath station in the capital city of Vientiane. After the...

Lao President: Laos-China Railway an Opportunity, Not a Debt Trap

Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith spoke out about the Laos-China Railway and the country's debt burden at the Nikkei Future of Asia conference. In an interview...

Prime Minister Calls for Ensuring Children’s Development and Prosperous Future in Laos

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has urged the people of Laos to guarantee that all children have equal opportunities to reach their maximum potential and...

President of Laos Visits the Emperor of Japan in Tokyo

President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith paid a visit to Japan's Emperor Naruhito on Thursday during his official trip to attend the Future of Asia...

National Planning and Financing for Inclusive Development Project Launched in Vientiane

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development...

Lao Government Issues Warning Regarding Unauthorized Scholarships

The Ministry of Education and Sports issued a notice last week warning the public of unauthorized scholarships to China and Vietnam for students from...