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 to Conduct Feasibility Study of Waste-to-Energy Transformation

The government of Laos and a private company in Vientiane Capital have signed an agreement to study the possibility of using waste to generate...

BCEL One to Be Added as Payment Option in LCR App

BCEL One will soon be available as a payment method on the LCR application for purchasing travel tickets for the Laos-China Railway. BCEL Bank announced...

Laos and Australia Partner on Sustainable Energy

The new Laos-Australia Sustainable Energy Partnership (LASEP) will expand cooperation to support Laos’ sustainable energy transition, with a focus on stronger planning and a...

Big C Hypermarket to Open in Laos Next Year

Big C, a Bangkok-based grocery and general merchandising retailer, has commenced construction of its first hypermarket in Laos, with plans to open its doors...

Laos Records Trade Surplus of USD 1.39 Billion in 2022

Laos recorded a trade surplus of USD 1.39 billion in 2022, boosted by the country's electricity exports, according to the Ministry of Industry and...

Khammouane Approves 71 French Colonial Buildings as Historical Heritage Sites

Khammouane Province has designated 71 French colonial buildings and houses as historical heritage sites for educational purposes and tourism. Thakek District, located in Khammouane Province,...