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...

Inflation Hits 9.7 Percent as Fuel Prices Drive Sharpest Rise in Years

Laos is facing mounting inflationary pressure, with prices accelerating sharply through the first quarter of 2026, according to the latest report by the Ministry...

Laos-China Railway Surpasses 80 Million Tonnes of Cargo Since Late 2021

The Laos-China Railway (LCR) has transported more than 80 million tonnes of cargo since its launch in December 2021, cementing its place as one...

Lao Government Secures 14 Million Liters of Diesel to Address Fuel Shortage

The Lao government is working quickly to stabilize the country’s energy supply amid ongoing disruptions in global markets caused by the escalating conflict in...

Laos Seeks Approval for USD 1.3 Billion Railway to Vietnam

The Lao government has submitted a proposal to the National Assembly to move forward with a planned railway linking Laos to Vietnam’s Vung Ang...

Laos Reviews Minimum Wage Increase as Living Costs Rise

Lao authorities are reviewing a proposed increase to the national minimum wage, with figures under discussion reaching up to LAK 4.1 million (USD 190)...

Vientiane Launches Flat-Fare Bus Services Amid Fuel Crisis

Vientiane authorities have announced a temporary expansion of discounted public bus services to ease the impact of the ongoing fuel shortage, offering commuters a...