Economy

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 Value-Added Tax (VAT) as the government looks for ways to ease living costs for low-income households. The Standing Committee raised the proposal during its monthly meeting on 6-7 August. According to the NA, the VAT exemption would...

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...

Lao State Fuel Enterprise Posts 70 Percent Profit Surge in 2025, Eyes Stock Market Listing

The Lao state-owned Lao State Fuel Company (LSFC) reported a sharp rise in profits...

Naphao Customs Exceeds Annual Target on Mining Debt Repayments, Trade Growth

Naphao International Border Checkpoint in Khammouane Province collected more than LAK 669.5 billion (USD...

CCTV Refurbishment Completed Across 93 Locations in Vientiane Capital

The Ministry of National Defence's Communications Department has taken charge of the new CCTVs installed in Vientiane Capital, as part of a refurbishment project...

East Asia and Pacific Regional Growth to Accelerate as China Rebounds

Growth in developing East Asia and the Pacific is forecast to accelerate in 2023 as China’s economy reopens, while the pace of growth in...

Laos Sees Marginal Relief From High Inflation, With 0.29% Decrease in March

According to the Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB), the total inflation rate for March decreased slightly to 40.97% compared to February's figures of 41.3%. However, the...

Technical Consultation Held for Lao 5th Population and Housing Census 2025

On Sunday, the Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB), Ministry of Planning and Investment, and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with the United States...

MRC Secretariat Chief Cites Progress Amid Troubling Trends in Annual Address

On Monday, in his second State of the Mekong Address, the top executive of the Mekong River Commission described how – despite meaningful progress...

Lao Workers Seek Employment Abroad Due to Low Wages and Inflation

High inflation and an increased cost of living at home are reasons cited for Lao laborers choosing to work abroad, according to the Ministry...