Economy

Oudomxay Seeks More Railway Services to Boost Investment

Authorities in Oudomxay Province, northern Laos, have announced plans to expand railway services and free up land for investment around the region's three Laos-China Railway stations. The provincial government said on 3 August that it would set aside more than 300 hectares around Xay, Namor and Nga stations for commercial,...

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...

Laos Inflation Edges Up in July, Electricity Prices Surge 91.5% Year-on-Year

Electricity prices jumped 91.5 percent in July compared to the same month last year,...

Laos Sells, Dissolves, and Reforms State Enterprises

Laos has begun selling shares in its state enterprises to local investors as part of reforms expected to unburden the state amid economic woes. A...

Bank of Laos Limits Daily Foreign Exchange Transactions

The Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) has announced that commercial banks and currency exchange providers will be subject to new limits on the...

Laos Finance Minister Says Public Debt ‘Still Manageable’

Laos' Finance Minister Bounchom Oubonpaseuth has assured National Assembly members that public debt is still manageable, despite the total amount remaining considerable. Vientiane Times reports...

ASEAN+3 Publishes Regional Economic Outlook for 2022 

Risks abound, but growth is expected to normalize in the region as COVID recedes. On 12 April, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) published its...

Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Streamline Passport Applications

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) plans to process more passport applications to reduce the long queue of people waiting to travel abroad. The Consular...

Laos Finance Minister Guarantees Three-month Fuel Supply

Lao Minister of Finance, Mr. Bounchom Oubonpaseuth, has guaranteed fuel supplies will be sufficient for motorists across Laos for the next three months. He made...