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...

Vientiane Capital Surpasses 2025 Revenue Target by 31 Percent

Vientiane Capital collected more than LAK 14 trillion (approximately USD 650 million) in 2025, surpassing its annual target by 31 percent, according to the...

Champasak Welcomes Nearly 730,000 Tourists, Exceeds Annual Target

Champasak Province recorded positive tourism growth in 2025, welcoming nearly 730,000 visitors and reaching 207 percent of its annual target, according to provincial authorities. The...

Laos–China 500 kV Power Line Fully Connected, Operations to Begin in April

Laos and China have completed the full connection of the Laos–China 500 kilovolt (kV) power transmission line, further enhancing their cross-border energy cooperation. since the...

Vietnam-Backed Aluminum Project in Sekong Advances Toward 2028 Launch

A major aluminum smelting project in Sekong Province is expected to produce up to 1 million tonnes of aluminum annually once fully operational, with...

Hungary Advances Wastewater Project in Vientiane, Extends Scholarships for Laos

Hungary has moved forward with key development support for Laos, reviewing progress on a major wastewater treatment project in Vientiane and confirming continued scholarship...

Vietnam Gives Foreign Investors Easier Access to Stock Market

AFP - Vietnam has moved to allow foreign investors to buy shares of local companies through international brokerages, the finance ministry has announced, removing...