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’s Wat Tay Canal Could Become Floating Night Market Under New City Proposal

Vientiane is considering a proposed floating night market project along the Wat Tay canal in Sikhottabong district to boost tourism and the nighttime economy. Following...

Vientiane Finishes Seven Road Projects Ahead of Schedule

Authorities have completed seven reinforced concrete road projects totaling 40.81 kilometres across Vientiane Capital, strengthening connectivity in key districts along the Mekong River, near...

Champasak Eliminates Volunteer Teacher Program After Full Civil Service Recruitment

Champasak Province has officially ended the use of volunteer teachers after recruiting all remaining volunteers into the civil service, provincial authorities announced at the...

Construction of Bridge in Salavanh Resumes After Nearly a Decade

Construction of the Nam Se Don River Bridge in Khong Se Don district, Salavanh, has officially resumed after being stalled for nearly a decade,...

Updated Toll Charges Begin on Vientiane–Vang Vieng Expressway

New toll rates have officially taken effect on the Vientiane–Vang Vieng expressway.  From 1 January, vehicle charges range from approximately LAK 1,500 to LAK 6,500...

Laos’ Inflation Reaches 5.6 Percent in December 2025, Utilities Drive Price Pressures

Laos’ inflation rate stood at 5.6 percent in the last month of 2025, reflecting continued price pressures driven mainly by higher electricity, water, and...