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...

Luang Prabang Handicrafts Festival Attracts more Visitors

Luang Prabang Handicrafts Festival has attracted more than 3,000 local and foreign visitors since the event began on December 4. The weeklong festival is being...

Dry Season Rice Plan Under Consideration

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is considering whether the figure for this year's dry season rice plan should be revised downwards or remain...

Laos-China Railway to Spur Border Zone Development

The Laos-China railway will provide significant momentum for the development of the Boten-Mohan border economic cooperation zone, experts have noted. The railroad, a key project...

Intercontinental Set for 2021 Laos Debut

Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) is set to open its first Intercontinental-brand property in Laos in 2021, as part of the new mixed-use World Trade...

Employees Enjoy Better Working Conditions, Rights

More than 400 state enterprises and private factories in Vientiane have signed on to collective bargaining agreements to protect the rights and benefits of...

Changing Mekong Currents Compound Dam Anxieties in Southeast Asia

The government of Laos officially submitted the Pak Beng Dam to the Mekong River Commission in mid-November and has begun preparatory work around the...