Economy

Laos Cabinet Approves New Draft Laws Amid 7.6% Inflation, Reviews Economic Priorities

Laos's Cabinet approved 12 draft laws and proposals during its August 24-25 meeting, as the government reported average inflation of 7.6 percent and reviewed economic, social and disaster-related challenges for the second half of 2026. The drafts cover government administration, public procurement, alcohol control, civil law, health insurance, social security,...

Laos Economy Grows 5% in Year’s First Half, Government Holds to 6% Target

Laos’ economy expanded 5 percent in the first half of 2026, helped by a...

Attapeu Looks to Job Support as School Dropouts Rise

Attapeu is expanding its employment services as the province seeks to respond to labor...

Laos Moves to Update Electricity Law for Energy Sector Shift

Laos is moving to update its electricity sector as the government prepares to adopt...

Laos Cuts 7-Day Base Interest Rate to 7% as Economic Risks Persist

The Bank of Laos (BOL) has cut its seven-day base interest rate from 8...

Xekong Coffee Growers Exasperated By Price Drop

Agricultural officials have soothed coffee growers enough in the southern province of Xekong before they began pulling their crops in favour of others due...

ASEAN and Indian Businesses Seek Ways to Promote Trade & Investment

The ASEAN India Business Council (AIBC), representing the voice of industry in India and ASEAN, met in Vientiane last week to consolidate the process...

The Rise, Fall and Possible Renewal of Boten

BOTEN, Laos — For five years, this remote town on the China-Laos border has lived in the shadow of more prosperous times. On the main street,...

Laos to Share Hydropower Development Expertise With Myanmar

A hydro-electric-powered energy revolution has been afoot in South-East Asia over recent years with the movement of fresh and fast-flowing waters increasingly fueling the...

Tough Times In the Laos Garment Industry

The Lao garment industry has been on the decline. The value of exports increased from US$87 million in 1995 to a peak of US$219...

China Gezhouba Group Signs Deal to Construct 35-MW Xelanong 2 Hydropower Project In Laos

The China Gezhouba Group Corp. has signed an agreement with the Laotian government to develop a 35 MW hydroelectric plant in Laos' southern Salavan...