Economy

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 percent to 7 percent a year as inflation remains below the government’s 8 percent target. The Monetary Policy Committee approved the cut at its meeting on 20 August, where it reviewed monetary policy, economic conditions, fuel...

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...

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 Agricultural Exports Reach USD 977 Million in Early 2025, Eyes Expansion into New Markets

Laos has made significant progress in agricultural exports, generating USD 977 million in revenue during the first five months of 2025, achieving 65 percent...

Laos Sees 1.2 Million Tourist Arrivals in Q1 2025, Up 28 Percent from Previous Year

Laos welcomed over 1.2 million tourists in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 28 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024,...

Laos Launches Nationwide Blood Drive Amid Persistent Shortages

As World Blood Donor Day approaches on 14 June, Laos is taking urgent action to address its ongoing struggle with blood shortages through a...

Bokeo Launches Task Force and Watchtower Amid Surge in Methamphetamine Seizures

Bokeo Province has intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking and related crimes with the launch of a special task force and the completion of...

Laos Improves in Corruption Index but Still Ranks Among Southeast Asia’s Lowest

Laos has made noticeable progress in the fight against corruption, improving its score by five points in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released...

Fake Scholarship Scams Target Lao Students on Social Media

Social media users in Laos have raised concerns about a surge in suspicious scholarship advertisements that target students aspiring to study abroad, particularly in...