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...

Japan Approves USD 2.3 Million Scholarship Grant for Lao Civil Servants

Japan has approved JPY 378 million (USD 2.3 million) in scholarship funding to support postgraduate education for Lao government officials. This is Japan's latest investment...

Laos, Cambodia Launch New Trade Route to China for Fruits, Crops

On 22 June, Laos and Cambodia launched coordinated export and transit procedures for plants and plant products, formalising a trade corridor that increasingly channels...

Laos Upgrades Section of National Road 2 to Strengthen Thailand-Laos-Vietnam Corridor

Laos is upgrading National Road 2, a key link connecting Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, as part of a broader push to strengthen regional trade...

Chao Anouvong Stadium Renovation on Track for October Completion

Vientiane's Chao Anouvong Stadium renovation has surpassed 70 percent completion and remains on schedule for handover in October 2026.  Shuji Hayashi, senior architect at Azusa...

Laos Welcomes Iran–US Deal as Tensions Ease in Middle East

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos has expressed satisfaction over the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States...

Laos-China Railway Freight Tops 10 Million Tons in Early 2026, Triples Last Year

The Lao-China Railway (LCR) has transported more than 10 million tons of freight so far in 2026, more than triple the three million tons...