Socio-Economic Development

Vientiane Completes New 9.3-Kilometer Mekong Embankment

On 1 July, Vientiane officially opened a new 9.3-kilometer stretch of Mekong riverfront featuring parks, walking and cycling paths, sports facilities, and flood protection infrastructure following the completion of Phase II of the Mekong River Integrated Management Project. The new embankment extends from Wat Nak village in Sisattanak District to...

Laos Raises Tax-Free Income Threshold Under New Personal Income Tax Rules

Laos has officially raised the monthly income exempt from personal income tax from LAK...

Laos Reports Economic Growth as Inflation Slows to 7.4 Percent in June

Laos recorded 5 percent economic growth in the first half of 2026, while inflation...

Laos Restores Higher Fuel Excise Taxes as Emergency Relief Measures End

On 24 June, Laos reinstated higher excise taxes on fuel, restoring regular gasoline tax...

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...

Lao State Fuel Company Set to Transform into Public–Private Joint Venture

The Lao government is moving to restructure the Lao State Fuel Company (LSFC) into a public–private joint venture as part of its broader overhaul...

National Assembly Calls for Action on Roads, Education, Agriculture

At the 10th Ordinary Session of the 9th National Assembly on 11 November, members proposed measures for the government to address key challenges highlighted...

Mineral Sector Surpasses Five-Year Goals as Government Strengthens Oversight

Laos’ mineral sector recorded production worth LAK 36,175 billion (approximately USD 1.67 billion) in the first 10 months of 2025, achieving 104 percent of...

New Partnership Strengthens River Data, Forecasting, Sustainable Development in Laos

MRC - The Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the Government of Australia have reinforced their long-standing partnership with additional support and new digital tools...

Laos Kicks Off First-Ever Digital Census with Nationwide Field Data Collection

UNFPA - Santiphab Phomvihane, Minister of Finance and Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for the 2025 Population and Housing Census, led a...

Laos Sets New Economic Direction Under 2026–2030 Development Strategy

Laos is setting an ambitious new course for national growth as the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Finance have rolled...