Socio-Economic Development

Laos Inflation Reaches 7.7% in August, Remains Above Target

Laos’ inflation rate reached 7.7 percent in August, a slight increase from 7.6 percent in July, while average inflation for the first eight months of the year stood at 7.9 percent. Housing, water supply, electricity and cooking fuel recorded the largest increase, rising 30.2 percent from the same period last...

Laos Tightens Foreign Borrowing Rules as Debt Risks Persist

Laos has tightened controls on foreign borrowing as the government seeks to limit debt...

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...

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...

Laos Attracts USD 8.5 Billion in Investment Projects in First Seven Months of 2026

Laos attracted over USD 8.5 billion in investment approvals during the first seven months of 2026, with officials greenlighting 34 projects in concessionary businesses...

Laos State Utility Revenue Grows 9.4 Percent in First Half of 2026

Electricité du Laos (EDL), the state-owned power utility, grew its revenue by 9.4 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same...

Naphao Customs Exceeds Annual Target on Mining Debt Repayments, Trade Growth

Naphao International Border Checkpoint in Khammouane Province collected more than LAK 669.5 billion (USD 29.6 million) in customs revenue in the first half of...

Laos Eyes State Fuel Stations as Future EV Charging Hubs

Laos is exploring plans to turn state-owned fuel stations into electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging hubs as part of its push to expand charging infrastructure...

Former MRC Chief Anoulak Kittikhoun Named First Lao Head of Mekong Institute

Former Mekong River Commission (MRC) Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun has been appointed Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong Institute, becoming...

Laos Turns to Public-Private Partnership to Tighten Product Quality Controls

Laos has launched a new state-backed company to inspect and certify the quality of products, following public complaints about low-quality goods being sold in...