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...

StarExpress Tourist Train Launches, Connecting Kunming to Laos

On 24 September, the StarExpress, a new cross-border tourist train, launched its inaugural journey from Kunming, China, to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, Laos.  This new...

Salavan, Ubon Ratchathani Provinces Agree on Cross-Border Water Transport Deal

Laos’ Salavan Province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani Province have agreed to enhance cooperation on water transport, aiming to improve regional connectivity through key international...

Asian Development Bank Forecasts Economic Growth for Laos by Year-End Amid Challenges

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected that Laos will experience a growth rate of 4.0 percent in 2024, supported by investments in services...

Khammouane Province Fights Deforestation with New Farmer-Led Conservation Initiative

The forestry authorities in Khammouane have launched a new project to protect biodiversity and reduce poverty across the province. The initiative will engage 600...

ASEAN Mayors, Governors Gather in Laos to Focus on Connectivity, Sustainability

Vientiane is hosting the Meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals 2024 (MGMAC 2024) and the ASEAN Mayors Forum 2024 (AMF 2024) from...

Primary School Teachers Receive Intensive Training on Spoken Lao Program

A comprehensive training program is currently underway to equip primary school teachers with the skills necessary to effectively teach the Lao language to non-Lao...