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...

Over 1,000 State Departments Dissolved to Deliver Good Governance in Laos

Over the last few years, 1,146 state departments and units at various levels were disbanded to streamline the structure of state organizations and provide...

16 Days of Activism 2022 Wraps up with Great Success

The German Embassy, Vientiane, and UNFPA spearheaded an advocacy event last week to wrap up the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The...

Laos Won’t Default on its Loans, Assures PM

Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh informed the ongoing session of the National Assembly that the government would try its best to repay public debt so...

Two Lao-Americans Get Elected as Mayors in the United States

Xaykham “Xay” Khamsyvoravong was unanimously chosen as mayor of Newport, Rhode Island and Oakland City Council Member Sheng Thao emerged as the mayor of...

Laos Ranks Lowest in Global English Proficiency Test

The Education First English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) conducts the world's most expansive ranking of adults by their fluency in English. This year's index...

Deputy PM Wants Increased Focus on the Rights of Adolescent Girls

The Deputy Prime Minister called for relevant departments to increase their focus on advancing the rights of adolescent girls at a recent meeting. Deputy Prime...