Government

Laos Seizes Major Drug Hauls, Arrests Over 4,000 in Six Months

Laos arrested 4,025 suspects in connection with 1,786 drug cases during the first six months of 2026 as authorities intensified a nationwide crackdown on narcotics, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone told the National Assembly on 6 July. Laos has been stepping up in its anti-drug campaigns by targeting both domestic drug...

Railway Expansion, Education Reform Among Key Issues at National Assembly

Expanding the railway to southern Laos, rolling out a new school system, reducing poverty,...

Laos Steps Up Illegal Mining Crackdown After Luang Prabang Gold Mining Cases

The Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce has ordered a nationwide crackdown on illegal...

Myanmar’s Leader Wraps First ASEAN Visit in Laos, Signs Mekong Dam Study

Myanmar's recently elected President, Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in the 2021 military...

Fire Incidents Cost Laos Over USD 14 Million in First Half of 2026

Fire incidents across Laos claimed eight lives and destroyed homes, businesses, and vehicles during...

Thongloun’s Tokyo Visit Seals New Chapter in Laos–Japan Strategic Partnership

Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith paid an official visit to Japan on 29 May, where he held a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba...

Thai Parliament Passes Cybercrime Decree Mandating Banks, Telecom Providers to Compensate Scam Victims

Thailand’s House of Representatives has passed a new Royal Decree aimed at tackling the growing threat of online scams, with a key provision requiring...

Laos Issues Payment Guidelines for 1% Digital Revenue Contribution

The Ministry of Technology and Communications has officially detailed enforcement measures for a regulation requiring all digital service providers in Laos to contribute 1...

Laos Economy Shows Signs of Recovery Amid Fiscal Pressures

Laos’ economy is showing signs of recovery amidst a debt repayment peak, persistent inflation, and structural challenges, the World Bank warns in its latest...

Provinces in Northern Laos Warn of Surge in Online Scams

Authorities in northern Laos have issued public warnings as cases of online fraud continue to rise, with scammers using increasingly sophisticated methods to deceive...

Southeast Asian Leaders Meet to Talk Tariffs, Truce, East Timor

AFP, Isabelle LEONG and Jan HENNOP - Southeast Asian leaders meet Monday for their first summit since Donald Trump's tariff policies upended global economic...