Government

Laos Authorities Arrest Four in Alleged Marriage Trafficking Network

On 23 July, Lao authorities arrested four people suspected of operating a human trafficking network that allegedly recruited Lao women for irregular marriages with foreign nationals, officials reported. Authorities said police traced the brokers to Kham district in Xieng Khouang Province and Nongkeng village in Xaythany district, Vientiane Capital, with...

Cambodia, Vietnam, Belarus, Others Mourn Death of Lao NA President Xaysomphone

Foreign leaders and diplomatic missions are paying tribute to Xaysomphone Phomvihane, President of the...

Laos Considers VAT Exemption to Subsidize Electricity for Low-Income Households

Laos’ National Assembly (NA) is considering a proposal to exempt subsidized residential electricity from...

Laos National Assembly President Xaysomphone Phomvihane Dies at 69

Xaysomphone Phomvihane, President of Laos’ National Assembly and one of the country’s most senior...

Laos Deports 32 Thai Nationals After ST Vegas Raid

Laos has deported 32 Thai nationals following a major police operation at the ST...

Lao-Thai Health Project Trains More Than 1,170 Professionals Under Princess Sirindhorn’s Initiative

Over 1,170 Lao health professionals have been trained through a long-running initiative led by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand. Now nurturing a new...

ASEAN Economic Ministers Say No to Retaliation in Response to US Tariffs

Ministries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expressed "deep concern" over unilateral tariffs introduced by the United States.  The statement, adopted during their...

Cash No Longer Accepted for Land Sales in Laos Under New Regulation

The Lao government has announced a new regulation requiring all land sale and purchase payments to be made exclusively through bank transfers using the...

Asian Development Bank Predicts 3.9 Percent Economic Growth for Laos in 2025

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) officially launched the Asian Development Outlook April 2025 at the ADB’s Lao Resident Mission (LRM) office in Vientiane. According to...

Bokeo Seafood Inspection Reveals Formalin Use, Crackdown Follows

Authorities discovered the presence of formalin, a hazardous chemical derived from formaldehyde, in frozen seafood during an inspection on 8 April at several markets...

First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge Marks 31st Anniversary

The First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge marks its 31st anniversary on 8 April.  Opened in 1994, it was the first major land link between Laos and...