Health

Bear Paws, Pangolin Meat Seized in Vientiane Restaurant Raid Amid Laos’ Wider Crackdown

Lao authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal wildlife trade after raiding a Chinese-owned restaurant in central Vientiane, one of several wildlife enforcement operations carried out this year. On 18 May, officers from the Law Enforcement Network for Aquatic Animals, Wildlife and Forestry (LAO-WEN) inspected a restaurant in Chommany...

Laos Releases Dengue-Blocking Mosquitoes in Savannakhet

On 9 June, Savannakhet Province launched its first bacteria-enhanced mosquito release program, becoming the...

Rescuers Pull First Survivor Alive From Flooded Cave in Laos

One of the villagers trapped for more than a week inside a flooded cave...

Fish Deaths Spread Along Xe Don in Champasak as Water Tests Raise Concerns

Local communities have reported several fish death cases along the Xe Don River in...

While Exports Flow, Low-income Families Bear the Heat of an Uneven Grid

Additional reporting by Simmavanh Vayouphack When temperatures climbed above 40°C across many parts of Laos...

Thailand Sees Surge in COVID-19 Cases, With Over 91,000 in First Five Months

Thailand is witnessing a significant rise in COVID-19 infections in 2025, with health authorities reporting 91,448 cases and 24 deaths during the 20 weeks...

Shortfall in Blood Donations Prompts New Push in Schools for 2025

The Lao Red Cross is ramping up efforts to strengthen partnerships with schools and expand youth engagement in blood donation, following a shortfall in...

From Seed to Community: How Lao Tobacco Limited Partners with Lao Farmers

Across the provinces of northern and central Laos, Lao Tobacco Limited (LTL) is working on developing rural livelihoods through its LEAF Department, a division...

OP-ED: Honoring Lao Midwives, Heroes of Maternal Health

By Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health, Laos, and Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative in Laos. On 5 May, International Day of the Midwife, we come together...

Laos Halts Meat Imports from Thailand Following Fatal Anthrax Case

Laos has suspended the import of beef, pork, horse, and lamb from Thailand in an effort to prevent the spread of anthrax, following the...

Mekong Communities at Risk as Arsenic Levels Soar in Northern Thai Rivers, Researcher Found

Arsenic levels up to 19 times higher than safety limits have contaminated rivers feeding into the Mekong, putting downstream communities across Southeast Asia at...