Health & Environment

Laos Gives Unlicensed Beauty Clinics Until November to Obtain Permits Amid Weak Oversight Concerns

The Ministry of Health has ordered unlicensed medical and beauty facilities across Laos to obtain official permits by 30 November, but the directive has raised questions over its delayed public release and how authorities will enforce the deadline. The Ministry issued the directive on 29 May but did not publicize...

Flooding Hits Over 60,000 in Khammouane as Rivers Rise Above Danger Levels

Flooding has affected more than 60,000 people across all 10 districts of Khammouane province...

Thailand’s HIV Cases Pass 550,000, Laos Reports Rising Infections Among Young People

Thailand has recorded 557,993 cumulative HIV cases, health authorities say, even as new infections...

Trendy ‘Squishy’ Toys Suspended in Laos Over Chemical Safety Concerns

Laos has ordered the immediate suspension of the import and sale of Squishy toys...

Laos Eyes State Fuel Stations as Future EV Charging Hubs

Laos is exploring plans to turn state-owned fuel stations into electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging...

Laos Beauty Pageant Cancelled for Allowing Transgender Participants

Miss Fabulous Laos 2022, a beauty pageant competition that allowed transgender women to participate, has been discontinued permanently.  Miss Fabulous Laos 2022 has made...

Public Outcry Against New Anti-Trans Pageant Rule in Laos

A notice issued by the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union effectively banning transgender participants from beauty pageants has provoked a public backlash in Laos. The...

Lao Coffee Export Concerns Grow Amid a Global Rise in Prices

According to recent reports, Vietnam's traditionally massive stockpile of coffee beans is dwindling, which is anticipated to increase global coffee prices. How will this...

Mekong River Commission Improves Monitoring and Flood Forecasting

As climate and weather patterns become more volatile, flood and drought events in the Mekong have become more frequent and intense with growing potential...

Thai Users Express Concern Over the New iPhone Meme from Laos

Health workers in Thailand have raised an alarm over jokes going around social media where users are pretending to have sold their kidneys to...

“Pick, Peal, Heal” Plant-Based Cooking Competition Promotes OneHealth

The European Union (EU) in Laos collaborated with Lao Government to organize the One Health Fair last weekend, as part of a broader campaign...