Health & Environment

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 have fallen by 12,000 over the past three years. Across the border in Laos, officials are tracking a similar pattern among young people, though on a smaller scale. Thirteen of Thailand’s 77 provinces now record more...

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...

Lao Government Suspends Mining Company Over River Pollution in Vang Vieng

The Lao government has ordered Daochalearn Mineral Processing Sole Co., Ltd. to immediately suspend...

Former MRC Chief Anoulak Kittikhoun Named First Lao Head of Mekong Institute

Former Mekong River Commission (MRC) Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun has been appointed Executive...

Decades After the Bombing, Laos Still Struggles: Now With Less Help

On 3 May, a 500-pound bomb was detonated in Soplao village, Huameuang district, Houaphanh Province.  The device, identified as an MK82—a type of aerial bomb...

Plastic Rocket Kills Man During Festival in Xiengkhouang

A rocket made of plastic pipe struck and killed a 46-year-old man during Bun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival) celebrations in Perp village, Pek district,...

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...

Lao Authorities Shut Down Bile Extraction Facility After Rescue of Three Bears

After years of advocacy and negotiation, a bear bile extraction facility in Laos has finally been shut down, marking a major win for wildlife...

Thailand Urges Laos to Reconsider Sanakham Hydropower Dam Location

Thailand has formally called on Laos to reconsider the proposed location of the Sanakham Hydropower Project, planned between Xayaburi and Vientiane province of Laos,...