Health & Environment

Heavy Rainfall Blamed for Rare Earth Reservoir Breach in Houaphanh

Heavy rainfall caused a reservoir used by a rare earth mining company to breach in Houaphanh Province on 2 November, sending more than 1,000 cubic meters of muddy water into nearby waterways, provincial authorities said. Officials inspected the site in Thabpheung village, Xamneua district, on 4 November to assess the...

Laos Turns to Community Support as Young People Face Rising Mental Health Pressures

Mental health challenges often go unnoticed in Laos, where people experiencing anxiety and emotional...

Rare Earth Ponds Burst in Houaphanh, Villages Halt River Use Pending Inspections

Village authorities along the Nam Vaen and Nam Xam rivers have told residents to...

Researchers Find New Yellow-Snouted Venomous Snake in Laos’ Vang Vieng

Researchers have found a new kind of venomous snake living in caves in Vang...

Vientiane’s Shared E-Bikes Return Amid Parking, Licensing Concerns

Red electric bikes bearing the “Laos Shared E-Bike” logo have reappeared across Vientiane, raising...

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 hubs as part of its push to expand charging infrastructure...

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 its iron ore mining and processing operations in Vientiane Province...

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 Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong Institute, becoming...

Laos Turns to Public-Private Partnership to Tighten Product Quality Controls

Laos has launched a new state-backed company to inspect and certify the quality of products, following public complaints about low-quality goods being sold in...

Laos Pushes Ahead with USD 5 Billion Luang Prabang Mekong Dam, on Track for 2030

The USD 5 billion Luang Prabang hydropower dam on the Mekong River remains on track to begin generating electricity in 2030, with construction now...

Laos Suspends Vientiane Private Hospital Suspected of Organ Trafficking

The Ministry of Health announced the immediate closure of BLL Hospital after a Taiwanese media investigation published allegations of organ trafficking at the facility. Despite...