Health & Environment

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

Laos has ordered the immediate suspension of the import and sale of Squishy toys nationwide after authorities warned that some may contain hazardous chemicals that pose health risks, particularly to children. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued the order on 28 July, instructing provincial industry and commerce departments across...

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...

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...

Khammouane Provincial Hospital Faces Medicine Shortage

Khammouane Provincial Hospital is currently facing a critical shortage of essential medicines, with patients now being asked to bring their own. In a recent notice...

Ministry of Health Launches Campaign to Combat Dengue Fever in Laos

With 10,000 cases and six deaths already being reported this year, the Ministry of Health in Laos is actively addressing the dengue fever outbreak...

Cassava Profits Conceal Alarming Environmental Threat in Laos

Cassava's lucrative short-term benefits as Laos' major agricultural export mask the devastating consequences of extensive slash-and-burn practices, putting the country's long-term ecological stability in jeopardy. Cassava has...

How South Korea’s Flash Flood Forecasting System Could Be Beneficial to Laos

A new flood forecasting and early warning system developed in South Korea could prove to be a lifesaving new technology for Laos and other...

Former U.S. Ambassadors to Laos Urge Biden to Revoke Cluster Munitions Support for Ukraine

Six former U.S. ambassadors to Laos sent an open letter on Wednesday to U.S. President Joe Biden expressing concern and disappointment on the country's...

Humans’ Impact on the Earth Began a New Epoch in the 1950s Called the Anthropocene, Scientists Say

From climate change to species loss and pollution, humans have etched their impact on the Earth with such strength and permanence since the middle...