Law and Crime

Vientiane Shuts Down KM38 Dharma Practice Center After Leader Defies Order Over Reborn Buddha Claim

On 24 September, Vientiane authorities shut down the KM38 Dharma Practice Center in Sangsai village, Pakngum district, after its leader declared herself the reincarnation of Phra Sri Ariya Metrai, the Maitreya Buddha that Buddhist tradition says will one day appear on earth to succeed Gautama Buddha. Under the 24 September...

Corruption Crackdown in Laos’s Attapeu Province Uncovers Millions in Financial Irregularities

Attapeu authorities have detailed five years of corruption investigations and financial irregularities, including a...

Xaysomboun Identifies Four Companies Over Unauthorized Gold Mining

Authorities in Xaysomboun Province have identified four companies allegedly involved in unauthorized alluvial gold...

Laos Detains 33 Suspects in Two-Day Vientiane Cybercrime Crackdown

Lao authorities detained 33 people, all Chinese nationals, in a two-day operation targeting cybercrime...

Latest Scam Center Raids Hit Vientiane, Champasak with Nearly 100 Arrests

Laos has detained nearly 100 suspected scammers in raids across the country last week,...

Police Detain Foreigner for Violating Lockdown Orders

Police were called to a residence in Vientiane Capital to deal with partygoers who violated lockdown orders issued by the Prime Minister's Office. According to...

Fewer Road Accidents in Laos During May

Laos saw fewer road accidents in May compared to the previous months of this year. A total of 43 people were killed in road accidents...

Authorities Order Trucks to Reduce Weight in Rainy Season

Vientiane Capital authorities have ordered heavy trucks to reduce their weight by 20 percent during the rainy season. According to a notice issued by the...

Covid Restrictions Fail to Slow Expansion of Synthetic Drug Production in Southeast Asia

A new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) confirms that the synthetic drug market in East and Southeast Asia...

Laos Repatriates Illegal Entrants from Cambodia

Four Cambodian nationals, including one illegal entrant, have been repatriated safely back to Cambodia. A man was arrested by Lao authorities after illegally crossing into...

Laborer Arrested for Murder in Phongsaly Province

Police have arrested a man following the murder of a woman who employed him to clear her land in Phongsaly Province. According to a report...