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,...

Thailand Seizes USD 300 Million in Assets Linked to Cyber-Scam Networks

AFP - Thailand has seized more than USD 300 million in assets tied to criminal networks running multibillion-dollar scam centers in Southeast Asia, Prime Minister...

Thailand’s Afternoon Alcohol Sales Ban Lifted Ahead of New Year Celebrations

Laotian Times and AFP - Thailand has officially lifted its decades-old ban on alcohol sales between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, a move aimed...

Laos, Vietnam Agree to Strengthen Defense, Security, Economic Cooperation

Laos and Vietnam have signed 12 cooperation documents aimed at tightening coordination across defense, security, economic ties, and provincial partnerships during a two-day state...

Five Vientiane BRT Accidents in November Trigger Social Media Backlash

Vientiane recorded five traffic accidents on the newly designated Bus Rapid Transit lanes in November, just weeks after the city launched a two-month free...

Myanmar Military Says Nearly 1,600 Foreigners Arrested in Scam Hub Raids

AFP - On 23 November, the Myanmar military said it arrested nearly 1,600 foreign nationals in five days in a highly publicized crackdown on...

Accident in Texas Leaves Two Lao-American Monks in Critical Condition

Two Buddhist monks participating in the nationwide Walk of Peace initiative to Washington, D.C., were critically injured on 19 November after a truck struck...