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,...

Vietnam Beauty Queen Jailed for Fiber Gummy Fraud

AFP - A court in Vietnam sentenced a former beauty queen to two years in jail on 19 November for falsely promoting gummies as...

Singapore Seizes Record Rhino Horn Haul Bound for Laos

AFP - Singapore has seized over USD 800,000 worth of illegal rhino horn and animal parts hidden in air cargo bound for Laos, authorities...

Laos Central Bank Faces LAK 66.86 Billion Embezzlement Loss

The Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) is intensifying efforts to tackle corruption and internal mismanagement after inspection teams uncovered 181 cases of embezzlement...

Mekong–Lancang Nations Step Up Fight Against Cross-Border Cybercrime

Six Mekong-Lancang countries have agreed to intensify cooperation against transnational telecom and online fraud, adopting urgent measures aimed at real-time data sharing, stricter SIM-card...

Laos Uncovers Widespread Corruption, Records Billions in Losses Over Five Years

Laos has uncovered widespread corruption cases nationwide over the past five years, identifying 334 individuals implicated in financial misconduct between 2021 and 2025, with...

Laos Processes 21,003 Drug Cases, Arrests 31,289 Suspects Since 2021

Laos has made progress in its fight against drugs, with 21,003 cases handled and 31,289 suspects arrested between July 2021 and October 2025, Deputy...