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,...

Three-Year-Old Boy Burned by Hot Water at Thai Clinic, Family Demands Justice

A 3-year-old Lao boy suffered severe injuries after being scalded with hot water by a Thai doctor at a clinic in Chonburi Province, Thailand....

Laos Signs UN Cybercrime Convention to Boost Digital Security

Laos has formally joined the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, signaling its commitment to global cooperation in combating cyber threats and advancing its digital...

Four Dead in Xieng Khouang Linked to Illegal Gold Mining

Xieng Khouang Province has reported four deaths in 2025 related to illegal gold mining, highlighting ongoing safety and regulatory issues in the region. The...

Myanmar Scam Center Raid Sends Hundreds Fleeing to Thailand

More than 600 people fled one of Myanmar's most notorious scam centers and crossed into Thailand, a Thai provincial official told AFP on 24...

Laos Seizes 19 Million Meth Pills, Over 1.6 Tons of Crystal Meth

Laos continues to battle large-scale drug trafficking, with recent major arrests in Bokeo and Vientiane, with police seizing millions of meth pills and over...

Laos Joins Global Fight Against Cybercrime as President Thongloun Heads to UN Convention in Vietnam

Laos is set to deepen its commitment to fighting cybercrime by signing the United Nations Convention on Countering Cybercrime at a high-profile ceremony in...