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,...

Lao Authorities Shut Down Bile Extraction Facility After Rescue of Three Bears

After years of advocacy and negotiation, a bear bile extraction facility in Laos has finally been shut down, marking a major win for wildlife...

Thai Raid Exposes Underground Club for Myanmar Workers

On 29 April, Thai authorities raided an illegal entertainment venue catering to Myanmar migrant workers inside a rented warehouse in Samut Sakhon Province, uncovering...

Laos Faces Surge in Fraudulent Social Media Accounts

Social media in Laos has seen a growing number of fraudulent accounts emerging on several platforms, particularly Facebook, which remains the most widely used...

Lao Police Arrest 26 in Illegal Surrogacy Operation in Luang Namtha

Lao authorities have arrested 26 individuals, including three Chinese nationals, for their involvement in an illegal surrogacy operation uncovered at a public hospital in...

Myanmar TikTok Astrologer Arrested for Forecasting New Quake

AFP - Myanmar authorities have arrested a TikTok astrologer for spreading panic by predicting another strong earthquake in the aftermath of last month's tremor,...

Thailand-Cambodia Crime Pact Shouldn’t Undermine Human Rights, Says Right Group

Thailand and Cambodia’s new agreement to combat transnational crime must not come at the expense of human rights, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on...