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,...

UXOs Take More Lives in Laos Amidst Ongoing International Efforts

As unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to pose a significant threat to lives in Laos, the Government of Ireland has pledged over USD 1 million...

Lao Student’s Viral Story Sparks Discussion on Sexual Harassment, Victim Support

Sexual harassment has been an increasingly pressing issue across the world, yet it often fades from public discourse. This is also the case in...

Oudomxay Court Sentences Two Defendants to Death for Drug Trafficking

On 28 June, the first-level criminal court committee of the Oudomxay People's Court sentenced two defendants to death for trafficking 93 bundles of methamphetamine,...

Hundreds of Chinese Nationals Deported for Online Fraud in Lao SEZ

Lao police have deported 280 Chinese nationals to China for their alleged involvement in a widespread online fraud operation run out of an illegal...

Lao PM Highlights Drug Threat, Urges Unity on Anti-Drug Day

On the 37th anniversary of International Anti-Drug Day, 26 June, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone addressed the nation, reflecting on the country's efforts and...

Oudomxay Court Sentences Officials to Life and Eight Years for Major Embezzlement

On 13 June, the Oudomxay Criminal Court handed jail sentences to two former civil servants for their involvement in a corruption case worth LAK...