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Rare Earth Ponds Burst in Houaphanh, Villages Halt River Use Pending Inspections

Village authorities along the Nam Vaen and Nam Xam rivers have told residents to stop using river water after two rare earth mining ponds in Houaphanh burst on 1 November and released chemical wastewater into the Nam Vaen River. According to the 3-November notice, residents of Meuangvaen, Nakao, and Nakhoun...

Muddy Nam Song River Raises Public Doubts Over Official Explanation

Vang Vieng’s Nam Song River has been muddy for weeks, but many residents are...

Laos Revokes Import Licences of Six Vehicle Companies

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has revoked the import licences of six vehicle-importing...

Laos Inflation Eases to 7.7 Percent as Electricity Costs Remain High

Laos’ inflation edged down to 7.7 percent in October from 7.8 percent in September,...

Laos to Raise Private Sector Minimum Wage to LAK 3.4 Million from January 2027

Laos will raise the minimum monthly pay for private sector workers to LAK 3.4...

Clearance Teams Destroy Over 1,000 UXO Items in Champasak Province

Clearance teams destroyed more than 1,000 unexploded ordnance (UXO) items during a large-scale operation in Champasak Province. The demolition took place in Lak 48 village,...

Emoji-Covered Couple Photos Spark Viral Trend Across Lao Social Media

A recent engagement post has sparked widespread discussion on Lao social media, giving rise to a viral trend in which people share photos with...

World Bank Backs Laos in Boosting Education, Health Worker Performance

On 16 January, the World Bank (WB) approved a new project aimed at strengthening the performance of primary education and health workers in Laos...

Sinkhole Prompts Evacuation of 38 Households in Vientiane, Four Still Missing

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has ordered the immediate evacuation of 38 households from high-risk areas of Thongmang village in Xaythany district, Vientiane,...

Xayabouly Prepares for Annual Masked Ghost Festival 2026

Xayabouly Province is preparing for this year's Masked Ghost Festival, or Phi Ta Khon Festival, from 31 January to 2 February.  Traditionally this festival is...

Houaphanh Opens 2026 Annual Cherry Blossom Festival

Xam Neua district in Houaphanh Province officially opened its 2026 Annual Cherry Blossom Tourism Festival on 8 January, aiming to promote local tourism while...