World

US Court Strikes Down 75-Country Visa Pause, but Ruling Does Not Lift Laos Travel Ban

A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that paused immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Laos. The ruling, issued on 21 August by US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan, found that the State Department had exceeded its legal authority by stopping consular...

Japanese Arrivals to Laos Jump 36 Percent Amid Renewed Tokyo Tourism Push

Laos welcomed 23,133 Japanese tourists in the first six months of 2026, a 36...

Prime Minister Calls for Tighter Oversight of Boten SEZ Amid Development Challenges

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has called for stronger management of the Boten Special Economic...

Laos-China Railway Trade Surges as Cross-Border Freight Hits New Highs

Trade along the Laos-China Railway continued to grow sharply in the first half of...

Van Crash in Thailand Kills Two Lao Nationals, Injuries 12

A passenger van carrying 14 Lao nationals crashed and caught fire in Thailand's Roi...

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...

United States Plans to Hit Southeast Asian Solar Imports with Tariffs as High as 3,400 Percent

On 21 April, the United States Department of Commerce announced its final decision in a major trade investigation targeting solar imports from four Southeast...

Thailand Reviews Visa-Free Entry Amid Concerns of Illegal Stays, Drop in Chinese Tourism

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered a review of the country’s visa-free entry scheme following reports of foreign nationals overstaying their visits and...

Foodpanda to Cease Operations in Thailand, Parent Company Announces

Foodpanda will cease its operations in the country on 23 May, its German parent company Delivery Hero announced on 23 April.  The decision is a...

Lao Deputy Calls for Climate, Trade Cooperation

Laos’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maithong Thammavongsa reaffirmed Laos’ commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and accelerating climate action at the 81st session of...

US Judge Orders Preliminary VOA Funding Restoration in Blow to Trump

RFA REAX/AFP - A judge on Tuesday ordered President Donald Trump's administration to restore funding to Voice of America and other US-funded media, saying...