World

Laos Steps Up Anti-Corruption Reforms, Deepens Cooperation With Vietnam

Laos is ramping up efforts to strengthen transparency and public accountability, rolling out a new Party resolution alongside deeper cooperation with Vietnam on inspection and anti-corruption work. At high-level talks in Hanoi on 25 August, Lao and Vietnamese officials agreed to strengthen ties between their inspection and anti-corruption agencies, exchanging...

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...

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...

Thailand’s Tom Yum Kung Added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List

UNESCO has officially added Thailand’s famous prawn soup, Tom Yum Kung, to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On 4 December,...

South Korean President’s Chief of Staff Resigns After Martial Law Lifted

By David Brennan and Meredith Deliso ABC News - Following the South Korean State Council's passing of a resolution to officially lift martial law, South...

Laos Earns Over 200 ASEAN Tourism Awards, Global Acclaim

Laos continues to shine on the global tourism stage, earning 219 ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards for its dedication to sustainability and exceptional travel experiences.  On...

Thai Authorities Discover 85 Bodies Allegedly Linked to Controversial Monk-Led Cult

Thai authorities have uncovered 85 human bodies at three locations in Thailand’s Phichit and Kamphaeng Phet provinces. The bodies are allegedly linked to a monk-led...

Eight Detained in Laos Over Tourist Deaths Linked to Methanol Poisoning at Vang Vieng Hostel

On 25 November, the Vang Vieng police arrested eight individuals allegedly linked to the deaths of foreign tourists at Nana Backpackers Hostel. The detained individuals,...

Thai Court Issues Warrant for Healthcare Mogul Over Fraud Linked to Laos, Vietnam

Thailand’s Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on 22 November for Boon Vanasin, a Thai national founder of Thonburi Hospital and chairman of Thonburi Healthcare...