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...

Lao, Vietnamese Leaders Advance Plans for Rail, Road Connections

In a push for regional connectivity and economic cooperation, Laos and Vietnam are accelerating infrastructure initiatives, focusing on the Vientiane-Vung Ang railway project. This...

Laos Expresses Interest in Joining BRICS at Recent Summit

At the recent BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia, from 22 to 24 October Laos formally expressed its interest in joining the group of...

Thai Authorities Cut Illegal Internet Cables Across Thai-Lao Border

Thai authorities have discovered and severed illegal internet cables running from Thailand’s Mukdahan Province across the Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge into Laos, Thai media...

Hong Kong Eases Visa Rules for Lao, Cambodian, and Myanmar Citizens

Hong Kong has announced relaxed visa rules for nationals of Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, making it easier for them to apply for multiple-entry visas...

ASEAN Summits Conclude with Key Agreements, Leadership Transition to Malaysia

The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, held from 6-11 October in Vientiane, concluded with key agreements aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and addressing global...

Capital Links Forum Highlights Opportunities, Barriers to Investment in Laos

On 11 October, Laos hosted the "Capital Links Forum" at the Souphattra Hotel in Vientiane, bringing together financial institutions, investors, policymakers, and fintech innovators....