World

Lao Migrant Workers Send Home USD 500 Million in First Seven Months of 2026

Lao migrant workers sent an estimated USD 500.7 million back to Laos during the first seven months of 2026, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.  The ministry shared the figures during a labor migration meeting in Vientiane on 22 September. Employment Department Director General Anousone Khamsingsavath said...

Vietnam Emerges as Laos’ Second-Largest Foreign Investor with USD 8 Billion in Projects

Vietnam has become Laos's second-largest foreign investor, with more than 400 projects worth a...

Laos, China Launch Digital Payment Link For Cross-Border Transactions

Laos and China have launched a new digital payment link that allows Chinese visitors...

Miss Universe Dispute Leaves Six Southeast Asian Franchises in Limbo

The Miss Universe Organization is facing a major dispute just weeks before its 75th...

Laos, Thailand Move Forward With Plans for New Friendship Bridge Linking Vientiane, Loei

Laos and Thailand are studying a possible new Friendship Bridge linking Vientiane Province with...

Uncounted, Uncertain: Cambodian Lao Community’s Quest for Identity, Recognition

Kai Sy remembers her childhood fondly, riding a water buffalo through the rice paddies and singing in Lao. Though her home province of Ratanakiri has...

Thailand to Launch Electronic Travel Authorization System in 2025, Laos Exempt

Thailand plans to launch an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system for visa-free travelers from 93 countries, but travelers from Laos, Malaysia, and Cambodia will...

Empowering Women in Tourism to Market Mekong Experiences in a Digital Age

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), the ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC), and Laos’s Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism jointly organized a four-day digital skills...

StarExpress Tourist Train Launches, Connecting Kunming to Laos

On 24 September, the StarExpress, a new cross-border tourist train, launched its inaugural journey from Kunming, China, to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, Laos.  This new...

Laos Takes Lead in Promoting Clean Energy at ASEAN Energy Business Forum

The 24th ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF-24) opened in Vientiane Capital, on 25 September and will conclude on 27 September, at the National Convention...

Asian Development Bank Forecasts Economic Growth for Laos by Year-End Amid Challenges

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected that Laos will experience a growth rate of 4.0 percent in 2024, supported by investments in services...