World

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 percent jump from the same period last year, as the country ramps up tourism promotion in Japan. The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism reported that Japanese arrivals have climbed steadily since 2022, rising from 6,848...

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...

Laos Border Checkpoints Report Strong Revenue Growth in First Half of 2026, Exceed Targets

Laos’ international border checkpoints collected strong state budget revenue in the first half of...

United States to Charge USD 250 Visa Integrity Fee Starting October

The United States will begin charging a new USD 250 “Visa Integrity Fee” to most non-immigrant visa applicants from 1 October, as part of...

Dozens Dead in Vietnam After Ha Long Bay Tourist Ferry Sinks

By ran Thi Minh Ha/AFP - Rescuers were desperately searching for five people still missing on Sunday after 37 were killed when a boat...

Cambodia Targets Cross-Border Crime with Mass Arrests, Signs Pact with Laos to Combat Scams, Drug Trafficking

Cambodian authorities have arrested more than 1,362 individuals, including hundreds of foreign nationals, in a sweeping 20-day crackdown on online scam operations across seven...

Misbehaving Monks: Sex Scandal Shakes Thai Buddhist Faithful

By Montira RUNGJIRAJITTRANON/AFP - Reverence for the saffron-robed Buddhist monkhood is deeply woven into Thai society, but a sex extortion scandal has besmirched the...

Thailand Rejects Full Tariff Elimination in US Trade Talks, Citing Domestic Risks

Thailand has ruled out cutting tariffs on all US goods to zero in ongoing trade talks, due to concerns about risks to local producers...

US Solar Makers Push for Tariffs on Laos, Indonesia, India

A coalition of small United States solar manufacturers has petitioned the Department of Commerce to impose new tariffs on solar panel imports from Laos,...