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 Drops Casino Legalization Plans After PM Suspended

AFP - Thailand's cabinet on 8 July dropped a bill to legalize casino gambling, a flagship project of the faltering ruling party, which last...

Marco Rubio to Attend ASEAN Meeting in First Asia Trip

AFP - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make his first trip to Asia since taking up his post, traveling this week to...

Laos, Thailand, Myanmar Faces Arsenic Contamination in Mekong River

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has confirmed arsenic contamination exceeding international safety standards across transboundary sections of the Mekong and Kok Rivers, affecting Laos,...

US Reduces Tariff on Lao Imports to 40 Percent, Pressure on Trade Remains

The United States has lowered its reciprocal tariff on Lao imports from 48 percent to 40 percent, following President Donald Trump’s latest round of...

Lao Man Arrested in Thailand for Producing, Selling Child Abuse Content

Thai police arrested a 20-year-old Lao national on 6 July at a resort in Muang District, Surin Province, for allegedly producing and distributing child...

US Tariffs to Take Effect 1 August Without New Trade Deals

AFP - US tariffs will kick in on 1 August if trading partners from Taiwan to the European Union do not strike deals with...